Ballantine Hall, erected in 1959, anchors the heart of the Indiana University Bloomington campus. In 1961, two alumni donated a six-foot revolving geophysical globe that resides on the ground floor of the building. (It spins continually, although one can "Press Button to Hesitate Revolution," as the sign next to it notes.) With its charming relief maps and Cold War-era markers, it is the single most delightful thing in the otherwise drab "Soviet style" building. The giant blue/green/brown globe is an IU icon, landmark, and attraction. Every time I bring my children to the office or out of town visitors to campus, we make sure to stop at enjoy the globe. Everyone adores it.

I've just heard from multiple sources that the globe is now destined to be removed from Ballantine Hall and installed in the building of the new School of Global and International Studies across campus. As an Indiana University alumna (BA/BS) and now a faculty member, I am heartbroken. Ballantine Hall is unimaginable with out its historic and colorful presence. I hope that President McRobbie and the IU Bloomington administration will reconsider this decision and allow the beloved globe to remain in its longtime, rightful home.