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Northern Star

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The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

Ron Walters, who provided consulting services to NIU President Doug Baker, discusses the Master Plan Thesis during a Feb. 9, 2014, Student Association Senate meeting. A Northern Star analysis found Walters was paid about $460,000 during 18 months of work at NIU and he was improperly reimbursed about $32,000 for travel expenses.

Consultant Ron Walters paid $460K in 18 months, even without scheduled work

By Kelly Bauer | March 30, 2015

Ron Walters, who provided consulting services to NIU President Doug Baker until Dec. 31, was paid more than $460,000 during 18 and a half months, even when records indicate he didn’t have scheduled work.Walters’ salary varied throughout his time at...

Doug Baker reflects on 1 year at NIU, sets out goals

Doug Baker reflects on 1 year at NIU, sets out goals

By Kelly Bauer | November 13, 2014

Doug Baker is 6 or 7 years old, if his memory serves right.He is on a trip with his grandma from Hood River, Ore., to Monache, Wash., to visit family. Stopped at a cafeteria, Baker piles food atop his plate and sits by his grandma.“I think your eyes...

Fall 2014 Enrollment

NIU enrollment falls by 527 students

By Northern Star Staff | September 11, 2014

NIU President Doug Baker will push for a rise in retention between the fall and spring semesters as the university copes with a 527-student decline in enrollment from fall 2013 to this semester.Enrollment has fallen to 20,611 from last fall’s 21,138,...

NIU President Doug Baker discusses his trip to the State Senate, at which he and other university administrators testified about how a 12.5 percent or 20 percent budget would affect the university, during Wednesday’s University Council meeting in the Holmes Student Center. University Council members also voted to pass a student grievance policy and discussed how online class guidelines need to be reviewed by the council.

Grievance policy passes with applause

By Carlos Galvez | April 3, 2014

A grievance policy that will give students guidelines to resolving issues with faculty members was passed with 50 votes by the University Council Wednesday.Student grievance policyThe student grievance policy has been a heavily discussed issue for more...

NIU to cut budget amid state funding concerns

NIU to cut budget amid state funding concerns

By Kelly Bauer | March 30, 2014

NIU will look to make up a potential $11.6 million funding cut from the state by “increas[ing] our efficiencies and our processes,” said NIU President Doug Baker.The 12.5 percent funding cut is not certain, but it would be the result if legislators...

Douglas Hall to be demolished

By Carlos Galvez | March 26, 2014

Before the fall semester, Douglas Hall will be demolished and students will have to look to other residence halls for housing.The closing of Douglas Hall is a part of NIU President Doug Baker’s Master Plan Thesis, designed to create a new campus, said...

Students, staff and professors formulated ideas and solutions to campus topics, including student retention, research and technology Wednesday, during the Bold Futures Workshop in the Holmes Student Center’s Heritage Room.

Bold Futures workshops return

By Jackie Nevarez | March 5, 2014

NIU President Doug Baker announced the return of the Bold Futures workshops in his biweekly Baker Report Tuesday.The Bold Futures workshops were first implemented in the fall. The four-hour workshops were held through 10 days in October, and hundreds...

Students need to attend Bold Futures Workshops

Students need to attend Bold Futures Workshops

By Kim Randall | October 27, 2013

NIU President Doug Baker has been making extensive efforts to bring about change. Perhaps the most important one he’s put forth is the Bold Futures Workshops.These workshops were created with the intent of bringing our community together to collaborate...