here is an exam at NIU that students can take and not worry about failing.

The Strong Interest Inventory exam is given by the Counseling and Student Development Center located at the Campus Life Building.

Brian Pillsbury, a psychologist at the Counseling and Student Development Center, advises students who are not sure about their future occupation to take the exam.

The exam consists of 317 questions and only takes an estimated half an hour to complete.

"They ask you questions about different occupations interests, activities and school subjects," Pillsbury said. "It is a very forward kind of test."

The exam is broken down into six sections that the founder, E.K. Strong, developed.

Realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising and conventional situations all are described within the different structures of work environments available.

Strong developed the exam in the 1920s after working with the military to place recruits in suitable jobs, according to the Career and Personality Tests Web site.

"The test breaks down from very high interest to very low interest within the six areas," Pillsbury said. "Then it breaks it down to related activities. It has nothing to do with abilities, although abilities influence our interest."

Alan Farber, a counselor at the Career Planning and Placement Center, believes the exam is worthwhile.

"Although results of interest inventories alone are never sufficient for making important career decisions, in the hands of a skilled career counselor, inventories like the Strong Interest Inventory can definitely help students clarify," Farber said. "This test is a strong link in helping people identify their interests and seeing where they have interests in common with people in their field."

Pillsbury believes the exam can help students in a variety of different ways. The test can help those who are unsure of their career plans or need help getting ideas about their future career.

"I recommend taking this exam if it is something students feel they need," Pillsbury said. "It is a good way to step into the career decisionmaking process."

Students can take the exam for $10, and incoming freshmen can take the exam before starting classes for a fee of $35.

The U.S. Census Bureau reported Jan. 21 that those claiming Hispanic or Latino as their race and/or ethnicity moved ahead of blacks as the nation’s largest minority group.

While the Hispanic population is now America’s largest minority, it’s also the fastest-growing and most disadvantaged.

The news is ominous, considering half of America’s Hispanics are under the age of 25.

"People forget that we may be 50 percent younger than 25," said Sylvia Fuentes, director of University Resources for Latinos. "But overall, our dropout rate is horrific; our poverty rate is horrific."

Education

Just 57 percent of Hispanics age 25 and older had graduated high school as of March 2000, compared with 88.4 percent of whites, according to a Census Bureau population characteristics report released in March 2001.

The same report found that about one in four Latinos had less than a ninth-grade education, compared to 4.2 percent of whites.

Some younger Latino students do not have the same opportunities as others, Fuentes said, emphasizing an instructor’s important influence.

"I don’t know if teachers understand the effect they have on students," she said. "We’re putting the word out there that higher education is a possibility."

More than 35 percent of Hispanics were under the age of 18 as of 2000 (versus 23.5 percent of whites), so the URL tries to make itself more available to high schools and middle schools.

The organization only has four full-time staff members - including Fuentes - but NIU students have excelled as helpful volunteers, she said. They visit schools to recruit, advise and talk with students, as well as to let them know about opportunities.

"I see our role growing," Fuentes said. "There’s more culture shock, and there’s still a language barrier ... sometimes it’s difficult to understand certain concepts in English."

She said NIU is growing as aggressively as it can given the financial hardships facing education.

Political influence

It remains to be seen whether the Hispanic population soon will evolve as a political presence. More than 29 percent - that’s about 9.5 million - of America’s Latinos were not citizens as of March 2000, which means they could not vote.

"The Hispanic voting presence in California and Florida is very important for future elections," said Mikel Wyckoff, an associate professor of political science at NIU. "Both parties are clearly trying to appeal to this group. The fact that [29 percent weren’t citizens] hasn’t kept the Hispanic population from being a major consideration for national politicians. They’re very much concerned about that segment of society."

While just 45 percent of Americans of voting age actually voted in 1998, only 32.8 percent of voting-age Hispanics cast a ballot.

"Locally, they’re the fastest-growing group in the Chicago area," Wyckoff said. "So they could conceivably be quite a force in the city of Chicago down the road, and they’re perhaps better organized in Chicago than in some other places. The mayor has reached out to the Hispanic community in Chicago, and helped them recruit leadership, so those neighborhoods are simply better organized. They’re a more effective force than their statistics might reveal."

Wyckoff said Republicans are watching the considerable growth in areas such as Aurora and other parts of the suburbs. If Republicans can’t appeal to that community over the long run, the flavor of politics in the suburbs also could change, he said.

"Right now, this Hispanic factor is pretty much working in favor of the Democratic party," Wyckoff said. "I think the Republicans are behind, based on prior stances on immigration policy. I see the Democrats having a significant advantage there."

Interpreting the stats

The Census Bureau’s survey process can skew these statistics. For instance, a person could’ve claimed Hispanic as his ethnicity and African-American as his race, said Amy Smith, a statistician demographer for the U.S. Census Bureau.

She said the Hispanic population is smaller than the black/African-American population alone or in combination with one or more other races.

"The difficulty in making this comparison is that the census treats race and origin as two separate concepts, as we’re mandated by the Office of Management and Budget," Smith said.

Brian Harger, a research associate at NIU’s Center for Governmental Studies, said the double-counting factor is a very difficult thing to deal with.

"You’re talking about a group of people from a variety of backgrounds," he said, "that the Census Bureau says can be grouped together."

The Chief Justice of the Student Association Supreme Court, Alan Smith, ruled that the complaint filed by SA Senators R.J. Gravel and Jeff Meyer was filed too late and threw it out.

In a letter addressed to Diane Smith, the SA office manager, Alan Smith states that according to the Illinois Open Meetings Act, a civil action must be taken within 60 days of an alleged violation.

This letter, sent Jan. 31, comes in response to the complaints, as well as a letter sent by Kevin Miller, president of the SA.

Gravel and Meyer's complaint alleges that the SA Senate meetings of Sept. 29, Oct. 6 and Nov. 10, violated the Open Meetings Act because agendas were not posted 48 hours in advance. The complaint also states that because the Nov. 10 meeting violated the Open Meetings Act, the Big Time Entertainment bill passed at the meeting should be overturned. Alan Smith's letter states that Gravel and Meyer's complaint was filed at 12:18 p.m. Thursday.

Miller formally asked the SA Supreme Court in his letter if the Illinois Open Meetings Act applies to his organization. According to Alan Smith's letter, Miller's was filed at 12:10 p.m. Thursday.

Alan states that since the complaint filed by Gravel and Meyer came after the 60-day statute of limitations, the SA Supreme Court "cannot properly hear this matter at this time."

Meyer argues that the statute of limitations that exists in the complaint applies to filing an action in a circuit court.

According the Illinois Open Meeting Act, "any person, including the state's attorney of the county, may bring a civil action in the circuit court to the judicial circuit in which the alleged noncompliance has occurred or is about to occur."

"It does not apply in the SA case," Meyer told the Northern Star Monday about the claim Alan Smith made. "It speaks clearly to filing in a circuit court."

Alan Smith's letter also states that the SA Supreme Court has no records of Attorney General opinions, or prior court rulings that support the claim that the act applies to student governments. Therefore, anyone who wants to prove the SA is bound by the Open Meetings Act has the burden of proving otherwise.

Meyer was not sure whether this letter was an indication of a motion to dismiss made by Alan Smith.

"It seems quite clear that he is acting on a matter to dismiss," Meyer said.

Meyer said he was certain that he thought the statute of limitations does not apply to the student court.

Miller told the Northern Star on Monday that he was hoping to get a little more clarification from the letter.

"Wear pillows" is the advice Dan Swan jokingly gives to first-time ice skaters.

The Outing Centre, located on the west side of the Student Recreation Center, rents out cross-country skis, figure and hockey skates and snowshoes for those who desire winter fun.

The East Lagoon is the most popular place to skate. The nearest ice rink is a half-hour’s drive away, said Jared Grandon, an Outing Centre employee and freshman undecided major.

When the ice is thick enough, students can be seen skating figure-eights on the lagoon. A layer of ice about 10 to 11 inches needs to cover the lagoon for skating on it to be safe, said Dan Swan, manager of the Outing Centre. There was no ice thick enough for skating last year. NIU grounds has the responsibility of checking the ice thickness and plowing the ice surface.

The use of snowshoes requires about seven or eight inches of snow. Good cross-country skiing needs a fairly open outdoor area. One popular place is the DeKalb Park District Forest Preserve, a 15 minute drive from campus.

The skates and skis come in a variety of sizes, including children’s sizes. No half sizes are available.

Demand for winter rentals began after Winter Break, Swan said. About 50 pairs of skates were rented on Friday, Jan. 24. Since late last week, the temperatures have begun to rise, but plenty of time is left for freezing weather this winter.

The Outing Centre checks outdoor conditions every day and can alert potential skaters to unsafe conditions. NIU Grounds often displays signs by the lagoons if the ice is too thin to support skating.

For those who have never participated in winter sports, Swan recommends dressing warmly - for instance, wear two pairs of socks, preferably made of wool instead of cotton. He tells first-timers not to rush and to bring an experienced friend along.

The Outing Centre also sponsors outdoor clinics and trips so students can improve their skills. Students can sign up for an e-mail list so they can keep track of upcoming events.

"Students always complain about having nothing to do, but here are fun things to do that don’t involve sitting around in a dorm room," Grandon said.

For students, figure or hockey skates cost $1 per day or $2 for the weekend. Cross-country skis (including poles and shoes) cost $5 per day or $10 per weekend.

Faculty, staff and alumni pay one-and-a-half times that rate, and the general public pays double.

While semester grades weren't gracing the inside of mailboxes for students, semester schedules were sent home as usual.

"That's on my target list as well," Don Larson, executive director of enrollment, said. "There is a possible elimination of the semester schedules as well since they are available elsewhere. Schedule books will be continued to be mailed home, although a list of the off-campus courses will be available online only."

During Winter Break, many students waited anxiously by their mailboxes in anticipation for their semester grades, good or bad.

Some students wiped their brow in relief that their parents wouldn't uncover what they received, while others pondered where their final grades were and worried about receiving any good student discounts on insurance.

The answer to the missing in action semester grades is quite simple, according to the Office of Registration and Records.

"Budget cut reasons are why we eliminated the mailing of grades," Robin Hendricks, assistant director of records and transcripts, said. "We've had some negative and some positive feedback from the students and some were concerned that they missed their grades in the mail. I feel that we have helped out all the students who've had problems."

Don Larson agrees.

"We've been planning the elimination of mailing semester grades for some time now," Larson said. "We saw that other campuses are moving away from the mailing because it does become an expensive redundancy. There are other alternatives for students receiving their grades. They are available online and over the phone."

As for continuing this process, Larson and Hendricks both agree that they will continue to not mail home the semester grades, while they will adjust for some of the concerns that arose this past semester with students. One of those concerns revolved around students who needed a form of identification on their grades for insurance purposes, which the printout from the Internet did not supply.

"I think we took care of those students who needed any extra attention," Larson said. "We did mail home semester grades to those on academic probation, as well as those who were dismissed from the university. Some changes will be made for the May semester to improve the process."

Imagine a getaway where you could relax by laying down on a soft couch, play fussball, pool or watch a basketball game on a flat screen 61-inch television all for free. The good news is that it is conveniently located on campus at Stevenson Towers North C-Tower.

Many students are not taking advantage of this recreational facility or may not even be aware the facility exists," said Keith Krutchen, administrative vice president for the Residence Hall Association.

The New Orleans Room was constructed in the 1960s and was closed in the 1980s. The exact reason it was closed is not known. The room was always intended to be a recreational facility. Since its closing, the room has been used for storage until renovations started in 2000. It officially reopened in fall 2001.

"I have implemented a five-year plan to renovate the New Orleans to make it a coffee house atmosphere," Krutchen said.

Eventually food services will be added to the New Orleans Room so students can eat in addition to having fun, he added.

Upon walking into the New Orleans Room, it looks like an elegant Italian restaurant in downtown Chicago. There are vending machines and soft couches used for lounging. It can be rented to hold organizational group meetings, and students can hold social gatherings.

There still is work to be done in the room.

"I only have a $5,000 budget to work with, and that doesn’t go far," Krutchen said.

The room has made many additions including the 61-inch television, posh leather furniture and a marble angel fountain. Each year RHA hopes to make more additions to the facility so it can attract more students. RHA would like to gather some art students to paint a mural.

The New Orleans Room is open Monday through Friday from 6 to 10 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. The room is not open late on the weekend because there must be an employee there if the facility is to be open.

Krutchen said since students don’t take advantage of the room anyway, it would be unreasonable to pay an employee and take more money out of their budget.

Eventually, students will not have to travel all the way to Stevenson to experience a good time. Lincoln’s former weight room will be renovated to make a room similar to the New Orleans Room. The Barn in Grant Towers will also be renovated into a recreational facility.

Even though there’s a lack of snow in DeKalb, avid skiers have an opportunity to hit the slopes.

Campus Activities Board Travel and the Residence Hall Association’s Believing In Culture are sponsoring a ski trip on Feb. 15 to Chestnut Mountain Resort in Galena, Ill.

CAB Travel Coordinator Nicole Weber said the idea stemmed from the RHA’s and BIC’s trip last year.

"With last year’s trip, only people from the dorms could go," she said. "This time, people in the dorms and outside of the dorms can go."

The trip will be an all-day trip, with the two buses leaving DeKalb at 7 a.m.

The price of tickets will be $15 for the lift ticket and or $30 for lift ticket and equipment rental.

The prices include transportation and lunch.

Students who purchased tickets through RHA will depart from the Douglas loading dock, and students who purchased tickets through CAB will depart from the east side of the Holmes Student Center.

Anyone who is not a student is welcome to attend, but the ticket price will be an additional $7.

Tickets can be purchased from the RHA office, located at B-50 Neptune North, or the CAB office at the Campus Life Building, Suite 160.

For information, call Rachel at 752-1097 in the RHA office, or Nicole at 753-1580 in the CAB office.

A final and resounding "no" presented Mike Suhadolnik of Construx and the Savannah Green project with an even further uphill battle at Monday night’s DeKalb School Board Meeting.

School Board President Don Robinson said, without any arguments from the rest of the board, they support the resolution sent to the city council and planning commission to reject the Savannah Green project.

"This school district can’t afford new growth," Robinson said. "While it is a nice plan, I couldn’t possibly support it, and I hope I’m supported by the board members at this table."

Suhadolnik said in order to build the K-5 school within their proposed subdivision would mean sacrificing the space designated for the local community center. He said because property owners would have to pay taxes for the school, it wouldn’t be feasible for them to pay taxes toward two different facilities.

"We turned over to benefit the school district so that the money from these homes would go to the new school," Suhadolnik said.

He added that Construx is trying to appease its plan in a fashion that would suit DeKalb’s best interests. The plan would include a school for K-5; however, the major issue lies within the high school, not so much the grade schools. A problem school board member Mike Griesbaum felt could cause the high schools to overcrowd even further in the future.

School board member Don Gladden said he favored the development but his eventual disapproval of it rests on the poor timing of the proposal.

"The timing is abominable for us," said school board member Sue Hildebrandt.

Robinson told Suhadolnik that until the state’s funding changes or improves, District 428 would be a developer-unfriendly environment.

Once all voices were heard, Suhadolnik and the Savannah Green plan was given its final recommendation from the school board.

"The resolution says we oppose the Savannah Green development despite a gracious effort to build a school," Robinson said. "We bluntly reject your offer."

Not helping the Savannah Green argument were state numbers presented by Assistant Superintendent of Business and Finance MeriAnn Besonen. The Illinois School Board ranks 48 in the share of school funding provided to the state’s school districts. Even more alarming is the 38 percent of money spent toward education in which by law the state is to spend at least 51 percent. Also, 81 percent of school districts in the state are operating on a deficit budget.

"To be honest with you, it looks bleak," said Besonen in regard to the future of the state’s spending toward education in correlation with its $5 billion deficit. "The education system needs a change."

Superintendent Brian Ali informed the board on the district’s impact with Mayor Greg Sparrow’s Growth Summit committee. At next Tuesday’s summit meeting, Ali said the school board would speak on their behalf.

Old man winter isn't allowing us to forget that he's still boss and will remain in the driver's seat for quite some time now.

Groundhog Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow Sunday afternoon, which let everyone know that there are six weeks of winter still ahead.

NIU's staff meteorologist, Gilbert Sebenste, urges students to be extra careful today, considering it will be wintry and blustery all day long.

"It's going to be an absolutely nasty day," Sebenste said. "There won't be a lot of snow; however, there will be strong, gusty winds reaching 40 mph or maybe even higher. When that powdery snow gets stirred by those fierce winds, the feeling won't be all that pleasant."

Sebenste predicts that the snowfall should end by 9 a.m., with an accumulation of no more than 2 inches. Temperatures will drop into the mid teens for the remainder of the day, and the addition of strong winds will result in a wind-chill well below zero degrees. Today will be a classic bundle-up scenario, Sebenste said.

Students driving into DeKalb should try to avoid Annie Glidden Road north of town, and should use caution on Routes 38, 64 and 72.

"The strong winds blowing and drifting the powdery snow will lead to dangerous driving conditions," Sebenste said. "I recommend taking I-88 for both the commute to and from Northern."

On Monday, while many NIU students braved the foggy conditions on campus, students at Illinois State University in Bloomington had 50-degree weather, as well as severe thunderstorms.

"They were in the warm sector of the storm," Sebenste said. "We get this mess with fog, which is literally just clouds on the ground produced by a lot of Gulf moisture in the air. The fog should have dissipated Monday night as soon as the cold air arrived," Sebenste said.

Sebenste said we were lucky to miss the near blizzard conditions that parts of Wisconsin and Michigan had Monday afternoon.

The question that remains regards any possible warm-up for students who brave the trek to classes. According to Sebenste, there isn't one in sight any time soon.

"We might hit the upper 20s next Saturday," Sebenste said. "We are definitely in an icy grip of winter for the next 10 days."

This type of weather is normal for this time of year, Sebenste said. We usually don't see any type of increasing temperatures until about March, which means a whole month more of cold temps.