Pro Argument
By AJ Gunning
Even though it appears that Donald Trump recently pimped out the roofs at our school, there are actually a couple significant benefits that come with having copper roofs.
They last much longer than standard roofs, and do not need to be repaired as often. They also add to the beautification of campus in at least some small way that might attract more students.
Sure, it might initially seem like the school is splurging a bit, but consider what would happen if everyone always bought the cheapest product instead of the best possible product. The road would probably be full of high speeding Toyotas or Hyundais.
Furthermore, if DU decided to use cheaper roofing, we might have to deal with leaky roofs and more construction on campus in another couple of years.
When you want to fix something, you want to make sure it’s done right and not just in the least expensive manner possible. Moreover, fixing problems correctly will hopefully save you, the students, money in the future.
DU is also a beautiful campus and although students cannot see most of the roofs from ground level, many of the roofs are viewable from a distance or out of dorm room windows.
Additionally, copper roofs will give the campus an added edge especially when trying to draw in new suitors and students.
Whether we like to admit it or not the way to draw in students is to provide the best possible image of campus.
It’s similar to choosing between two car dealerships and one is showing a nice used trailer and the other a spiffy new sports car out front.
Most people would choose the sports car auto dealership even if they didn’t want to buy a sports car. It’s all about image and DU needs a new face-lift about as bad as Donald Trump needs one.
So, don’t allow a little splurging by DU to ruin all your fun, believe me, there are plenty of other horrible, less efficient ways the school could waste money than adding copper roofs.
Con Argument
By Dylan Proietti
As I walked back from class the other day and found copper slowly appearing on the roof of Driscoll, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. It had taken months, but finally another building on campus would carry the prestige of a copper roof.
Naturally, the allure of copper and, yes, even gold rooftops, was a big draw for me to attend the University of Denver. I scoffed at my friends who had chosen to attend colleges with little to, horrifyingly, no precious metal gracing the rooftops of the buildings they were to be under for the next four years of their lives.
The sheer opulence I feel walking to class, basking in the reddish glow of the copper rooftops more than makes up for any amount of asbestos, removal of university e-mail accounts, community bathrooms, uncontrollable dorm room temperatures or sub-par food that I have ever had to deal with.
Even with the price of copper rising to its highest in the last five years, I can find solace in the fact that our school is beginning to accumulate more bling on rooftops than Kanye West has in his mouth.
While I admire the administration’s moxie, I question the dedication our school has to the beautification of campus. Personally, I would prefer to see buildings more akin to the castle from “The Little Mermaid” or something that guy from the Direct TV commercials would live in.
After all, with recent tuition increases it seems downright irresponsible for DU not to, both metaphorically and physically, “go for gold.” Though the administration has clearly heard the students’ pleas for fancier, shiner and overall more lavish rooftops, clearly there is room for additional sumptuousness.
Therefore I implore students to ignore any nagging wishes you may have regarding food improvement, asbestos removal or simply some air conditioning in the hotter months. Push these desires down and make room for more pressing ones, gleaming metallic ones – preferably of the precious persuasion. Let us, students, faculty and administration alike, unite as one and make this campus the envy of all, even the likes of Fort Knox.
