Imagine paying $100,000 for a service you do not use. It may sound far-fetched, but NIU students pay every day for a recycling program they let go to waste. Every year, NIU pays $80,000 to $100,000 for the program only to find that more material gets...

If you give them something, they will come. While NIU plays host to a slew of blood drives throughout the year, donors showed up in full force this week in what proved to be one of the best blood drives in recent history. People lined up Monday to donate...

Today marks one month to the date since a 9.0 earthquake generated a tsunami that traversed the Indian Ocean, killing almost 225,000 people in coastal areas. In DeKalb, almost 10,000 miles away from the devastation, the community has tirelessly rallied...

Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s proposal to ban the sale of violent and sexually explicit video games to minors is not a violation of free speech, but rather a logical proposal at a time when video game popularity has skyrocketed. His proposal would also require...

A weak body is a poor home for a strong mind. Schools across the country should remember this before cutting physical education programs. In the face of tight budgets and increased demands for "results"- i.e. good test scores- some schools have cut or...

With parades, pyrotechnics and parties, President George W. Bush celebrated what is undoubtedly one of the most significant moments in any president's life Thursday. However, this was more than the typical inauguration. With a price tag close to $40 million,...

When NIU marchers gather today to honor one of America’s most notable and influential leaders, they will also be acknowledging the trials and tribulations many have worked so hard to overcome throughout the years. With that in mind, all members of the...

More than 100 Illinois tollway workers braved below-freezing temperatures Monday to protest the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority’s refusal to guarantee their jobs in writing. The authority’s management will not commit to a contract guaranteeing...

Welcome back to reality, NIU. Our five-week winter break is over and it’s time to get the dust off the notebooks and get back in gear. The Northern Star has been working hard to prepare for the spring semester. Not only does the Star have a new editor...

As children are busy writing letters to Santa - and broke college students pen similar versions for their parents, siblings, significant others and friends - it’s time again for the Northern Star editorial board to create its own holiday wish list of...

The death of a 19-year-old University of Oklahoma student is a tragic incident, but the university’s campus-wide ban on alcohol may not be the best solution. The student died of alcohol poisoning Sept. 30 at a Sigma Chi fraternity party, where his blood...

Many college students would dream of having a class without the “going to class” part of it. At NIU, they can do so with online courses. A recent survey indicates that students enrolled in these courses are satisfied with the quality of instruction...