Students often complain about the collections of buildings,walkways, grassy knolls and streets that are Ball State University.However, you'll never, ever hear anyone say that BSU is just toolarge.
With a new residence hall, a new music building, a new parkingstructure and a soon-to-be-started communications building, thisuniversity is in the midst of expanding its facilities on a grandscale.
Notice how we said "expanding its facilities," not "expandingits campus."
If one was to look at the placement of these new buildings oncampus, they will quickly realize that they are exactly that: oncampus. One of the main perks to a multi-million dollar newbuilding is the opportunity to expand outwards into the groundswhich surround the current campus. Instead, the school has decidedto cram a new residence hall and a new academic building in themidst of an already consolidated campus space.
This, all the while, as Ball State sits as a one-road strip withtwo major meadows, a whole bunch of buildings and one (stillcontroversial) bell tower.
When the new communication building opens in a few years, itwill tie together four buildings side-to-side; creating a hamstertube effect for students walking from the Art and Journalismbuilding northward through the Robert Bell Building.
Although this may be great during the winter, it makes BallState one step closer to feeling like an incredibly large highschool.
Of course, neglect the environmental side effects of the newfacilities: as more trees, benches, walkways and other naturalsurroundings are removed or destroyed in preparation.
The recently-opened Music Instruction Building and matchingparking structure took from this theory: taking up a brand newblock of previously unused land to expand the campus towards thesoutheast.
Why can't these new buildings do the same in a newdirection?
Students here at Ball State have an easy walk compared to ourneighboring Big Ten friends, but wouldn't another block east orwest do us some good?
After all, a few trees never hurt anyone.
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