Recently there have been several responses published about using activity fees to support the yearbook. I believe it is important to clear up some misconceptions regarding this issue.

In the past, student activity dollars were used to publish the yearbook; at one time more than $50,000 was budgeted for this purpose. This financial base allowed NIU to publish a 400-page, award-winning book which incorporated pictures of student life with narrative accounts of the year’s events. Each student received a copy of this book to provide him/her with lasting memories of the past school year. Unfortunately, the yearbook fell into difficulties during the early 1970s, resulting in its discontinuation after 73 years of continual publication.

During the past several years, a group of students came together to re-establish the yearbook to the prominent position it once held. Unfortunately, the group did not have an adequate financial base or full support from the university. These conditions contributed heavily to the present status of the yearbook account.

Without an adequate financial base, the yearbook will continue to flounder or again will be discontinued. Unfortunately, the individuals who will be most negatively affected by this situation are the members of the student body. Many students, upon the completion of their degree, desire to have some tangible remembrance of their college years. NIU is failing to provide this without the publication of a yearbook.

Until the students are willing to speak up and support the publication of a yearbook by providing it with adequate financial support, the current situation likely will continue. Therefore, it is now time for NIU to break away from the difficulties of the past 15 years and restore the yearbook as a source of pride for our students.

Mary Hermsen

graduate assistant,

University Programmingand Activities