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The North Wind

The North Wind

The North Wind

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Chloe Everson
Chloe Everson
Sports Editor

Hi! My name is Chloe and I am a fourth-year senior here at NMU. I am a Public Relations major and have always enjoyed sports. I love being outdoors, shopping, and drinking coffee at all hours of the...

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The North Wind is an independent student publication serving the Northern Michigan University community. It is partially funded by the Student Activity Fee. The North Wind digital paper is published daily during the fall and winter semesters except on university holidays and during exam weeks. The North Wind Board of Directors is composed of representatives of the student body, faculty, administration and area media.

RECORDS ON RECORDS — Teichman shows a variety of records on display at the Vinyl Emporium. With 10,000 records being brought in from downstate, there is something for everyone at the record show. Photo courtesy of Jon Teichman
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Megan VoorheesMarch 28, 2024

Two worthy proposals on ASNMU ballot this year

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ASNMU elections draw near. This year, besides the candidates running for office, there will be a few proposals for students to vote on. One of these is a proposition to make election day a university holiday so that students would have the day off from classes. Another is to recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day in lieu of Columbus Day.

The first of these is indisputably a good idea. Young people tend to have lower turnouts in elections, and part of this is conflicting responsibilities. With days crammed with classes, work and meetings, it can be difficult to find time on a Tuesday to go cast a vote. Allowing students the day off from classes would allow them the opportunity to make their voice heard, without jeopardizing their academics.

Part of a university education is teaching students civic responsibility, and voting may be the largest demonstration of this concept. It only seems consistent that NMU would recognize this as a holiday and let its students participate in their elections.

For students without reliable transportation, ASNMU also began providing a shuttle service to the polls. This, paired with the passage of this proposal, may greatly affect voter turnout among Northern students.

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The recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day is an issue that lit campus debate in 2017. Veteran students may remember a petition going around to recognize the holiday, and ASNMU actually already passed a resolution and sent it to the Board of Trustees, who have refused to act on it. Regardless, each year, students gather to celebrate the holiday on campus with various demonstrations, educational events and celebratory fun.

No matter the historical perspective or opinion, the message should be that students making their voices heard should see results from the university. We as part of the NMU community have worked to create a cultural celebration meant to recognize undervalued culture that is especially prevalent in the area. It’s time that the administration gave students what they asked for and recognize the holiday. A vote for this proposal is a reminder to the Board of Trustees that we haven’t forgotten.

Students should watch their e-mail the first week of April to cast their vote.

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