As I was walking through campus the other morning I noticed that the bushes in the center of the “plaza” in front of the library had been removed. The bushes were banished from campus with such speed that no one could argue in their defense. Was I asked my opinion? I was certainly not, although I am a student and my opinions are supposedly valued.
I came to my senses quickly and realized where I was located . ETSU, and my friends ETSU means making money. Does anyone believe that the university’s main concern is to educate? I doubt it on a daily basis. I have many reasons for my beliefs; many of them I believe are evident.
ETSU has engaged in a process of destroying older, historical dorms (which happen to be cheap) only to replace them with more expensive apartment-type units.
Are these new dorms environmentally friendly? I wish I could say that the university has invested in solar power or even an effective recycling program, but I cannot. This is a failure.
Governors Hall also blocks the view of downtown a person used to be able to enjoy from the upper floors of the library. Also, when ETSU decided to close two dorms for the fall semester I had to live in the Comfort Inn for three weeks, and now I am in an apartment-style unit which I did not want.
Who can concentrate with all this construction? It makes me so angry that I paid to be subjected to this noise and interference all day, everyday. I thought the Culp Center’s lighting was fine before the million dollar upgrade. “No money for football, kids,” but we can drop a million on a few bulbs.
The light upgrade reminds me of the Carillon which I hate. It’s annoying; I don’t care about “Three
Blind Mice.” Just chime the number of the hour on the hour.
$750,000 for it, not to mention this brick sidewalk that no one needed in front of it. You know, the sidewalk that has been under construction since the beginning of the semester. I’m not an expert but I do not believe it takes that long.
I often wonder who is watching these crews to make sure that they are actually doing the job and not “dragging their feet” so as to make more money. Honestly I don’t believe that anyone is making sure that jobs get done on time.
The more I think about this place that more I think that there is one guy in charge, laid back in his arm-chair,(not smoking because that would be immoral) pointing into the air saying to his secretary, “I want this, I want that, I don’t want football, I want a Carillon!” His secretary jots it all down and then calls “whoever and son’s construction,” they come on down and stay for any period of time they like. Those students don’t mind the noise, fences, trash inside the fences, parking problems, walking problems, excess diesel fumes and dust. Did I mention noise?
I mind, and whoever is in charge around here, whether it is one old man or 20 old men need to stop spending like they have been given a blank check and perhaps ask the students what they would like to have done. After all, we are the ones expected to learn in this environment and the ones paying the price for all of it.
-Jesse Ball

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