OUR VIEW: Fall semester marred by construction

We understand that construction on campus is necessary. Building codes change, wear and tear expedites remodels, opportunities for beautification present themselves and new buildings do not, after all, grow on trees – a good thing in itself, considering the arboreal haircut the quad is currently undergoing.

    We heard a lot of grumbling lately about the work being done along the north edge of the quad. Just to fill in the students who reside primarily in the colleges of art, engineering, or natural resources, last week a trench was dug for various underground projects involving the new Agricultural Science Building, soon to be located just east of the quad – you know, where the giant hole is – causing English majors the burdensome task of circumnavigating, as opposed to traversing directly, their route to the Ray B. West building. Obviously, the delay that stems from this obstructs their primary goal of – as a Statesman columnist put it last year – bagging a husband.

    Students wondered why this particular work could not have been completed during the summer months. While we understand the thought process, we also understand that this is a necessary burden. Constructing a multi-million dollar agricultural science facility is a complex process involving a framework of moving pieces and a few slight delays can often culminate in, well, a giant hole being dug while class is in session.

    Which brings us to the true subject of today’s editorial: Why hasn’t the A been turned on yet?

    Last we heard, the A – essentially the most notably recognizable feature of Utah State University – was getting a more energy-efficient makeover and would be off for the duration of the process.

    We don’t mean to gripe, but that seems like something that could have been handled in July.

    It’s possible that university administrators wanted to let Old Main wear white all the way until labor day. Maybe the volcano in Europe delayed the shipping of a certain make and model of A-shaped LED lights. Perhaps the collapse of the Grecian economy made financial waves that obliterated the market for Aggie-blue electrical wiring. Or, it could be that Somali pirates seized every step ladder on earth.

    Beats us, all we know is that we are starting week four of the Fall 2010 semester and every night Old Main has reached to the heavens with the school-pride equivalent of a bloody stump. We don’t know about you, but there’s just something depressing about looking up and night and seeing the old lady shrouded in darkness.

    Please, get it fixed and turn the darned thing on. Its almost October and hopefully we’ll be seeing the glow of the A – blue or white – after the Homecoming game.