Justice for art students

Art is very important to U.N.E’s student body- it’s the life blood of the humanities and important to every major. It’s storytelling and hands-on experience in the physical- incorporating life and cultures in many different mediums.


The arts are integral for our campus because they offer new ways for critical thinking that ‘typical’ classes give directly in their lessons. Art is a form of hands-on interpretation and community. We need more art to accommodate the growing humanities majors that the new A.C.A.S.- previously A.C.H.S.- allows for. It’s not just a major; art is alive with culture- culture that U.N.E. is lacking in.

Even with a wide variety of art classes to choose from, U.N.E doesn’t take nearly enough action to include more art as a culture on campus. We have a lot of classes- ceramics, photography, and printmaking barely scratch the surface- so why don’t we have much to add in terms of events, funding, or displays?

Compared to a college like Wheaton where student art breathes life into every hallway, plays are constantly being advertised, and some student band or another is always up for playing local, U.N.E. is severely lacking. Even our art building is quite an annoying turf- often two t four classes are shoved into the small white house riddled with Wi-Fi issues and noise complaints because of thin walls with multiple classes going on at once, and huge tables that are constantly being rearranged. Madison Wheeler, the Junior vice president of the art club at U.N.E., had a lot to say about how many art events U.N.E. has going on right now compared to other colleges that claim they’re liberal arts colleges like ours.

“I don’t see the arts being highlighted, not even on our school’s many social medias- I never see posters about events that may be happening.” Wheeler went on to explain how last year’s pumpkin painting was the biggest turnout for the art club, but that frequenters have been rare since. She went on to describe Professor Burt’s student lead art gallery last December, and how the showing, which students had worked all semester on to prepare for, had only lasted one week. “Recently, my classes have been emphasizing the dangers of solely valuing scientific knowledge over the importance of cultural art.” She paused to sigh as if the lack of participants in her art club had been weighing on her. “I view art as a window to my own identity… our university should be supporting my identity. We should be creating a space where students like me can be seen through our art.” A permanent exhibit for student artwork would be more appropriate- not a fleeting mural or showcase that stays in the corners of the library for a couple weeks every semester.

“The arts programs get less representation and funding,” comments Claire Fecteau-Volk, reflecting Wheeler’s own thoughts. “Despite being more known as a liberal arts school, we have a lot of other programs such as health and marine sciences that garner a lot more popularity.” Fecteau-Volk participated in Professor Burt’s art gallery held by students of the ART 410 (not sure that’s the actual class label) class. Art has been a lifelong passion and culture in their own family and hometown that they’ve been proud and excited to expand upon at U.N.E.. The reflect most of the student body as a Marine Science major, but their passion for art could never be superseded by their passion for marine science. “Considering and creating art in the everyday life is imperative to creating a well-rounded mindset.” They also expressed a wish to have longer time in the gallery space, people who were passively passing by over the week, in their own time. “Part of further developing art culture on campus depends upon there being student art to even look at- they get inspired to create their own.”

With the growing number of humanities students and the new addition of our very own A.C.A.S. now becoming a humanities building, I found myself confused. I recalled attending Professor Ramey’s play my sophomore year back in 2024, where he had been shoved into a small room to play out “Anonymous” by Mary Shelly. These sorts of developments are juxtaposing- he’d looked all over campus for a room to be able to perform in over the three-day showing, and when he actually found one, he had little coverage on the play even occurring. There were other inconveniences that hindered the play from happening at all- and a lot of the other humanities teachers share similar sentiments about being shoved into hidden, tight spots on campus for art-related events. The disappointment in U.N.E. for not following through with a new stage for plays in A.C.A.S. is also a big issue that Fecteau-Volk brought up, as well.

“Finding refurbished space in the new building would be invaluable to our school’s arts students and my own culture beside them- especially being in the center of campus alongside other majors.”

Art gives people ways to communicate in ways that science places limits within. As both students interviewed talk about, art gets you working with your hands and comfortable within the uncomfortable.