Over the past two years, NIU has boomed in terms of new buildings and other additions.

New bridges, business and recreation buildings, and extravagant Web sites all improve the total look and appeal of the campus, but none truly are needed.

But, which is the worst? That which is deemed the biggest waste of money? Sure, one could go purely on price alone, but then nothing would beat the Convocation Center chiming in at a sturdy $35.8 million.

No, the criteria must be more of a statement of character and usage. In that case, which item on campus was the absolute worst decision? What could’ve been the easiest to live without?

Let’s break it down:

The new bridges by Cole Hall are beautiful, and before the guard rails were in place, they looked like they came straight out of “The Lord of the Rings.” Are they useful, though? Yes, they have managed to provide easy and unrestrained passage to all students who dare traverse them. At $1 million apiece, they’re a bit pricey, but they do aid in creating a more aesthetically pleasing feel to the campus.

Then there’s Barsema Hall, the beautiful, $24 million facility built for business majors. I’ll be the first to say I’m jealous. The first sight upon entrance is two plasma TVs displaying current events and news. Also, the food court rivals most found at O’Hare International Airport.

The new alumni/visitors’ building clocking in at something like $9 million is understandable, seeing as all the old graduates are coming back to watch the football team conquer. Better facilities as well as a winning football team certainly would create more draw for NIU alumni.

In the new millennium, digital property can go for quite a bit. Some will go for more than others, though, as Amazon.com makes millions in revenue and is highly regarded as one of the most successful Web sites in history.

The Student Association Web site comes in as NIU’s No. 1 worst new “improvement.” The Web site, www.sa.niu.edu, doesn’t make millions in revenue, nor does it do much for the overall appeal of the school. Some may argue it hurts it instead. The SA recently spent $5,400 to revamp the current site. If you haven’t seen it, I highly suggest checking it out; it’s good for a laugh.

The worst part of this expenditure is that it came straight out of student fees, because most of the other items on this list were payed for with grants and other funds. In contrast, the Web site is paid for by the students.

When I asked SA President Shaun Crisler to comment about the Web site, he said he couldn’t without his public relations person present.