Pass:

The Founders Memorial Library is running a new and beautiful can drive with a twist. Food for Fines runs now until Dec. 18. Students who have outstanding library fines can lower or even eliminate their balance by donating canned goods. Each canned good is worth $1 toward fees, and students can earn up to $20 off their fees. I think this is a great idea and a clever way to get students to donate. Many organizations hold canned food drives during the holiday season, but sometimes it is hard to get people to donate. What the library is doing is both beneficial to students and those in need. Everybody wins thanks to this creative idea.

Fail:

The rise in homelessness among students this year is an unfortunate reality. More NIU students have been identified as homeless this year than in any years prior, according to a Nov. 23 Northern Star article. While there are many resources to help students with the difficult situations that lead them to become homeless, it is still disappointing that this number is rising. It is another example of how higher education is much too expensive in the United States. Many people joke about the low-budget things college kids do on a daily basis, but there is truth in that. The average college student today is usually struggling to get by and leaves college with both a diploma and a massive amount of debt. If a rise in homelessness does not scream for more affordable education I don’t know what does.