NIU students lobbied in Springfield in April.

Jack Barth, SA Senate sergeant-at-arm, listens as representatives from the National Society of Black Engineers give a presentation during a meeting 5 p.m. Sunday in the Holmes Student Center, Sky Room.

Mayor John Rey addresses attendees during the Monetary Award Program Grant rally Thursday in the MLK Commons.

Student Association Senator Brandon Lesnicki dresses as a cow for the SA Senate meeting 5 p.m. Sunday in the Holmes Student Center, Sky Room. SA Speaker Christine Wang, who dressed up as a Slytherin student from the popular book series “Harry Potter,” relieved senators from the business-causal dress code and encouraged them to dress up in costumes to celebrate Halloween.

Student Association Senators listen to a presentation during the SA Senate meeting Sunday. SA Senate meetings are open to the public and take place 5 p.m. Sundays in the Holmes Student Center, Sky Room.

Senator Greg Shinderman asks Senator-at-Large Garrett Culligan about Culligan’s ability to perform well as a senator while still being an athlete on the soccer team during a Student Association Senate meeting 5 p.m. Sunday at Holmes Student Center, Sky Room. Culligan’s main platform is bridging a gap between students and student-athletes at NIU.

Senators Mathew Dunn, Blake Goldman and Derek Koegel bowed their heads and closed their eyes after Austin Quick, former Student Association speaker of the Senate, requested for a moment of silence to pay respect to former student David Bogenberger who died Nov. 2, 2012.