(02-24-2023 11:18 AM)niu1980 Wrote:  

(02-24-2023 08:02 AM)HuskieJ Wrote:  

(02-13-2023 04:44 PM)randyfensfanclub1 Wrote:  

(02-13-2023 03:27 PM)HuskieJ Wrote:  

(02-10-2023 06:04 PM)randyfensfanclub1 Wrote:  Tell me why? I keep hearing this. Do you look at the academics? Majors offered? Student demographics? Education value? Location?

My god, when I just see these comments makes me wonder what education people did get at NIU. Just make a blanket statement. With all the access to the internet, all the comments people throughout this thread have made...other threads....over the years, this is what we have to hear time and time again.



I may not remember every way to do matrices in ECON 394 or every lesson in POLS 301/302 or whatever Gordon Hilton taught. But I learned about variables and outcome. How to make a reasonable conclusion and not just contradict, dispute and pick and chose ones I don't like without facing reality and facts.

My only hope is that some are being sarcastic.

ISU enrollment 2013 19,924 now over 20,000
NIU enrollment 2013 21,138 now sub 15,000

It is Freemans job to figure this out. Not sure where your rant is headed, but it is ignorant not to realize the facts. All people are doing is pointing out the potential issues that had NIU drop while others have maintained. The insane decision to move significant Sect 8 housing to DeKalb 25 years ago is what started this decline. A few highly ranked NIU Administrators made millions off this move. Then you add on the fact that NIU has not had a decent President in leadership over the last 3 hires makes the situation worse.

Figure what out? Tell section 8 to leave? Tell people with better grades to apply? Not let students in on programs not based on academics? Tell schools like Alabama to not throw money at kids, be warm, have better academics, social life and not have hot chicks? Tell people to invest in campus town over Sycamore road? Tell stores like VCB done leave? Create a climate machine for DeKalb?

These decisions that are solely to do with DeKalb itself were made mostly by DeKalb politicians, voters , builders/landlords and administrators. You would have better luck turning Gary into Naperville. And if they found a way to suddenly make more kids want to go to school on campus I’m sure , contrary to the believe of many, they would do or at least try to change it fast. There is no incentive to fail and succeeding is in their best interest.

And I doubt the kickbacks of the past are there for them.

Wrong again. Section 8 housing is the result of Eddie Williams and his Chicago cabal
that bought up housing and ruined DeKalb. Politicians may have been complacent and short sided while it occurred, but they did not drive it. Yes you can do something about it. Purchase the properties and ensure the zoning is enacted not to let it occur again. Low Income housing can be done in much better ways through disbursement around communities rather than making it a highly dense crime zone. A city Dekalb's size should never have had this many units assigned as Sect 8. And yes a true leader would find a way to get this done not sit on his/her hands and create diversity offices.
A true leader would also find a way at this point to lower costs to get some sanity in tuition compared to peer Universities. Maybe this would mean closing down buildings, dropping useless majors, streamlining Administration, ... Too many people just want to defend the indefeasible and throw up hands and say you can do nothing. Very embarrassing to see just a lack of creativity and ingenuity in so many alumni and current administrators. Never implied it would be easy or even work, but you have reached the point where drastic action is needed to even have a shot at surviving. Illinois situation is just going to get worse with losing population and looming fiscal collapse, so you need to do your best to prepare now.

So what would you do?

I’m wrong but politicians may have been complacent.

They built all those nice new apartments in the other side of AG and then when enrollment went down, bailed. Heck, some of those crappy places on Edgbrook were crap a decade ago. DeKalb has land so there was no need to tear down or remodel.

And honestly, not my job and I don’t have answers. I don’t live in DeKalb, have a kid going or would be able to attend . But I’m not like some complaining who never visit, would never and never have lived in an area , have their kids live there like n side of campus yet are going to tell everyone else what needs to be done.

But I don’t live a fantasy land of nothing wrong , easy fix, change admin and it all magically gets better and things change, eduction gets better, more and better students apply and N Side of campus becomes a utopia.

I look at niu enrollment demographics and education vs. other options. For some, it’s their best option, perhaps only. I don’t think cheapening the education is the answer without an incentive plan. And I’m not even sure how much that would work. Hard to attract kids who don’t like the campus, are fleeing the state like many , perhaps parents, did, want to or will.

(02-24-2023 10:36 AM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(02-24-2023 08:02 AM)HuskieJ Wrote:  

(02-13-2023 04:44 PM)randyfensfanclub1 Wrote:  

(02-13-2023 03:27 PM)HuskieJ Wrote:  

(02-10-2023 06:04 PM)randyfensfanclub1 Wrote:  Tell me why? I keep hearing this. Do you look at the academics? Majors offered? Student demographics? Education value? Location?

My god, when I just see these comments makes me wonder what education people did get at NIU. Just make a blanket statement. With all the access to the internet, all the comments people throughout this thread have made...other threads....over the years, this is what we have to hear time and time again.



I may not remember every way to do matrices in ECON 394 or every lesson in POLS 301/302 or whatever Gordon Hilton taught. But I learned about variables and outcome. How to make a reasonable conclusion and not just contradict, dispute and pick and chose ones I don't like without facing reality and facts.

My only hope is that some are being sarcastic.

ISU enrollment 2013 19,924 now over 20,000
NIU enrollment 2013 21,138 now sub 15,000

It is Freemans job to figure this out. Not sure where your rant is headed, but it is ignorant not to realize the facts. All people are doing is pointing out the potential issues that had NIU drop while others have maintained. The insane decision to move significant Sect 8 housing to DeKalb 25 years ago is what started this decline. A few highly ranked NIU Administrators made millions off this move. Then you add on the fact that NIU has not had a decent President in leadership over the last 3 hires makes the situation worse.

Figure what out? Tell section 8 to leave? Tell people with better grades to apply? Not let students in on programs not based on academics? Tell schools like Alabama to not throw money at kids, be warm, have better academics, social life and not have hot chicks? Tell people to invest in campus town over Sycamore road? Tell stores like VCB done leave? Create a climate machine for DeKalb?

These decisions that are solely to do with DeKalb itself were made mostly by DeKalb politicians, voters , builders/landlords and administrators. You would have better luck turning Gary into Naperville. And if they found a way to suddenly make more kids want to go to school on campus I’m sure , contrary to the believe of many, they would do or at least try to change it fast. There is no incentive to fail and succeeding is in their best interest.

And I doubt the kickbacks of the past are there for them.

Wrong again. Section 8 housing is the result of Eddie Williams and his Chicago cabal
that bought up housing and ruined DeKalb. Politicians may have been complacent and short sided while it occurred, but they did not drive it. Yes you can do something about it. Purchase the properties and ensure the zoning is enacted not to let it occur again. Low Income housing can be done in much better ways through disbursement around communities rather than making it a highly dense crime zone. A city Dekalb's size should never have had this many units assigned as Sect 8. And yes a true leader would find a way to get this done not sit on his/her hands and create diversity offices.
A true leader would also find a way at this point to lower costs to get some sanity in tuition compared to peer Universities. Maybe this would mean closing down buildings, dropping useless majors, streamlining Administration, ... Too many people just want to defend the indefeasible and throw up hands and say you can do nothing. Very embarrassing to see just a lack of creativity and ingenuity in so many alumni and current administrators. Never implied it would be easy or even work, but you have reached the point where drastic action is needed to even have a shot at surviving. Illinois situation is just going to get worse with losing population and looming fiscal collapse, so you need to do your best to prepare now.

What do you consider peer schools? The MAC avg tuition is $12.5K in-state, $21.5K out-state. NIU is $14.5K for both. NIU's grad program is among the cheapest in the MAC. NIU,ISU,EIU are all within a $1K or so in tuition so I'm not sure what you'd want NIU to do?

Clean up the campus, the crime, section 8 housing. That’s your problem whether anyone wants to admit it. I’ve talked to several high school and college students in the past few weeks whom told me NIU campus is dangerous and there is nothing to do anymore socially. They killed Greek row and turned a blind eye to all the section 8 housing which brought in more crime. NIU dug its grave and their solution is to dumb down the academic requirements! The entire administration should be fired.

(02-26-2023 09:20 PM)JoeNovak Wrote:  

(02-24-2023 10:36 AM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(02-24-2023 08:02 AM)HuskieJ Wrote:  

(02-13-2023 04:44 PM)randyfensfanclub1 Wrote:  

(02-13-2023 03:27 PM)HuskieJ Wrote:  ISU enrollment 2013 19,924 now over 20,000
NIU enrollment 2013 21,138 now sub 15,000

It is Freemans job to figure this out. Not sure where your rant is headed, but it is ignorant not to realize the facts. All people are doing is pointing out the potential issues that had NIU drop while others have maintained. The insane decision to move significant Sect 8 housing to DeKalb 25 years ago is what started this decline. A few highly ranked NIU Administrators made millions off this move. Then you add on the fact that NIU has not had a decent President in leadership over the last 3 hires makes the situation worse.

Figure what out? Tell section 8 to leave? Tell people with better grades to apply? Not let students in on programs not based on academics? Tell schools like Alabama to not throw money at kids, be warm, have better academics, social life and not have hot chicks? Tell people to invest in campus town over Sycamore road? Tell stores like VCB done leave? Create a climate machine for DeKalb?

These decisions that are solely to do with DeKalb itself were made mostly by DeKalb politicians, voters , builders/landlords and administrators. You would have better luck turning Gary into Naperville. And if they found a way to suddenly make more kids want to go to school on campus I’m sure , contrary to the believe of many, they would do or at least try to change it fast. There is no incentive to fail and succeeding is in their best interest.

And I doubt the kickbacks of the past are there for them.

Wrong again. Section 8 housing is the result of Eddie Williams and his Chicago cabal
that bought up housing and ruined DeKalb. Politicians may have been complacent and short sided while it occurred, but they did not drive it. Yes you can do something about it. Purchase the properties and ensure the zoning is enacted not to let it occur again. Low Income housing can be done in much better ways through disbursement around communities rather than making it a highly dense crime zone. A city Dekalb's size should never have had this many units assigned as Sect 8. And yes a true leader would find a way to get this done not sit on his/her hands and create diversity offices.
A true leader would also find a way at this point to lower costs to get some sanity in tuition compared to peer Universities. Maybe this would mean closing down buildings, dropping useless majors, streamlining Administration, ... Too many people just want to defend the indefeasible and throw up hands and say you can do nothing. Very embarrassing to see just a lack of creativity and ingenuity in so many alumni and current administrators. Never implied it would be easy or even work, but you have reached the point where drastic action is needed to even have a shot at surviving. Illinois situation is just going to get worse with losing population and looming fiscal collapse, so you need to do your best to prepare now.

What do you consider peer schools? The MAC avg tuition is $12.5K in-state, $21.5K out-state. NIU is $14.5K for both. NIU's grad program is among the cheapest in the MAC. NIU,ISU,EIU are all within a $1K or so in tuition so I'm not sure what you'd want NIU to do?

Clean up the campus, the crime, section 8 housing. That’s your problem whether anyone wants to admit it. I’ve talked to several high school and college students in the past few weeks whom told me NIU campus is dangerous and there is nothing to do anymore socially. They killed Greek row and turned a blind eye to all the section 8 housing which brought in more crime. NIU dug its grave and their solution is to dumb down the academic requirements! The entire administration should be fired.

I agree.

So you're telling me it's expensive, the bar scene sucks, there's no house party scene, Greek life is non existent, no one goes to football games, and there's a high probability of getting shanked?

SIGN ME UP.

(02-26-2023 09:20 PM)JoeNovak Wrote:  

(02-24-2023 10:36 AM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(02-24-2023 08:02 AM)HuskieJ Wrote:  

(02-13-2023 04:44 PM)randyfensfanclub1 Wrote:  

(02-13-2023 03:27 PM)HuskieJ Wrote:  ISU enrollment 2013 19,924 now over 20,000
NIU enrollment 2013 21,138 now sub 15,000

It is Freemans job to figure this out. Not sure where your rant is headed, but it is ignorant not to realize the facts. All people are doing is pointing out the potential issues that had NIU drop while others have maintained. The insane decision to move significant Sect 8 housing to DeKalb 25 years ago is what started this decline. A few highly ranked NIU Administrators made millions off this move. Then you add on the fact that NIU has not had a decent President in leadership over the last 3 hires makes the situation worse.

Figure what out? Tell section 8 to leave? Tell people with better grades to apply? Not let students in on programs not based on academics? Tell schools like Alabama to not throw money at kids, be warm, have better academics, social life and not have hot chicks? Tell people to invest in campus town over Sycamore road? Tell stores like VCB done leave? Create a climate machine for DeKalb?

These decisions that are solely to do with DeKalb itself were made mostly by DeKalb politicians, voters , builders/landlords and administrators. You would have better luck turning Gary into Naperville. And if they found a way to suddenly make more kids want to go to school on campus I’m sure , contrary to the believe of many, they would do or at least try to change it fast. There is no incentive to fail and succeeding is in their best interest.

And I doubt the kickbacks of the past are there for them.

Wrong again. Section 8 housing is the result of Eddie Williams and his Chicago cabal
that bought up housing and ruined DeKalb. Politicians may have been complacent and short sided while it occurred, but they did not drive it. Yes you can do something about it. Purchase the properties and ensure the zoning is enacted not to let it occur again. Low Income housing can be done in much better ways through disbursement around communities rather than making it a highly dense crime zone. A city Dekalb's size should never have had this many units assigned as Sect 8. And yes a true leader would find a way to get this done not sit on his/her hands and create diversity offices.
A true leader would also find a way at this point to lower costs to get some sanity in tuition compared to peer Universities. Maybe this would mean closing down buildings, dropping useless majors, streamlining Administration, ... Too many people just want to defend the indefeasible and throw up hands and say you can do nothing. Very embarrassing to see just a lack of creativity and ingenuity in so many alumni and current administrators. Never implied it would be easy or even work, but you have reached the point where drastic action is needed to even have a shot at surviving. Illinois situation is just going to get worse with losing population and looming fiscal collapse, so you need to do your best to prepare now.

What do you consider peer schools? The MAC avg tuition is $12.5K in-state, $21.5K out-state. NIU is $14.5K for both. NIU's grad program is among the cheapest in the MAC. NIU,ISU,EIU are all within a $1K or so in tuition so I'm not sure what you'd want NIU to do?

Clean up the campus, the crime, section 8 housing. That’s your problem whether anyone wants to admit it. I’ve talked to several high school and college students in the past few weeks whom told me NIU campus is dangerous and there is nothing to do anymore socially. They killed Greek row and turned a blind eye to all the section 8 housing which brought in more crime. NIU dug its grave and their solution is to dumb down the academic requirements! The entire administration should be fired.

Where do you get this dumb down academics crap?

There is no doubt that NIU has some issues and leadership is not being proactive and innovative enough to address them. I am in the corner that any real positive change and momentum starts and ends with getting rid or at least minimizing the huge Section 8 housing on campus, specifically Greek Row. As I have said before, I sympathize that this housing has to be somewhere, but not right smack on top of one of your valued state universities. C'mon!

That said, I have to say that I currently have a student at NIU, and he is the the last of all three that attended NIU. Allot of negative stuff on this thread and much of it warranted, but it is important to remenber there are a ton of outstanding students and proud university staff that make up NIU. When I host tail gates or interact with the students of NIU I always come away so impressed with them. Courteous, appreciative they are really down to earth and good people. My kids have all had a great time at NIU. Someone earlier said NIU is what you make of it & I could not agree more.

This is always what NIU represents to me, real people that earn everything in life. The underdogs in life that succeed because of great work ethic with nothing handed to them.

Problems for sure, but with warts and all there is still allot to be proud of as an NIU alumni and just want to give a reminder to that. I will always defend my alma mater with the naysayers and Big Ten snobs that go on auto pilot in downplaying NIU.

The Hard Way!

(02-28-2023 08:10 AM)ChicagoHuskie Wrote:  There is no doubt that NIU has some issues and leadership is not being proactive and innovative enough to address them. I am in the corner that any real positive change and momentum starts and ends with getting rid or at least minimizing the huge Section 8 housing on campus, specifically Greek Row. As I have said before, I sympathize that this housing has to be somewhere, but not right smack on top of one of your valued state universities. C'mon!

That said, I have to say that I currently have a student at NIU, and he is the the last of all three that attended NIU. Allot of negative stuff on this thread and much of it warranted, but it is important to remenber there are a ton of outstanding students and proud university staff that make up NIU. When I host tail gates or interact with the students of NIU I always come away so impressed with them. Courteous, appreciative they are really down to earth and good people. My kids have all had a great time at NIU. Someone earlier said NIU is what you make of it & I could not agree more.

This is always what NIU represents to me, real people that earn everything in life. The underdogs in life that succeed because of great work ethic with nothing handed to them.

Problems for sure, but with warts and all there is still allot to be proud of as an NIU alumni and just want to give a reminder to that. I will always defend my alma mater with the naysayers and Big Ten snobs that go on auto pilot in downplaying NIU.

The Hard Way!

Hulkamania brother.