Soaring tuition costs and state budget cuts have caused some students to question the efficiency of lighting use at Huskie Stadium.

“We pay so much for tuition and we’ve had so many budget cuts, office hours have been cut and we’re leaving the stadium lights on all night, it just seems like a waste of money,” said Andrea Teter, a freshman political science major.

The lighting system was installed in 1993 by Musco Lighting, Inc. as part of a series of improvements, according to the NIU athletics Web site.

The fixtures are 1500-watt metal halite lamps, said Doug Miller, Musco’s Northern Illinois representative.

“Each fixture costs about 11 cents an hour to run,” Miller said.

While attempts have been made to keep light usage levels low, night games can cause the lamps to remain on until early the next morning while the bleachers are cleaned, said Susan Hansfield, assistant athletics director of facilities and events.

On Thursday nights, the Huskie marching band practices, which also requires the use of lighting.

“There’s no schedule for turning the lights on, that’s pretty much up to the staff at the stadium,” said Scott Banish, electrician foreman for building maintenance. “If the coach wants the lights turned on to simulate a night game, that’s up to him.”

The faculty and staff work together to turn off the lights as early as possible, Hansfield said.

“I try to be very sensitive [when using the lights] especially in this community with the residence halls being so close,” Hansfield said.

With the cost per bulb at $70, the annual amount spent on lights is a cause of concern.

“It just seems like a waste of money,” said Claudia Salcedo, a foreign exchange student from Spain.

According to the NIU Observatory Web site, “the proximity of downtown DeKalb, Huskie Stadium and the parking garage produces a significant amount of light pollution … western viewing becomes better when Huskie Stadium turns off its lights.”