Despite the fact that Indiana is facing a $1.3 billion deficit, Ball State University is planning on requesting representatives and senators to fund a three-story, 78,000 square-foot Communications Media Building. The price tag is $21 million.
Currently, the department this building would house is hidden in the top floors of the Arts and Communication Building by Emens Auditorium while other students in the College of Communication, Information and Media bask in the luxury of the one-year-old Art and Journalism Building.
Yes, those students need better facilities. Yes, a college that is growing quickly at Ball State deserves better facilities.
But the state is currently trying to dig itself out of a financial hole, and they're not going to do that by approving this building -- and they know that.
State Rep. Tiny Adams, D-Muncie, who used to work at Ball State University and has said in the past he wants to help advance the university, admits the price of the building is a little steep considering the deficit.
Adams said the state is more likely to approve repairs than new buildings. Mike Baumgartner, the assistant commissioner for financial affairs for Indiana's Commission for Higher Education, agrees with Adams.
But Ball State insists on asking for the new building and has decided to delay renovations on the Teachers College, North Quad and the Applied Technology Building.
It seems that during this time when money is tight, Ball State should take the less expensive route and focus on fixing up what they already have.
After all, this "beautiful" campus is only beautiful when there is no construction, and none of the students here know what that's like.
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