NIU’s shortage of student help this semester is evident in many workplaces, especially residence hall cafeterias. The prospect of serving food and wiping tables usually doesn’t result in a flood of student applications.

A recent 40-cent hourly pay increase has failed to help the waning number of food service applicants. These circumstances have forced food service managers to look outside the student body for workers to fill gaps in their schedules.

NIU is attempting to tackle this problem by offering a scholarship program and other incentives to attract student workers. The program would allow students to pay part of their tuition by signing an agreement to work in food service for a certain number of hours.

This proposal has the potential to attract more students to food service, but it raises a question. Although food service workers’ jobs are relatively straightforward, receiving tuition help instead of a regular paycheck might decrease the students’ willingness to work hard for their “money.”

Near and dear to many of our hearts is the reassurance of a regular paycheck indicative of the hours we worked. Students eventually involved in a scholarship program hopefully will put the same effort into their jobs that they would if they were working for a regular paycheck. If they do, the program should work well.