The concern of student enrollment has been something that students have been talking about since the beginning of the school year. CyRide, sidewalks and classrooms are more packed in with more students than ever before. The student body is growing at a rate that seems impossible to keep up with, and that is why tonight is more important to students than any other.

We are finally getting the answers about student enrollment.

President Steven Leath, Senior Vice President and Provost Jonathan Wickert, Warren Madden, Senior Vice President of business and finance, and Miles Lackey, Associate Vice President and Chief of Staff, will be attending an enrollment growth open forum meeting with the Government of the Student Body at 7 p.m. 

It has been requested in an email sent to all current students by GSB that as many students as possible attend this meeting, and that is exactly what should happen tonight. Students are the first people on campus to start complaining about the congestion that is happening on Iowa State’s campus, but now it is time to step up and speak to the people who are actually going to be able to make a difference.

Because this GSB senator meeting is an open forum, any student who wants answers about enrollment or has specific questions on the topic is suggested to attend the meeting. Complaining to our friends on an overloaded CyRide is simply not enough. If we want to see a solution to the over enrollment crisis happening at Iowa State, we need to go straight to the source. 

This is the chance for students to speak up.

“Everyone at this university is working every day toward these solutions,” said Khayree Fitten, GSB senator. “Part of the conversation then is making sure we have all of the information when we’re approaching those issues and solutions. Is that part of the solution — getting other people involved.” 

Student involvement, like in most issues on campus, is the key to fixing those issues. Attending this meeting means that you care about the well-being and future of this campus.

Enrollment issues affect everyone on campus, whether you live in the dorms and on campus or if you have to take the bus or walk everyday. Things like dining centers, CyRide and classroom sizes are all things that are affected by the number of students on Iowa State’s campus. Administration at this school is realizing that enrollment is a real problem at this school, and they are asking students how to fix it.

Make tonight’s meeting your priority. If you have something about this campus that you feel needs to be discussed with administration, then you should be in attendance. Let’s show our campus leaders that we are not all gossip and that when it comes time to step up to the plate on student issues, we are ready to go.