2008 Woodie Awards
Building new dorms comes at cost of nature
Issue date: 3/18/05 Section: Rocket Letters
To the Editor:
SRU has recently built a waterfall, some stone spheres, and what is the newest addition to campus you ask? The depletion of a forest. Contrary to popular belief, building new dorms will not make this campus better when you tear down all the nature around them. Granted the dorms are not up yet, but right now the lower end of campus looks like the aftermath of a tornado. Part of the reason I came to Slippery Rock was because of the ambiance of campus. The nature on this campus was amazing and I really thought that it made SRU more attractive than other campuses I've seen. Now, since I've been here, there has been constant construction and the progress makes the campus less appealing.
Since they started the annihilation of the trees, a lot of people's spirits have seemed to go down. For one, the area looks terrible and why would anyone want to live near it? Next, how many trees do we need to kill in order to better this campus? Yes, we are building new dorms, but when we tear down those other dorms are we going to be left with empty space, or are we going to replace an entire forest that was older than most of us, if not all, on campus? I would think not.
Did they ever think what the students would say? Most of the students I have talked to think that the depletion of trees was a mistake. "Why do we need new dorms," is a comment I've heard quite frequently, especially since most of us will be gone by the time they are built. If students are this upset about the trees being cut down, then how do you think the campus will look to prospective students? As I said before, I really enjoyed the nature on this campus; I wouldn't tell anyone about that now. Granted the campus is still nice, but I don't like the fact they cut down all those trees. Before, walking to class was like a nature walk; chipmunks scuttling across the path, deer in the woods and birds all around. Now walking to class is like a walk of depression; tree branches dispersed across the ground, pathways muddy and wrecked and the smell of deadwood in the air. Not to mention the extreme increase in allergy symptoms. I have been miserable since I returned from spring break because of all the wood debris in the air, and I know others will agree. This is really not how I want to spend the rest of my semester.
I know the damage has been done and obviously nothing can change it now, so we will all just have to deal with it. But maybe next time they decide to tear down some trees, they will think about how much it will affect the atmosphere of campus. So much for nature. So much for beautifying the campus.
Caitlin Sadecky
Sophomore
Elementary Education and
Dance major
SRU has recently built a waterfall, some stone spheres, and what is the newest addition to campus you ask? The depletion of a forest. Contrary to popular belief, building new dorms will not make this campus better when you tear down all the nature around them. Granted the dorms are not up yet, but right now the lower end of campus looks like the aftermath of a tornado. Part of the reason I came to Slippery Rock was because of the ambiance of campus. The nature on this campus was amazing and I really thought that it made SRU more attractive than other campuses I've seen. Now, since I've been here, there has been constant construction and the progress makes the campus less appealing.
Since they started the annihilation of the trees, a lot of people's spirits have seemed to go down. For one, the area looks terrible and why would anyone want to live near it? Next, how many trees do we need to kill in order to better this campus? Yes, we are building new dorms, but when we tear down those other dorms are we going to be left with empty space, or are we going to replace an entire forest that was older than most of us, if not all, on campus? I would think not.
Did they ever think what the students would say? Most of the students I have talked to think that the depletion of trees was a mistake. "Why do we need new dorms," is a comment I've heard quite frequently, especially since most of us will be gone by the time they are built. If students are this upset about the trees being cut down, then how do you think the campus will look to prospective students? As I said before, I really enjoyed the nature on this campus; I wouldn't tell anyone about that now. Granted the campus is still nice, but I don't like the fact they cut down all those trees. Before, walking to class was like a nature walk; chipmunks scuttling across the path, deer in the woods and birds all around. Now walking to class is like a walk of depression; tree branches dispersed across the ground, pathways muddy and wrecked and the smell of deadwood in the air. Not to mention the extreme increase in allergy symptoms. I have been miserable since I returned from spring break because of all the wood debris in the air, and I know others will agree. This is really not how I want to spend the rest of my semester.
I know the damage has been done and obviously nothing can change it now, so we will all just have to deal with it. But maybe next time they decide to tear down some trees, they will think about how much it will affect the atmosphere of campus. So much for nature. So much for beautifying the campus.
Caitlin Sadecky
Sophomore
Elementary Education and
Dance major
