A work of art

Whether they're studying along the Jordan River, enjoying a picnic at Dunn Meadow, laying on a blanket near the Arboretum pond or admiring the colorful flower beds as they drive by, thousands of people enjoy IU's beautiful campus.\nThe campus was recognized as one of the five most beautiful campuses nationwide in Thomas A. Gaines' "The Campus as a Work of Art."\nFor many students, the picturesque campus is the selling point of IU. Chancellor Kenneth Gros Louis said he has heard from the admissions office that two out of three students who visit the campus later decide to attend.\n"I've seen all the Big Ten campuses. This is by far the most beautiful," Gros Louis said.\nPreserving the Beauty\nThe campus is the result of years of vision, preservation and pride. It's also the result of continued improvement and day-to-day maintenance.\nThat responsibility falls to a staff of 45 employees and five supervisors. The campus division of the Department of the Physical Plant is responsible for grounds maintenance, nursery operation and outdoor construction. They maintain flower beds and mow and trim grass all over campus. Installation of landscape materials for construction projects and operation of the campus nursery also fall under their duties. They are also responsible for seasonal chores, such as leaf and snow removal and cleaning up fallen limbs or trees. \nTo make the size of the campus more manageable, the campus is divided into five sections, each of which is assigned a crew, which becomes basically self-sufficient.\nBut it is not an easy job. \n"Look at it as a city of 40,000 people," David Hurst, manager of the campus division, said. "We're trying to take care of that 2,000 acre city, just like any other town of that size … fortunately, mine's only the outdoor part."\nThe very mission of the campus division is also one of the greatest perks of their job. \n"We can see what we do," Hurst said. "That's probably what my employees like the most."\nHurst said he even keeps a file of thank you letters from people who comment on the picturesque campus. \nThe Student Environmental Action Coalition, a group dedicated to environmental issues both national and local, also supports the mission of keeping the campus beautiful. \n"The campus gives us a constant reminder of the natural environment around us, that we might forget about as we walk from class to class," said junior Ryan Amtmann, SEAC recycling coordinator.\n"The beauty of it is that it reminds us of what we're trying to protect. To us, it's what we work for."\nNot just landscaping\nIn addition to day-to-day maintenance and seasonal chores, the campus division takes on some outdoor construction projects. They built Jacob's Plaza near the School of Music. They also participated in the construction of the Arboretum next to the Main Library, on the site of what used to be the old football stadium. They also preserve Dunn Woods by only intervening with it when fallen trees block paths or threaten buildings. \nThese days, they're working on two major projects. They are renovating the grounds on the west side of the Indiana Memorial Union by installing brick paths around the hill and meadow. A memorial is also being created for the late University Chancellor, Herman B Wells between Maxwell and Wylie halls in the old academic quad, southwest of the IMU.\nWhen dedicated at this year's Homecoming, Herman B Wells Plaza will be a tribute to the University figure, who was a great leader in shaping IU's history and supporting the preservation and expansion of the campus' natural beauty.\nWells, in a 1962 address to alumni, explained why preservation was important. \n"I hope our alumni will always insist upon retention of our precious islands of green and serenity ' our most important physical asset, transcending even classrooms, libraries and laboratories in their ability to inspire students to dream long dreams of future usefulness and achievement ' dreams that are an important part of undergraduate college experience," he said.\nPlanting Cycle\nEvery year, 60,000 annual plants are grown in the University's greenhouses. More than 300 flower beds are maintained and changed twice a year. \nLater this month, the flowers will be changed for the last time before winter. Annual flowers will be removed and replaced by mums, which have been growing in the nursery since May. The mums will remain until after the first frost-weather permitting until after Homecoming-then taken out.\nAround Thanksgiving, tulip bulbs will be planted. The bulbs will be genetically set to appear at varying times, so they remain until graduation (the first weekend in May). Young annual flowers will be planted around the stadium the week of commencement. It will take three or four weeks to plant the rest of the campus with next year's new annuals.\nWhen the new annuals are planted, the soil is tilled, so the tulip bulbs can be reused. The free tulip bulbs have become quite popular with staff members and the community. \n"Many people will bring a bucket to work and pick up tulip bulbs," Hurst said. \nThe campus division gets calls every spring from people who want to know when the flower beds will be tilled.\nBut the campus division grows more than flowers; they plant hundreds of trees every year, many of them dedicated in memory of someone. \n"We actually plant more trees than we take down," Hurst said.\nWhile the division takes great pride in their work, it also comes with great responsibility. \n"People who know how pretty the University usually is, call us when they see otherwise," Hurst said.\nBut workers at the campus division find they are often their own worst critics. \n"Every weekend, when I'm not on the clock, I try to drive through part of campus, and appreciate it for what it is ' a beautiful college campus ' and not be so critical of what still needs to be done," Hurst said.