The Maintenance Shop closing?!? When I heard Tuesday that the last lunch would be served Friday, I was shocked. This is OUR Maintenance Shop — unlike the rest of the eateries on campus. The M-Shop is a cultural treasure belonging to the students, faculty, staff and alumni of Iowa State, as well as to the city of Ames. Closing any part of it — lunch service or the live-music venue — would be a blow to town and gown alike.

At lunch Wednesday, an unusually large crowd packed the M-Shop. Many people commented on how the M-Shop is one of the few culturally unique places on Iowa State’s campus. Devotees of healthy food were despairing at the thought of having to eat food off of the corporatized menus elsewhere on campus or go without. Despite the many vehement denials from M-Shop management of closing the live-music venue, I am deeply concerned about its future, too, after hearing the words “budget problems” and “Maintenance Shop” in the same sentence. Given the climate of budgetary ax-wielding across campus, it is naive to imagine that any part of the Maintenance Shop is above consideration for the chop. This cultural gem in the heart of our campus should be set apart from budget cuts. Jon Lewis, head of ISU dining, reflects the attitude of the ISU administration. Asked by the Daily about the M-Shop’s unique heritage as a cultural institution, Lewis replied, “Find money to subsidize it.”

Is nothing sacred?

Diana L. Boeckmann

Graduate Student

English