To the editors:
According to the current plans for renovation of Monroe Hall, the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance will move from its current location in Marquette Hall to the reconstructed Monroe Hall. With this move, the department will receive a new theatre, updated costume shop, a scene shop on the main campus and new studios for voice and movement and dance classes.
As a theatre major I am in favor of the improvements, but I fail to see the necessity for the move from Marquette to Monroe. When Thomas Hall is finished, all the admissions offices will move into the new welcome center. Why not have the theatre department expand into the rest of Marquette and allow for the renovations of Marquette to include these new spaces instead of forcing the theatre department into Monroe Hall where the majors of science, mathematics and psychology are held?
It was difficult to find the information on the renovations, found only minor mentions of the theatre department’s move in The Maroon and was not aware of the new facilities until I spoke with Georgia Gresham, chair of the department. I also asked theatre majors what they knew of the department’s move. The ones who were aware of the move had found out through teachers or by some students; the ones who will be affected by the move had not heard anything about it and were surprised when I asked them.
If this move is for the greater good of our department, why is this information not readily available to students? We should be given a say in the reconstruction of our campus and the move of our department. I will be graduating in the spring and will not see any of the renovations done to Monroe, but I hope for future students that this move will be a positive action for the university and the department of theatre arts and dance.
Thank you for your consideration.
Ethan Labourdette
theatre arts senior
