(04-25-2018 08:51 PM)NIU84 Wrote:  I think we can all agree that if you want to see a real pit of a town, go to Toledo.

:)

If you have not been to UT, the campus is beautiful. Parts of Toledo like most urban cities have their issues but there are many parts of Toledo including the UT campus that are very nice. The enrollment at UT is going up while the enrollment at NIU continues to dwindle. NIU is now one of the smallest schools in the MAC. Then again, our University Administration isn't asleep at the wheel like the one at NIU.

I have two kids at NIU now. They are both having a great experience at the school. The safety issue has come up, more specifically in the Greek Row area. I attended NIU in the late 80’s and you would hear of things, but it does appear that there are some issues going on in the area in Greek Row that are concerning. The buzz is that NIU sees this area as “off campus” and are not concerned enough with safety in this area. That said, my kids are making it through and like their university. My overall impression is that NIU definitely has an image problem right now. I do everything I can to dispel this as I am a very proud alumn as most are on this forum. NIU has some unrealized potential that some creative leadership needs to harness and get some public perception back on the right track.

Go NIU, Go Huskies

(05-12-2018 10:08 PM)ChicagoHuskie Wrote:  I have two kids at NIU now. They are both having a great experience at the school. The safety issue has come up, more specifically in the Greek Row area. I attended NIU in the late 80’s and you would hear of things, but it does appear that there are some issues going on in the area in Greek Row that are concerning. The buzz is that NIU sees this area as “off campus” and are not concerned enough with safety in this area. That said, my kids are making it through and like their university. My overall impression is that NIU definitely has an image problem right now. I do everything I can to dispel this as I am a very proud alumn as most are on this forum. NIU has some unrealized potential that some creative leadership needs to harness and get some public perception back on the right track.

Go NIU, Go Huskies

Foolish of them to not care about the 1 mile radius around campus. Like it or not, it impacts them just as much as on campus.

(05-12-2018 11:01 PM)NIUSox10 Wrote:  

(05-12-2018 10:08 PM)ChicagoHuskie Wrote:  I have two kids at NIU now. They are both having a great experience at the school. The safety issue has come up, more specifically in the Greek Row area. I attended NIU in the late 80’s and you would hear of things, but it does appear that there are some issues going on in the area in Greek Row that are concerning. The buzz is that NIU sees this area as “off campus” and are not concerned enough with safety in this area. That said, my kids are making it through and like their university. My overall impression is that NIU definitely has an image problem right now. I do everything I can to dispel this as I am a very proud alumn as most are on this forum. NIU has some unrealized potential that some creative leadership needs to harness and get some public perception back on the right track.

Go NIU, Go Huskies

Foolish of them to not care about the 1 mile radius around campus. Like it or not, it impacts them just as much as on campus.

+1 it is as if they are trying to keep the on campus crime stats where they need to be by excluding Greek Row. This is feeding the notion that NIU is very unfriendly to Greek Row and trying to push them out. This is from my daughter who goes there now.

(05-13-2018 07:50 AM)ChicagoHuskie Wrote:  

(05-12-2018 11:01 PM)NIUSox10 Wrote:  

(05-12-2018 10:08 PM)ChicagoHuskie Wrote:  I have two kids at NIU now. They are both having a great experience at the school. The safety issue has come up, more specifically in the Greek Row area. I attended NIU in the late 80’s and you would hear of things, but it does appear that there are some issues going on in the area in Greek Row that are concerning. The buzz is that NIU sees this area as “off campus” and are not concerned enough with safety in this area. That said, my kids are making it through and like their university. My overall impression is that NIU definitely has an image problem right now. I do everything I can to dispel this as I am a very proud alumn as most are on this forum. NIU has some unrealized potential that some creative leadership needs to harness and get some public perception back on the right track.

Go NIU, Go Huskies

Foolish of them to not care about the 1 mile radius around campus. Like it or not, it impacts them just as much as on campus.

+1 it is as if they are trying to keep the on campus crime stats where they need to be by excluding Greek Row. This is feeding the notion that NIU is very unfriendly to Greek Row and trying to push them out. This is from my daughter who goes there now.

If I am correct, the inhabitants of the Greek Row area are all NIU students, so the crimes should be included among the statistics.

(05-13-2018 07:59 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(05-13-2018 07:50 AM)ChicagoHuskie Wrote:  

(05-12-2018 11:01 PM)NIUSox10 Wrote:  

(05-12-2018 10:08 PM)ChicagoHuskie Wrote:  I have two kids at NIU now. They are both having a great experience at the school. The safety issue has come up, more specifically in the Greek Row area. I attended NIU in the late 80’s and you would hear of things, but it does appear that there are some issues going on in the area in Greek Row that are concerning. The buzz is that NIU sees this area as “off campus” and are not concerned enough with safety in this area. That said, my kids are making it through and like their university. My overall impression is that NIU definitely has an image problem right now. I do everything I can to dispel this as I am a very proud alumn as most are on this forum. NIU has some unrealized potential that some creative leadership needs to harness and get some public perception back on the right track.

Go NIU, Go Huskies

Foolish of them to not care about the 1 mile radius around campus. Like it or not, it impacts them just as much as on campus.

+1 it is as if they are trying to keep the on campus crime stats where they need to be by excluding Greek Row. This is feeding the notion that NIU is very unfriendly to Greek Row and trying to push them out. This is from my daughter who goes there now.

If I am correct, the inhabitants of the Greek Row area are all NIU students, so the crimes should be included among the statistics.

While a large % of the Greek Row area is NIU students, it is definitely not all and this is where the crime problems are mostly coming from. NIU needs to embrace all areas where students live, most would consider Greek Row as part of campus enough though technically it may not be.

(05-12-2018 11:01 PM)NIUSox10 Wrote:  

(05-12-2018 10:08 PM)ChicagoHuskie Wrote:  I have two kids at NIU now. They are both having a great experience at the school. The safety issue has come up, more specifically in the Greek Row area. I attended NIU in the late 80’s and you would hear of things, but it does appear that there are some issues going on in the area in Greek Row that are concerning. The buzz is that NIU sees this area as “off campus” and are not concerned enough with safety in this area. That said, my kids are making it through and like their university. My overall impression is that NIU definitely has an image problem right now. I do everything I can to dispel this as I am a very proud alumn as most are on this forum. NIU has some unrealized potential that some creative leadership needs to harness and get some public perception back on the right track.

Go NIU, Go Huskies

Foolish of them to not care about the 1 mile radius around campus. Like it or not, it impacts them just as much as on campus.

+1
#communiversity

I honestly think the only way to eliminate or put a huge reduction on crime over there is demo a lot of the older apts/buildings and reduce the amount of living spaces. Kinda a supply and demand scenario. Wouldn't allow for many of the problematic people there as they wouldn't be able to afford housing. Unfortunate, but true with low rent/cheap housing comes more crime.

Compared to many other campus' the off campus living is really cheap already, most students would find a way to pay the increase especially if there are less issues/nicer areas.

I wasn't in a fraternity at NIU because I was there for my master's. But my wife was in a sorority and I spent a lot of time on Greek Row. Back in the early '80s it was safe, vibrant, and a blast. Many of our best couple friends we met through her sorority. It's an important part of the college experience and life after college for many people, so NIU needs to make sure the Greek system is a safe and viable option for students interested in attending NIU. It might not be the majority of NIU students, but it's a significant percentage. Enrollment is decreasing every year, so make sure the Greek experience is a good one for those who seek that in the universities they are considering attending.

Get attendance back to 25k and the world will make sense again.

(05-12-2018 10:08 PM)ChicagoHuskie Wrote:  I have two kids at NIU now. They are both having a great experience at the school. The safety issue has come up, more specifically in the Greek Row area. I attended NIU in the late 80’s and you would hear of things, but it does appear that there are some issues going on in the area in Greek Row that are concerning. The buzz is that NIU sees this area as “off campus” and are not concerned enough with safety in this area. That said, my kids are making it through and like their university. My overall impression is that NIU definitely has an image problem right now. I do everything I can to dispel this as I am a very proud alumn as most are on this forum. NIU has some unrealized potential that some creative leadership needs to harness and get some public perception back on the right track.

Go NIU, Go Huskies

I couldn't agree more. I am a proud alum, and the father of 2 who are involved in the Greek System. NIU is very unfriendly to a Greek community they should absolutely be embracing for a whole host of reasons. The Greek Row neighborhood is appalling. I have addressed the Trustees and Administration twice on this issue. I am also a HS Board President of a top 30 high school in this state who's kids are going out of state, or ISU. NIU has a reputation of being both the "non fun school", and dangerous. Academically NIU is a gem, but nobody is aware or cares due to these other issues. My kids went because they have been going to games all their life, and my love of the University. We as alums need to be active, and consistently pressing both DeKalb and NIU. Go Huskies!

(05-14-2018 11:25 AM)Shack12615 Wrote:  

(05-12-2018 10:08 PM)ChicagoHuskie Wrote:  I have two kids at NIU now. They are both having a great experience at the school. The safety issue has come up, more specifically in the Greek Row area. I attended NIU in the late 80’s and you would hear of things, but it does appear that there are some issues going on in the area in Greek Row that are concerning. The buzz is that NIU sees this area as “off campus” and are not concerned enough with safety in this area. That said, my kids are making it through and like their university. My overall impression is that NIU definitely has an image problem right now. I do everything I can to dispel this as I am a very proud alumn as most are on this forum. NIU has some unrealized potential that some creative leadership needs to harness and get some public perception back on the right track.

Go NIU, Go Huskies

I couldn't agree more. I am a proud alum, and the father of 2 who are involved in the Greek System. NIU is very unfriendly to a Greek community they should absolutely be embracing for a whole host of reasons. The Greek Row neighborhood is appalling. I have addressed the Trustees and Administration twice on this issue. I am also a HS Board President of a top 30 high school in this state who's kids are going out of state, or ISU. NIU has a reputation of being both the "non fun school", and dangerous. Academically NIU is a gem, but nobody is aware or cares due to these other issues. My kids went because they have been going to games all their life, and my love of the University. We as alums need to be active, and consistently pressing both DeKalb and NIU. Go Huskies!

You are to be commended for your involvement. What was the response from the Trustees and Administration? Was anything done after you communicated the issues to them?

That's kind. The first time I graduated in 1985, NIU was on the move. Enrollments were shooting up, and NIU and UI were the two public universities kids were going. I had a great experience and education. I have served on Board of Directors for Alumni Association as well. I have a passion for NIU, and understand the value of an NIU education. I am passionate about sports here, and understand the perceived value of that as well. NIU was poised to be that University. To your question, off the record, the Trustees get it. On the record its a mixed bag. As for the Administration.......nah. Not only do they not get it, I don't think they care. I think there is s much CYA thinking right now. In speaking with Jerry Smith, DeKalb's Mayor, I believe he does. He loves NIU, and is a grad.

(05-14-2018 12:05 PM)Shack12615 Wrote:  That's kind. The first time I graduated in 1985, NIU was on the move. Enrollments were shooting up, and NIU and UI were the two public universities kids were going. I had a great experience and education. I have served on Board of Directors for Alumni Association as well. I have a passion for NIU, and understand the value of an NIU education. I am passionate about sports here, and understand the perceived value of that as well. NIU was poised to be that University. To your question, off the record, the Trustees get it. On the record its a mixed bag. As for the Administration.......nah. Not only do they not get it, I don't think they care. I think there is s much CYA thinking right now. In speaking with Jerry Smith, DeKalb's Mayor, I believe he does. He loves NIU, and is a grad.

Yes, I know Jerry, and he is a good guy. He believes in a strong communiversity relationship. I sure do hope that DeKalb works with NIU to solve the Greek Row crime problem because it's a very bad one. I know the DeKalb residents are pretty disgusted with it, too. A friend who lives in the area told me if he wanted all the crime, he could live in Chicago. He moved to DeKalb a number of years ago to get away from crime, and now it's in his backyard again.

(05-14-2018 12:40 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(05-14-2018 12:05 PM)Shack12615 Wrote:  That's kind. The first time I graduated in 1985, NIU was on the move. Enrollments were shooting up, and NIU and UI were the two public universities kids were going. I had a great experience and education. I have served on Board of Directors for Alumni Association as well. I have a passion for NIU, and understand the value of an NIU education. I am passionate about sports here, and understand the perceived value of that as well. NIU was poised to be that University. To your question, off the record, the Trustees get it. On the record its a mixed bag. As for the Administration.......nah. Not only do they not get it, I don't think they care. I think there is s much CYA thinking right now. In speaking with Jerry Smith, DeKalb's Mayor, I believe he does. He loves NIU, and is a grad.

Yes, I know Jerry, and he is a good guy. He believes in a strong communiversity relationship. I sure do hope that DeKalb works with NIU to solve the Greek Row crime problem because it's a very bad one. I know the DeKalb residents are pretty disgusted with it, too. A friend who lives in the area told me if he wanted all the crime, he could live in Chicago. He moved to DeKalb a number of years ago to get away from crime, and now it's in his backyard again.

It really isn’t the schools fault, it was the city. When they allowed the big landlords to build all those new aparttments for the same number of students. There was really nothing for all the old housing to become besides really low income housing, and all the problems that come from it. Greek row is really the only thing keeping that area from totally self destructing.

(05-14-2018 11:41 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(05-14-2018 11:25 AM)Shack12615 Wrote:  

(05-12-2018 10:08 PM)ChicagoHuskie Wrote:  I have two kids at NIU now. They are both having a great experience at the school. The safety issue has come up, more specifically in the Greek Row area. I attended NIU in the late 80’s and you would hear of things, but it does appear that there are some issues going on in the area in Greek Row that are concerning. The buzz is that NIU sees this area as “off campus” and are not concerned enough with safety in this area. That said, my kids are making it through and like their university. My overall impression is that NIU definitely has an image problem right now. I do everything I can to dispel this as I am a very proud alumn as most are on this forum. NIU has some unrealized potential that some creative leadership needs to harness and get some public perception back on the right track.

Go NIU, Go Huskies

I couldn't agree more. I am a proud alum, and the father of 2 who are involved in the Greek System. NIU is very unfriendly to a Greek community they should absolutely be embracing for a whole host of reasons. The Greek Row neighborhood is appalling. I have addressed the Trustees and Administration twice on this issue. I am also a HS Board President of a top 30 high school in this state who's kids are going out of state, or ISU. NIU has a reputation of being both the "non fun school", and dangerous. Academically NIU is a gem, but nobody is aware or cares due to these other issues. My kids went because they have been going to games all their life, and my love of the University. We as alums need to be active, and consistently pressing both DeKalb and NIU. Go Huskies!

You are to be commended for your involvement. What was the response from the Trustees and Administration? Was anything done after you communicated the issues to them?

+1 thanks for being a credible advocate.

(05-14-2018 02:57 PM)Shue93 Wrote:  

(05-14-2018 12:40 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(05-14-2018 12:05 PM)Shack12615 Wrote:  That's kind. The first time I graduated in 1985, NIU was on the move. Enrollments were shooting up, and NIU and UI were the two public universities kids were going. I had a great experience and education. I have served on Board of Directors for Alumni Association as well. I have a passion for NIU, and understand the value of an NIU education. I am passionate about sports here, and understand the perceived value of that as well. NIU was poised to be that University. To your question, off the record, the Trustees get it. On the record its a mixed bag. As for the Administration.......nah. Not only do they not get it, I don't think they care. I think there is s much CYA thinking right now. In speaking with Jerry Smith, DeKalb's Mayor, I believe he does. He loves NIU, and is a grad.

Yes, I know Jerry, and he is a good guy. He believes in a strong communiversity relationship. I sure do hope that DeKalb works with NIU to solve the Greek Row crime problem because it's a very bad one. I know the DeKalb residents are pretty disgusted with it, too. A friend who lives in the area told me if he wanted all the crime, he could live in Chicago. He moved to DeKalb a number of years ago to get away from crime, and now it's in his backyard again.

It really isn’t the schools fault, it was the city. When they allowed the big landlords to build all those new aparttments for the same number of students. There was really nothing for all the old housing to become besides really low income housing, and all the problems that come from it. Greek row is really the only thing keeping that area from totally self destructing.

yes, and one of the reasons that the University needs to support the Greeks. The Campus Cinema building is about to fall in on itself, and needs to come down. Other communities have been able to buy property, and then sell it back to a developer who can make it into a needed and viable site. Honestly, those kids could use a bar much like the Jungle out there as part of a redevelopment there. Even the roads are in bad shape. A joint NIU/DeKalb venture out there would be helpful. We as Alumni, and parents need to demand better.

(05-14-2018 03:59 PM)Shack12615 Wrote:  

(05-14-2018 02:57 PM)Shue93 Wrote:  

(05-14-2018 12:40 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(05-14-2018 12:05 PM)Shack12615 Wrote:  That's kind. The first time I graduated in 1985, NIU was on the move. Enrollments were shooting up, and NIU and UI were the two public universities kids were going. I had a great experience and education. I have served on Board of Directors for Alumni Association as well. I have a passion for NIU, and understand the value of an NIU education. I am passionate about sports here, and understand the perceived value of that as well. NIU was poised to be that University. To your question, off the record, the Trustees get it. On the record its a mixed bag. As for the Administration.......nah. Not only do they not get it, I don't think they care. I think there is s much CYA thinking right now. In speaking with Jerry Smith, DeKalb's Mayor, I believe he does. He loves NIU, and is a grad.

Yes, I know Jerry, and he is a good guy. He believes in a strong communiversity relationship. I sure do hope that DeKalb works with NIU to solve the Greek Row crime problem because it's a very bad one. I know the DeKalb residents are pretty disgusted with it, too. A friend who lives in the area told me if he wanted all the crime, he could live in Chicago. He moved to DeKalb a number of years ago to get away from crime, and now it's in his backyard again.

It really isn’t the schools fault, it was the city. When they allowed the big landlords to build all those new aparttments for the same number of students. There was really nothing for all the old housing to become besides really low income housing, and all the problems that come from it. Greek row is really the only thing keeping that area from totally self destructing.

yes, and one of the reasons that the University needs to support the Greeks. The Campus Cinema building is about to fall in on itself, and needs to come down. Other communities have been able to buy property, and then sell it back to a developer who can make it into a needed and viable site. Honestly, those kids could use a bar much like the Jungle out there as part of a redevelopment there. Even the roads are in bad shape. A joint NIU/DeKalb venture out there would be helpful. We as Alumni, and parents need to demand better.

The University/DeKalb need to really focus on the REAL safety issues out there, and not on some kids, and minor drinking offenses.

I appreciate this thread as I have two kids in Greek Row at NIU at the moment. It does seem true that NIU is much more worried about minor drinking offenses, fraternity parties and the like more than the shootings ect in the Greek Row area. To date there has not been a student shot that I know of, but I hope it will not take this to happen before some urgency kicks in.

(05-14-2018 08:43 PM)ChicagoHuskie Wrote:  I appreciate this thread as I have two kids in Greek Row at NIU at the moment. It does seem true that NIU is much more worried about minor drinking offenses, fraternity parties and the like more than the shootings ect in the Greek Row area. To date there has not been a student shot that I know of, but I hope it will not take this to happen before some urgency kicks in.

Amen. I am sure your kid were heavily influenced by great academics, but like me, you had awesome experiences and the kids were coming with you to games etc with you. My son in particular, didn't even want to see any other schools. He will be a Sophmore, and I question whether he made the right choice. Hurts me to say that. While he had some fantastic experiences, and got good grades, he had a couple experiences with the university not so great....