Pass: Corn Fest bring college and community togetherCorn Fest is DeKalb's annual free festival ended this past weekend in downtown DeKalb. With all the basics of a fun festival — carnival rides, live music and greasy, fried foods — the fest has...

Counterpoint:Kara MercerColumnistFree Application for Federal Student Aid could have kept the Jan. 1 acceptance date while still allowing the previous year’s tax information. This would allow students to get through a full semester before having to...

Kaylyn ZielinskiColumnistThe university should have waited until the program prioritization reports were released to have the town hall meeting because the meeting did not provide any new or vital information.The meeting did not address the programs that...

Faith MellenthinColumnistPartnering with big companies, like Kohl’s, limits the potential of students who may be happier working for other organizations not connected with NIU.Each semester, upwards of 20 students end up working at Kohl’s, according...

Inclusive bathrooms demonstrate support of transgender communityThe university should continue to create more gender-inclusive bathrooms on campus to show that it supports those who identify with a gender different from the one they were assigned at birth.Contrary...

Lynda.com is an online learning company meant to teach people the skills needed to achieve their career goals, according to their website. NIU signed a three year contract with Lynda.com in November that would allow students and faculty access to the...

NIU and DeKalb residents are in need of a local bookstore. After the closing of the local Barnes & Noble, DeKalb is left with no major bookstores that sell more than educational textbooks.Before Barnes & Noble closed in December 2014, there was...

Angela PaganPerspective EditorMany state funded-programs are not reliable due to the budget impasse, and MAP grants are included in the mix.Recently, an email sent to MAP grant recipients said NIU will continue to credit students this grant although the...

While many participate in the events celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day, NIU could do more to ensure students fully understand the meaning of this national celebration.Before college, Martin Luther King Jr. Day was talked about every year in school;...

Some students wish Thanksgiving break were longer, but NIU has many solid reasons why more days off in the fall have not been added and should not be added to its academic calendar.Establishing a fall break would create many problems, even though I have...

Kara MercerI believe marijuana possession should be decriminalized, but with limitations.Alcohol and tobacco are drugs that are sold for recreation, but they come with limitations. Marijuana should be no exception. Recreational drugs are only made available...