What a waste of valuable time and money.

The university is spending more than $200,000 on renovations to Butler Memorial Gymnasium, repairing both the outer structure and interior of the building.

But with painting, repairing windows, rebuilding stairs, water-proofing the roof and installing a new gym floor, the university is wasting money improving a building that probably won't see the university more than a few years into the new millennium.

Donald Zekan, vice president for business and finance, said the university wants to make the gym usable for the next five years, and would upgrade it as long as it will be in use.

According to a list of university priorities issued this summer, the school wants to demolish Butler by 2001 - a mere two years away. In its place, the university blans to build a $5 million Franciscan Center.

Zekan said Butler is unattractive in its present condition, and the university is trying to make it fit with the rest of campus.

Why waste money trying to resuscitating a terminally ill building when the university could breathe life into other weak areas?

Perhaps this money could better be used in adding a handicap accessible ramp to Friedsam Library or in making simple repairs to Plassmann Hall windows. Even repairs to screens in residence halls would be a more understandable expense than making repairs to a dying building.

As long as scaffolding surrounds a building that has been hovering on the edge of death for years now, the university is not making the best of its money.

It's like painting a car you're going to sell - it may look better, but it won't do you any good in the long run.

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