Editor, Daily Nexus:

Has the UCSB Campus Lagoon always been smelly? Yes, ever since the Campus Lawn has existed. Excess freshwater and fertilizer leach their way into the brackish conditions of the manmade lagoon. Why do the seniors have to go through their graduation ceremonies on this sacred lawn? Is it a right of passage for them, or is it a special promotion feature of our campus that screws over the student masses which get to enjoy smelly algae plumes created by excess fertilizer on a daily basis? The one word answer to a proper graduation is simple. Harder-Stadium.

The truth of the matter is that we do not have to shit in a pool of water and pretend that it smells good. The impact of seven storm-drains spewing out contents into the lagoon can also become altered: sweep parking lots before rainfall.

As a senior, I feel that 2 cents of the 40-plus Gs I paid to go to this lovely campus can be devoted to the “flush the toilet” project, if you will. I would love to see my friends and family at graduation time staring back at me from the bleachers of Harder Stadium. On second thought, I may not even have to devote my 2 cents to this cause.

A net is dragged through the entire lagoon to get rid of the putrid algae. We will not have to pay for this service if the algae does not exist. So get rid of the frickin’ Campus Lawn. Expand the ecologically safe and sane lagoon park that is slowly weeding out all non-native invasive plant species, replacing them with native vegetation that attracts endangered wildlife. I think we will all appreciate the natural restoration of the Campus Lawn. It would be happily completed by interns and volunteers who were involved with this type of restoration ecology at the lagoon park for the past quarter, and who cannot wait to rip up that stupid lawn. It looks like a swampland/vernal pool anyway, and the replica of the Old English 40-oz. bottle (artwork?) looks as lovely as ever. “Hey, everybody, check out our replica of a giant cesspool/toilet, complete with a flooded lawn and a 40-oz.” Ask the bums that study at the library what it all means. Advice: put in some of God’s artwork, expand Lagoon Park Ecology Restoration and flush the toilet before you leave! One more thing: recycle the 40, for the love of God!
RON SIMPSON