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DC COLUMNISTS DEBATE: Closing the Benton Museum
Cindy Luo and Ben Tarr
Issue date: 3/6/09 Section: Commentary
Against closing the Benton
Cindy Luo
• The Benton has a longstanding tradition here at UConn. It began in 1933 with the college president at that time and he wanted to provide an atmosphere of cultural appreciation for the students and community alike.
• The museum has a comprehensive collection of more than 5,500 works with things like paintings, drawings, water colors and prints and sculptures. It offers things students wouldn't be able to see in any other way.
• In addition, the Benton hosts a lot of exhibitions, lectures, recitals and readings. It is a venue where artistic programs of all varieties can be experienced.
• The Benton also provides group tours and class tours as well as curriculum connections for kids grades K-12, so it helps not only enrich students, but also the community.
• The Benton plays a huge role in educating UConn students - and the community - about the arts from past and present cultures.
In support of closing the Benton
Ben Tarr
• No one denies that the arts are important, but as we know, the budget is finite and there is no money tree, so we ultimately have to cut programs - we can't keep everything we have.
• It would make more sense to focus on buildings on campus that are widely used such as updating the gym, the library, the Student Union and maybe classrooms that students frequent daily as opposed to the select programs such as the Benton.
• A Hartford Courant story detailed a 2005 proposal to add a human rights wing to the Benton, which would have cost the university and state $11 million. The people of this state and those who finance the university and pay tuition wouldn't be willing to fork over more money. The taxpayers expect that the university be more selective about what they focus on.
• The people who work at the Benton could be relocated to other cafés or art venues, so not many jobs would be lost.
• People all over campus want new things and we need to put the priority on fixing the classrooms so students have a comfortable environment to learn in rather than fixing things that may not be necessities on campus.
• The fiscal year of 2008 showed an average of 638 people per day. And I know for a fact that more people visit other buildings on campus too. You have to look at the greater good and how the student body can benefit as a whole and how that could be updated and cut back on facilities are aren't in need.
Cindy Luo
• The Benton has a longstanding tradition here at UConn. It began in 1933 with the college president at that time and he wanted to provide an atmosphere of cultural appreciation for the students and community alike.
• The museum has a comprehensive collection of more than 5,500 works with things like paintings, drawings, water colors and prints and sculptures. It offers things students wouldn't be able to see in any other way.
• In addition, the Benton hosts a lot of exhibitions, lectures, recitals and readings. It is a venue where artistic programs of all varieties can be experienced.
• The Benton also provides group tours and class tours as well as curriculum connections for kids grades K-12, so it helps not only enrich students, but also the community.
• The Benton plays a huge role in educating UConn students - and the community - about the arts from past and present cultures.
In support of closing the Benton
Ben Tarr
• No one denies that the arts are important, but as we know, the budget is finite and there is no money tree, so we ultimately have to cut programs - we can't keep everything we have.
• It would make more sense to focus on buildings on campus that are widely used such as updating the gym, the library, the Student Union and maybe classrooms that students frequent daily as opposed to the select programs such as the Benton.
• A Hartford Courant story detailed a 2005 proposal to add a human rights wing to the Benton, which would have cost the university and state $11 million. The people of this state and those who finance the university and pay tuition wouldn't be willing to fork over more money. The taxpayers expect that the university be more selective about what they focus on.
• The people who work at the Benton could be relocated to other cafés or art venues, so not many jobs would be lost.
• People all over campus want new things and we need to put the priority on fixing the classrooms so students have a comfortable environment to learn in rather than fixing things that may not be necessities on campus.
• The fiscal year of 2008 showed an average of 638 people per day. And I know for a fact that more people visit other buildings on campus too. You have to look at the greater good and how the student body can benefit as a whole and how that could be updated and cut back on facilities are aren't in need.
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