I saw something last week that made me very, very happy. I was strolling along near Mackay Hall when I noticed an area fenced off for construction.

Naturally, my first assumption was “great, another new building for the friggin’ engineers.” But when I looked closer, I saw that this was no building at all.

Unless my eyes deceived me, what I saw being built was a playground. That’s right, with monkey bars and swings and everything. WOO HOOO!!!

I for one say it’s about damn time. I’m in my eighth semester at this school and I haven’t had a single recess yet — it’s not because I’ve been naughty, either. I’ve gone to the top on this one and learned that Iowa State does not offer anything in the way of recess.

But I guess it doesn’t really matter, anyway. After all, what the hell would we do during recess? There isn’t much to play on around this campus. Well, I suppose there’s that big blue thing between Pearson and Black engineering. But the one time I climbed on that a DPS officer told me not to.

I remember at my pre-school there were some pretty neat toys. Then, when I went to the bigger kids school, there were even more toys. I’m talking jungle gyms, merry-go-rounds — the whole nine yards. So, I figure, ISU is the biggest school I’ve gone to yet; they should have plenty of playground equipment. Wrong!

I get here, and they don’t have jack squat. What the hell’s the deal, people? Twenty thousand students and they can’t put up a friggin’ tire swing or something?

Well, better late than never. Even if it is my last semester I’m glad that the new playground equipment will be up for future Cyclones to enjoy. It couldn’t come at a better time, either.

I’ll be honest, I’ve been having a lapse in school spirit lately. My tuition was around $200 more this semester. If you ask me, $1500 is a lot to ask for a school that doesn’t even have a playground.

I had one class this semester where I was asked to pay $150 for my textbooks. I know other people have to pay even more, but the whole thing is ludicrous. If a student taking a full load had to pay that much in every class, the total cost of their books would be over $750. Asking a student to pay that much is socially irresponsible.

My complaints are petty compared to the ways I’ve seen other people screwed by administrators. From the September 29th Movement to the No-Smoking policy at the M-Shop, one thing is clear: The administration doesn’t give two craps about the concerns of students.

The touch-tone registration system is the ultimate example of the warmth and hospitality of ISU.

What is more degrading than having a lifeless recorded voice tell you that you won’t be able to get into a class you need for graduation?

Iowa State University: It Works.

Plunging your toilet with your hand “works” too, but that doesn’t mean it’s a pleasant experience. The slogan really seems appropriate for ISU. As long as students are showing up and some are getting degrees, everything must be working fine. So why should the University waste time improving student life when they could be courting big-money contributors?

That seems to have been the thinking of the administration during my stay at Iowa State. Get more money and then re-invest that money in ways which will bring in more money.

As the saying goes, it is always darkest just before the dawn, and friends, I think I can see the sun rising. By building us a playground the administrators have finally demonstrated that we are more to them than just a social security number.

Now, some of you probably think I’m jumping the gun on this thing. Believe me, the thought has crossed my mind that the playground might not be designed for ISU students at all, and may rather be intended for lab work in child-development classes.

If this is the case, naturally they wouldn’t want college students playing on the equipment, too. After all, it is likely that the big college kids would harass and beat on the six and seven-year-olds. Luckily, I have a solution.

At my elementary school there were, get this, two recess times. One was for kindergarten through third grade, the other for fourth through sixth graders.

That way, the bigger kids wouldn’t pick on the little kids and all members of the ISU community could enjoy the new playground equipment.

Finally the administration has put the concerns of students first. I guess the system works after all.

---

Ben Godar is a senior in sociology from Ames. He is an assistant arts and entertainment editor of the Daily. He is currently living it up in Sioux Falls, S.D.