OK, folks. There’s only a week left. One week left of classes, then there’s finals, and then we’re done. Some of us are leaving for good, off to find the real world and our places in it. But most of us will be coming back in the fall, ready to finish up college or teach another semester or just figure out our majors.

As everything’s winding down, we have a chance to look back over the last year and make plans for the next one. We can assess how far we’ve come, and we can plot out where we want to go.

We’ll each individually evaluate our lives, but we as the Iowa State community should take stock, too.

Where are we as a university? What’s right, and what needs improving?

It’s often said that Iowa State is trying to become the best land-grant university in the country. The administration has its list of strategic plans that will get us to that elusive plane. We’ve undoubtedly accomplished some of those strategic-plan goals this year, and I’m sure we still have a way to go.

But in my evaluation of where Iowa State is going, I’ve realized this about the strategic plan: The university has it all wrong.

Iowa State is looking in the wrong place for how to “become the best.” Our technology and campus aesthetics aren’t the point, and no matter what improvements the administration makes in those kinds of areas, they still won’t get the university to where they want us to be.

What’s holding us back isn’t the lack of the next $200 million fund-raising drive.

What’s holding us back is a dead campus.

Sure, there are people out there making a difference. There are quite a few faculty and students who are passionate about issues and are determined to effect change.

Those people are wonderful, and I applaud their constant efforts.

But those people are too few and too far between.

Both students and faculty have a lot of excuses for their apathy about what’s going on at Iowa State. Students are too busy doing what they’re really here to do — getting a degree. And faculty have their tenure and their raises and their jobs to worry about.

Maybe those are legitimate concerns. Maybe people on this campus should be focusing on themselves instead of the greater good, particularly if the greater good could just get them in trouble.

But I don’t believe that, and I don’t think you do either.

We as students are not here long. The university knows that. They know that those students who are “constant complainers” won’t be around for more than a couple of years, so if administrators can ignore those few for long enough, that particular problem will cease to exist.

And faculty are not necessarily secure anymore. The university has established that. They know that faculty members have so many obligations in order to make ends meet that they feel like they better not rock the boat.

These obstacles are tough, but not insurmountable. They can be combated in only one way.

Speak out more. Speak out now.

If we had an “alive” campus, one that would actively chase social and administrative change, we would be able to stop out-of-control tuition hikes and ridiculous policies that we don’t like.

If we had an opinionated faculty, not afraid to speak out regardless the cost, we could pursue great education, instead of just great amounts of money.

If we had a vocal and demonstrative student body, we would persuade more prospective students to enroll here than any of the posh new suites and cleanly washed sidewalks ever could.

Those things will make Iowa State the best land-grant university. Not more money, not more grants, not more impressive buildings.

I wish the entire Iowa State community would think about our roles in a university over the summer. Students, think about what it means to prepare yourself for life, not just for a particular job. And faculty, think about what it means to affect students and pursue higher education in the best way possible.

If you’re coming back to campus next fall, you have the opportunity to make a difference, no matter who you are.

Faculty, if you think the promotion and tenure document devalues your teaching contribution and makes it impossible to reach out to students, do something about it.

Students, if you think Veishea is ridiculous and the policies governing freedom of speech on campus are oppressive, do something about it.

If you’re not coming back to Iowa State this fall, don’t despair. You too can do something about the way things are run.

There are many wonderful things about this university, and I know most people here wouldn’t trade their Cyclone experiences for the world.

But there is still a lot of bad, a lot of misplaced priorities, a lot of students and faculty not getting the education they should at an institution of higher learning.

We’re not the best land-grant college yet; in fact, we’re not even close.

But we can be, if we do something about it.

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Sara Ziegler is a senior in journalism and political science. She is editor in chief of the Daily. She’ll be speaking out next fall. Will you?