Supply, Demand, and Thompson Library

Large, square tables are a precious commodity at OSU's Thompson Library. They're typically the most desirable perches in the building, and, consequently, suffer from chronic unavailability. Such is the case today.

But wait, you may ask, aren't those tables cheaper than all of the others? Why not remove the small leather seats that no one likes (and at which I am currently, uncomfortably hunched), and replace them with the more sought-after traditional fare?

Aesthetics. These stylish but otherwise loathsome chairs with which Thompson is currently overstaurated give the library a sharp, modern look.

Universities prosper and profit by soliciting donations, luring in prestigious faculty, and, most importantly, recruiting better students. A great-looking library helps in all three of these regards, wowing tour-goers and parents alike. Unfortunately, this comes at the expense of current students trying to find a comfortable spot to study. It is an excellent example of the perverse incentives facing the modern university, whereby current students are often shafted in favor of their heirs.

Ideally, student government would take up the issue, but that throng of morons is too preoccupied with a non-existent increase in crime.