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Wednesday, October 8, 2025

Caitlin Nordahl News

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Watchdogs highlight NIU spending on employees who violated state law, university policy

By Caitlin Nordahl | Jan 4, 2018

The Edgar County Watchdogs recently accused Northern Illinois University's board of rewarding violations of state law and university policy, including a six figure severance package for former NIU President Doug Baker.

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Hultgren earns conservative union award for voting record

By Caitlin Nordahl | Sep 12, 2017

The American Conservative Union Foundation (ACUF) has honored U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-IL) with the 2016 Award for Conservative Achievement, which recognizes the lifetime and annual voting record of conservative legislators.

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Illinois gives students a shot at their dreams, Pritchard says

By Caitlin Nordahl | Sep 6, 2017

Illinois now has a school funding measure that will help students reach their goals, Rep. Robert Pritchard (R-Hinckley) said at the bill-signing event with Gov. Bruce Rauner, according to a video published by the Illinois House GOP.

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NIU accused of breaking law one way or another

By Caitlin Nordahl | Sep 2, 2017

If the NIU Foundation is part of Northern Illinois University (NIU), then the school is breaking the law by not supplying information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the Edgar County Watchdogs (ECW) contend.

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DeKalb community invited to government watchdog seminar at NIU

By Caitlin Nordahl | Aug 30, 2017

The Better Government Association (BGA) is partnering with the Northern Illinois University (NIU) Department of Communications and the Northern Illinois Newspaper Association to offer a free BGA Watchdog Training Session in DeKalb on Sept. 21.

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Restraining order meant to stop payout to former NIU president

By Caitlin Nordahl | Aug 2, 2017

A DeKalb County Board member has filed a temporary restraining order to prevent Northern Illinois University (NIU) from beginning its payout to former President Douglas Baker, according to the Edgar County Watchdogs (ECW).

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Being 'mad at the math' won't end Illinois' ongoing financial woes, attorney says

By Caitlin Nordahl | Jul 14, 2017

Illinois’ economy will take decades to recover from the state’s current pension and workers’ compensation obligations, to say nothing of the debts continually being added because of a significant lack of reform, according to a blistering analysis from Chicago attorney Eugene Keefe.

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Provost takes over as acting president at Northern Illinois

By Caitlin Nordahl | Jul 11, 2017

Lisa Freeman has replaced Douglas Baker as acting president of Northern lllinois University (NIU).

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Illinois held down by economic, moral decay, analyst says

By Caitlin Nordahl | Jul 2, 2017

While every state around it continues to grow in population and prosperity, Illinois keeps shrinking under the strain of higher taxes and more regulations, Michael Lucci, vice president of policy for the Illinois Policy Institute, said in an article on the institute's website.

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Overtaxed Illinoisans also seeing nation's smallest growth in personal income

By Caitlin Nordahl | Jun 23, 2017

Illinois’ average personal income growth since the Great Recession is tied with Nevada for the worst in the country, according to data from the Pew Charitable Trusts recently published on the Illinois Policy Institute website.

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NIU president resigns following state investigation with $600K golden parachute

By Caitlin Nordahl | Jun 23, 2017

Northern Illinois University President Douglas Baker will leave his post June 30 with more than half a million in severance pay and benefits.

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Hultgren congratulates 13 students as they head off to serve America

By Caitlin Nordahl | Jun 23, 2017

U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-IL) recently hosted a record 13 students from his district who will leave for U.S. military academies on July 1, according to a press release.

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'Self-inflicted wounds' described as real cause of tuition hikes at NIU, other schools

By Caitlin Nordahl | Jun 18, 2017

A Northern Illinois University (NIU) pensioner stands to earn an estimated lifetime payout of just under $1.85 million, according to the Illinois Policy Institute.

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NIU accused of lying about contractor invoices

By Caitlin Nordahl | Jun 16, 2017

Either Northern Illinois University (NIU) is denying Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests or the Office of the Executive Inspector General (OEIG) lied about the existence of invoices from an affiliate employee, the Edgar County Watchdogs (ECW) contend.

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Baker 'mismanaged' NIU, inspector general determines

By Caitlin Nordahl | Jun 11, 2017

Northern Illinois University (NIU) President Douglas Baker mismanaged the university through improper hiring practices, according to the results of a three-year investigation by the Office of the Executive Inspector General (OEIG).

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All play and no work — yet legislators still draw paychecks, policy pro argues

By Caitlin Nordahl | Jun 9, 2017

Lawmakers have spent very little time in their seats, but at least they got to have play time, Austin Berg wrote on the Illinois Policy Institute website recently.

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General Assembly gives itself another month to reach budget accord

By Caitlin Nordahl | Jun 8, 2017

The General Assembly will meet in a continuous session through June to try to put a budget in place for the new fiscal year, which begins on July 1.

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Hultgren backs Trump on cutting climate accord ties

By Caitlin Nordahl | Jun 7, 2017

President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord while maintaining his commitment to environmental stewardship and innovative solutions to reduce emissions was the right move, Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-IL) said in a statement recently.

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NIU illegally paid for CFO's commute, group alleges

By Caitlin Nordahl | Jun 4, 2017

Email communications between Nancy Suttenfield and Northern Illinois University (NIU) President Doug Baker’s secretary suggest Suttenfield, the school's former interim chief financial officer, was illegally reimbursed for commuting expenses, the Edgar County Watchdogs (ECW) allege.

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Madigan rep says Democratic gubernatorial candidates toe the line on tax increase

By Caitlin Nordahl | Jun 1, 2017

All of the Democrats hoping to unseat Gov. Bruce Rauner in 2018 are backing Speaker of the House Michael Madigan's budget goal of raising taxes rather than enacting reforms, a Madigan spokesman told the Chicago Tribune recently.