In his recent State of the University Address, Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger announced a new “school of the arts” under Harpur College of Arts and Sciences.

According to Stenger’s address, the purpose of the initiative is not to completely change the current arts departments but to create improvements such as refurbishing the physical space for the arts and creating a directorial role to help the departments work together.

Celia Klin, dean of Harpur College, is involved in the effort to design a new school of the arts. According to Klin, Harpur College has a strong history in the visual and performing arts, but expanding the curriculum to reflect the modern day is necessary.

“Our goal is to create an integrated school of the arts that would build on existing strengths across our five departments — art and design, art history, cinema, music and theatre — while encouraging new collaborations and a shared vision,” Klin said. “We aim to be one of [premier] venues for studying the visual and performing arts in the region and within the SUNY system. Having a more prominent presence in the arts would allow us to become a destination for students who are interested in an arts-intensive curriculum and to attract new faculty and prominent visiting artists to campus.”

According to Stenger, the Fine Arts Building is currently the oldest non-renovated building on campus, with its last major update in the late 1980s, when the Anderson Center for the Performing Arts was added. A team dedicated to implementing renovations to the Fine Arts Building has been put together.

“The development of renovated facilities for our arts programs will enable us to establish a new school for the arts, which will remain in Harpur College, but with greater integration and interaction across the current departments in the fine arts,” Stenger wrote in an email. “We will be soon seeking a new director for the school, which will help increase the visibility and recognition of [BU]’s outstanding fine and performing arts programs.”

Lila Pomerantz, a junior majoring in graphic design, said she approves of the new arts initiative but would like to see more opportunities within the art and design department.

“I was surprised as to how satisfactory the art [and design] department here is, coming to [BU] with the idea that we were purely a research school,” Pomertantz said. “The department has far exceeded my expectations. That being said, there is always room for improvement. What I would like to see from the art [and design] department is an even greater exploration of new mediums, such as glassmaking, or anything that you would not typically have the opportunity to try on your own.”

In his address, Stenger described the current physical accommodations for the arts as a puzzle that did not fit together and should be adjusted according to program needs. His vision also includes improving the “synergies” between the arts.

Samantha Ballin, a sophomore double-majoring in English and art and design, said she enjoyed the art departments at BU but was open to new changes that would benefit them.

“Honestly I’m excited and welcome any changes that bring a greater presence of the arts,” Ballin said. “Funnily enough, I was just thinking recently how old and worn-down the building looks, and all the beautiful art students make that isn’t displayed. I’m hoping that student’s art gets displayed more often.”

Ayden Holzkenner, a senior majoring in music, said she is grateful for the new recognition of the arts departments but has a mixed opinion on changes she was seeing as a result of increased funding to the music department.

“The financial support has brought new, exciting opportunities to the [departments],” Holzkenner said, “That in turn has attracted more students to the program, making it more competitive and selective than it’s been in the past. That isn’t inherently a bad thing, but what attracted me to the program was the tight-knit, welcoming feeling you’d only get from a small department at a big school like [BU].”