I would like to echo Faculty Senate President Jack Girton’s comment in William Dillon’s Oct. 21 article, “Proposed tuition increase puts faculty raises in peril,” that you can’t retain excellence without excellent faculty and take his thoughts one step further.

To be a truly great university, I would also suggest this excellence must extend to those academic professionals who admit, advise, and place our students.

It must extend to those who take care of our students’ well-being during their education at Iowa State, who house them and make sure they stay mentally and physically healthy.

Excellence must extend to those who make sure our library resources are always organized and available for our scholarship.

It must extend to those scientists who obtain externally- sponsored funding and who work in partnership with the faculty to discover “the next big thing” to help the human condition.

Excellence must extend to those who teach our students without the benefits of tenure, just for the love of educating young minds.

It must extend to the technologists whose expertise allows our complex computing environment to run smoothly behind the scenes.

And excellence must extend to our communication specialists and outreach professionals who research and present information about Iowa State within the campus, across the state, and around the world.

There are many, many staff members who, in concert, make Iowa State a great university and a great place to learn.

We need to make sure we retain and reward all of them.

Kevin Kane

President

ISU Professional and Scientific Council