In her column, "Extravagant spending hurts PSU budget" (March 8), Caitlin O'Malley states "We're a university. Students come here to learn from faculty experts. Pennsylvanians rely on us as research leaders." It appears O'Malley doesn't understand that building projects, some on the extravagant side and relevant to extracurricular activities, are a necessary evil to academia. Can faculty experts teach students in a modern world in old and outdated buildings like Willard and Sparks? Can students feel happy and comfortable in a school environment surrounded by a gray and cold Pennsylvania winter? And did the $45 million spent on the Creamery include modern-day science labs, used for more than making Peachy Paterno? For Penn State to stay relevant in the 21st Century, Penn State must be willing to build and create new facilities to bring the best and brightest to our campus. I have a hard time seeing top academics wanting to teach and perform research at Penn State because of the facilities inside the Williard Building.