Operas, art galleries and orchestra concerts are considered to be the go-to classy activities that socialites attend. The spacious buildings with fabulous artwork and architecture are one of the main reasons to go to said events, just for the simple pleasure of being in a cathedral or auditorium of such a beautiful caliber.

Here at Ashland University, it’s not the College of Arts and Sciences that are housed in a building of great architecture (although it is still standing), but the College of Business and Economics. While the students going to our business college deserve all the best, students going to our other colleges think they deserve the best as well.

Many students agree that the Center for the Arts building is the most worn-down building on campus and jokes circulate constantly about graffiti murals in the bathrooms or finding a dead body randomly left in a corner (exaggerated jokes, of course…we think). All laughter aside, one of the main complaints is that CFA houses the most creative organizations, performances and student activities, but has the poorest and furthest away building.

Here is the description that Ashland’s website gives of CFA: “Here, you will find the Hugo Young Theatre, Studio Theatre, Elizabeth Pastor Recital Hall, the Departments of Art, Music, Theatre, Journalism & Digital Media and Communication Studies, the Ashland Symphony Orchestra, the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, the offices of the Collegian newspaper, academic advising for the College of Arts and Sciences and TV2.” While not mentioned in this description, WRDL is also housed in CFA. With all of this talent housed under one roof, some students are left to wonder how long that roof will stay up.

Students also complain about access to CFA. It’s the building furthest away from campus (with Schar parallel) and students are often there late into the night, painting, composing, writing, DJing and filming. Sometimes the card swipe doesn’t work and students are forced to call upon Safety Services to let them into the building so that they can finish projects and homework. While there should be gratitude that 24/7 access is available to students, it can still be a problem that only one door has a card swipe and sometimes it doesn’t work.

Ashland is a liberal arts school. Some students are hoping for a little more art appreciation.