2008 Woodie Awards
Students will not reap the benefits of current construction
Pasquale Passarella, Copy Editor
Issue date: 4/2/08 Section: Editorials and Opinion
Progress is a wonderful thing, but is there such a thing as too much? If one were to take a look around the St. John's campus this year, it would seem that the University's answer to this question is an emphatic no.
Though growth and expansion are important elements of any university and construction has never really been a serious problem at St. John's in the past, it seems like the construction projects around campus have multiplied significantly over the last two semesters.
There probably isn't a single point on the Queens campus where a person could stand and not be within view of construction.
However, is this necessarily a bad thing?
Yes, the campus may not look as nice as it once did, and problems like parking have become worse than ever, all of the construction projects are just steps to make St. John's into a better university.
Before making any judgments about whether all the construction is really worth it, one must weigh the long term benefits against the short term problems that exist on campus.
In the long term, the University will have a better-looking campus, more housing, and more features, like the new UC to attract new students. In addition, the work being done by Carnesecca Arena and Belson Stadium will solve any current or future plumbing issues.
The student body also has much to gain, as the townhouses and the Henley Road project will offer additional housing to students who want to live on campus or in St. John's off-campus apartments. The new UC will provide a place for students to hang out or to participate in clubs and Greek Life. And once all the work is done, the students will also be able to enjoy a campus without all the noise or the mess of the current construction work.
While the future of the University will certainly be improved by the construction, anyone who has been on campus this year has experienced plenty of reasons to view the work negatively. Commuter students, faculty, and staff members who drive to St. John's every day are faced with shrinking parking lots, gates being blocked off without warning, and piles of dirt that blow all over their cars.
Though growth and expansion are important elements of any university and construction has never really been a serious problem at St. John's in the past, it seems like the construction projects around campus have multiplied significantly over the last two semesters.
There probably isn't a single point on the Queens campus where a person could stand and not be within view of construction.
However, is this necessarily a bad thing?
Yes, the campus may not look as nice as it once did, and problems like parking have become worse than ever, all of the construction projects are just steps to make St. John's into a better university.
Before making any judgments about whether all the construction is really worth it, one must weigh the long term benefits against the short term problems that exist on campus.
In the long term, the University will have a better-looking campus, more housing, and more features, like the new UC to attract new students. In addition, the work being done by Carnesecca Arena and Belson Stadium will solve any current or future plumbing issues.
The student body also has much to gain, as the townhouses and the Henley Road project will offer additional housing to students who want to live on campus or in St. John's off-campus apartments. The new UC will provide a place for students to hang out or to participate in clubs and Greek Life. And once all the work is done, the students will also be able to enjoy a campus without all the noise or the mess of the current construction work.
While the future of the University will certainly be improved by the construction, anyone who has been on campus this year has experienced plenty of reasons to view the work negatively. Commuter students, faculty, and staff members who drive to St. John's every day are faced with shrinking parking lots, gates being blocked off without warning, and piles of dirt that blow all over their cars.
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