It’s appears it’s a good time to be a student here at this “premier land grant institution.”

Iowa State officials say they want to simply make this place “the best.” A doable goal? Perhaps. Perhaps not. It’s pretty subjective.

But at a time when there’s a concerted effort to take a look at what the university can do better and what we’re doing wrong, we should also take a look at what we’re doing well.

Early indications this year and a retrospective look at last year point to one area of university appeal that’s definitely pulling its weight. That’s lectures. Not the kind you get in the classroom, mind you. (Although to save face with professors, we’re sure all those are great, too.)

These are those non-required-strictly-optional-unless-you-can-get-some extra-credit-for-class-type things that appeal to students and faculty strictly on the basis of content. Most are held at night in the Sun Room of the Union. (It’s kind of odd — Sun Room at night — but it works.) Routine chemistry lectures can be cool. But these are definitely cooler.

In just a little over a year, we’ve had the nation’s No. 1 consumer advocate Ralph Nader, former hostages Martin Jenco (who incidentally died of a heart attack this summer) and Thomas Hargrove and possibly the world’s leading biologist E.O. Wilson over for a little food, fun and conversation.

Last week’s affirmative action debate between Michael Dyson and Dinesh D’Souza was no yawner, either. And in the coming months ISU’s lecture guru Pat Miller has on tap everything from AIDS prevention education to a civil discourse in democracy.

Kudos to Miller and all those who are bringing such intellectually stimulating and emotionally riveting programming to campus. At a time when we’re looking to tinker with that which doesn’t work, we can look past the Lectures Program.