As NIU students awaited grades in December, the DeKalb government took time out to receive its own grades via the National Citizen Survey. The nationwide survey evaluates public service delivery performance.

DeKalb analyzed recently-compiled survey data and in the process, discovered important perceptions that will aid in future city planning.

The National Research Center from the University of Colorado at Boulder contacted a random sample of 1,200 homes. The NRC received 394 responses for a typical 34 percent response rate, giving the survey a 5 percent margin of error.

Some of the results surprised the city staff, said Paul Rasmussen, economic development and policy administrator. The perception that quality of life is poor seems to be largely due to the look of weathered buildings, he elaborated.

Almost three-fourths of DeKalb residents felt the city was a “college town.” This is paramount to the city’s plan to embrace DeKalb as a “communiversity” and to entice businesses that will fill specific niches tailored to NIU students.

The city staff knows that even though students have little expendable cash, as a group they possess incredible buying power with the ability to dramatically effect the local economy. This power would be enhanced with more student job opportunities.

“It is assumed that more full-time jobs are needed, but we also should be cognizant of the need to create part-time jobs because one-fourth of DeKalb is students,” Rasmussen said.

An aspiration of the city is to reduce its market leakage rate, an indication area consumers are going elsewhere for many retail needs.