Students have an additional two weeks to learn about the Illinois Student Association before casting their votes.

NIU officials allowed a two-week extension for a referendum to decide whether to continue a $22,000 membership in ISA.

The referendum will now be held on Nov. 28 instead of the original Nov. 15 deadline set by NIU officials. However, the deadline was only a recommendation, and the extension would not cause problems, said Anne Kaplan, executive assistant to the President John La Tourette.

Kaplan said the fee, only $1 per student, is minor. The President’s Fee Study Committee, which reviews all student fee requests, would be able to examine other requests while waiting for the ISA decision, she said.

The ISA is a student lobbying group that tries to influence Illinois government concerning student issues, such as keeping tuition low. Recent Student Association senate debate has questioned the group’s value.

The fee was passed in 1988 with a two-year limit. The referendum decides whether students are willing to pay.

The Nov. 15 deadline caught the SA unprepared, so President Robert McCormack asked for more time to educate students about the ISA.

“We knew we had to do it this semester, however, it came as a surprise that there was a deadline,” McCormack said.

“By no means do we want a repeat of the elections. We want to get the information out,” he said, referring to September’s last minute senate elections drawing a low turnout.

McCormack said the Nov. 15 deadline was given to him by Michelle Emmett, Director of University Programming and Activities.

Emmett said she realized the ISA fee was minor, and she hoped the date extension would not cause problems. “We’re talking about a dollar fee. I don’t see it as a real critical thing,” she said.