In recent weeks, we at Northeastern have become more aware of the lack of services here, most importantly the lack of a rape crisis center. The SGA has passed two bills in the past three years to implement sexual assault and rape crisis services. President Freeland has signed both these bills yet has taken no action to implement them. Can we not see the parallels? As our President says, “Aw, look at what the students are doing with their little government,” the students of our community are suffering. In the past month we’ve seen a surge of activity around campus. Thank you Delta Phi Epsilon for Take Back the Night, thank you Feminist Student Organization for not letting this issue die, and thank you ISO and PSA for your growing support. But most of all thank you Mike Romano, we are so lucky to have you at this school and to have such a strong, well-spoken ally for the students.

So the question I pose to you students is this: What are we going to do in the face of this NU Shuffle? Once again the overwhelming red tape overshadows the efforts of even the most determined of the fabled apathy ridden NU students. Fortunately for us, and unlike our status as voting citizens of this nation, we can force the administration to do something. This is our opportunity to make our voices heard and to make the administration squirm. They need us, they need our tuition dollars and they need our compliance to stay off the front page of the Globe. So when someone asks you to sign a petition for a rape crisis center, don’t run away. Don’t be silent, you can talk anonymously to the Globe. On May 20th and 21st, when the university has invited specialists to investigate services for students, attend a meeting. You don’t have to be a radical, just show your support. This administration’s lack of action against assault is equal to their condoning the assault itself. Assault is not just a women’s issue, it’s a student issue, and its time to see our tuition dollars do something for us.

– Jeannette Tremblay is a senior biology major and a member of NUFSO.