After 89 years, any building would need renovations, especially one of the most populated buildings used for campus and community events. This Tuesday and Wednesday, students will have the opportunity to make that possible. We’ll be voting “yes” on the Memorial Union referendum on the Student Government ballot, and we think you should also.

Renovations to the MU will include more seating in the dining area, expanded space for student organizations, moving around offices to make them more accessible to students, an expanded Veterans Center and an expanded space for Multicultural Student Affairs, among other things.

In our endorsement of Student Government executive candidates, we based our decision on how they addressed what we see as the four most pressing issues on campus: diversity and inclusion, enrollment growth, transparency and sexual assault prevention. In many ways, the proposed renovations strive to address these issues as well — in particular, diversity and inclusion and enrollment growth.  

In regard to diversity and inclusion, the changes would help to give proper spaces to address issues relating to inclusivity and additionally return to the traditions that the MU was founded on. The first mention of a Memorial Union came from an editorial in the Daily nearly a century ago. The editorial proposed a building to honor our veterans. The current Gold Star Hall and Veterans Center still hold true to that tradition, but there is a need for updates and more space. After serving to protect our lives, giving veterans resources needed to help them succeed at Iowa State is the least we can do.

In regard to enrollment growth, expanded dining space and more meeting spaces for student organizations are essential. When students can’t even find a place to sit and eat their lunch, there is a problem. When student organizations don’t have a space to regularly meet, there is a problem. Let’s take one step in addressing this problem with these renovations.

With tuition increases, lagging state funding and looming financial burdens that students are facing, the last thing we want is more draining of students’ bank accounts. Our stance on funding the MU renovations being partially funded through student fees is that this project is the exception, not the rule. Because the Memorial Union is a building that is a hub for student activity, a building where many students start and finish their time at Iowa State and an essential part of the Cyclone experience, we believe a student fee is appropriate.

Voting will be open Tuesday and Wednesday at vote.iastate.edu. The Memorial Union is an Iowa State icon, but if we want to see these pertinent changes made, we have to vote for them.