Since the students have decided to support the Illinois Student Association with its $22,000, students should now make sure they get their money’s worth.

There has been some controversy surrounding the ISA recently, mixed with a lot of apathy as well.

Some claimed the ISA was keeping secrets from NIU and not fulfilling all of its promises. Meanwhile, others claimed the ISA was not at fault, and in fact, NIU was in the dark because of poor representation at the ISA meetings. Others just didn’t care.

What the actual situation was, we’ll probably never know. But what is important is that students learn from our past follies and keep on top of what’s going on now.

The ISA could be an important part of our college years, it being the only group that makes tuition increase protesting a full-time job.

But the numbers don’t look good. Out of the 198 students who voted, 132 cast their ballots in favor of paying $1 for the program.

Although the voter ratio wasn’t bad, the turnout from about 24,000 students certainly was. This just doesn’t indicate a group of students who truly will utilize all the information and guidance the ISA has to offer.

Whenever sticky issues pop up regarding the state and legislature, students should rally together and make a call to the ISA and find out what’s going on on their end. In the same respect, student leaders should keep up on what the ISA is doing for us on a regular basis.