Lied Recreation Athletic Center is 20 years old now, and the forces that brought it into existence are all but forgotten. Regardless, this befuddling gray area created between student services and athletics rears its ugly head every time a student hopes to play basketball during the same night as a track meet or from 2–6 p.m. every weekday when Lied’s track is reserved for student athletes.

We took our questions to Dean of Students Dione Somerville and Senior Associate Athletics Director of Sports Administration Calli Sanders, who were chock full of answers, genuinely interested in ensuring that every aspect of the system made sense and, more importantly, had the interests of the student body and the institution as a whole as first priority.

Lied’s name tells the whole story: It is both a recreation and athletic center. It was built, and will remain, a joint facility for the foreseeable future. Its funding was, indeed, complicated: A student fee and an initial athletic contribution went only toward construction, with maintenance of the facility falling upon the ISU athletic department.

Lied, Somerville said, and all athletic facilities reflect the needs of the generation that constructed them.

State Gym and Beyer Hall represent the needs of a time when physical education classes were required and cavernous locker rooms were necessary. Lied represents the needs of a generation before us. The school and athletic department were able to cooperate and provide a facility to house several athletic programs and simultaneously update facilities available to students.

Which explains why the new expansion will be strictly for students. Despite appearances early in the planning process, the athletic department ended involvement after the project’s scope removed a competition pool and gymnastics gym.

Somerville pointed out that State Gym’s old configuration didn’t serve the average student: “out of bounds is a radiator” and “there were other people keeping our students from using the courts.” Two problems that the renovation will almost certainly alleviate.

The Forker Building is a classroom, home of the kinesiology department; therefore neither of the administrators we met are able to make it available.

Further adding to the recreation strain, Lied’s track, itself, is a draw. It has provided Iowa State with opportunities to host more meets. Due to the economy, the track team had to cut travel budgets, so increasing the number of home meets has helped the team remain competitive and potentially brought more money to the school. Unfortunately for the all the pickup basketball players, these meets are a great thing for Iowa State.

Due to the increase in home track meets, the Sukup Basketball Complex will be made available to students. This idea is the result of a collaborative effort between students services and the athletic department to help “fill the void” when Lied hosts the Big 12 Indoor Championships.

The facility is located at the corner of Mortensen Road and South Dakota Avenue, and will be open from 6–9 p.m. Feb. 26 and 2–5 p.m. Feb. 27.

With our questions largely answered, we were enthusiastically encouraged to contact either department with any other concerns. “We’re doing our best,” Somerville said, and her effort is greatly appreciated.

As the university grows and facilities change, we need patience in these transition periods. There may be another year-and-a-half of congestion before the renovations are fully complete and the recreation capacity approaches demand. Until then, and even after, they encouraged students to contact building managers or e-mail their department should any questions, comments or concerns arise.

The message of the meeting was clear: In a period of transition and until the rec renovations are completed, our administrators are striving to serve us as best they can.

Be patient, and don’t shy from questioning policies drafted in the ’90s. Nobody’s trying to hide anything from us. As Somerville and Sanders will tell you, they’re certainly not trying to keep us from working out.