University of Central Oklahoma
THURSDAY August 28, 1997
The Student Voice Since 1903
Art students cancel protest as officials seek solutions By Lisa Tatum
Editor In Chief
Looking like new... UCO worker Nattapol Gringsakkang applies a fresh coat of paint to the walls along the concrete steps on the west side of the University Center. To compliment UCO's new look, two university painting crews are working across campus to touch up areas where paint has chipped and weathered away. (Staff photo by Bryan Terry)
A group of 25 students, faculty and administrators met with President Roger Webb Monday afternoon to address concerns over inadequate studio space for UCO's art department. The art students and faculty have been faced with cramped studios, lack of equipment and lost class time since painting, printing and sculpting classes were moved out of the General Classroom Building this summer. The 49-year-old building had a long history of expensive maintenance problems that led university officials to decide to tear it down. It is currently being prepared for demolition. The students had originally organized a campus protest to call attention to their problems. Donna Sandiger, organizer of the protest which was scheduled for Aug. 26, said the group agreed to meet with Webb and other administrators before pursuing the demonstration. "We felt like we had to protest because politics have gotten in the way of making decisions based on students' needs," she said. "But we decided to wait and give administration an opportunity to respond." Sandiger said the art department has been in turmoil since April when they were told they would have to vacate their studio space in the General Classroom Building. The decision to tear down the building left 11 art classes in need of new classrooms. Five painting classes and an airbrush class were moved into unfinished sciencelab space in the basement of Howell Hall
this summer. Two sculpture classes were moved into the Art Building, as were three printmaking classes. While Dr. Robert Palmer, chair of the art department, said painting classes are fine in Howell Hall, he said printmaking is "at a standstill" since being moved. Palmer said if he had to rank a priority of classes that needed new space, he would rate the print shop the most important. "It is now in the largest room in the Art Building, and that's still not adequate," he said. Michael Bachi, who teaches the lithography class of printmaking, told Webb the location his class was moved to is impossible to work in. "I've got to run my class, but I can't do it," he said. "I'm stymied." Bachi said the space is not equipped with the special sink and venthood needed for class projects and there is no room for it to be installed. -Without the equipment, he said he can't teach class. "My students are suffering," he said. One student attending the meeting said he came to UCO from Pakistan specifically to learn lithography. "I'm missing a big opportunity," he said. "My friends tell me to change universities." Sandiger said a loss of enrollment is something the university should be concerned about. "I know students who have dropped out of class because of these problems," she said. Randall Wallace, a sculpture instructor, said he fears the negative effects of the • See ART BUILDING, Page 5
INSIDE TODAY INDEX Editorial 2 Campus Quotes 2 Sports 8,9 Around Town 15 Around Campus 15 Classifieds 16
KCSC UCO's radio station's funding is in jeopardy as its project deadlines near.
CT ASSICAL CSC
MUSIC' UCO's music professor to perform original compositions and release two CDs.
6,
ENTERTAINMENT The Vista writer Ryan Danner reviews the latest Subrosa CD in the Entertainment pages.
4