Turmoil has engulfed Iowa State beginning with the elimination of student ideas and oppression by the Department of Residence. As a student, I no longer feel as though I have any say in the procedural decisions which affect my daily life at Iowa State.

I am currently a resident of Emerson House. At no time were our ideas heard, not only on the wellness-floor conversion, but also our elevator doors.

A vote was taken on the floor, and unanimous approval was to keep the elevator design.

Certain administrative individuals had always threatened to paint over the design, but it was not until Emerson House became wellness that they went ahead with their threats.

It is my opinion that had this elevator been painted over in years past, the action would have been met with severe repercussions. The individuals in question knew this and decided to make the floor less troublesome and get rid of the social “riff raff” by instituting a wellness floor.

No vote was taken on whether to change to wellness nor were any of our ideas heard. Wellness, no questions asked. Our wellness floor was supposed to encompass many things, such as regular fitness programs, good diet promotion and time management. Not one of these ideas has left the drawing board.

Wellness means no alcohol, and elimination of popular alcoholic decorations, such as signs and bottles. The only thing wellness did was drive the people of legal drinking age from the floor.

If this floor is to be wellness, let’s not call it wellness just to ban alcoholic decorations and get rid of the rebels. We should be able to vote on what our floor becomes instead of following what the administration deems appropriate.

At no point were students given a say in these decisions. The communications wall, which the Department of Residence has set up and the cadre of hall directors and resident assistants kept and enforced, has eliminated all say we have in procedures which affect us.

If paint is dripping down the elevator shafts, let’s mask the door and give every floor a bag of kitty litter to clean up spilled paint. If no one living on a wellness floor wants wellness, let’s vote on overturning it.

Department of Residence employees should start listening to us instead of racking up $100 million in DEFERRED maintenance. I’m overly disgusted with the changes taking place in which I have no say.

There is a wall between the students and the Department of Residence. Mr. Alexander, tear down this wall.

Paul Duncan

Sophomore

Transportation and logistics