Sen. Tom Harkin, an Iowa State alumnus, donated his papers from four decades in Congress to Drake University, rather than his alma mater in the most recent scandal of the academic world.

Why would the senator choose not to give his papers to the school he attended? Supposedly, it was a simple “spat” about restrictions on the research institution named after Harkin and similar partisan decisions made on campus. Harkin’s decision then to donate the papers to a school that guaranteed non-partisanship is just a proper reflection of his values.

Secondly, is this a slight by which we should be mortally offended? The answer to that question may not be found in articles on the internet, but it should be nearly as obvious as if it were: No.

If it weren’t for the fact the dramatized tension between Harkin and Iowa State University were “newsworthy,” few students would have any knowledge of the occurrence. The only thing that makes the story worth talking about is the perceived “slight” towards Iowa State within it.

Furthermore, what use would the papers truly be at Iowa State? Of course, there will be some students, professors or otherwise knowledge-driven people who will be disadvantaged by the papers placement at Drake University. For individuals in certain fields, papers from a senator recently active in Congress could be quite enlightening. Harkin’s papers might be very insightful for those who are interested in congressional matters.

However, the vast majority of Iowa State students wouldn’t probably even be aware of the papers’ presence at Iowa State. Maybe the news about the donation would serve as some brief bragging point, but past that, the papers would be ignored. After a year or so of collecting dust in the dark corners of Iowa State University’s archives, Harkin’s papers would be forgotten by most students and perhaps some faculty.

Who is to say the papers will not suffer the same fate of neglect at Drake University? Regardless of location, Harkin’s papers could very well go unused for long periods of time. Luckily for those few who would actually find the papers useful or interesting, Drake isn’t all that far away. If an individual was determined enough, the papers are still most likely easily accessible.

So, is Harkin’s decision to donate his papers to Drake instead of Iowa State all that offensive? Maybe you’re one of the few people who will be disadvantaged by the newly announced location. If not, we all have better things to do than fret over the fickle politics of the academic world.