T h u r s d a y, S e p t e m b e r 1 0 , 2 0 1 5 • $ 1 . 0 0
CHICAGO FOOTBALL WEEKLY MAGAZINE DEBUTS IN TODAY’S PAPER
DAILY CHRONICLE
HIGH
77 LOW
54 Complete forecast on page A6
daily-chronicle.com
SERVING DEKALB COUNTY SINCE 1879
Facebook.com/dailychronicle
@dailychronicle
NIU sees decline in enrollment
School reports improvement in freshman retention rate; Kish student body also shrinks By RHONDA GILLESPIE rgillespie@shawmedia.com DeKALB – Enrollment is down 2.3 percent from a year ago at Northern Illinois University, while Kishwaukee College’s student body shrunk more than 9 percent, officials said Wednesday. The 20,130 students at NIU this semester include 15,027 undergrads, 4,850 graduate students and 253 law school students. The count is made
after the first 10 days of class. Last year’s 10th-day enrollment was 20,611, and this year’s percentage decline is almost in line with last year, when enrollment was down 2.4 percent from 2013. “We are not where we want to be, but there are encouraging signs of progress,” NIU President Doug Baker said. NIU announced it’s holding on to more of its freshmen – with 72 percent of last year’s freshman class returning as
sophomores this year, a slight improvement on last year’s 71 percent retention rate. Officials said that although fewer students are attending the school this year, the crop of Doug Baker students admitted improved. The new students’ class rank, grade point average and ACT scores showed improvement,
officials said, and the school enrolled almost 100 more students in its honors program, a bump of 31 percent. “All of those things are very positive signs,” Baker said. “It demonstrates that we are gaining traction in the marketplace. High-achieving students are recognizing that NIU provides a high-quality academic experience. Those students are more likely to thrive in their studies, persist to graduation and help us
draw more high achievers.” Kishwaukee College said it lost nearly 400 students at the start of this school year versus this time last year. The junior college’s enrollment dipped 9.2 percent from 4,251 in 2014, according to college spokeswoman Kayte Hamel. Hamel said Kishwaukee students also are taking 11 percent fewer credit hours. The schools are further dogged by the state budget
impasse, officials at NIU and Kishwaukee College have previously said. Without knowing how much money they will get from the state, higher education officials said it is difficult to recruit and plan for future semesters. Also, they lamented that increased tuition at the state’s two- and four-year schools and upticks in mandated fees have hampered recruitment.
Lawsuit seeks restraining order against City Council
OPPORTUNITY IN THE SPOTLIGHT
By BRITTANY KEEPERMAN bkeeperman@shawmedia.com
Photos by Mary Beth Nolan – mnolan@shawmedia.com
Erin Steele (from left), Jenny Busby and Shaelynn West perform “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” on Friday in a Penguin Project rehearsal of “Fiddler on the Roof Jr.”
Penguin Project builds tradition Group provides disabled youngsters time to shine on stage If you go
By ADAM POULISSE apoulisse@shawmedia.com DeKALB – Through The Penguin Project, Jacob Ihm said he’s learned just how much of a family affair theater can be. Ihm, a junior at DeKalb High School, plays the lead role of Tevye – a milkman with five daughters struggling to keep his traditions amid changing times in Russia at the turn of the 20th century – in The Penguin Project’s upcoming production of “Fiddler on the Roof Jr.,” a condensed version of the hit Broadway musical. The Penguin Project is unique because it gives youngsters with disabilities an opportunity to shine on stage. Ihm said he has ADHD and a language disorder, but that hasn’t stopped him from learning his lines or being able to belt out popular tunes such as “Tradition.” “It’s a good feeling because usually, when you’re in musical theater, you don’t always get the feeling all the actors are there for each other,” he said. “(The Penguin Project) is more of a support group than, ‘This is a show, we’re going to do it, let’s do it in two weeks,’ kind of thing.” The thespians in this production – about 50 or so ranging from
WHAT: The Penguin Project presents “Fiddler on the Roof Jr.” WHEN: Thursday through Sunday, 7 p.m. shows Thursday, Friday and Saturday and a 2 p.m. matinee Sunday. WHERE: Sycamore High School, 427 Spartan Trail. INFORMATION: Tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for students. They may be bought in advance at sycamoretickets.org, or at the Sycamore High School box office from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Justin Parker and mentor Sarah Lehan laugh while playing the poor beggar Friday in a Penguin Project rehearsal of “Fiddler on the Roof Jr.” age 10 to 23 – have different disabilities, including visual impairments, Down syndrome and some physical impairments. The cast and crew have worked all summer to learn the components of a stage production in time for the curtain to go up opening night Thursday at Sycamore High School. “We don’t require only certain disabilities,” director Tracey Busby said. “You just have to have a diagnosis.” For the past five years, The Penguin Project has produced plenty of Disney fare, including
“Beauty and the Beast,” “The Little Mermaid” and last year, “Aladdin.” At the request of the actors, the troupe decided to move into something a little more adult with more traditional dialogue than musical numbers, Busby said. “It gives them an opportunity to do something they’ve never done before,” she said. “For a lot of kids with disabilities, there’s not a lot of arts-oriented (extracurricular activities). This is a great opportunity to get on stage and find out many of them have hidden talents they didn’t know,
either vocalizing or acting or dancing, that they may have just kept to themselves.” Some of the actors are assisted on stage by mentors who help them navigate their blocking or whisper lines if they forget them. The mentors are about the same age as the actors and dress in costume, as well, to blend in. Jonah Malecki, a Sycamore High School sophomore, plays Mordcha, the innkeeper. He’s been involved for several years and had parts in many of the previous plays.
See PENGUIN, page A2
A&E
SPORTS
LOCAL NEWS
WHERE IT’S AT
Laugh riot
Falling flat
Mrs. Robinson
Second City heading to NIU Convocation Center on Friday / C1
DeKalb volleyball can’t keep up, loses to St. Charles North / B1
Stage Coach Players set to perform “The Graduate” / A3
Advice ................................ C4 A&E...................................C1-3 Classified....................... C6-8 Comics ............................... C5 Local News.................... A2-4 Lottery................................ A2
SYCAMORE – A DeKalb man is asking a judge to prevent the City Council from voting on Security Properties’ University Village rezoning request at its Monday meeting. A lawsuit filed in DeKalb County court by John McKeon and joined by area rental property company Mason Properties alleges the Aug. 24 City Council vote on a plan for University Village contradicted state and local laws. In the suit, which was filed Tuesday, McKeon claims the council’s 4-3 vote in favor of Security Properties’ request to rezone the property did not have a sufficient majority, and that city code does not give the council the power to grant zoning variances, instead ceding that authority to the Planning and Zoning Commission. On Wednesday, Michael Coghlan, McKe“The city will be on’s attorney, requestreviewing any ed a restraining order against the city until a other action third judge can hear the case and clarify legal issues parties are taking that can be subject to and will respond interpretation. A judge could decide whether appropriately to grant the request when the time at 9 a.m. Friday at the DeKalb County Courtcomes.” house. “We need to estabDean Frieders lish the rules,” Coghlan DeKalb city attorney said. “The question is, is the city committing itself to what they say the rules are. and is there enough time for interested citizens to know what the rules are to know how they want to respond? That’s what laws are for, so people know what the rules are in advance.” The restraining order is needed because DeKalb City Attorney Dean Frieders is not available for a court hearing Monday, Coghlan said. The council is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. Monday at the Municipal Building, 200 S. Fourth St., and could have a final vote on the proposal. Frieders said the City Council should evaluate the University Village proposal on its own merits. “The city will be reviewing any other action third parties are taking and will respond appropriately when the time comes,” he said. Mayor John Rey said postponing the vote has not come up. “The plan at this time is to go forward with it,” Rey said. “The University Village PD-R designation has been crafted in a fashion to comply with Illinois law. I believe it [is] enforceable, and we will go forward with action on the 14th.” Several issues are hindering the clarification-seeking process, Coghlan said. “For one, the Aug. 24 minutes aren’t available,” he said. “They shouldn’t be holding them
See LAWSUIT, page A4
Nation&World...................A2 Obituaries .........................A4 Opinion...............................A5 Puzzles ............................... C4 Sports..............................B1-4 Weather .............................A6