This is in response to the letter to the editor maintaining that ASUU holds functions that ultimately are unimportant in a student’s life, as well as a more general response to tahe past two weeks’ worth of letters basically stating the same thing. I believe ASUU has an important role in student life; unfortunately, it’s the wrong one. Case in point: building a new, state-of the art campus recreation center, instead of performing necessary maintenance of university grounds, sports facilities and equipment. The rec center idea seems to be rolling along at light speeds, so I can’t say ASUU has no impact: it is working on adding to our campus and is happily spending student money. However, my present gripe results from the continually declining state of the tennis courts. The U had 22 outdoor courts next to the golf course and 3 indoor courts in the Field House. Presently, 16 outdoor courts have no nets, have cracked asphalt and ingrown roots poking up from the middle of the court and, final indignity, two of them have been turned into parking lots(!). Last year, there were animal droppings all over these courts, and it took more than two months (as I recall) for some person from mainenace to come and sweep up the remains. The outdoor courts are in high demand in late spring and all summer, and the Field House is continually booked, so the neglect can’t be based on lack of interest of potential court users/players. What is ASUU doing about it? I have asked Alex Lowe himself in front of 30 other people what his plans are for maintenance of facilities/equipment such as the tennis courts, and I got a very polite answer basically saying that this is a low (to nonexistent) priority for ASUU. When is basic maintenance ever a high priority? Shouldn’t this be our first priority before building grandiose plans for how the student money should be spent on a potentially great recruiting tool such as the rec center? Having one new splendid building rising from among weedy ruins won’t help increase recruitment, I’m certain. Good luck with those rec center plans, because you just might need it.
Ana Bozas3rd yr. Grad Student, Biochemistry