DeKALB | While many students worked summer jobs or spent time at the beach this summer, members of NIU’s Student Association were at work for the fall semester.

Meetings with congressmen and planning the Huskie Shuffle were two of the biggest projects members of the SA worked on over

the break.

Congressmen Joe Walsh (R-McHenry), Randy Hultgren (R-Winfield), Bobby Schilling (R-Colona) and Don Manzullo (R-Egan) were invited to speak to members of the SA to on Aug. 10, 11, 15 and 17, said Speaker of the Senate Austin Quick.

The purpose of the visit was to grow the scope of SA activity for the campus. The SA has a reputation of being inattentive to students, and stronger advocacy for them is needed, Quick said.

These visits were the first of many steps to bring the concerns of students to higher governmental powers.

“We need partners at the federal, state and local level,” Quick said. “Not every student can sit down with their congressman and talk about their problems.”

Quick continued, saying that more awareness at the federal level on the financial needs of students is needed, and while K-12 education receives attention on this issue, higher education

does not.

The SA also planned the Huskie Shuffle, a three-day celebration on Labor Day weekend, Sept. 1 through 3, for the opening football game between the Huskies and the Army Black Knights. The event was organized by the Michael Agyekum, SA Director of Athletics and Recreation, and NIU Event Production Services. Agyekum hopes the event will inspire more school pride.

“The football team won a bowl game, and for them to come out for their first home game and see only 200 students in the stands, that doesn’t look good for

NIU,” Agyekum said. “Our main focus was what can we do for the students to make them stay for

this game.”

Also planned as part of the celebration is the Greek block party, which Quick said is aimed to show more inclusiveness of students on NIU’s Greek Row. The party will be held from 7 to 11 p.m. on Sept. 2 on Blackhawk Street.

The SA will also host tailgating starting at 2 p.m. on game day, Sept. 3.

For more information about future SA projects, visit the executive cabinet page on the SA website.