Letter: Central campus does not need additional lighting or seating
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March 1, 2018
The beauty of Iowa State’s campus is second to none, and its crown jewel is Central Campus. The juxtaposition of the trees, the verdant lawn, the Campanile and neoclassical architecture come together to form a quintessentially “college” scene.
Spring afternoons see students relaxing on the grass. On a clear evening, you can inevitably see someone stopping to take a picture of the brilliant sunset behind Beardshear Hall.
The outstanding beauty of Central Campus makes some recent proposals to “improve” Central Campus a cause for concern. One such proposal is the installation of overhead lights on the path between Curtiss and Beardshear halls.
The installation of lights on this path would severely obstruct and pollute the beauty of Central Campus during the day and night. Lighting on this path is also not necessary, as two well-lit paths exist only 50 steps to the north and south.
Another concerning proposal is for the placement of picnic tables in the Central Campus area. While Central Campus does provide a wonderful atmosphere for lunch, misplaced picnic tables on the lawn, or expansion of sidewalk to accommodate them, would detract from the beauty of the landscape.
Iowa State is one of only three university campuses in the United States to be designated as a “medallion site” by the American Society of Landscape Architects, along with Harvard and the University of Virginia. The awarding of this prestigious honor is a testament to the great amount of care and thought taken to create and preserve the beauty of Central Campus.
Iowa State has a rich history. It became the nation’s first public land-grant institution in 1862, under the Morrill Act signed into law by Abraham Lincoln. The land given to Iowa State under this law has allowed it to grow into our beautiful Cyclone home. For this reason, the landscape of Central Campus is much more than an open space between buildings, it is a standing reminder of history.
The proposals to add overhead lights and picnic tables in the middle of Central Campus are disrespectful of this history, and if implemented, would make campus a far less beautiful place.
