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| Northern Star
Blaise Sewell
Editorial: Our northern views
NIU has an obligation to accommodate parents or married students outside the residence halls.
The old-married housing facility was far too old and decrepit. State funding was not on the horizon.
The state of Illinois has not given NIU funds for capital projects in years and will likely not be able to for some time.
Administrators at NIU felt they had to act.
So they made a deal with the devil.
In order to potentially get a housing project done by this fall, NIU was forced to outsource the job to a developer and then in turn that developer hired Collegiate Development Services to build and manage the Northern View Community.
At the same time, NIU Housing and Dining executive director Kelly Wesener said they are using some of the same policies in regard to the Northern View Community that are employed in the residence halls.
Competing goals between a public entity and a private endeavor cause disagreements and other communication problems, like with the outsourcing of this project. What is good for the community isn’t always cost effective.
To get this project done, NIU had to sacrifice its control. It is now paying for that choice.
Many students living at Northern View are not the nontraditional students NIU was aiming to accommodate, but students excited about moving to a new development that looked so incredible on paper.
Residents have been upset with the unfinished landscaping and community center. As previously detailed, problems at the Northern View Community continue to be chronicled.
These include lack of sod, leading to an excess of flies and gnats; parking issues; lack of Internet connectivity; lack of clear communication; and incomplete carpentry. These are valid complaints.
The problem lies in trying to sell students on a project while not being up front about the potential for delayed completion.
“We understand their frustration,” said Brian Hemphill, vice president of Student Affairs. “We want to make sure that they get everything that they are promised.”
Finishing apartments weeks after the promised date of Aug. 20 is not doing residents a favor. It’s fulfilling an obligation and living up to contractual obligations.
When asked if students could back out of their housing contracts considering the conditions, Hemphill said they could not, but that individual cases would be reviewed.
Immediately after opening the new facility, tenants were informed there would be no compensation provided for the inconvenience brought on by the problems.
And offering would-be residents – some with children – free accommodations in Grant Towers or the Holmes Student Center hotel for the duration of the delays is inadequate.
Residents are not paying top dollar to live in Grant or the Holmes Student Center.
Though the recent flooding was atypical, problems with the weather and manufacturers should be anticipated. Any project manager will tell you about the many hiccups that are inherent to construction, it is why they are paid well to handle issues and expedite project completion.
Hemphill says hindsight is 20/20. We just wish NIU administrators’ foresight was better.
» Next Opinion Article: Remember life lessons from driver’s ed
NORTHERN VIEW COMMUNITY RESIDENT
After leaving the meeting scheduled Thursday by NIU faculty and Northern View staff, I still felt like enough wasn’t going to be done. I understand the position of the University-no matter what is said or done Northern View community won’t be completed until late September or October. Although there were alternatives given like Grant or the Holmes Student Center, I feel those alternatives aren’t sufficient enough for all the inconveniences experienced while occupying Northern View’s apartments. I wish I could have maintained the same level of optimism I had when I first heard about the facility last semester, but unfortunately because of the move –in conditions the optimism has diminished. Since the move- in date was postponed two times before my apartment unit was complete, my parents and I were forced to miss two days of work. Issues like these are why I am not satisfied. Unfortunately, I feel more could have been done to compensate the residents who pay anywhere between $699-1920 per month. I feel the residents of Northern View Community-those who are allowed to reside in the apartment complex and those who are not allowed to reside in the apartment complex until their unit is completed-should be reimbursed for one month’s rent. Even though we are living here, the conditions in many instances are neither safe nor sanitary. As said previously, Housing and Dining offered alternatives, but those alternatives are not optional for many residents because the alternatives may cause a greater inconvenience. I am disappointed because after I left the meeting I felt the same way. Northern View Community wasn’t completed on time and the residents have to pay for it-financially, emotionally, and physically. More could be done, but as one resident I can not do it alone. If individuals who reside in Northern View Community would join me, then that would be outstanding. In other words, I feel there is no point in complaining; “talk is cheap”. After the meeting I have heard several resident’s concerns and complaints about Northern View Community. But the question remains, how many Northern View residents are going to complain and how many Northern View residents are going to take positive actions to solve their complaints? The fact still remains the six building, wonderful facility residents were promised weren’t completed August 22nd, 2007.
Northern View Community Resident,
Alyease Jones
After leaving the meeting scheduled Thursday by NIU faculty and Northern View staff, I still felt like enough wasn’t going to be done. I understand the position of the University-no matter what is said or done Northern View community won’t be completed until late September or October. Although there were alternatives given like Grant or the Holmes Student Center, I feel those alternatives aren’t sufficient enough for all the inconveniences experienced while occupying Northern View’s apartments. I wish I could have maintained the same level of optimism I had when I first heard about the facility last semester, but unfortunately because of the move –in conditions the optimism has diminished. Since the move- in date was postponed two times before my apartment unit was complete, my parents and I were forced to miss two days of work. Issues like these are why I am not satisfied. Unfortunately, I feel more could have been done to compensate the residents who pay anywhere between $699-1920 per month. I feel the residents of Northern View Community-those who are allowed to reside in the apartment complex and those who are not allowed to reside in the apartment complex until their unit is completed-should be reimbursed for one month’s rent. Even though we are living here, the conditions in many instances are neither safe nor sanitary. As said previously, Housing and Dining offered alternatives, but those alternatives are not optional for many residents because the alternatives may cause a greater inconvenience. I am disappointed because after I left the meeting I felt the same way. Northern View Community wasn’t completed on time and the residents have to pay for it-financially, emotionally, and physically. More could be done, but as one resident I can not do it alone. If individuals who reside in Northern View Community would join me, then that would be outstanding. In other words, I feel there is no point in complaining; “talk is cheap”. After the meeting I have heard several resident’s concerns and complaints about Northern View Community. But the question remains, how many Northern View residents are going to complain and how many Northern View residents are going to take positive actions to solve their complaints? The fact still remains the six building, wonderful facility residents were promised weren’t completed August 22nd, 2007.
Northern View Community Resident,
Alyease Jones
When asked if students could back out of their housing contracts considering the conditions, Hemphill said they could not, but that individual cases would be reviewed>
It seems to me that Mr Hemphill is spewing the company line here. The contract the students signed was breached by NIU when they failed to deliver what was advertised. Anyone wanting real solutionds should seek legal counsel. To simply listen to Mr Hemphill and back down is what they want you to do. They offered a product. That product is not there. Mr. Hemphill and the university is in Cover Your Ass mode here. Students wanting action are going to have to go outside of the university to get satisfaction on this one.
It seems to me that Mr Hemphill is spewing the company line here. The contract the students signed was breached by NIU when they failed to deliver what was advertised. Anyone wanting real solutionds should seek legal counsel. To simply listen to Mr Hemphill and back down is what they want you to do. They offered a product. That product is not there. Mr. Hemphill and the university is in Cover Your Ass mode here. Students wanting action are going to have to go outside of the university to get satisfaction on this one.
"Let the buyer beware". You will learn that in Business Law class. "Destroy the reputation of the one that screwed you" is the way to maintain the balance. NIU students should do what they can to get the message out to students of other colleges that may want to hire Collegiate Development Services to keep their administrations from hiring them and go with someone else. Also, don't let NIU forget.