As I was walking to Gilman Hall for a class today, I turned the corner by the library and noticed three Caterpillar and Case IH tractors down the road, parked neatly in the grass in front of Davidson Hall.

Before I could ask myself why there were three tractors sitting on a beautiful patch of grass, I remembered that this is VEISHEA week. You know, the one week of the year in which Iowa State whores out its pristine — chain-link fence filled — campus to agriculture implementers so that they can have a new, temporary showroom all over the landscape.

Nothing says “let us come together and honor the humble beginnings of Iowa State University” like letting giant, multinational corporations invade our campus and set up forward operating bases of arrogant advertising and patronization. Most of us already know that Iowa State has completely abandoned its original intent, but to let this happen offends all sensibilities of tradition and heritage.

What was Iowa State’s original intent, you may be asking. To put it simply, it was to educate students in both practical and liberal schools. A student could become an artisan in metalworking while at the same time being able to recite points of emphasis of Plato’s Republic. And above all else, the emphasis of the land-grant college acts was to sustain local agriculture in response to the industrial revolution, which was viewed as a threat to localized agriculture.

It is clear to see that, in the interest of economics above customs and conventional practice, Iowa State has, since its inception, shelled out its soul in the pursuit of making money. This cannot be more evidenced by, every VEISHEA, seeing giant businesses being advertised without mercy all across campus.