Why does the fountain between Cole Hall, Visitor’s Parking and Neptune Hall smell like burned cilantro?

Because it is broken. And clogged. And overgrown with enough weeds to lose a golf ball in.

Why has the fountain smelled like burned cilantro for days, weeks, months? Because the fountain has been broken for that long.

In an April 28 Northern Star article, Mike Saari, associate director of NIU’s Physical Plant, said the fountain had maintenance issues when it was installed in 2003.

Is he serious? People knew the landmark had potential to breakdown quickly, yet it was still ignored? The university might as well have rigged a giant, Las Vegas-like, arrow above the bridge flashing “Waste of Money.”

In the same article, Saari stated the fountain would be fixed by early July. But it’s September and still broken.

Quite frankly, it’s gross and embarrassing. The idea of a stream running through the heart of campus is aesthetically pleasing, but allowing a marsh to grow – complete with a family of raccoons in the sewer drain and rats that seemingly sunbathe on the dry rock-bed – is disgusting.

It’s so bad, the fountain’s original intention has been lost. One student told the Star this summer she didn’t even know it was a fountain – she thought it was a swamp.

That’s right, a swamp. Excuse us to think swamps shouldn’t be the fallout of an $8.2 million lagoon renovation.

Soon it will be winter and the stream/fountain/marsh/swamp/whatever will freeze over. And by the time it thaws in the spring, it will be a complete year since students were promised a working fixture.

But then again, there are plenty of people who like the smell of cilantro.

Agree? Disagree? Contact us at

www.northernstar.info.