Although hallways were dark and traffic was light, most of the offices were open and business continued as usual at NIU during Spring Break.

Anne Groves, secretary to President John La Tourette, said under ordinary circumstances Spring Break is a normal work day in the president’s office.

“This happens to be the week the president is on vacation,” Groves said. “A lot of official representatives left for the basketball game on Thursday.”

Many NIU officials said the absence of students allowed them to catch up on paperwork.

James Miller, chairman of the English department, said he spent his break catching up on work he isn’t able to do daily.

Teresa Fredin, mathematical sciences department secretary, said about five professors in her department worked during spring break and others popped in to check their mail. She didn’t hear from about 30 of them, she said.

One professor who said he came into the office to work on a research project was Askari Kizilbash, who teaches marketing.

“It’s nice to be able to work on a project without being distracted,” Kizilbash said.

Like most NIU offices, the Physical Plant does not go on vacation during Spring Break.

The break allows Ed O’Donnell, building maintenance superintendent, to send more craftsmen into the residence halls to work in the student rooms and kitchen areas, he said.

Grounds Superintendent Tom Anderson said the grounds crew sweeps the student parking lots during the break. After the snow storm Tuesday night, however, the crew switched to shoveling, he said.

“The weather dictates our job, not the students,” Anderson said.

The Founders Memorial Library was quieter than usual last week. Cliff Golden, who works in the general reference area, said the lack of students allowed employees to complete some special projects.

Senior Dawn Gamble, a special education major, worked at the information desk in the Holmes Student Center during the week. No activities were in progress at the HSC, she said, except for the setting up of the Children’s Literature Institute, she said.

“Just about everything is open,” Gamble said. “But not too many people are using it.”

Susan Hall, a senior communications major, stayed in town because of her job at the graduate office, she said. She also wanted to catch up on schoolwork, she said.

Studying also was on the mind of Apiwat Chudhabuddhi, a graduate student in computer science, who said he stayed in town to prepare for a comprehensive exam.

Some students were unable to travel home for break and were hampered by the lack of public transportation.

Graduate student Muhong Chen, a geology major, said he stayed in town because he is from China and had no other place to go. Chen hopes the university will supply buses next spring break because he and other students have no cars, he said.