In response to "UMD renovation funds could be better spent on academics" (Dec. 2), I also question the wisdom of the University of Maryland spending $155 million on a new indoor athletic facility. The board of directors prides itself on a holistic university that represents more than just wins on the athletic field, but this proposal suggests otherwise.
Yes, the University of Maryland would be the only school in its new conference, the Big 10, to not have an indoor football practice facility. But that shouldn't matter when there are more important academic needs.
Not only are the academic buildings that house state-of-the-art technology in desperate need of renovations, but UM has already cut seven athletic programs to create a bigger budget for the most important team sports.
As an athlete who grew up playing baseball tournaments on Shipley Field and walking the grounds of the athletic complexes, I do not see the point in spending $155 million on something that isn't 100 percent necessary.
Yes, it looks good for a university that is trying to recruit elite athletes. But academic buildings that match the 62nd ranked school in the country, according to U.S. News, would look even better for the university.
We should not let the board of directors approve this proposal. Instead, let's make them refocus their attention to what's really important, and that's academics.
Zack Astran