Northern Illinois U. reassigns administrator Angela Dreessen after she had students paint her home
Chicago Tribune
May 9, 2011
Armed with tools and trash bags, the Northern Illinois University students who fanned out across DeKalb didn't just spruce up schools and parks during NIU Cares Day last year: Some were sent to paint the house of the employee who oversees the annual volunteer event.
Angela Dreessen, director of student involvement and leadership development, said it was a poor decision to include her house among about 80 projects tackled by 2,000 students one Saturday in April 2010. The $20,000 event, which provides transportation, lunch and T-shirts for volunteers, is largely paid from student fees.
On Friday, after questions from the Tribune, the university announced Dreessen would be reassigned to a different director position, overseeing off-campus and nontraditional student services. The change was unrelated to the revelations about NIU Cares Day and had been in the works for a while, said Brian Hemphill, vice president for student affairs.
