President Rao should put his fund raising where his mouth is

hile CMU is undertaking its largest fund-raising campaign ever, there seems to
be some misguided logic in the projects’ foundation.

Student body and faculty support, and ongoing program support are included with
fund-raising campaigns of any size, but the added category of “enhancing
the learning environment” is where the water gets murky.

While President Rao claims his top priority is renovations to Ronan Hall —
Central’s education building — a new convocation/events center was listed
under the subject heading.

We feel the largest campaign in CMU’s history is just a cover to generate
revenue for the events center, so Central can enjoy increased “commercial
revenue” from sporting events, and this ploy is absolutely unacceptable.

Nowhere in the synopsis explaining how the center is beneficial is the academic
community mentioned. It would be utilized for university, athletic and community-related
events. Aside from commencement, currently hosted in Rose Arena, and the student
union — currently housed in the Bovee University Center — nothing even
related to academia is in the estimated $8 million project.

Correct us if we’re wrong, but within the last five years, the Indoor Athletic
Complex was built, Kelly/Shorts Stadium renovated and the Intramural Sports Complex
built. Even Theunissen Stadium is relocating to grander surroundings. Heaven forbid
we leave basketball out of the loop.

When is academia finally going to get the attention that it deserves? After all,
isn’t that why we’re here?

Oh, that’s right, we cut academic funding by rescinding more than $500,000
to cover budget shortfalls last year. This year, academia had to jointly face
the brunt of covering a $1.85 million budget cut.

It probably never crossed the administration’s mind to tighten the belt on
athletics. And then who could forget the 12.5-percent hike in tuition and fees
so that we, as students, had to pay more for an education that was compromised
by the administration’s questionable spending habits?

If spending 12 percent of the total fund-raising revenue to benefit a convocation
center is more important than the basic foundation of higher education, and administrators
only care about revenues and securing their annual bonuses, then we, as students,
think it’s bunk.

We’re waiting, President Rao, for you to put your $67 million where your
mouth is.