Pass

It looks like alumni do care about things other than fancy buildings and attending football games.

According to today’s Northern Star article, alumnus Ralph Strozza is, for the second time, donating SDL Trados Studio licenses for the Foreign Language Learning Center.

“Our foreign language department is first rate and our faculty is world class,” Strozza said. “They have the pedigree and skills to give NIU students what they need to succeed in their careers.”

Way to go, Strozza. NIU needs all the financial support it can get.

Even though it’s Strozza’s second time donating to the foreign language department, it gives me hope for other alumni.

From what I have noticed, too many of the alumni care too much about allocating their money toward fancy buildings or attending football games.

Alumni focus needs to be on remodeling buildings and giving funds to academic programs.

Also, the alumni don’t only have to be proud of being a Huskie when the football team is excelling. NIU did place fifth in a mock invitational at the University of St. Francis Invitational.

Hopefully, if alumni know about our academic advancements they will donate to academic programs.

Let’s hope alumni keep supporting our academic endeavours.

Fail

I am done with politicians thinking they are above the law and can do whatever their cold hearts desire.

According to a Feb. 3 Chicago Tribune article, Gov. Pat Quinn is trying to delay showing his state budget, which is supposed to be shown on Feb. 19, to March 26, which will be after the March 19 primary election.

The sad thing is Quinn made so many good promises, like doubling MAP grants and raising minimum wage to at least $10.

According to the article, Senate Republican leader Christine Radogno said she and fellow Republicans were OK with pushing back the budget deadline a month when Quinn took ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s place. Blagojevich was impeached and kicked out of office in January 2009.

“But to push back the presentation of the state’s budget by five weeks for purely political purposes is a disservice to the taxpayers. It’s an abuse of the legislative process,” she said.

I could not have put that better myself.

Pushing the release of the state budget back until after elections is a complete disservice and it is a snake-like move Quinn should not be doing.

I look forward to seeing Quinn’s state budget plan.