Graduation looms ahead; A few things to say to IU

Four years ago, I came to IU, a wide-eyed freshman, ready for the world. A week from Saturday, I'll graduate (God willing) with a degree from a Big Ten University, a suffering liver and no job. But who am I to worry? I hear living on your parents' couch when you're 30 is a great way to get a girl, so I should be set. Who knows what's to come in the real world?\nBefore I leave the Bloomington area, there are some things I'd like to say to some people before I go. And since I have the power of the written word, I can say these things, so deal with it. Whether or not people read them is another thing, but here's hoping they do. So without further ado, here I go:\nIU President Myles Brand\nPresident Brand, how ya doin? Interesting tenure you've had during my couple of years. Managed to make a fool of yourself and the University in your attempts to rid the Assembly Hall sidelines of a certain coach with a red sweater. I'm not gonna say Bob Knight shouldn't have been fired. I think his leaving was the best thing for both IU and him as evidenced by his new love of coaching and IU's success with Mike Davis. My problem was that you handled the situation very poorly. If you have to fire someone again, try to just fire them instead of coming up with some lame experiment like 'zero tolerance.'\nOne more thing. While I may not agree with your 'Academics First' program, I'm gonna take a wild guess that going to Atlanta on a Monday night (generally a SCHOOL night) to watch a BASKETBALL game will not generate much support for your program.\nState Government and the Administration\nSo, the administration decided to raise tuition for next year by 9 percent. This comes after raising tuition 7.5 percent for this school year. It now officially costs an arm and a leg to attend IU for four years, as well as your first born child.\nI know the large tuition raise is due in part to the state government giving state universities less money for next year. So here's a thought. State legislature, do what you have to in order to give more money to the state universities. If tuition keeps getting raised, the universities are going to have fewer and fewer students from out of state, and soon enough in-state students won't even be able to go to IU. And administration, instead of constantly building new buildings and making new schools, take a break and focus on keeping money around so such an emergency as this year doesn't directly affect the students. I know its probably more complicated than I am aware, but as I said, soon enough no student will be able to afford IU, and all these buildings won't even be filled. So work together. I'd hate to come back to IU and see only five thousand students walking the campus.\nFuture residents of the house at \n511 N. Grant St.\nI don't know who is living here next year, but I have spent the past two years of my college life here with my roommates. Jared, Chris, Josh, Todd, Wes and I have created quite a good tradition and reputation for that house, something you must maintain. Ask anyone who knows; the 511 was the place to be for the past two years. \nYou all have been fairly warned. Though I'm out of here, I will be watching you. Keep IU as the place I love, not some place I can't recognize.