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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

Hopkins remembered: Faculty ‘blessed’ with teaching ability

By Keith Hernandez | September 3, 2014

Debra Hopkins, 62, of DeKalb, died Monday morning at St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, according to the Winnebago County Coroner.Hopkins worked for 27 years in NIU’s accounting department as director of the Certified Public Accounting Review....

Navigation app to help incoming students

By Keith Hernandez | August 27, 2014

NIU is more than a month away from unveiling an app that will help students navigate campus.The $20,000 software, known as CampusBird, will place a 3-D interactive map on the NIU mobile app and website, allowing phone and Internet users to virtually travel...

Students walk past the south end of Douglas Hall monday.

Douglas to be gone by end of September

By Keith Hernandez | August 27, 2014

The Environmental Health and Safety Department oversaw the completion of asbestos removal from Douglas Hall’s four wings Monday, allowing for further abatement of the material in the building’s central core.Bill Nicklas, vice president of Operations...

Students walk outside of New Residence Hall West Sunday. New Residence Hall West will be adding a new LGBTQA floor that will be apart of a segment of the Living Learning Community.

Living Learning Community gives home to LGBTQA students in need

By Keith Hernandez | June 30, 2014

Students walk outside of New Residence Hall West Sunday. New Residence Hall West will be adding a new LGBTQA floor that will be apart of a segment of the Living Learning Community.

Centers team up to be more inclusive

By Keith Hernandez | June 15, 2014

The LGBT and Women’s Resource Centers officially united June 5 under a single name and mission in the final step of a merging process which began in September.The centers will now be known as the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center and will operate...

NIU President Doug Baker discusses pension and the statement sent to the Illinois Supreme Court during University Council in May in the Holmes Student Center’s Sky Room.

800 employees expected to retire

By Keith Hernandez | May 4, 2014

NIU is preparing for an estimated loss of 800 or more employees, as the number of retirement applications to the State Universities Retirement System has reached an all-time high.Pension reform — P.A. 98-599 — signed into law Dec. 5 will change the...

Freshman psychology major Jason Betts Jr. (left) and sophomore English major Jalen Olajuwon walk down Lucinda Avenue on April 28, 2014, following a workout at the Recreation Center.

Projected enrollment drop hurts financially

By Keith Hernandez | April 28, 2014

NIU expects a drop in total enrollment of up to 800 students for the 2014-2015 academic year, during which potential state budget cuts could place a higher burden on tuition, fees and room and board for revenue.Tuition, fees and room and board made up...

Ben Donovan, Student Association Senate deputy speaker, speaks during the SA Senate meeting April 27.

SA Senate votes in fall semester’s directors

By Keith Hernandez | April 28, 2014

Student Association Senate appointed 11 directors to the 2014-2015 presidential cabinet after a lengthy debate over the qualifications of two of the candidates.SA director candidatesEnough senators expressed concern over the inexperience of Alex Martin,...

Why lighting up may soon be illegal at NIU

By Keith Hernandez | April 23, 2014

A bill awaiting a final vote in May from the Illinois Senate would ban the smoking of tobacco at the state’s public universities and community colleges.If passed, SB2202, or the Smoke-Free Campus Act, will prohibit smoking outside all buildings and...

Greek Row gears up for Tugs

Greek Row gears up for Tugs

By Keith Hernandez | April 17, 2014

Everyone has their reasons for tugging.Tugs is a weeklong tug-of-war competition between fraternities and it will start on April 21.Alpha Kappa LambdaJunior economics major Matt Cavanaugh, Alpha Kappa Lambda president and tugger, said his team is ready...

Joe Frascello, then the Student Association president-elect, talks about the Huskie electric buses to be implemented as one of the “10 goals for five years” plan during the SA Senate meeting April 13.

SA Senate approves $55K for subcommittees

By Keith Hernandez | April 14, 2014

Student Association Senate approved a projected $54,345 in annual funding for the Academic and Professional subcommittee and General Programming and Activities subcommittee for the 2015 fiscal year.Annual funding for subcommitteesThe Academic and Professional...

Members of Phi Sigma Kappa pull their way to victory in the finals of the NIU IFC Tugs competition during last years competition.

Tugs: A history of brotherhood, tradition among Greeks

By Keith Hernandez | April 10, 2014

There is a sound every tugger longs to hear from the start of training in January: “This is for real! High bank, are you ready? Low bank, are you ready? Tuggers ready. Tuggers set. Tug!”There is a long history behind these words, which have been announced...