Summertime scholastics at Drexel are shaping up to be more frustrating than normal. We’re not talking about the usual jealously we feel as our non-quarter system friends hit the beach or the sweltering heat that almost makes wearing a suit to co-op a violation of the Geneva convention.
No, this summer students are being forced to navigate an ever-changing labyrinth of construction sites, maintenance shut downs and building equipment. As Drexel students, we have become more than accustomed to caution tape and heavy machinery as our campus seemingly reinvents itself each week as new building projects are unveiled.
We understand that these new buildings and constant campus upgrades are investments in our future and necessary improvements on a campus that is usually lauded as one of the uglier ones. In fact, we genuinely appreciate the hard work taking place to establish Drexel as a competitive institution. However, we also ask that the administration remember there are students still attending sessions while these renovations are occurring.
The most recent casualty of the ongoing campus construction is the temporary shut down of the quad fountain. Students may have noticed that running through the fountain on a hot summer night isn’t an option this year, because the fountain has been temporarily shut down as a side effect of the Matheson demolition. According to University Facilities, Matheson’s water supply was also directed to the fountain; until construction on the new LeBow School of Business building is complete, the fountain will not be running. As of now, it’s in the building’s plans to bring water and life back to the quad.
Truthfully, the loss of the fountain isn’t detrimental in the grand scheme of things. But the fountain was looked at as a primary source of beauty on an otherwise construction-heavy campus. It’s a little more than disappointing that students weren’t even notified of the fountain’s temporary shutdown, especially since for many of us, it’s our favorite campus landmark. (And that’s coming from a university full of apathetic students.) In the hot summer months, with a full class load and a revolving door of incoming freshmen at various new student orientations, the fountain was a small joy that kept us from becoming cranky. Sure, it seems inconsequential, but so much about campus these days is focused on Drexel’s future — leaving current students feeling like an afterthought on their own territory. All we ask is that Drexel keep our satisfaction in mind, so we can look back on our years and remember more than just orange cones.