Recently named assistant director of the NIU Office of State and Federal Relations, Ken Zehnder will act as a liaison between the Illinois Board of Higher Education and local legislators.

“I’m looking forward to getting to know the campus, the faculty, the students and the issues — the resources of the university,” he said. “That’s going to be my number one goal.”

Illinois public universities are made more affordable with public funding, which is doled out annually through an appropriation process, he said. He added basic appropriation budgets are made by comparing statewide revenue projections for the upcoming year to those from the previous year.

“Legislators come up with a lot of ideas, which translate into bills and proposed legislation that can have either a negative or positive impact on the university,” he said.

Zehnder, who will communicate with the university and the legislators, said he’s monitoring education legislation and setting up meetings between university personnel and the appropriations committee.

“We try to maintain relations with all of the state officials and legislators to make sure they realize NIU is a regional resource, which has a lot of assets and potential, not just for the students, but for the Illinois government,” he said.

“When I hear discussions about programs that impact NIU, I want to think about how we can take advantage of the programs that the money is obviously not expanding to,” Zehnder added. “Our office is a tool that can be used to get the word out about the university and get feedback in the legislative arena — in federal and state government.”

Zehnder first got involved in politics more than 20 years ago while working as a campaign volunteer for the private sector.

“I liked the political process — the more I got into it, the more I enjoyed it, ” he said.

Zehnder then took a pay cut to work full-time for the 1988 George Bush presidential campaign.

“They didn’t pay much, but I could afford to do it,” he said. “I worked in the primary and then once the campaign was over, I worked as a volunteer. I wanted to help out.”

Zehnder said his experience with the Bush campaign was an adventure.

“It was good experience and frankly, my whole governmental and political career has not only been fun, but I’ve enjoyed the environment and the people that I’ve worked with — I’ve got to see government work from the inside,” he said.

Zehnder worked for four years as a special assistant to former Gov. Jim Edgar. After that, he served as director of the Illinois Department of Revenue from 1995 to 1999. He said once he gets to know the issues of NIU and its environment, he’ll be able to use his background and experience in government.

“We need to try to do what the intent of a university is, to better society and educate the public,” he said.