Since Martin Jischke arrived on campus, Iowa State’s goal has been to become the nation’s best land-grant university. While President Jischke has moved Iowa State closer to this goal, it appears that he is leaving without finishing the work. I’m perfectly content with Iowa State the way it is.

I can get a gyro every weekend, and the student section will be general admission for basketball games next year, so life is good. But if we are going to become the best Iowa State needs to make a few changes.

We need money. There is only so much you can do by yourself. You can trim all the fat you want, but ultimately monetary support is going to decide what projects get done and which ones don’t.

If the state allocations this past year are the exception, we can live. If they are the first sign of a move away from financing higher education, then becoming the best won’t be the goal, being marginally better than average will.

I don’t like the idea of my tuition rising higher than inflationary costs, and since Campaign Destiny just tapped the pockets of many alumni, the state giving Iowa State money is more important than ever.

The Legislature is the largest and most crucial source of income for Iowa State, and if its support isn’t there, Iowa State will suffer.

You can work as hard as you want, but renovations, updates and expansions don’t happen due to hard work. Allocations and gifts are going to need to be raised to fully support Iowa State becoming the best.

We need to develop more of a national reputation. I’m not saying that the powers that be aren’t doing this, but if we are going to truly become the best, we need people outside of the Midwest to recognize us as more of a national power. And one of the best ways to do this is through research.

Now don’t think that Iowa State needs to build up research at the expense of teaching, heaven forbid.

But every time my dad’s favorite professor, Neil Harl, gets mentioned in the Boston Globe because he’s written three books on estate tax or the C6 facility gets shown on the “CBS Morning Show,” students and parents watching nationwide say to themselves, “Hmm, looks like Iowa State is doing some big stuff. They must be pretty smart there.” Research will contribute to this reputation much more than teaching ever will.

Now, if students get here and the teaching is poor then all that research is for naught.

It’s a cooperation, not a competition. And that goes both ways.

The Plant Sciences Initiative is a major plus to enhance research, but we are going to need more specifically in areas outside of agriculture and engineering to truly become the best.

We need to make Ames and Iowa State a cooler place to be. I like Ames, but I also like the Jackson 5 so my capacity to judge cool things is obviously tarnished.

Everybody everywhere complains that there is not anything to do, but that doesn’t mean we can’t help it.

Recruiting students, especially minority students, isn’t as big of a problem as everybody thinks. Retaining them is.

I really don’t have a tangible solution to this, but this needs to be a collective effort by Iowa State, the city of Ames and the student body.

Artistic and cultural events need to be supported better by the student body, and in return, they will be provided more often.

The city of Ames, and more specifically the ISU campus, needs to grow more of an urban and trendy feel if we are going to recruit and hold students from Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. Athletic success helps, too. (Oh no, research and athletics in the same column).

It’s pretty hard to stick out your chest and brag to your friends about a Plant Sciences Institute, so having top-notch athletic teams will serve this purpose.

Again, this should not be the first priority of Iowa State, but if we can have it happen within the context of our current priorities, we need to.

Everything is easier when your teams win. Alumni want to give more, as if they’re somehow helping the team, it gives people something to brag about to their friends, and national television exposure for games helps recruit students.

Iowa State has the tools to become a better, if not the best, land-grant university.

Everyone had better be prepared because it’s not going to happen by just trying real hard.

Matt Craft is a senior in secondary education from La Porte City. He is also trying to become the best.