Everyday I read the editorials in The Northern Star. I see many complaints about various activities and spending practices that occur on our campus. This is just such a letter.

Like many other students on campus, I received a bill from NIU today trying to compensate for the 12 percent MAP award cuts by the State of Illinois. This is outrageous. I am probably not seeing the ‘big picture,’ but several things just seem to be “oxymoronic.”

1. The education budget was cut by 3 percent, but the MAP program got a 12 percent cut.

2. MAP awards are for students who need financial assistance to go to school. Even 12 percent can adversely affect those students.

3. I was given 10 days to pay the bill otherwise a 15 percent annual interest rate will be imposed onto my bill. There are charge cards that charge 13 percent, and almost all charge accounts allow you 30 days to pay before interest is charged.

4. NIU will not prevent summer and fall registration due to these charges. Whooope! What if you are graduating? Well, your records are going to be encumbered on April 1. Happy April Fool’s Day!!

5. Finally, I only read about these cuts last week. This week they are implemented. Why this semester? Why not give people a chance to replace the lost funds in other ways with a semester’s notice? Maybe this would make a little too much sense, since we are dealing with a bureaucracy.

To the NIU operating staff: You had better start paying attention to these letters and the opinions of the public. This institution has the primary function of education. You cannot educate those who cannot attend classes. One day, possibly very soon, these students will venture forth into the world and hold in their hands the power to pay, hire, fire, and elect all of you. Guess what? They will remember how it was in “the good old days”.

Edward Collins

Senior

General Studies and

Non-Traditional Student