It seems the University started off the spring semester on a good note. Maui Tacos and Pizza Exchange are finally open, and, from the lines in front of both, it looks as though students are excited about the food. But what about changes that have yet to take place?

Doesn’t improving campus life include keeping students healthy and safe? With all the new signage, it seems that no one is ever going to get lost again. But that’s no help if you’re at the doctor’s office with a bacterial infection. Last semester, posters went up in many restrooms around campus advising everyone: “Washing your hands with soap and water is one of the best ways to prevent disease.” So if that’s true, why aren’t students provided soap in the bathrooms of the high-rise residence halls?

A student living in a double room pays approximately $3,450 and a single room costs approximately $4,500. For that amount of money, wouldn’t it make sense to at least put soap in the bathrooms? Sure, there is hand sanitizer in the bathrooms, but for hand sanitizer to be truly effective, one must scrub his hands with it for at least 30 seconds. Who spends 30 seconds rubbing their hands together?

There isn’t much more to be said on the topic, other than that soap would be a great and inexpensive addition to the restrooms. So, now we’ll move on to the amazing drainage system the University has. In this case, “amazing” translates to the creation of “lakes” and “rivers” throughout areas with high foot-traffic on the north and south sides of campus every time it rains. The University sure looks like it’s trying to improve its looks (a new graduate residence hall, a medical school, clear signage and maps), but when students have to walk through puddles up to their knees to get to class, it doesn’t look so good anymore. And it’s not as if these “puddles” can be avoided or stepped over. Many of them cover the width of the sidewalk and are longer than an average person’s stride.

To add to the mess, many students decide to drive to any building that can be reached by vehicle when it is pouring rain. Now, that’s not a bad idea, except when the drivers decide to drive full speed through puddles and splash pedestrians with large amounts of water.

Water isn’t going to melt anyone (hopefully), but sitting at a desk for 90 minutes with soaking-wet jeans isn’t very comfortable. Maybe heavy-duty rain boots should be added to the “what to bring to college” checklist for incoming freshmen from now on.