Cal State Bakersfield is wrapping up the basketball season, its first go-around with an all-Division I schedule.

CSUB has proven it is competitive with most Big West Conference teams. That is illustrated by two wins over Long Beach State (granted, having an off-year), a win over UC Riverside, another struggling team, and close losses to UC Davis and Cal Poly. Losses to the top teams in the Big West (Cal State Northridge, Cal State Fullerton) have been more lopsided. But all-in-all, not a bad performance for Year 1 of Division I play.

But CSUB needs to address some areas off the court and playing field if it wants a true Division I atmosphere.

Take pep bands. The road games I've been to this season have featured pep bands by everyone. That adds to the atmosphere and generates excitement. At CSUB, no band. In fact, word has it that CSUB is unable to generate any help from the university's music department. Instead of gladly showing school spirit, it's a "pay us" mentality. Tacky.

CSUB's facilities are OK, not great. The only area woefully lacking is an athletic weight room. The weight room is so bad at CSUB that when recruits are on campus, coaches hesitate to show it. Can't blame them. The weight room is sub-standard for high school programs, let alone a program that wants to be call big-time Division I.

The student rec center is under construction and will have a weight facility, but that was advertised to be available to the general student body. That's one of the factors that got the student referendum passed a few years back that generated money for the Division I move and the rec center: It was understood that the rec center would not be hijacked by athletics.

If students wanting to use the new weight room can't because of athletic teams' use, it will only create bad blood between the student body and athletics. CSUB doesn't need that.

A separate weight room strictly for us by athletics is imperative. And I'm talking about a good, high quality weight room, not the junior high-like facility that's hidden in the bowels of the old gymnasium.

I know times are tough. We're in a recession, even though our president refuses to acknowledge it. Fundraising for a weight facility will be tougher in tough times. But it has to be a priority.

And get a pep band, with students. Don't rely on visiting high school bands. Have some pride. Sell it to the music department. And if the music department head balks, go over his head, all the way to the university president if need be. If Horace Mitchell has to exert his influence to get it done, so be it.