Everyone reading this has a big problem. It doesn’t matter if you are a student, faculty, staff or have no connection with NIU.

The problem is a lot of money was spent and is being spent for your enjoyment and benefit. But you don’t get to enjoy it because there are big problems.

The Student Association has an art collection. The Campus Activities Board operates it. The two of them don’t like each other. Student fees pay for the collection.

There are more than 250 pieces of art in this art collection. Pieces like paintings, films and sculptures. But you don’t get to see most of them because there are big problems.

Problems like poor record keeping. Problems like poor handling. Problems like poor security. It is absolutely disgusting that there is so much confusion with this little art collection that is worth a hefty chunk of change.

But no one is sure how much the collection is worth because of the poor records. And no one is sure who should take the responsibilty for the bumblings and mishaps that tripped over the collection this year.

Everyone is too busy pointing fingers and giving orders to get off their lazy duffs and solve the problem once and for all. Everyone is to blame for this entire joke. From the lowly, in-over-their-heads students to the lofty ivory-towered administration.

A CAB employee who works with the collection said it was an accident waiting to happen. And now that everyone is mad at each other and acting like a bunch of third-graders by tattle-taling on the other one, the accident did happen.

A big-time accident. One of the pieces is gone—taken during spring break. Before that, keeping unauthorized people out of the storage room was difficult.

There will be problems with any large organization dealing with many people and a lot of money. But it must be realized that problems are magnified because there are students at the helms.

This should not be a shock to anyone because it happens to all campus organizations, this one included. However, much blame should go to the administration. On the one hand, they should be congratulated for giving the students the chance to learn and grow. But as they grow, everyone’s pockets get leaner.

The administration should have stepped in a long time ago to help solve the problem. There is too much money at stake and too many problems that could happen if the gray matter surrounding the collection is not cleared up.

If NIU is going to have an SA art collection, then it is reasonable to expect that it will be taken care of in a proper way. Mistakes are inevitable and, too a certain extent, understandable. However, letting the situation tumble out of control, no matter what attempts were made to solve it, is inexcusable.

The SA Art Collection needs some strong, courageous people to make some hard decisions in order for students to get the collection back on its feet.

opefully, someone will do it before it is too late.