An NIU student subcommittee of the Energy Conservation Committee (ECC) is working on establishing a mindset of “turn it off if you’re not using it” on campus.

Andy Small, NIU chemistry lab manager and one of the chairs of the subcommittee said, “This mindset is designed to conserve energy by changing a person’s habits.”

NIU President John La Tourette commissioned the ECC to identify strategies to save $300,000 during 1993 and $400,000 during 1994, Small said.

These funds would go directly into the Organization Productivity and Salary Program (OPS).The purpose of the OPS program is to generate funds internally to make NIU competitive in salaries and course offerings, Small added.

There is a proposed plan to move the academic calendar back, however the ECC is searching for other ways. The student subcommittee, made up of energy and environmentally-conscious groups on campus, wants people to start conserving.

“This group of student organizations will be putting up specially designed logos and posters up to keep reminding people of the energy conservation mindset,” Small said.

This week committee members have been conducting audits across campus, looking at areas of high water usage, high electrical usage, temperature and areas where incandescent lighting could be replaced with florescent lighting.

Members will also be making a list of suggestions for conservation in the high usage areas and what individuals can do in different buildings to contribute to energy savings.

“This program is designed not to infringe on anyone in the campus community, but instead is one that everyone can contribute to in order to achieve a goal that benefits everyone,” Small said.