As you can probably tell, we at the Independent have been going through some structural changes. Here at this newspaper, we work in a semi-organized chaos. Our office is jokingly referred to as a black hole. Things are shuffled and lost but sometimes we gain something better. Not that I am the best person for the job but this column needed revamping.
This column is titled “Voice of the Campus,” the voice of NEIU. How can one person speak for so many? Especially since NEIU is such a diverse campus. Men and women of different backgrounds with different viewpoints attend this university and I am supposed to represent those views. It is a daunting task.
The hard part is finding some common ground. The topic has to be relevant to the entire campus. Something that would hold readers’ attention and actively engaged them in discussion about any number of topics.
One good topic would be last week’s Green Week. This event was planned months in advance and it was a hit. Everyone involved did a great job. It was an excellent way of showing people different “green” opportunities. Big events like that deserve to be talked about and continued every year.
Another example would be the President’s state of the University. Although this one is a tricky topic. While it is important for students to know what is being planned for their school, most students just are not interested in knowing the details. Before writing for the Independent, where I had to know about these things, I was more interested in keeping my grades up and graduating on time. I did not have time or inclination to think about President Hahs had planned for NEIU. My tuition was locked in and my financial aid covered it, that’s all that mattered. Sadly, this disinterested attitude is probably shared by a good deal of readers.
If I am or was such a Disinterested Student, (yes, the capitals are intentional), what then are my qualifications for writing this column? Well, I am Hispanic (although not many can tell) which represents a good portion of the campus. I am a woman, which would also be the majority group. I am an English major with a Mass Media minor, a common combination apparently. My writing qualification is that I have been on the newspaper staff long enough and have been writing long enough to be put in charge of the newspaper. My strengths lie in organizing and making sense of chaos, other things like writing a consistent amount for a column require a lot more thought. It is something that many of us here on staff have in common, lack of column ideas when you really need it.
One of the biggest problems that we have at the Independent is lack of information. At least where event coverage is concerned. Most of what we get is through word of mouth. Certain departments have good things planned for the university but poor advertising can lead to poor turnout. So right now, I am talking to everyone reading this. If you know of any NEIU event that you feel should be represented, please feel free to contact us. If you have any thoughts on what I should be talking about and focusing on, please email me at L-Ocasio@neiu.edu. This column is your voice, NEIU. Make sure it is heard.