As an employee of Missouri Southern, we suffer greatly from the budget crisis that has afflicted the College as of late. Due to the budget, we are not able to get the materials or equipment needed to fulfill our job duties properly or efficiently.

There are also projects around campus that cannot be started or completed because of the lack of funds. Therefore, with these problems occurring, I cannot understand the justification of projects such as the crosswalk light construction, for example, that has in itself taken nearly $400,000 out of the budget for the College.

I have been given a couple of reasons for the need of the lights between the residence halls and the main campus. Neither of the reasons, in my opinion, are worth the money spent due to alternatives that are available.

First, the issue of safety was a big factor for the project. I don’t know the exact number, but in the past, a few students have been hit by vehicles traveling on Newman Road, not to mention the near misses that have occurred.

To my knowledge, that’s what the tunnel was built for. It crosses underneath Newman Road so that students don’t have to contend with traffic on Newman at all. Safety issue solved.

Now to my favorite reason. “The tunnel takes me out of my way and costs me time.” Well, let’s see. Oh yeah! That’s about one minute, to be exact.

That’s right! I timed it. It’s about one minute longer to walk by way of the tunnel to the main campus from the residence halls. And that’s to Webster Hall, which, by the way, is the most out of the way building coming out of the tunnel.

It is appalling to me that the laziness of today’s youth can determine the justification of a project–remember $400,000. I’m sure many others would agree, the money could have been better spent.

Michael AlejandroPhysical Plant employee