In Steffen Schmidt’s letter (Monday’s “Unnecessary chains make our beautiful campus ugly”) about the ever-so-popular fences that have been popping up all around campus, it was brought up that the students of Iowa State are silent on the issue. In reality, it’s more like a whisper.

The Government of the Student Body has recently been approached by several students regarding the issues of both the fences and “cow trails.” In response, the university affairs committee, in cooperation with director of student affairs Ian Ringgenberg, is currently in discussion with facilities planning and management to come to some sort of solution.

There is also a need for brief corrections to Schmidt’s history of the creation of Central Campus. Unfortunately, it is a rumor that Frederick Olmsted created Iowa State’s park-like campus. I know, I about cried right there too.

Former university president Adonijah Welch had a vision of what is now Central Campus and, with the help of the heads of architectural engineering and landscape architecture, it was made possible.

Recommendations were made by O.C. Simonds and the Olmsted brothers, but they were very unpopular and were, thus, ignored (except for the placement of Curtiss Hall). As for the placement of trees being decided by President Welch throwing potatoes, that apparently is also a rumor. Anyone else feeling disillusioned?

So in summary, the fences and “cow trails” are being discussed and dealt with, but Schmidt still raises a good point. GSB is a megaphone for students to the university. If you have a problem with something going on at the university, don’t just sit there quietly and take it. GSB meets every Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in the Campanile Room of the Memorial Union. Come and raise your issues during open forum.

If you can’t make it during senate meetings, contact your GSB senator – you may have two or more representing you. Don’t know who your senator is? Just visit the GSB website (http://www.gsb.iastate.edu) and find out. The administration is very receptive to student opinions and takes GSB resolutions to mind when making decisions.

GSB is here to serve you, and if you don’t talk, then no one will hear about the issues that need to be addressed. Change doesn’t happen overnight, and it most certainly doesn’t happen on its own.

So thank you to the students who brought the issue to GSB, and thank you to Steffen Schmidt for the letter to the Daily, because if it wasn’t for your voices, the University, to borrow from Fleetwood Mac, “would never break the chains.”

Cole England

GSB Senator

Chairman

University Affairs Committee

http://media.www.iowastatedaily.net/media/storage/paper818/news/2007/11/05/Opinion/Letter.Unnecessary.Chains.Make.Our.Beautiful.Campus.Ugly-3077462.shtml