Issue date: 2/25/09 Section: Opinion

Media Credit: Christine Soriaga [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: Christine Soriaga [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: Christine Soriaga [Click to enlarge]

For the last few years, the subject of renovations and expansion on Texas A&M's campus has been almost constantly in the news. The most noteworthy project, of course, is the long overdue renovation of our living room, the Memorial Student Center. I think it is right to applaud administrators for pushing forward with a plan to fix the dilapidated memorial, and I doff my hat to President Elsa Murano for deciding to expedite the process, however flawed the execution of that decision has been over the last few months.

But, while they're at it, I have a suggestion that I think bears paying some attention to: I humbly submit, for your approval, a plan for the beautification of A&M's campus, to begin almost immediately.

We should take the principle behind why we are renovating the MSC, which is that it is old and ugly, and expand that principle to apply to other buildings on campus. Surely administrators will agree with me that there are other buildings that need to go. I know fellow students who have to look at these stained old heaps of pseudo-bunker-style concrete will agree with me. I can count at least 12 buildings off the top of my head.

They include: Blocker, Zachry, Heep, Beutel, Heldenfelds, Kleberg, Teague and the entire east side of Agronomy Road. For all intents and purposes, they are decrepit, worn-down heaps of mildewed concrete or brick executed in neo-bunker style in each of the three ugliest decades of architecture in the 20th century: the 60s, 70s and 80s.

These buildings are in need of some rapid beautification. When it comes to bringing in the top talent in the state, across the nation and around the world; having an attractive campus helps convince them that A&M is the university they want to attend for four years of their young adult lives.

With the same logic that leads A&M toward the renovation of the MSC, it is clear that many on-campus facilities are in need of a face lift if A&M is to become a Top 10 university

As it is, the aesthetic qualities of many campus buildings are of a nature that makes one sick to their stomach and sometimes in fear of entering. More than once, I have considered throwing myself over the ledge of one or both of Blocker and Zachry after taking a moment to really look at the building in front of me. Mercifully, some of the older buildings on campus stand abandoned and out of use, monuments to an era of ugly.

It is in these unused and cast aside buildings that another reason for renovation can be found. It is not necessary for the campus to chew up parking space and build the new buildings on the itinerary when buildings already exist on campus that are only in need of renovation before they could go back to good use.

If a building is deemed too far lost to be salvaged, it should be the first thing knocked down, and its foundation should serve as the next site on the list for the construction of a new modern facility.

To borrow a favorite lyric, College Station is home to, "The friendliest people and the prettiest woman you've ever seen." It's about time our campus reflected the student body that inhabits it. Murano, tear down these crumbling decrepit walls, and build Aggies a campus they can be proud of.

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