It’s a sad reflection on the nation’s universities when the government has to force schools to do what should be an act of responsibility.

Still, legislators supporting the bill mandating higher education to publish crime statistics and athletes’ graduation rates are nervous the bill awaiting Bush’s signature doesn’t go far enough.

That’s why NIU should walk the extra mile and make available more than the bill requires.

The bill is designed to give the public and prospective students increased access to campus information.

And it’s absolutely crystal clear the bill is a needed and a welcomed asset for the NIU community.

It has become the rule that as the weekend progresses, somebody hears rumors or actually witnesses crimes. There are the fights. The rapes. The racial incidents. The burglaries.

And rarely do these things go reported—for whatever reason.

The bill isn’t supposed to be a slap in the face to university law enforcement. Certainly, NIU’s University Police Department has a thankless job with a lot of piddley calls from students crying about something inconsequential.

However, there are also the times when simply staggering statistics start floating around.

Like when figures start quietly circulating about how many rapes occurred in NIU’s residence halls last year. Or about how many racial fights happened.

Under the bill, sources afraid to talk because their jobs are on the line won’t have to. Records can be secured. The facts can be presented. The campus can be made safer.

Common sense might cause a couple of headaches now, but because the community will be safer as a result, it is worth it.