If you find yourself muttering under your breath as you drive through the detours, late for an important appointment only because of all the construction going on around campus, know that you’re not alone. They’re eye sores, that yellow caution tape, those makeshift fences, massive mounds of dirt, and bare, concrete foundations. Just when it seemed it was impossible that more concrete could be added to the campus of Northern Kentucky University, it was.

And what a wonderful place it is to be; as the students of NKU stand, a student body performing one of the most educationally altruistic acts possible.

By patronizing NKU through the headaches of expansion and construction, whether students know it or not, students are contributing something much larger than themselves. It is the sacrifice of us as students, to the scenery and conveniences of our environment in the name of improvement.

NKU will always possess a large urban population pool to draw students from. If NKU is to grow and level the financial playing fields with the state’s top grossing institutions, expansion designed to accommodate more students and faculty are necessary evils of keeping up what is equivalent to academic arms races across the nation.

Instead of looking at a necessary expansion with negativity, students should feel grateful that NKU’s choices have shown a commitment to building a sustainable academic institution, always striving to better itself.

Though the construction-riddled campus may not be anyone’s idea of scenery, the dollars that could be added to future degrees do a nice job of helping to keep a positive outlook on expansion, and the idea of NKU becoming increasingly prominent should be enough to keep students content.

For more details, visit http://access.nku.edu/campusplan/Masterplan.htm, just to see how the university’s plan for sustainable growth and development is taking place.

Here are just a few of their highlights since 1998, when a blueprint for growth and development was laid out by university trustees:

The total number of degrees awarded by NKU has increased more than 37 percent (the largest increase of any Kentucky university).

Enrollment has increased by more than 2,000 students (the second largest jump of any Kentucky university).

Need-based financial aide has doubled from $500,000 to $1,000,000, honors program enrollment has increased by nearly 300 percent.

The 2006 entering class’ average ACT scores is the highest level in NKU history.

Student organization membership has grown by nearly 90 percent.

Endowment assets have risen by over 130 percent.

With a new student-oriented facility and on-campus arena being constructed, NKU’s growth should continue to soar, even if it means we’ve had to sacrifice some of our scenery and conveniences in the process.