Last spring, Athletics Director Thomas Boeh went before Student Senate asking the student representative body if athletics teams could practice in the students' recreational mecca, the Ping Center. Boeh said the athletics department would abide by whatever the senate legislated.

True, the senate unanimously passed a resolution that said although athletes are students too, organized practices should not be allowed in the Ping Center because they would cut into the recreation privileges of students, who pay $65 a quarter to finance it.

Because of a unique set of circumstances - the Honors Convocation and George Carlin's performance being held while Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium is closed for renovations - the volleyball team is practicing and will hold two games in the Ping Center this weekend.

This is not an isolated incident. When Rusted Root performs in The Convo on Oct. 28, women's volleyball and both basketball teams once again will be practicing in the Ping Center.

In the winter, if teams find themselves in the cold, literally, it is likely they will want to practice in the Ping Center once again.

These "one-time" practices will give the athletics department leverage to argue for space again and again.

Officials have known for a year and a half that Mem Aud will be closed for repairs and Grover Center is inadequate for large functions. Honors Convocation, concerts and comedians, although the exact dates are not known more than a few months in advance, happen every year.

Someone must have known this would happen, but no one spoke up.

Once athletics teams are allowed to practice, will any space-starved department-sponsored organization, such as the orchestra, be petitioning for space? It's a slippery slope, but somebody has to dig their running shoes into the treadmill and stand tall.

We don't know who should be taking responsibility for going against senate's decision.

We're not blaming Boeh, Ping Center administration or the sports teams. And we're not saying the teams should go without practice space or students should go without concerts and entertainment.

We just want an answer why everyone seems to have dismissed senate's decision - including senate. And we want an answer to how this situation will be handled in the future.

The administration caused this difficult situation in the first place by poor planning and a lack of communication.

But the worst part is nobody still will take responsibility, nobody will communicate with each other, and nobody will decide or say what the long-term solution will be.

Student Senate has said they will deal with any student complaints when they arise. Well, consider this to be the first complaint, and after reading this, we hope students will start issuing many more.

Not reinforcing your previous decision could have already weakened your influence with the administration. Not acting now could only make it worse.

All we really want to know is what is going to happen the next time and why everyone seems to have discarded the senate's decision.

Student Senate and OU administration, we are waiting for some answers.