Our Tier One university needs a lot more renovations

[Skipper]

The Editorial Board

On Feb. 2, UNT announced its celebratory ranking among 115 top-tier research universities in the U.S. – an echelon bestowed from the Carnegie Classification of Higher Education a day earlier. Now that it is considered “one of the ‘highest research’ institutions in the country,” according to the Denton-Record Chronicle, the university reached one of the goals that UNT President Neal Smatresk set last semester.

A sizable part of his State of the University address in September 2016 discussed reaching that level of acclaim, as UNT prides itself on awarding “a large number of doctoral degrees each year.” We are certainly pleased with some of the progress that our beloved Mean Green has made over the past few years, which include the 2015 renovations to the Union and a nearly $1 million partnership with one of the most valuable sports franchises in the world, the Dallas Cowboys.

However, it does strike us with wonderment as to how certain areas on campus have seen entirely new buildings, while others continue to age, wear, tear or simply appear to be uninspired.

Smatresk stated in an interview last summer that his administration has “moved mountains in regards to deep infrastructure, landscaping and physical changes to the [university] grounds.” He also said, “A lot of people don’t notice and take it for granted, but we’ve made the campus a lot prettier than it was.”

This may be the case, but why is it that Wooten Hall continues to resemble a set piece from “Lean on Me?” Why is it that the lineup from Kerr to Clark Hall touts flawed substratum, but their cousin Rawlins can boast about “neighborhood lounges and study rooms” on all of its floors? And if College Inn is fully “paid off,” why is that the foundation has been referred to as “‘iffy’ on the east side?” Especially when it was built over 50 years ago and continues to have expensive upkeep.

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[Quoner]

Dear Smat-Cat,

Please invest a ton of money into old dorms you probably have a long-term plan to replace because I only care about the years I am a student on campus. Also, because I mean business, I drew a weird guy with a potion made of farts that says UNT on it to go with this request.

Sincerely,

The Student Paper

[Matt from A700]

The dorm hall currently under construction is going to look real out of place being so close to that dumpster called Kerr.

[meangreendork]

No lie, Kerr and College Inn really need help. They needed help when I was a student. And that was in the early 2000s.