Town Hall Tensions Schedule Progress for another Day

Students voiced their concerns about issues surrounding Northeastern Illinois University directly at a town hall meeting with President Hahs, Tuesday October 21 at NEIU. Questions pertaining to pay raises, tuition rates, campus housing and student life were all raised to President Hahs with great concern.

Hahs took questions from the almost 75 plus students in attendance and addressed questions that were submitted prior to the meeting. The majority of questions were focused on the recent publicized pay raises which President Hahs among a handful of individuals in the administration received. Students showed concern and confusion with the motives behind such actions by the administration, while faculty struggle to receive pay raises overall.

Hahs maintained transparency through disclosing her specific pay arrangements over the past three years, while also addressing that her pay grade compared to her peers at other universities is significantly less. "The board of trusties sets salaries," said Hahs adding that her salary is the "lowest of those that I have the numbers for."

Budget allocations all around are less than previous years, also leaving Hahs to justify financial setbacks, and specifically faculty pay raise stand stills, based on delayed state funding that has not yet arrived from the previous fiscal year. This has also caused incoming freshmen student tuition to increase by six percent from last year. The main problem financially is "cash flow," described Hahs.

Student representatives from the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans Queer Alliance  (LGBTQA) also posed questions to Hahs with relation to her thoughts and the university's stance about the desired presence for a resource and support center on campus for students associated with the LGBTQA community. Hahs responded by stating, "space is limited [on campus]" and students and faculty should "help develop a proposal to develop a center," to begin with a "virtual center."    

International students also raised concerns with the university expressing the void of on campus housing and assistance has left many international students to settle for poor accommodations during their experience here in Chicago and at NEIU. "It is a deaf reality," one student explained. Hahs responded by staying that there is "a hope to have a residence hall in the next few years."

As other topics including greater student representation and influence within the university's decision and policy making processes were examined, the overall tone and focus of students was with the perception and view that faculty at the university are not being treated fair. The lack of pay raises over the past two years and the perceived value assessed to faculty from the administration reflected a voice of support for faculty members by students.

A student at NEIU, Jessica stated "The faculty has been outstanding, why has it taken so long with negotiations-are demands unreasonable?" Hahs responded by saying, "When people make less money, they can be very angry with people who make more," addressing both sentiments among those in the NEIU community and in general terms.  

Students also tested the waters with President Hahs with regards to current negotiations speculating hypothetical questions if faculty would go on strike. NEIU senior Caitlin Varpness engaged President Hahs from a heated stance eventually asking "If faculty go on strike, will this mark as a failure to your presidency here at the university?" Hahs explained that a strike would hurt the reputation that has been built for the university, being a "risk of big picture." Varpness reiterated to Hahs that "only your reputation would be on the line" alluding that fiscally it would not directly impact President Hahs or the board of trusties, but rather the students faculty and the university as a whole.

Hahs responded to final questions posed with regards to how her role as president of the university and her duty as a person in her position of power can help better serve those she represents. Hahs explained her "deep commitment to public education." Hahs set her sights of commitment to be exemplified through lobbying efforts within the Illinois and federal governments for budget allocations. Hahs stated, "I can work hard on that for you, but I cannot promise."