This morning as I drove onto campus, I was appalled at the condition of the green spaces on our campus. The green spaces that our campus is known for; the green spaces that prospective student and their parents talk about being one of the most beautiful they have visited. The pride and joy that many on this campus have worked hard to preserve (Remember the daffodils?)– destroyed!
After having worked on this campus for many years and having seen many football games held here, never have I seen the destruction that I saw this morning. After weeks and weeks of rain and rain predicted on game day, people were still allowed to park on the green spaces? The spaces that when someone comes on campus are the first to be seen — destroyed!
The question that begs to be asked is “What in the world were you thinking? When did a “football game” become so important that you would let people come to this campus and destroy it?” And I guess the biggest question of all is “Who is responsible for the repair of this destruction?”
In a time when departments are being asked to “tighten their belts” with budget cuts and we have been told, is not going to get better but worse. Who is responsible? I know that my department does not see any of the money from games played on this campus. I know that my department does not have any scholarships funded by any of the revenue from a football game. I know that our complex is overflowing with students and we are continually seeking spaces for more and more students coming in, but we don”t have a new practice building or field or new grass planted on a “playing field” or a huge “TV” screen or new score boards. We make do with what we have and provide.
I understand that most if not all of the “perks” for the athletic department comes from private funding but really if there is not university how can there be a football team? Someone needs to realize that the university makes the football team not the other way around.
A visitor destroyed our campus, not the students. Let the students do the damage that was done this past Saturday and they would have been kicked off the campus and made to come back and replace all the damage they did. But you let a visitor come to our campus for fun and festivities and let them destroy it. Where is the justification in this action? Money? If that is part of the draw, where is it? I certainly hope going to the repair of the green spaces.
To the person or persons who made the decision to go ahead and open all parking areas, I beg you to come and really, really look at the damage. Damage that will take years to overcome and I will ask…again…why? Was it that important?
Debbie Whitfield
Dept. of Landscape Architecture
Mississippi State University
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.