SA Senate announces ‘We Are Huskies’ campaign
Austin Quick speaks to senators about suicide prevention and bullying on campus and around the country at Sunday’s SA meeting in the Holmes Student Center.
March 18, 2012
A new campaign for student leaders was announced at the Student Association Senate meeting Sunday.
The “We Are Huskies” campaign will try to make NIU a safe place for everyone and make them feel like a member of the Huskie family, Senate Speaker Austin Quick said in his report.
“One would think that a university campus would be an open and accepting place for people with differing views, but as we have seen all too often in recent years, that is not the case,” he said.
NIU is not immune to unfortunate and intolerable behavior, Quick said.
“Terms such as ‘CHANCE students’ or ‘Cabrini Grant’ are thrown around to make reference to members of the black community on campus,” he said.
Quick mentioned the rise of suicides among young gay people or people suspected of being gay as recent examples of the damage caused by ignorance and hate.
Quick said he hopes to create a pledge all student leaders will sign as a promise to prevent the mistreatment of students.
The NIU Medieval Combat Society was recognized. Treasurer Andrez Beltran said the group attempts to recreate medieval combat through safe methods.
Delta Phi Delta Dance Fraternity, Inc., a dance group seeking to unite different dance communities, was recognized. Sigma Phi Epsilon, a social fraternity, was recognized. President Tim Tokars said the fraternity wants to impress upon their members virtues like diligence, vigilance and brotherly love.
The Collegiate Association of Unreasonable Social Entrepreneurs was recognized. The group seeks to spread social issues, engage communities and help people. The NIU Comic Book Club was also recognized.
Twelve Senators were absent from the meeting.