While many students were shocked and confused when it was revealed that Texas Tech University invited MSU Texas to join its collegiate system, The Wichitan staff believed this should be a call for celebration.

The two concerns that students have been most vocal about are: Will this make college more expensive, and will this destroy the Mustang culture and identity? We don’t have to look any further than Division II rival, Angelo State University, for comfort.

Since joining the Tech system in 2007, Angelo has maintained lower tuition and fee rates than MSU by roughly half a thousand dollars ($8,720 compared to MSU’s $9,601). Just because we would be joining a more expensive school system doesn’t mean that our rates will dramatically increase. In fact, being under a larger system calls for rates to be smaller for the university.

As for tradition, joining Tech hasn’t affected Angelo in that way either. The Rams have kept its mascot, colors, name and age-old traditions just as Midwestern State has been guaranteed it would get to do as well.

Yes, we’ve been one of only four independent public universities in Texas since the 1900s, but it’s not the 20th century anymore and times have changed; it’s time for our university to change too.