There is something to be said for having good timing. Even the funniest jokes can be rendered useless if the punchline is not delivered at the right moment.

And that is exactly what is starting to happen on Eastern’s campus now. The administration is attempting to tell us a joke, but, sadly, the punchline is way off.

The result: nobody gets it.

Beginning next week, the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union will join the long list of campus buildings to be temporarily closed for repairs.

The reason for this inconvenience is the construction on the long-awaited food court. Had this construction begun years ago when it was originally slated to, it probably would have gone relatively unnoticed.

But as we have found out, nothing seems to go as planned when it comes to campus construction projects. Just ask the baseball team, which was expecting to move into a new stadium at the start of this baseball season, but is still staring at the old Monier Field, waiting for some renovations.

So now, instead of being heralded for bringing a food court to campus, the university will be ridiculed for starting yet another construction project on campus.

The last thing this place needs is another area fenced off. It really adds to the war zone atmosphere of the campus. The fences were just recently lifted between Klehm and Lumpkin halls, allowing students to finally pass through without taking detours.

And now more fences will be erected and yet another campus building will be partially closed. Only this time, it is the Union – the campus’ central building.

It really is too bad when you think about it. The food court is a great project and a much-needed campus improvement. But the timing is off.

If this had happened two years ago, students may have been able to deal with the inconvenience. They are able to deal with it now, but they probably would have been more willing to deal with it before all the other inconveniences were introduced. I know I would have been.

Lately it seems like it has just been one thing after another. First, the Booth Library renovation project was started. This was the biggie. Two long years without a library. Sure, it’s a long time, but it’s all in the name of progress, right?

And then came the steamtunnel project. Also a minor inconvenience because it closed off a main passageway through campus between Klehm and Lumpkin.

And along with the pair of projects came little blue paws painted on the sidewalk to lead students around the massive construction projects. Yes, they are corny, but oh well.

Now this. After all we’ve gone without in the past year, we are being asked for patience to get through just one more inconvenience. I’m sure a lot of people could care less, but you have an expectation when you step on campus that you won’t have to step around fences or construction areas – at least not for two full semesters.

Now the question is, what’s next? How many more inconveniences must we endure? And you know about the time all of the current construction projects are completed, the next round will begin. It’s a vicious cycle.

And the joke is on us, the students. Only thanks to the delayed punchline, it isn’t that funny. Credit the administration for trying. Some administrators worked hard to get us to go along with the joke, but it didn’t fly.

And of course, the result is fences around the west side of the Union until October. But then again, I guess it just wouldn’t feel right if there wasn’t construction going on somewhere.