'We just have to do better': Gov. John Bel Edwards notes neglect as he, lawmakers tour LSU library [View all]
Gov. John Bel Edwards joined a group of state legislators on Thursday to tour LSU's Middleton Library, long seen as a symbol of just how bad conditions have gotten on college campuses after years of neglect in the state's construction spending.
"It's not just about optics, but the optics are pretty bad," Edwards said after the tour. "This is what you get from years of neglect."
What they get: A basement that floods so regularly a vacuum is kept on hand for when it rains, floors that are patched and pocked, ripped up and stained aging furniture in common areas, and bubbled and cracked wallpaper-covered rooms that are awash in yellow from the buzzing fluorescent lights.
"We just have to do better," Edwards said. "This is our flagship ... It's unfortunate that we've gotten to this point of peril."
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