Opinion – Northern Iowan

Executive Editor bids farewell

SYDNEY HAUER, Executive Editor

May 2, 2019

As my five years at UNI come to an end, it’s hard to believe that I am about to walk away from what has been my home for a half of a decade. It’s hard to emotionally process it all with all that still needs to be accomplished before I walk across the stage at graduation. Having been granted the opportunity to be t...

The actual problem with Harvard’s admission policy

MOHAMMED RAWWAS, Opinion Columnist

May 2, 2019

An article appeared in the April 29, 2019, issue of the Northern Iowan in which the author argues against Harvard’s admission policy. The most egregious fault is the comparing of this admission policy, which is implicitly considered discrimination against Asian Americans, to the historical, systemic di...

Harvard’s admittance problem

KEVIN WIGGINS, Opinion Columnist

April 29, 2019

Harvard, the most lauded university in the United States, has come under scrutiny this past year over a lawsuit concerning the University’s admission criteria. Upon hearing this, many Americans will already have their bullhorns ready and conclusions already seared into their minds. You might be thin...

The Washington connection and third-world fashion

MOHAMMED RAWWAS, Opinion Columnist

April 29, 2019

On March 19, 2019, President Trump met with the fascist leader of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, to discuss plans to conduct a military coup to replace the democratically elected leader of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, with the unelected Juan Guaidó, a Western-educated and-aligned elitist. Bolsonaro, who onl...

Stand up for public transportation

CALEB STEKL, Opinion Columnist

April 25, 2019

Last week, the Student Fees Committee (SFC) of the Northern Iowa Student Government (NISG) approved a motion that would cut funding for the Panther Shuttle and Panther Safe Ride from the student fees appropriations for the 2019-2020 school year. Panther Shuttle and Safe Ride are both free services, paid f...

How to get your security deposit back

Letter to the Editor

April 22, 2019

Editor’s Note: This guest column was submitted by Aspen Olsen, an AmeriCorps member with the Waterloo Regional Office of Iowa Legal Aid. It was written by Cara Strike. The final days of the school year are quickly upon us. What does this mean? Finals and then summer break is just around the corner...

Relax in the Union at “De-Stress Days”

Letter to the Editor

April 22, 2019

Hey Panthers, it’s that time of year once again! Time to put everything you have spent the past 14 weeks learning to the test - literally! You might find yourself becoming overwhelmed by the amount of stress that final exams stir up. However, there are a few things you can do to prevent letting the s...

Politics aren’t black and white

ABIGAIL BENNETHUM, Opinion Columnist

April 18, 2019

Living in a world where political activism has been at its peak has caused a lot of young minds to start thinking about what political party they may identify with and vote for when they are of age. A lot of controversial political topics have surfaced over the past couple of years, such as gun control, ...

Engaging in open-minded political discussion

COLIN HORNING, Opinion Columnist

April 18, 2019

How come talking about politics is so controversial? The answer to this question is quite simple actually, because there are, of course, two sides to every story. But nowadays, it seems that we as a society tend to shy away from open political discussion and instead revert to either insulting each other or...

Ottessa Moshfegh is brilliant

BRODY HALL, Copy Editor

April 15, 2019

What makes characters interesting these days? When I’m reading something, usually fictional, am I looking for a character with a fully developed backstory, filled with childhood trauma and steamy college romances that explain their adult psyche? Or am I looking for the heroine who is angry not only ...

Inconsistent leadership on campus

Letter to the Editor

April 11, 2019

Editor’s Note: This Letter to the Editor was submitted by Jacob Harberts, senior political science and global studies major. Some institutions within UNI seem to have forgotten that leadership is an action, not a title. Over the past few years, we as students have seen various examples of poor leadership...

What is it that makes the classics great?

KEVIN WIGGINS, Opinion Columnist

April 11, 2019

What makes a book great? Is it the number of pages? The audience it is was written for? How it is organized? The art adorning the cover? Does it need to have that the new book smell? All of these factors weigh into our decision, but what does a book tell us about the person who penned its pages? I believ...