Blocked walkways, caution tape, boarded hallways, fences and loud engines are the results of the constant construction around VSU which, since the beginning of the fall semester, every student has seen and experienced.

West Hall, Sustella and Oak Parking Decks, and Odum Library are all visibly under construction; however, this doesn’t scratch the surface of the future development planned at VSU.

Ashley Cinemas, Langdale Residence Hall and even Converse Residence Hall—though tentative—are slated for some type of reconstruction in the coming years. So, this begs the question: Is VSU focusing on its future students at the expense of current students?

We at The Spectator say yes.

VSU’s future is important—it’s very important—but at the moment it appears that the school will lose more students than it can gain, further damaging the ever so important retention rate.

Notice the “further damaging” statement? Well, VSU’s retention rate—the rate of which it keeps students enrolled for four or more years—has been trending downward for the past few years.

To fix this (and this part is great) VSU focused on the woes of its students and got to work on finding solutions to those issues. Here’s where they messed up: What do students get now?

So far, they’ve gotten their mobility and accessibility on campus hindered, and the campus’ beauty quelled (one of VSU’s greatest qualities). Honestly, VSU students have very few good things to say about their school when they return home.

The “free” Wild Adventures passes seemed like a quick fix, but what’s the point if all VSU students don’t have access to the “free” option—the good option.

So here’s the solution: A student appreciation day.

We at The Spectator understand that construction needs to be done for the betterment of the future VSU, but its current students need something to satisfy their dissatisfaction.

The student appreciation day could be half and half de-stress fest and appreciation fest. Students could get a day without parking tickets, a concert or comedy show, an inflatable obstacle course and boxing ring, a faculty dunk tank, and have faculty and give out thank you cards with coupon books inside to all students.

President Carvajal could even give speech on how much he appreciates us.

This is all we ask, so we hope you listen.

This editorial was written by a member of the editorial staff and expresses the general opinion of The Spectator.