Money should be invested as needed, not on FieldTurf
As Central Michigan University is facing a tighter budget with each academic year, it is disheartening when students hear a significant amount of money is being spent on something that can wait.
The new FieldTurf for the Indoor Athletic Complex is going to cost CMU $400,000 to $500,000 — an eyesore when administration is constantly saying money is drying up.
The turf should wait, and that sum of money should be invested on other needy areas.
The FieldTurf that will outfit the Indoor Athletics Complex is the same turf used in Kelly/Shorts Stadium. It cuts down on abrasions and injuries to athletes and will provide a safer environment during practices. To quote Athletics Director Dave Heeke, the FieldTurf is something “many schools do not have.” CMU will now have this rare turf in two areas of its campus.
But the FieldTurf, while nice, is not a need. Students continue to face rising tuition, wondering how they will pay for their classes. State appropriations have been on a steady downward spiral. Nearly half a million dollars to retrofit an area for athletes to practice is absurd amid such financial turmoil.
The need to redesign the Indoor Athletic Complex may be undeniable. Injuries to our athletes during their practices should be minimized as much as possible. But the need to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars is an exaggeration the school cannot afford right now.
CMU has a variety of challenges to face and many priorities to maintain. Upgrading the Indoor Athletic Complex is not the top priority. If it is in desperate need of new equipment, the athletics department should look for cheaper alternatives. Other material may not be as preferable as FieldTurf, but choosing a cheaper, more affordable turf will show the athletics department has a certain amount of humility.
The best is always wanted for the school, and especially for our students, but only when it is plausible. The FieldTurf is far from plausible.
It simply adds another strain to the burdening CMU budget — a strain the Athletic Department could, and should, refrain from.
