Funding for the arts is always the first to go when budget deficits loom large, but Princeton students are now saying, "No!"
Student organizations are planning ways to oppose Gov. Jim McGreevey's proposal to eliminate funding for the arts in New Jersey's fiscal 2004 budget. The cut would mean a loss of more than $600,000 for McCarter Theatre.
The Performing Arts Council is spearheading the campus efforts, according to PAC Co-president Chris Wendell '03. He said the council is focusing on the effects the proposal would have across the whole state, not just on McCarter Theatre.
"The Performing Arts Council hopes to find ways for students to participate in effective lobbying efforts aimed at restoring arts funding in New Jersey's state budget," Wendell said.
Postcard drive
PAC is encouraging students to contact state legislators to voice their disapproval. It also plans to extend McCarter Theater's postcard drive to the Princeton campus, Wendell said. This effort would distribute cards for campus events patrons to sign, affirming their support for the arts and opposition to McGreevey's proposal.
PAC hopes to amass a large group of students to attend an arts advocacy day in Trenton on May 15, but would need money to do this, Wendell said.
In addition to PAC, the USG is planning efforts to oppose the arts funding cut, USG president Pettus Randall '04 said.
"The USG will take as active a role as possible in encouraging students to voice their concerns to the N.J. legislature about the reduced arts funding, specifically the effect of the budget cuts on McCarter Theater," Randall said in an email.
This would involve encouraging students to organize a letter-writing campaign and helping mobilize students to attend the arts advocacy day in Trenton, Randall said.
The USG will not only support student involvement, but also push for the administration to speak out, Randall said.
"In addition, we plan to voice our concerns to the administration in hopes that they will take a proactive stance on this issue," he said.
Randall also said that the USG would promote discussion of the proposed arts funding cut between McGreevey and the campus.
"Since Governor McGreevey is a member of Princeton's Board of Trustees, we will encourage him to hold a town hall meeting on campus to talk about the budget cuts as well," he said.
McCarter Theater is advertising an "Arts Funding Crisis" on its website, www.mccarter.org, and calling for citizens to contact state legislators to express their support for "the critical role of the arts in the life of N.J."
More than 5,000 people have responded to this request, according to Jeff Woodward, Managing Director of McCarter Theatre.
"We're fighting [McGreevey's proposal]," said Woodward.
And if the prospective plans of its opponents on campus pan out, the cut won't be enacted without a fight.
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