Secrecy explained

The Student Association has been plagued this year with massive controversy which has led to this week’s increasing student uprising. This has not been our finest hour. We watched as our students turned out by the hundreds to exercise their right to vote, only for some to be denied their right to vote, while others were judged for their vote.

Today on our campus, our fundamental rights have been challenged, as have our fundamental rights challenged us. We are not shocked to find ourselves afraid for the future of our student body and the peace we as students so truly desire to maintain.

For the last two weeks we have appealed to our supporters with several plans. These have been plans directed at all NIU students. Our fifth plan is one which perhaps deserves most attention today. This was, and is, our plan to “re-evaluate” the student funding of The Northern Star. When we first sat down to write our agenda, we were concerned with the effects this might have. Finally, we took it to our supporters.

Not to our surprise, the greek community was bitter towards The Northern Star. We have been under the unwarranted attack by this paper for years. In the past years when other greek candidates have run for SA office, our campaigns have been crippled with unfounded stories. Our ideas for SA reform were laughed at and mocked in cartoons and editorials. And to put it to you straight, we have had enough. This is why we chose to keep our campaigns a secret. This is why we avoided all press.

However, our paper has not ceased being its usual biased self. We watched as it buried presidential candidate Maurice Thomas with front page after front page articles, while at the same time ignoring candidate Jodie English’s seemingly worse scandal. Soon Ms. English became the Star’s candidate, despite her questionable ethics. One wonders why the story wasn’t a headline. This type of biased reporting serves as more fuel to the fire. When combined with similar reporting against NIU’s African-American community, The Northern Star is creating a volcanic inferno erupting on campus.

With this so obvious, I hope our secrecy is understood. Now that we are public, I hope you will see what we can offer to the students of NIU. In the meantime, let us offer our hopes that, win or lose, our campus will come together again.

Paul Middleton

Anastasia Criscione

Steve Pryor

SA Office Candidates