The amount of blood Long Island Blood Services collects on campus each year has dwindled since 2003. According to statistics collected by LIBS, pints collected annually at the University dropped from 860 in 2003 to 609 in 2006.

This drop is not only disappointing, but embarrassing when coupled with the fact that Dowling College collects more pints in a year than the University. Dowling, located about 30 miles east of the University, has half the student population of Hofstra.

The University is seeking not only to return to level of blood donation in 2003, but to exceed it. A committee chaired by Dean of Students Peter Libman has set a goal of collecting 1,000 pints for the year. Considering only 305 pints of blood were collected on campus earlier this year, the University has a considerable donation gap to close. With the committee’s efforts in advertising and securing donation incentives such as raffle prizes for the Oct. 31 to Nov. 1 blood drive, maybe that goal can be met.

With 13,000 students, at least one in every 13 must have had an hour or two to take out of their lives this year that could have been spent giving blood. Sure, many students are ineligible to donate because of both temporary and permanent reasons that disqualify them, but many others just aren’t putting in the effort to find the time.

There is always an excuse-too much work to do, not enough sleep the previous night, a busy class schedule-but the multiple lives that can be saved by just one donation should outweigh one’s desire to take a nap.