The community is losing one its best University Police officers to retirement soon.

Sgt. David Wickstrom is retiring after 25 years as a UP officer, just before his 50th birthday. He began his career here at NIU in 1978 as a patrol officer and now is a shift supervisor. He originally was a sociology student here at NIU but had planned on being a police officer since he was 12 years old, Wickstrom said.

Wickstrom has had many positions throughout the years.

"In my time here, I spent seven years as a detective doing major case follow-ups, interviews and interrogations," Wickstrom said.

He currently is a shift supervisor for the patrol division at UP and is responsible for the supervision of the patrol officers' actions and the reports that they write. Throughout his 25 years patrolling on a college campus, Wickstrom has seen just about everything that there is to offer.

"I wish that I'd kept a journal with me from day one," Wickstrom said. "I've seen lots of things in my day."

The camaraderie between the police officers is something he'll miss the most, Wickstrom said. Since 1978, he has been a part of family of officers that have always been a part of his life.

"One thing that I won't miss is missing events with my family and not being with them on holidays," Wickstrom said. "I plan on spending more time with them, and also trying to watch every single Cubs game possible."

Not being around for family parties and missing holidays has been the hardest part of the job for him.

"I'm also going to miss the everyday challenges that come with the job. Every day there's something different and some new challenges," Wickstrom said.

Change is something that Wickstrom is going to have to get used to, seeing that today is the first day of his retirement. This new change is something that Wickstrom is welcoming with open arms.

"It's going to be a big adjustment not being here, I've spent half my life here," Wickstrom said. "I have no regrets though; I'd do it all over again if I could."

The last day of April concluded the last University Council meeting of the academic year.

The meeting was brief, with the entire council anxious to visit NIU President John Peter’s home for dinner and cocktails.

"Watch out for the rabbits when you pull up," Peters said. "If we’re lucky, we’ll even see the two fawns that have come up to the back door every night this week."

Before dinner, however, Peters mentioned a brief update on the budget.

"This is the end of the year update," Peters said. "Summer plans are in place regarding the four-day work week. I think [Human Resources] has done a good job implementing that."

Peters also said the 2003 budget is "finally put to bed, although we still have some hurdles to go through."

Peters informed the council that he had just prepared and sent a rather bottom-line, stern letter to the "Four Tops" of the state legislature about the impact of the cuts and what it means to NIU.

"I am very happy with its accuracy and its warning," Peters said.

The letter will go public after Peters believes it has made its impact on the legislature.

Usually, the Board of Trustees meets at the end of June each year to discuss the next year’s tuition. Peters said this year that won’t be the case.

However, a tuition meeting is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. on May 5 at the Holmes Student Center’s Clara Sperling Sky Room, Peters said. The board wanted to hold the meeting as soon as it could, he said.

Peters also brought attention to another letter he wrote to high school guidance counselors, informing them that NIU would process and admit all admittable students with the right documents if their applications were received by today. All other students would be put on a waiting list, being informed in July if there was room for them in the fall. If not, the students would have to wait until January.

NIU was awarded the Chancellor’s Cup on April 16 at the Governor’s Mansion for the university’s exceptional giving and participation in the 2002 SECA. Peters presented the plaque and cup saying, "Look, I’m Tiger Woods!"

Vice Provost Robert Wheeler was recognized at the end of the meeting for his hard-work and dedication at both NIU and on University Council.

According to a recent poll administered by The Associated Press, four out five Americans believe that it is important for colleges to have a racially diverse student population. Half of those found that affirmative action was unnecessary to help blacks, Hispanics and other minorities.

The University of Michigan affirmative action case went before the Supreme Court on April 1 to decide whether colleges and universities should consider race when admitting students, mainly into public educational institutions. Protesters were marching in Washington in an effort to support affirmative action. The Supreme Court's final decision is expected to come in July. If it decides to end affirmative action, any state-funded affirmative action will be ended.

According to FOX News, 89 percent of blacks polled said affirmative action is necessary, while 57 percent of whites believe affirmative action is unnecessary.

Andres Ortiz, president of the Organization of Latin American Students, said NIU is not as diverse as it claims to be.

"Even though NIU claims to be a diverse place, it really isn't," Ortiz said. "Minorities on campus are still underrepresented, overlooked and under-funded."

Ortiz also said that historically, minorities have been denied access to universities among other things and affirmative action helps to "level the playing field." He said the U.S. government and society has limited the opportunity for minorities to prosper.

"I don't blame some non-minorities for being against affirmative action, but I would love for them to live one day as a minority and experience some kind of racism or discrimination," Ortiz stated in an e-mail.

Steve Duroseau, president of the Black Student Union, also believes in affirmative action, especially in the education system.

Duroseau suggested an alternative to affirmative action.

"Minorities need to start owning their own business and becoming professionals," he said. He said that minorities should not trust the U.S. government structure; instead they should look toward God.

Kay Forest, an associate professor and chairwoman of sociology, said she is in favor of affirmative action when it is done correctly. Forest said that when it is done incorrectly, it creates distrust among minorities and whites.

"It is done wrong when it gives the appearance of promoting unqualified minorities and women over qualified applicants," Forest said. She also said that affirmative action still is necessary because discrimination still exists in America.