Since the Insider first broke the news that the Student Union Board would be closing the ceramics studio at the end of the semester, the situation has broken wide open. Spring break ended, the Sun reported on the issue, and the denizens of the ceramics basement have begun to mount a resistance to the decision. Yesterday, about fifty studio supporters went to the SUB’s meeting to give anecdotes about the studio and a voice to their side of the argument.
Their arguments:
- The board made the decision to close the studio without consulting anyone involved in the ceramics program
- Ceramics is a stress-relieving activity that supports the school’s recent mental health initiatives
- The shop is used academically by architecture and art students for projects involving clay, and by archeology classes as a hands-on learning activity
- Having a wide range of features such as a ceramics studio is what sets Cornell above other institutions
- 700 signatures have been gathered on a petition to keep the studio open – including 300 from undergraduates
- Harvard has one
However, the board contends that there are not enough undergraduate studio users to justify its existence in WSH, and that the space occupied by the studio is sorely needed for other programs. Still, the board remained silent about its motivations at yesterday’s meeting. SUB advisor David Bell said, “We are not prepared to do any discussion, we just want to make sure everyone is heard first.” The board plans to respond to the supporters by email in the next several days. Expect updates.
To raise awareness of the studio’s existence, there will be ceramics workshops all this weekend in the WSH basement.
Oh, well, if Harvard has one…