The University is divided by discipline, and this proves to be convenient for many students who enjoy having their classes in proximity with one another instead of having to scramble from one side of campus to the other. This convenience falls short in the utilization an institution with diverse disciplines, especially between the arts and other studies.
Art students rarely are on the East Bank, where many studies are harbored and the campus student union is located. Brilliant artwork by talented art students is perhaps buried somewhere in their rooms when the campus community could be more involved in appreciating it. There are some public spaces in the Rarig Center, but the space does not suffice for students. The Nash Gallery in the Regis Center is for professionals, Master of Fine Arts students, and faculty ” not for students.
There is a need for a venue for art students to display their work for their own experience as well as for the enjoyment of the campus community at large. A simple white room or “a box,” as art students refer to it, would provide a positive alternative to the “professional” galleries that dominate campus. This center could foster an environment for peer critique ” a responsive system that art students can benefit from. Such a center would give encouragement to our friends in the art department, as it can be frustrating to invest time and energy into projects only to have professors view and grade the piece. A student-art establishment for undergraduate students could bridge the gap between the arts, sciences and technologies.
Student-run programs have proved to be valuable assets to the University community. The Chateau, a nonprofit student-run cooperative, is a sought-after housing complex on campus. The Daily, a student-run paper, competes with other community papers and has established itself as a large student-run newspaper. An inexpensive center with displays by undergraduate art students for the enjoyment of others on campus would be a perfect vehicle for art students to share their work, and for others to view and appreciate it.
