We would like to comment on the Pass/Fail column in the Oct. 16 edition of the Northern Star.“If I don’t go to class I won’t know what will be on the test,” according to the column. This is likely true; however, what if there were no tests or...

Midterms not required for all classesNow that it’s colder outside, I want to stay in bed and curl up with my blanket. But, I can’t because if I don’t go to class I won’t know what will be on the test. Even worse, I won’t know what will be on...

Pass: NIU apps save students cashEngineering students are aware of the exorbitant price of genuine software these days.Buying genuine software for personal or corporate use is something that’s not easy for students. Technical students, especially engineering...

Pass: New exhibit offers old tales of historyNIU’s Anthropology Museum, founded in 1964, is celebrating its 50th anniversary today in Cole Hall.From what I’ve seen through the museum’s window, its Curated by DeKalb exhibit is something I will certainly...

Pass: Castle Challenge unites school rivalsWhen rival high school sport teams clash, game nights are usually full of aggressive chanting and smack talk from spectators.But, the Castle Challenge, a fundraiser started by Castle Bank, “was created to increase...

Pass: IT upgrades university to Office 365Thank you, Division of Information Technology, for upgrading the university to Office 365.Don’t think I didn’t notice the little changes after I opened up a copy of Microsoft Word — 2013! I was wondering...

Pass: Library loans ease book costsThe textbook industry is outrageously expensive for students.Last year, “College students estimate they [spent] $662 annually on required course materials,” according to a July 2013 news release from the National...

See what passes and what fails as judged by columnist Kim Randall.Pass: Stress-free zones, study hours make finals easierMore-stress free zones are opening, or have already opened, for finals week. What a relief.Stress-free zones are a great way to get...

Pass: NIU Plus has strong plansThe blueprint for the NIU Plus general education changes is a collection of ideas that need to be put into place soon.NIU has been undergoing a lot of changes to increase student retention and enrollment, improve student...

Pass: Betties raise $1K at Sunday eventI’ve seen the Barbed Wire Betties in action before, so learning they raised $1,873 at their weekend fundraiser is awesome.If there’s anything those crazy derby ladies deserve it’s the community’s recognition...

Pass:National TRiO Day is a day set out to help first-generation college students.Universities from all over the state are coming together to attend National TRiO Day.Students will participate in programs created to help them develop their education and...

Pass:The Convocation Center is looking for student input.Athletics director Sean Frazier couldn’t have put it better when he said the Convocation Center is a key community asset that serves the campus and the greater local and regional community, according...