Pass:

NIU’s Division of Information Technology introduced Lynda.com, an online training service that students and faculty can use to complement their classroom experience, on Nov. 26.

The service offers more than 3,500 courses in 12 different subjects including design, business and computer programming, and offers walkthroughs on software like Adobe Photoshop.

While many students attend professors’ and teaching assistants’ office hours when they need extra help, students who commute or have busy work schedules don’t always have the luxury of doing so. Lynda.com could eliminate that problem by providing students with extra practice and lessons. The best part is students and faculty can access the site from home at any time of the day.

Hopefully more professors incorporate the site into their lesson plans.

Fail:

Gov. Bruce Rauner and four legislators met Tuesday to discuss the five-month budget impasse and try to come to an agreement. Unfortunately, the only thing agreed on was the need for more discussion.

Illinois lawmakers finally approved a measure on Wednesday that will release tax money that has already been collected to local governments to fix roads, plow snow and dispatch fire trucks, among other things, according to the Associated Press.

While I appreciate Rauner’s concern for public safety, I don’t think it should have taken five months for safety to be addressed, and Tuesday’s meeting showed there’s still more work to get done.

The release of tax money shows progress, but this budget impasse is still irresponsible, and I refuse to applaud lawmakers for doing what they’re supposed to do.