Finally, it really is starting to look like a new Ball State University.
Ever since President Jo Ann Gora descended the art museum steps and declared "this is a new Ball State," I was eager to see if the promised newness would be internal, cosmetic, or a hodgepodge of both.
(Quick side note: the filming location for the stair descent couldn't have been any worse. All I'm saying is that so few people have been to the art museum that many questioned whether or not those stairs were somewhere on our campus. How funny would it have been if the commercial was filmed off-campus?)
Anyway, as far as my eyes can see, it's been one hell of a cosmetic makeover, with some structural nip and tucks here and there.
And sweet Jesus, it's about time.
The biggest change, in my mind, is that we have an official-looking campus entrance.
Every time I turned onto McKinley from Tillotson, I felt like I was entering the inner city of Detroit. Now it actually looks liked you're welcomed here.
The new dorm is looking terrific, like it belongs on a college campus and not Alcatraz Island, unlike the others.
After the construction is completed, those modern-day Hoovervilles called LaFallotte Halls should finally be imploded, demolished, or whatever it takes to bring them down. Personally, I think they should let every student/graduate who ever lived there take swings at it with a pick-axe. Make it a charity drive. Don't tell me you wouldn't donate five bucks to help tear down that monstrosity.
Even changes have happened that the university had nothing to do with, but add to the freshness of our campus.
The biggest eye sores that used to be fraternities on Riverside were wrecked quicker than a freshman girl after here first shot of Apple Pucker.
Oh, and did I mention medians, medians, medians. It's amazing what a little bit of flowers can do for the appearance of campus. There's the whole problem of fire trucks getting through when there's traffic, but really, fires happen all of the time, beautiful medians don't.
But to keep up or even surpass the superior campuses like IU and Purdue, Ball State must go above and beyond with the cosmetic and structural makeover.
First off, let's stick with medians. There needs to be more, I say. Put a circular median right in the middle of McKinley and Riverside. Sure, it will slow down traffic and make it difficult to cross the street, but that's not the point. As long as it looks pretty. While we're at it, let's add them to every street, sidewalk and handicap ramp. Remember, pretty first.
Secondly, all of the trees should be cut down, uprooted, or set on fire to make way for artificial greenery. This way, when winter eventually blows it load of snow everywhere, it won't kill the trees and our campus will maintain it beauty instead of looking like a Russian landscape.
Finally, while we're adding buildings, why don't we build a center where students gather, communicate and relax. Most say we already have one of these 'student centers', but a half hotel-half lounge doesn't cut it. Our current one isn't even in the center of student life, which is the whole freakin' point of one. If we ever add a new student center, the best place would be the space where LaFallotte currently stands.
But in all seriousness, kudos to everyone involved in making our campus more appealing to current and future students. It will take a few more touchups here and there, but Ball State is on the right track to looking like an actual campus. Now, we just need a new slogan...again.
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