A common complaint heard by elected officials is “what have you done for me lately?” NIU’s handicapped students might claim the Student Association has failed to do anything to provide them with bus service. But delays have arisen because of miles of red tape in the state’s funding scheme.

The SA Mass Transit Board’s current plan to lease or buy a minibus to offer transportation to the handicapped already has two strikes against it. The idea started out as a noble gesture to replace the service once offered by the DeKalb Taxi Service—carrying handicapped students to and from NIU.

The first option was to have the Volunteer Action Center take the handicapped to and from classes and the city. This, unfortunately, proved to be too time consuming. As a result, VAC now serves only off-campus students.

NIU now leases a minibus for the purpose of transport, but, like with everything else this year, funding has become a major issue. This is where the state’s red tape quagmire begins.

The original plan was to have Section 18 funding pay for at least part of the minibus. However, the Illinois Department of Transportation maintains that Sec. 18 funds can be used only for general service and cannot be channeled to serve individual groups. Strike one.

Another option is obtaining a 16(B)2 grant. Such a grant is a federal subsidy specifically designed to help non-profit organizations transport the aged and the handicapped. Normally, one would think SAMTB’s efforts would have paid off. Unfortunately, Graduate Busing Adviser Mary Hermsen said obtaining a 16(B)2 funded vehicle could take a few years. Strike two.

This situation leaves handicapped students frustrated and caught in the middle. The SA is trying to solve a problem and provide for students with unique needs, but the state’s funding scheme is making it nearly impossible.

It’s a shame the SA’s efforts to do something positive on behalf of disabled students has become bogged down in an endless stream of bureaucratic red tape.