Dear Editor,
Benjamin Tietz, vice president of Student Government Association, probably thinks he is doing future Ball State University students a favor by pushing administrators to build another student center next to the Art and Journalism building (letter to the editor, Jan. 13.) Let me assure you, he isn't.
Tietz wrote in a letter to the editor Jan. 13 that Ball State University is in dire need of a new student center, despite the fact that the school already has such a facility -- a "big, brown building located on the corner of McKinley and University." That "big, brown building," Tietz wrote, is not good enough to serve as Ball State's student center. Ridiculous.
More ridiculous is his assertion that, because construction of such a facility will not result in an increase in tuition, students will only benefit from a new student center.
He is wrong; the Ball State community will pay millions if private donations are syphoned to fund a new facility while others on campus are left inadequate.
Perhaps SGA should focus its efforts on raising money for a more worthy project.
Our library -- though a wonderful facility -- is short-staffed, does not contain enough books and closes at least three hours too early every night. The SGA should focus its efforts on raising enough funds to purchase more books and periodicals for the library, and keeping the building open late enough so that commuters and students who either have jobs or are active in campus organizations can spend enough time there.
Our football stadium is an awful blemish on an otherwise beautiful campus and will require millions in private donations to bring up to par with the rest of the rapidly-improving (in the quality facilities and performance) Mid-American Conference. As our new coach, Brady Hoke, has already learned this recruiting season, Ball State will continue to lose top-notch recruits to schools like Northern Illinois and Toledo as long as our stadium is in such rough shape. Perhaps SGA should spend less time looking for ways to get students to attend games (hot dogs, anyone?) and more time raising awareness about needed facility upgrades.
Parking on campus is a hassle. Slapping a new building in what is currently a parking lot would only exacerbate the problem. I challenge SGA to work with the Muncie community and locate an off-campus area downtown where Ball State could expand its parking options, and area businesses could reap the benefit. Perhaps raising private funds to purchase land and build a new parking garage downtown -- bringing additional students to shop there -- would help mend the ragged relationship our school shares with its host community.
From what I've read in the DAILY NEWS' letters section over the past month, students aren't buying the SGA's slick sales pitch on a new student center. Neither is the Daily News, which advised against the idea in a Dec. 11 editorial.
That's good, because donations from alumni, students and businesses would be better spent elsewhere.
Elbert Aull
Brunswick, Maine
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