“Over the past two semesters, The NorthWind has been reporting the many goings on of our student-elected government, ASNMU, and the President, Ben Stanley.

This relationship has been hostile at best and extremely ineffective to say the least. Over the past year, this organization has received the most publicity, both on campus and in the surrounding communities, that it has ever had or possibly will ever have. Still, ASNMU has been unable to make a lasting contribution to the students it serves. And no, jokes don’t count.

As educated college students, we need only look to Washington, D.C. to see how ineffective governing of elected officials works for those whom they govern.

Squabbling over an issue that doesn’t directly affect the people or policies they care about leads to communication breakdowns and downright refusals to come together and do their jobs.

ASNMU members have been chasing this ‘impeachment’ ultimatum for so long that they have been ineffective at resolving meaningful issues or working with the president to implement new policies designed to enhance our college experience and better the university community.

I wish to make it clear that I support neither ASNMU nor the current president, but rather support the system that was designed to engage the student body for good. This whole situation the president and members of ASNMU are in, however, has made both parties involved look the part of their equivalents in the Capitol.

Everyone involved with this fiasco should look within and try to comprehend that everyone on campus went from knowing about the ASNMU following, “Chicken-gate,” to most students holding disdain for them today.

The real crime here is the missed opportunities since President Stanley’s election.”

Kyle Lynch
graduate student
Public Administration

“I want to thank the volunteers from the Northern Michigan University community who helped MooseWood Nature Center with the recent Haunted Bog Walk during the Halloween season.

Several student organizations created scare stations, helped in the Friendly Frights Forest and two outstanding Student Leader Fellows planned and ran the event.

The MooseWood Nature Center is a volunteer-based non-profit that is dedicated to environmental education and action.

Students from NMU help staff our visitor center, put on and promote our programming and help in numerous ways such as providing animal care, invasive species control and are furthering our pool-to-pond restoration project.

We are recipients of help from Make-A-Difference Day, and I see volunteers from NMU at the animal shelter, First Nations Food Taster and many other community projects.

As an adjunct instructor and alumnus, I’m proud to be a member of the Wildcat community.

Thank you for what you do and for being such good friends to Marquette.

Andrew Bek
Executive Director
MooseWood Nature Center