To become the nation’s best land-grant university, Iowa State needs to become equipped with an Animal Science Teaching Arena, a resolution passed by the Agriculture Student Council states.

The resolution was proposed to the Government of the Student Body (GSB) last Wednesday night and will be voted on in two weeks. If it is supported by GSB, the resolution will be passed on to administrators.

Adam Obrecht, a junior in agricultural business and GSB ag senator, said the purpose of the resolution is to gain awareness for the arena proposal. Members of the Ag Student Council discussed the need for the facility earlier in the year.

“We are asking for the ability to have the plan proceed,” Obrecht said.

Several years ago, during the expansion of the swine and beef research facilities, an architect designed a proposed teaching arena. The facility would cost an estimated $8 million. The fund-raisers cannot be pursued until the plan is approved.

The Livestock Intensive Facility being constructed at Kildee Hall will have a state-of-the-art teaching arena. However, the proposed facility will be large enough for sanctioned equine events and will include two classrooms.

Obrecht said Kirkwood Community College is looking at constructing an arena facility similar to the proposed ISU project. People and businesses may not be willing to support both arena projects, he said.

David Topel, dean of the College of Agriculture, said he has supported the arena project but questioned the value of the resolution.

“I’m glad students have taken an interest in the project,” Topel said. “I don’t disagree with the need for the facility.”

However, financial complications have arisen when pursuing the plan.

In the last university capital campaign, the arena was a priority for the ag college and animal science department. However, seven years ago organizers could not get people to donate enough money to start the project, Topel said.

In the existing capital campaign, the arena is still a priority for the college. But the department already has coordinated fund-raisers for the Kildee expansion, Topel said.

The Iowa Legislature funded $15 million for the Intensive Livestock Research and Instruction Facilities with the stipulation that ISU would need to raise $3.5 million. Topel said after the first year of fund raising, $1 million has been raised. That leaves $2.5 million left to raise in the next 18 months. Until the Kildee project is finished, Topel said the arena project will be set aside.

“We wouldn’t make any money trying to fractionate the fund raising,” Topel said.

The GSB resolution states ISU would receive a “diminished national reputation for its ability to teach animal science effectively outside the lecture room.”

Topel said people reading that line would know it was a false statement because the ISU animal science department is one of the top three in the nation.