In yesterday’s editorial, we discussed the hard work that the Varsity Theater Task Force has undertaken, and applauded the efforts of the students who have helped the project get this far.

Today, we’d like to take a moment to reflect on the hard work and challenges yet to come.

The first major hurdle was cleared last week, when the Government of the Student Body Senate passed the initial Theater Bill 28-2-0. But the victory was blemished on Monday when President Jon Turk announced he would decline to sign the bill — allowing it to pass into law without his stamp of approval.

In addition, GSB’s passage of the bill has sparked debate among students — some of which has been presented on these pages — and detractors have voiced strong concerns.

There’s still a lot of convincing to do, even here at home. And if project skeptics here at Iowa State are critical, they’ll be doubly so when the proposal makes its way to the big leagues and is presented to the Board of Regents.

There’s a lot of work to be done. To start with, take a look at the letters in the past week’s papers.

If students have voiced doubts about the thoroughness of the financial assessment contained in the proposal, it’s likely that regents will have similar concerns.

If students question whether the money could be better used, it’s likely that regents will as well.

If students are unsure of how a student-run theater will affect local business, and what response it will elicit from Cinemark, so to will the regents.

The goal, then is to answer all of these questions before regents even see the proposal.

Our support for the project stands, and we’ve discussed it so much that we know it by heart: There are benefits to bringing non-alcoholic entertainment to Campustown and giving students a stake in the area — benefits that go above and beyond what could be gained by leaving the money in the bank, distributing a few dollars to each student, or investing in new swivel chairs for student office spaces.

But it’s not us that proponents of the project need to convince. This time around the skeptics won’t be students, but regents, who are tasked with ensuring responsible use of state and student money, and who may be spending-averse due to recent budget cuts.

So double down, and make sure that all the loose ends are tied up tight. Project proponents must be able to say that they left no stone unturned in the search for answers and information on which to build their case.

Because those who present the project to the Board of Regents represent not only the proposal and themselves, but also Iowa State and student leadership at our university.