ASUO Executive sent a memorandum dated Jan. 27 to the Office of Student Affairs expressing its opposition to the addition of a concert hall to the EMU.@@i think this piece — to have more effect — needs to mention how the university already has other venues@@
“There has been an increase of commercially driven projects on this campus recently,” ASUO President Ben Eckstein said. “We need to protect a space that is for students, by students.”
One concern he holds is that even if the concert hall is completely paid for by donations, it will be taking up space that could be used for other purposes that are primarily student driven. In October, the University received a $10 million donation from alumnus Andy Berwick to construct a 1,200-seat concert hall.
Gregg Lobisser,@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=staff&d=person&b=name&s=Gregg+Lobisser@@ assistant vice president for capital projects, disagrees. He is in charge of facilitating capital projects for the Division for Student Affairs and has been excited about the prospect of a concert hall from the beginning of the design process two years ago.
“There are 900 students in the school of music,” Lobisser said. “Plus numerous other groups who have shown interest in using a concert hall for events.”@@eh?@@
Scott Yorke,@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Scott+Yorke@@ a graduate student at the school of music, sees great value of a concert hall attached to the EMU.
“This would be a huge step into integrating music and the arts into everyday student life,”@@how?@@ York said. “Students are willing to walk all the way over to a football game but not across campus to a concert. This way, it would be more accessible.”
Lobisser also explained that attaching it to the EMU is more efficient than building a whole new space for it. The EMU already has a ticket office, loading dock, event services, custodial staff and tech staff. He said it would double the cost to build it elsewhere.@@but do we need it?@@
Though Eckstein sees the value in using services that already exist, he is worried it will change the character of the building.
“Having a concert hall undermines the very purpose of a student union, which should be a place where students can learn,” he said.
Yorke disagrees and feels a concert hall would be a learning experience for everyone, particularly music students.
“I think the school of music is so far removed that no one knows what we’re doing,” he said. “If people saw us rehearsing or performing, awareness of our program would be increased.”
The EMU is a self-supporting building, which means many of the operating costs are generated from things like food sales. According to Lobisser, the concert hall would generate a large amount of revenue that would then lessen the burden on student fees.@@really, now? we have this in writing in a legal contract?@@
“The Oregon Bach Festival has already committed to play here,@@at the university?@@ which is a huge deal,” he said. “That is a way to connect people from the community with the campus.”
Even so, the ASUO Executive has asked Student Affairs to stop until the issue of the concert hall is decided.
Lobisser explained that because the University has paid the architects up through schematic design, they will have to finish that process.@@uh huh. so?@@ After that, the University must wait for another referendum to be made and passed. This could add another year onto the project and push the completion date back to 2015.
Eckstein said that in regard to the renovation in general, the past two ASUO administrations have opposed the idea of a renovation.
“I am a big believer of doing what students want,” former ASUO Vice President Maneesh Arora@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Maneesh+Arora@@ said. “I think its clear that right now, students don’t want a renovation.”
The ASUO would like to see more student involvement in the entire process. Still, Lobisser feels the student participation has been more than enough.
“There has been more student participation on this than in any project in university history,”@@has there? because i don’t remember being asked or reading about this anywhere@@ he said. “That is the thing I am most proud of.”