The Student Association is looking into the possibility of obtaining health care and retirement benefits for two student assistance attorneys who really deserve it.

Students’ Legal Assistance attorneys Don Henderson and Lynn Richards provide legal advice to any fee-paying NIU student who requests it. Their salaries are paid from the SA budget that is funded by student fees. The benefits the SA is attempting to obtain for the attorneys will not increase student fees because the benefits will be financed through the university.

Both attorneys have proven their dedication to the job—Henderson has worked in the office for 10 years and Richards for five—so we need to show our appreciation by giving them the benefits they would be able to receive from many other employers.

Although it is not a problem with Henderson and Richards, SA President Huda Scheidelman said she will be working with the university to develop a contract that would assure students the attorneys’ loyalties would not be divided if they receive benefits. Some might fear a division of loyalty since NIU would provide the attorneys’ benefits, and not the students.

Scheidelman said such a contract is a precautionary measure necessary for future instances when new attorneys might be hired. These precautionary steps make sense.

Hopefully the benefits will be agreed upon by the SA and the NIU administration. The legal assistance attorneys have proven themselves a necessity to NIU students by providing information and representation whenever possible. Now it is our turn to show our gratitude by supporting this proposal.