When I decided to come to Iowa State three years ago, several things influenced my decision. First of all, I liked the journalism school and its professors.

I loved the layout of the campus and its natural beauty. And I was impressed with the fact that Iowa State was working toward becoming the best land-grant institution in the nation.

Goals like that impress me. But I was young at the time. I soon learned what the real goal of this university is – to funnel as much corporate research money into this campus as possible.

Now, I think the strategic plan of making Iowa State the best land-grant college in the nation is a foolish idea.

The plan is more like something that should be stitched on my grandmother’s pillow case than the actual motto of this university.

First and foremost, Iowa State should tear down Morrill Hall. That building is the last symbol reminding us that Iowa State is a land-grant institution.

The school’s administration has forgotten what the purpose of the land-grant college is. The university has forgotten its history.

The 2001-2003 ISU Catalog states the university’s mission statement as “Iowa State University of Science and Technology is a public land-grant institution serving the people of Iowa, the nation, and the world through its interrelated programs of instruction, research, extension and professional service.

With an institutional emphasis on areas related to science and technology, the university carries out its traditional mission of discovering, developing, disseminating and preserving knowledge.”

Basically between these lines of ballyhoo is the idea that since Iowa State is a land-grant college it must divide its resources between research, education and extension.

But the balance has been thrown off in recent years. The scale has been tipped in the favor of corporate-funded research.

While research is an important part of the university, it is hard to believe the corporate dollars will save Iowa State during the recent $15.8 million budget cuts.

This land-grant university tends to worry more about getting money than the educational benefits for its students.

The money motto began in 1995 when the ISU Foundation organized a donation campaign which broke all previous donation records.

The donation program was so successful that the goal had to be raised in 1998. When all was said and done in December 2000, the campaign ended with a total of $458.6 million.

The highlight of the donation campaign was when Iowa State received a $80 million donation from the late Mary and Raymond Baker, former director of research at Pioneer Hi-Bred International in 1999.

The donation was made to the Plant Sciences Institute in order to conduct research dealing with agricultural issues. When Pioneer was purchased by DuPont Co. in 1999 it became the world’s largest seed corn company.

This donation is just one example of large corporate donations influencing research on this campus.

In a Des Moines Register article (Dec. 5, 1999), Neil Harl, ISU agricultural economist, said “Some land-grant universities have begun losing their soul. We don’t want Iowa State to go the same way.”

Too late.

In dealing with the recent budget cuts, the university continues to look for corporate-funded research while abandoning educational standards without a second thought.

The university administrators need to take a closer look at where cuts should be made.

Does Iowa State need to be one of the nation’s leader in virtual reality research? How many students is that helping? I believe the work study program at Iowa State helps many more students than a V-6 lab does.

Does Pioneer-funded research help Iowa State become the best land-grant college in the nation? Or does it make the university a slave to corporate power?

I realize that change doesn’t come easily to a university this large.

But I’m hoping that, with the budget cuts, administrators will make decisions based on what’s best for the university as a whole. We don’t want to sell our Cyclone souls for some quick corporate cash.

If we do, then Iowa State will never be the best land-grant college in the nation.

Michelle Kann is a senior in journalism and mass communication from Garnavillo. She is editor in chief of the Daily.