News
Madison pressures UWSP to use $48,000 without student input
The Pointer
jmath438@uwsp.edu
An account holding $48,000 is sitting unused by the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point.
Intended to beautify public areas and showcase artistic talent in our region, the Wisconsin Arts Board’s Percent for Art Program provides legislation that requires two-tenths of one percent of the total construction costs for a new state building be allocated for the commission or purchase of artwork.
After the construction of the Dreyfus University Center, $48,000 was designated for this purpose; the university has yet to form the committee to purchase artwork for the building.
“We tried a couple of different things,” said Susan Crotteau, University Centers Assistant Director. “We wanted to have the architects for the building work with an artist and have a piece integrated into the design of the building … We were denied that.” The university had to go through the traditional process.
Crotteau usually represents the university on the advisory committee when artwork is being assigned to one of the University Centers. The committee also consists of one member from the Wisconsin Arts Board, two members of the art community and two members affiliated with the building in question. University students are not allowed to be active members of the committee.
“We fought really hard to have students sit on the committee … that was denied,” said Crotteau. “So we put a stop to the percent for art process for this building.”
An e-mail from Christine Manke, the Percent for Art coordinator, said, “In the past we have included students as additional ex officio members and the students show up for an initial meeting or two and disappear. Given the half or full day length of the meetings, students rarely can attend the full meeting and they drop in and out. Since the duration of the projects extends 12-18 months or more, students graduate, transfer to other campuses or leave for summer opportunities and do not attend on a regular basis. This situation also occurred when the students were voting members.”
“They should have the foresight to realize students are going to change from year to year,” said Student Government Association President Scott Asbach.
According to Asbach, if the committee wanted student input, they could find students that would want to be involved.
The money for the DUC is still sitting unused in Madison, and UWSP is once again under pressure to use it.
“It’s students’ money and they should be able to sit on the committee. They should make up the majority of the committee in my opinion,” said Asbach.
“I’m hesitant to move forward,” said Crotteau. “Because I have great difficulty sitting on a committee and representing students when we can’t get student representation on the committee.”
United Council and Senator Julie Lassa were working together to create student representation on the committee; however, Lassa’s office was recently told by United Council that this is no longer a priority issue, so they haven’t moved forward on it.
Along with students not being allowed as active members of the percent for art committee, students cannot be considered as artists for the program.
“For projects that are funded by student segregated fees, it’s extremely frustrating that students do not get to be more actively involved in the program,” said Crotteau.
“We have a lot of great resources on our campus for art. We’d like to use those,” said Crotteau.
