Welcome back Panthers! On behalf of the Northern Iowa Student Government, we are happy to see you all back in classes – whether you are taking them online or in person. If you are new here, welcome to the University of Northern Iowa! We are so happy you chose UNI as your new home away from home. As your student body president and vice president, we have many goals for this upcoming year, but first, we want to talk about what we do as your student representatives and how we can benefit you.

Northern Iowa Student Government (NISG) is a student organization intended to represent the entire student body. We have students from many majors who are passionate about making UNI the best place it can be for current and future Panthers. Members of NISG often have initiatives they work on throughout the year to make the Panther experience better for everyone. Currently, we have members actively working on the menstrual product initiative (partnered with Northern Iowa Feminists) to provide free pads and tampons in restrooms, as well as the pronouns initiative which allows students to specify their pronouns on class rosters. Additionally, NISG representatives are working on providing more comprehensive mental health resources for all students, and overall making your time as a Panther a positive one. These students are working tirelessly to make sure UNI is the best it can be for YOU!  You can get involved or get your voice heard at our NISG Senate Meetings every Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Maucker Union’s University Room. They are open to the student body, no invitation required!

On top of working on initiatives, we also have members who work directly with our state legislators. These individuals are a part of the Legislative Liason Team. It is vital that as students we have a good standing relationship with our legislators as they are the ones that provide funding to UNI and keep our tuition low. These student representatives actively make connections with our legislators so those in the Capitol can stay up to date on what is happening here at UNI and hear directly from the students.

NISG not only aims to uplift unheard voices, whether on campus or in the statehouse, but we also oversee the funding for student organizations and have over $250,000 to allocate out to over 250 student organizations here at UNI! With this money, clubs and organizations are able to produce programs and events to create enjoyable memories and enrich our campus community.

NISG is always looking for students, whether it is their first year or their fourth, to join us in ensuring student voices are being heard while making UNI a better place for our Panthers. Make sure to visit our website (nisg.uni.edu) to learn more about NISG and how you can get involved on campus. We are all students and are here to learn, so no experience is needed to be a part of NISG. Simply having the passion and drive to make the university a better place is all it takes to be a part of our team.

As you step foot onto this campus and get into classes remember it is okay to try new things, make mistakes and struggle. College is new for many people, but we must remember it is okay to ask for help and take breaks when needed.  We hope as you tread forward on your journey here at UNI with passion and excitement as you make mistakes along the way, learn from them, and of course, have fun!

From NISG to you, we want to wish you a happy and safe school year. UNI would not be where it is today without the hard work and dedication of you all: the students. Don’t ever be afraid to reach out to us or other NISG members if you need help with anything.

Go Cats!

– Leila Mašinović, Student Body President

– Micaiah Krutsinger, Student Body Vice President 

– Caroline Christensen, NISG Director of Public Relations