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NIU staff tell trustees low pay and staffing cuts are hurting student services
Summary
Three Northern Illinois University employees told the Board of Trustees during public comment that wages and staff reductions have left front-line workers unable to meet student needs, rely on food pantries and skip overtime pay.
At the Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees meeting, three university employees used the public-comment period to urge trustees to address pay and staffing shortages that, they said, are hurting morale and student-facing services.
Martha Villegomez, a senior library specialist with NIU Libraries, described longstanding low pay and said some library co‑workers rely on a snack pantry and local food banks because “we make too much to get government benefits, but too little to survive any other way.” She said she joined the union when she became a staff member and that many employees cannot afford union dues or basic living costs.
Leslie Hsu, an NIU office administrator of more than 21 years, told trustees she is concerned about disparities on campus and said the university’s executive ranks and pay have grown while frontline positions have not been replaced. “Since President Freeman began her tenure as president, the number of vice presidents has gone from 11 to 33, and the deficit has gone from 15,000,000 to 35,000,000,” Hsu said, adding that many campus employees “frequently use food pantries.”
Tom Kaprin, who identified himself with statistics and actuarial science and more than 20 years at NIU, said staff have been asked to take on extra duties without additional pay and urged colleagues to stop working unpaid overtime. “Who of you that have worked that extra picked up that extra slack for an undetermined amount of time got paid extra for that? None,” Kaprin said.
Trustees did not take public comment questions at length; after the three speakers the meeting proceeded to committee reports and presentations. Board minutes show the meeting followed Illinois Open Meetings Act procedures for registering public commenters.
Why it matters: The commenters framed staffing and pay as both a worker‑welfare issue and a potential risk to student services, saying reduced staffing leaves remaining employees handling extra workloads and students receiving less nonacademic support.
The speakers asked trustees to consider living wages and staffing retention as the board evaluates university priorities and finances. The record of the meeting does not show trustees issuing immediate direction on pay or personnel after public comment.
