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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

State watchdog agency releases report about two-year Baker investigation

By Lindsey Salvatelli | May 31, 2017

DeKALB | The Executive Ethics Commission released the Office of Executive Inspector General, a state agency that investigates allegations of misconduct, final report regarding a two-year investigation into NIU’s procurement and hiring practices that...

Former employee to repay travel expenses

By Leah Nicolini | February 11, 2016

Former affiliate employee Magaly Rodriguez owes $2,793.63 in travel expenses which NIU President Doug Baker said was reimbursed inappropriately by NIU, according to an NIU news release Wednesday.Rodriguez was hired in 2013 as a change specialist functioning...

Alan Phillips, vice president of Administration and Finance

Contract office to launch next month

By Alexander Chettiath | October 15, 2015

The Division of Administration and Finance plans to have a three-employee contract office up and running within the next month, said Alan Phillips, Vice President of Administration and Finance.The contracts office will handle the procurement process,...

Check out the 10 most-read Northern Star stories of 2014-15

By Kelly Bauer | May 5, 2015

Catch up on the news and columns you missed this academic year by checking out the 10 most-read Northern Star stories.If you're interested in all the news -- and there was quite a bit in between the Huskies losing at Homecoming and the university implementing...

Letter to the Editor: NIU’s reckless spending concerns student

By Willie Carter | April 12, 2015

I have been at NIU for almost five years and have grown to love the NIU campus, students/staff and its community. I have always tried to do my best in my classes and treat others with the respect we all deserve. There are times when I can cheat, take...

Officials should speak to press

By Northern Star Editorial Board | April 5, 2015

Public officials who decline to comment to the Northern Star are truly refusing to speak to the people they serve.The Star’s staff members, like all journalists, seek to present and analyze facts to readers so they have a deeper understanding of news....

Walters helpful, but a waste of NIU money

By Northern Star Editorial Board | April 5, 2015

NIU is fighting tooth and nail for every cent it can squeeze out of the state. It also, until Dec. 31, was paying consultant Ron Walters $15,000 every two weeks.Walters, who was ultimately paid about $463,125 for 18 months of work, was brought to NIU...

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.

NIU will ask Walters to repay $32K that was improperly reimbursed for travel

By Kelly Bauer | April 2, 2015

Former NIU employee Ron Walters will be asked to repay the $32,000 a state audit found he was improperly reimbursed for travel by the university.Alan Phillips, vice president of Administration and Finance, told University Council on Wednesday the reimbursement...

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...

NIU improperly reimbursed employee $32K: state audit

NIU improperly reimbursed employee $32K: state audit

By Kelly Bauer | March 30, 2015

NIU is fixing issues that led to it improperly reimbursing an employee $31,945 and working with companies before contracts were approved, said Al Phillips, vice president of Administration and Finance.The issues were reported in a state audit released...

Ron Walters at Student Association Senate

Ron Walters at Student Association Senate

By Alexandra Meyer | March 30, 2015

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...

Baker’s answers don’t fly

By Sharon May | October 1, 2014

I read with amusement Jackie Nevarez’s Sept. 10 Northern Star article citing President Doug Baker’s characterization of my Aug. 4 letter to the editor to the Daily Chronicle as “a lot of misinformation.”The raises and salaries of these administrators...