This week’s looming announcement of budget cuts as well as today’s news of Carman Hall remaining closed for the immediate future each have a direct effect on the college experience here, whether or not every student can see it.

Later this week, budget cuts will be announced ($7 million, as well as another million to be cut then re-invested in another area on campus), and it could be a major shock to people when they are finally announced.

Last semester, some far-out ideas were discussed, including cutting all sports or eliminating a degree program in its entirety.

 I highly doubt either of those will happen, but the fact those items were even discussed should highlight the seriousness of these happenings.

Every one of these changes should spur students to action—with recruitment down and a state government that has a poor history of paying its debts, all students need to realize the importance of recruitment.

As cliché as it is, “we are all EIU,” and we have a responsibility to maintain standards—in the classroom, on the athletic field, and throughout other areas of the student experience at Eastern.

Current students have no problem telling everyone when they do not like something at Eastern, as that is fine—if we don’t allow a flow of ideas, many more problems arise. 

However, how often do Eastern students go back to their hometowns and tell all of the current highschoolers about how great being a Panther is? 

Maybe you, as a student, tell everyone you know—and that is great!

However, if you complain about Eastern more than you praise it, it only proliferates the problem.

Granted, I might be a hypocrite in this aspects, and I’m learning the full repercussions of my negativity. 

I’m going to be more positive and tell others the positive sides of being a Panther—the people, the football games, the having an impromptu conversation with the President when at lunch—and try to avoid the negatives.

If even half of the students here were to recruit one person to apply and come to Eastern next year, we could solve the enrollment problem over night.

With an increase in enrollment, the student experience at Eastern can only improve. 

It would allow for more sections of courses, more fans cheering on our sporting events, and a greater chance for modernized infrastructure.

While I am proud to go to Eastern and I am proud of the current student body, we have the potential to be leaders throughout the world, but it would help if we could first have adequate facilities in which to learn.

Jack Cruikshank is a sophomore political science major. He can be reached at 581-2812 or jdcruikshank@eiu.edu.