Student Publications
University of Houston
151C Communications Bldg
Houston, TX 77204-4015
713.743.5350

©1991-2007
Student Publications,
All rights reserved.

Last modified:

Contact:
ktruitt@uh.edu

News

Art students feel forgotten

Main sore point is the South Park Annex, which withers 
without regular University maintenance 

by JOHN-MICHAEL HAINES
The Daily Cougar

The South Park Annex building, home of the UH sculpture program, is isolated, poorly maintained and a reflection of how the administration views the program, students say.

"Many of the students have this feeling that the administration does not care about the Art Department, sculpture in particular," sculpture junior Shane Mayberry said. 

Mayberry said the South Park Annex is dirty and poorly ventilated, and that the facility pales in comparison to the four other colleges where he has studied sculpture.

"Whenever I transferred here, I didn't expect to find facilities that were beaten down, used and not maintained," Mayberry said. "But, the students are performing very well under these deplorable conditions." 

Sculpture graduate student Loli Kolber expressed a similar opinion, calling the building "antiquated" and "not enough."

Sculpture sophomore Sarah Jones said the building's location contributes to students' perception of neglect.

"I feel like (the South Park Annex) is so separated from the rest of the main campus that we are forgotten," Jones said. "I do think we need more attention than we are getting."

School of Art Director John Reed said the building's condition is a result of it being taken off the University's maintenance list. 

"My understanding is that South Park Annex was taken off the routine maintenance list. That is not to say that it has been condemned," Reed said. "However, if you don't maintain a building, it falls down."

A drainage ditch was recently installed to remedy two years of chronic flooding problems.

"If this were happening on the floor of the dean's office, it would have been fixed a lot sooner," said sculptural processes professor David Graeve. "But, it has taken the University a couple of years to get on it."

Plant Operations had not returned multiple phone calls as of press time.

Reed said he has done everything he can to help since he came to UH a year and a half ago.

"We had to work long and hard to get that ditch put in," Reed said. "Like everyone else in the University, we can only ask that it gets taken care of." 

Graeve said that the real problem with South Park Annex is the small space.

"The problem really is the size of the building," Graeve said. "For most universities of this caliber, the sculpture facility would be five or six times this in scale." 

Jones agreed that space is a major concern.

"I think my biggest issue is space. We are so literally stacked on top of each other," Jones said

According to Reed, the condition of South Park Annex is satisfactory.

"It seems to be working down there, and OK for getting work done," Reed said.

Sculpture senior Amanda Pool said that art does not get equal treatment.

"Art is not given that much of a priority," Pool said. "I sometimes feel like we get the lower end of the stick."

Associate professor Paul Kittleson said the building is off the maintenance list because the University's master plan includes a new sculpture building.

"Long range plans of the University don't include (the South Park Annex) being here," said Kittleson. "So we've sort of lingered on for years with various problems such as leaking air conditioners and poor drainage."

Reed anticipates the new sculpture building costing $20 million and said his department is expected to raise at least half the funds necessary to construct new buildings. 

"That is a daunting task for somebody like me to come in, fundamentally change a program and raise $10 million for a new sculpture building and another $10 million and expand the Fine Arts Building," Reed said.

Send comments to dcnews@mail.uh.edu