Students arriving back on campus this fall were greeted by a surprise—an incoherent 12-foot-tall sculpture blocking their path to Sandel.

ULM’s newest art installation, “Here We Go,” incorporates the future aspirations of students and faculty into the design. Unfortunately, the university did not consider student input when choosing the statue’s location.

Many students take issue with the sculpture’s location. ULM placed the statue in front of Sandel Hall, blocking the commonly used path between the library and the HUB. Students wanting to get food on a study break now must detour around the statue. The installation also blocks the straight path from the sidewalk to the accessible ramp, forcing wheelchair users to take a much longer path than necessary.

“The artist does have some nice works, but this piece is clunky and out of place as well as in an inconvenient location,” Junior biology major Alex Kurtz said.

Although the Percent for Art Program, not ULM, sponsored the piece, students ridiculed the perceived splurge. Many places on campus are in dire need of repair. With entire buildings out of AC during days with highs in the triple digits, repairing these dilapidated buildings should take precedence over decorating campus.

“Bry Hall and Stubbs Hall are both completely out of A/C. Bry Hall as a whole could use a renovation,” Junior Psychology major Callie Pickle said.

With students already irritated with the subpar facilities, ULM should have made a greater effort to explain where the funding came from.

Though the university did not have direct access to the funds, they did have a choice in the design and location of the art piece. Blocking the sidewalk with a giant head was a misstep.

The “ULM Campus Master Plan” for future changes acknowledges the dire need for repairs and updates on campus. To help appease students, ULM should be more outspoken about its intentions to address student’s concerns.

The statue is an unexpected, unwelcome addition to ULM’s campus. Each time I pass the statue, I wonder what is ULM’s priority—students or decorations?