Your student bucks don’t stop here — they stop with Student Association treasurer Karega Harris.

He oversees the SA budget, which contains $1.5 million and allocates money to different student organizations around campus.

“One of my goals is to see the student organizations that a make a difference for students receive funding,” Harris said.

He hasn’t always been the treasurer, though.

In fall of 1999, Harris entered NIU as a freshman and declared himself a business management major.

This was just the beginning. He established himself in several organizations, including B.R.O.T.H.E.R.S., which he became president of, the NAACP and the Black Student Union. As part of B.R.O.T.H.E.R.S., Harris helped organize the Days of Enlightenment, a week-long celebration and education program.

Harris also is a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Inc. fraternity where he serves as treasurer. With the SA, Harris works with Troy Caldwell. Similarly, he works with the president of Alpha Phi Alpha.

In fall 2000, Harris was elected to the position of SA senator.

“I felt that if you became a senator you could voice your opinion on concerns on what happens on campus,” Harris said.

During this time, Harris was an active voice who took initiative to get things done, Caldwell said. Harris was so interested in student government that he was a part of a shadowing program under Caldwell to better understand the workings of the SA.

Although Harris was not a member of the finance committee, he was interested in the way money was spent on campus. He fought to get as many student organizations as he could recognized and made sure they were properly funded. This, as Caldwell said, was one of the reasons for choosing Harris as this year’s treasurer.

Last year, Harris was on the same ticket as current SA president Troy Caldwell. When Caldwell and the rest of the ticket won, Harris was named as the SA treasurer. Caldwell and Harris first met in spring 2000.

“I saw a bright, energetic young man,” Caldwell said. “He was real effective in the Senate, and I knew he would be able to benefit the students.”

SA vice president Jaime Garcia agreed.

“When we first met, I could tell we had the same ideas and ambition,” he said. “He’s got a good work ethic and is the first treasurer to want to finish the budget process by Christmas break.”

When Harris was appointed treasurer, he didn’t miss a step because of all the experience he already had with the SA.

As treasurer, Harris proposes the SA budget guide, which is now on the Internet for the first time. He also chairs the SA finance committee and deals with supplemental funding requests of student organizations.

This year, Harris is working on a trans-session packet to help fuse different administrations and focus on the budgeting process. This will help the process begin quicker as other administrations come and go.

“I am working on this now so other presidents can pass it down and they will know what needs to be done,” Harris said. “It will help get things done faster.”