To the editor:

Once again, a winter storm has plagued us, and the students of Iowa State dare to wrestle the elements of yet another Iowa winter.

I swear I can remember reading somewhere about the readiness of Iowa State and the fleet of people and machines that were ready to be dispatched at a moment’s notice.

But when I started out for my 8 a.m. on Tuesday morning, the only person I saw who had worked on the miles of Iowa State’s sidewalks was the one and only Jack Frost.

Not until after my 9 a.m. did I bear witness to the first sign of snow removal.

What I saw made me laugh for the fourth year in a row, Iowa State’s idea of an efficient snow removal device: a green John Deere tractor with a car-wash brush on the front.

Who were the geniuses that came up with this one? “Let’s wait until all the students have walked over and compacted the snow, and then we’ll just brush it off.”

Instead of removing the trodden slush, the brushes make intricate grooves in the snow that make for extra slippery walking. I could do a better job with my windshield scraper (and it’s broken)!

We’ve all seen people twisting ankles, bikers and mopeders taking digs and students falling on their asses. Although it is most amusing, it just shouldn’t be happening.

We are all making an investment here at Iowa State; why doesn’t the University make a smart investment in its students?

How about purchasing some “real” winter weather machinery and supplies? Call up to Canada; I’m sure they’ll know just what to order.

After all, with these tuition hikes, one has to wonder — where does all that out-of-state tuition go? It’s great to be a Cyclone!

David Strauss

Senior

Civil engineering