Cecelia Bytheway's recent letter to the Deseret News called into question the wisdom of funding the new Eccles Performing Arts Center at Snow College at a time when dire economic conditions are resulting in reductions of programs and positions at Utah institutions of higher education. She asked, "Is there something I don't understand?" Clearly there is in regard to the Eccles Performing Arts Center. In fact, several things, and I appreciate the opportunity to clarify.
Funding for project could be cancelled tomorrow and not a single penny of the $17.9 million dollars committed to it would find its way back to President Benson as he grapples to preserve the fiscal and academic integrity of Snow College. The Eccles Performing Arts Center will be made possible only by "one-time" dollars generated by bonding, not direct taxes, approved by the Legislature specifically for this project and this project only, and generously enhanced by the George S. and Dolores Dore' Eccles Foundation and the M. Seth and Maurine D. Horne Foundation.
This project has been on the Snow College master plan for more than 15 years and finally rose to the No. 1 capital development project. It should be noted that it was through the singular efforts of President Benson himself that these private funds in the amount of $2 million were secured in order that this project be realized.
Contrary to Ms. Bytheway's assertion that the new facility will cost Snow College more money to operate, over half of the operation and maintenance dollars needed to maintain it will be recovered from the operation and maintenance dollars currently committed to those buildings that the Eccles Performing Arts Center will replace. The average age of these buildings is 56 years, and each year the costs to maintain these buildings increases exponentially. Furthermore, there will be no "additional educational programs or classes" as a consequence of this facility. The building will accommodate only existing performing arts programs, which have seriously outgrown the buildings in which they currently operate. Collective participation between the music and theatre programs since 1990 has grown by 200 percent. The music program, which is distinguished by being one of only a handful of NASM accredited programs in the nation and is the only accredited two-year music program in the Utah State System of Higher Education, functions in a former LDS ward house built in the 1930s that was condemned by the state fire marshal in 1992. The theatre program, which accommodates 7,000 audience members annually, has operated in a facility built in 1952 that has also been condemned for safety violations to include serious earthquake vulnerability.
There is no "kingdom building" here but a responsible and long overdue effort to serve the students and community who look to Snow College as they have for over 100 years to provide the quality academic and cultural growth which they so richly deserve.
President Benson has every reason to happily participate in the groundbreaking of this new building as it portends a bright future for the generations of students and citizens that it will efficiently, safely and with dignity serve in the decades to come.
Kim Christison is professor of theatre arts at Snow College.