Welcome back to another great year here at NIU! It is my honor and privilege to welcome the newcomers to NIU by inviting them to share in the wealth and diversity of what our university has to offer.

To the regulars here on campus, I invite you to explore what you haven’t done already. The SA has been working for you all summer; so enjoy this next year and what the future holds.

This year, more than others, will be a time for change and rejuvenation in your experience at college. The Student Association is working hard for you to make sure you have a successful and tenured university life.

First and foremost, you are here to get a college degree, and the SA is working for you to make sure that the daunting deadlines and papers aren’t the only things you’re concerned with. I want the SA to be your wealth of information in that quest by consolidating this data and placing it at your fingertips.

But, completing your degree requires a lot more than simply going to classes and studying. Learning is more than books and exams.

Your college years are often called the best years of your life. You should be rich in your life here at NIU, but you should not have to spend a fortune to enjoy it.

Knowing that your university experience can get costly at times, know that the SA is working for you both here at home and in Springfield to make sure university administrators and state legislatures know the feelings of students on campus and how the financial burden of rising tuition affects the individual student.

Enjoy the social diversity that our campus offers. This Sept. 18, I invite you to attend our Organizational Expo.

Not only will you get free food, but you also will have the opportunity to join one of the more than 200 student organizations – including fraternities and sororities, pre-professional organizations and social clubs – recognized by the SA. They all are ready to welcome new members on campus.

The SA governs these organizations and allocates money to them so you can enjoy your time here at NIU.

The SA is committed to your well being, and that is why we are working for you! However, this is a two-way street.

Take advantage of the rich culture here at NIU, and increase it by telling us how we can invest your interests.

The Student Association is here to work with you. Anyone is capable of hatching an idea to better the quality of life and learning on the campus, but making it work requires individuals committed to following the idea to completion.

On Sept. 23 and 24, you will have the opportunity to elect your student senators, your direct representatives to the SA. They are expected to be responsive to your needs, bringing your issues to the front and advocating the appropriate responses. It is your responsibility to keep them accountable to their mission.

Working for you, and working with you, this upcoming school year will make it one of the best years and promises to make the years ahead that much better.

Together, we will work to make your university experience rich, diverse and enjoyable. Let us not fail in experiencing what this year holds and has to offer, let us work for you and make a difference!