This past year, members of Northeastern’s Concert Band program were shocked and upset to discover plans to replace our office and storage space with an art gallery. We are not against having an art gallery on campus; as fellow artists, we respect the need to showcase our talents. Areas like the Curry Student Center (CSC) art gallery and the Fenway Center are great places to do so.

However, these galleries do not actually enhance the caliber of work produced. Despite all the talk about “Northeastern Creates,” it is only propaganda – it is more about image instead of substance. The truth is, art, theatre and music are severely underfunded at Northeastern, and a new performing arts center and art gallery will do nothing to change this.

We are grateful for the involvement and efforts of Dean of Campus Life Marina Iannalfo, as well as Student Government Association (SGA) senators Chris Bourne and Ryan Fox on these issues. We have met with them to discuss our needs, and they are working to carry out Northeastern’s promise to us that our new space is at least equal, if not better, than our current one.

However, we question why we had to ask for meetings with several higher-ups, rather than being asked. We question why another SGA senator told us our needs were “not important,” rather than advocating for us. We question why we were not notified of these plans as soon as they were suggested, rather than after they were a done deal. This shows an enormous disrespect for, and ignorance of, one of the oldest (founded 1921), largest (about 125 active members) and most visible student groups on campus.

We play for tens of thousands of people each year, both at home and abroad, in such high visibility events as the Beanpot and Northeastern’s spring commencement ceremonies, among others.

We have been treated as if our program, our opinions and everything we do for Northeastern doesn’t matter. Moving an instrument storage area is very different from moving a general office. Some of the requirements for our space include protection from the elements, all-hours access for night and weekend pep band games and the highest level of security. We have had all of this since 1963 in our current Ell Hall space.

There is nothing wrong with the current art gallery. It is already in a large, open room, in a visible part of campus on the second floor of the CSC. The high cost of destroying the band’s current space, building us a specialized new space and building a new art gallery in its place is a waste.

If Northeastern really wants to support the arts, it should improve the quality of their programs, rather than making cosmetic improvements. For example, compared to similar colleges and universities, we are one of the only bands with no full-time staff. Further, the head of the photography department recently told The News,”It was a stretch for the [art + design] department to buy even a $1,000 laser printer last year” (“Leaving the darkroom ages,” Feb. 11).

Rather than building a new art gallery and new band office, why not use the money to adequately fund these programs? It would certainly go a long way toward raising the prestige of the arts at Northeastern.

– Dayna Bradstreet is a member of Northeastern’s Concert Band and a junior psychology major.