With dim professional career futures and luxury statuses, athletics and fine arts departments should be on the same playing field for funds. However, according to the recently passed fees, the student population wants to spend literally 100 times more on athletics than fine arts.
Last week the Student Government Association asked students to vote on the referendum which added $58.50 to student fees along with the elections. The fee chart included a $50 Lions Athletics fee placed at the bottom, while departments such as theater, concert choir and the art gallery would receive an embarrassingly small addition of $.50. The referendum passed with almost two times as many votes for the additional fees than against.
The reality of the common social values evidenced in this decision and obnoxiously skewed fees bothered me. Though this significant difference in valuing sports versus arts has been an issue for centuries, seeing the numbers in front of me in black and white, clear as day really struck a nerve.
While I understand the importance of sports in developing discipline, teamwork, health and sportsmanship, I believe the fine arts are just as important if not more so. Taking part in fine arts encourages the same values and then some, including brain development.
Upon further research, studies have found the fine arts stimulates the functioning of the symbol processing in the frontal region of the brain. According to a Brain and Behavior “Whole Brain Learning: The Fine Arts with Students at Risk” article, this brain stimulation develops capabilities in reading, math and science. It states, “Evidence indicates that the fine arts can provide a unique avenue for reaching challenging students with principles of brain-based learning.”
Theater, dance, music and art revolve around expressing oneself, portraying and addressing controversial and social issues, developing new ideas and influencing the audience to see things from a different light or angle.
As the saying goes, “If you can change your mind, you can change the world.” I believe a play, a concert, an art gallery or a dance recital can be powerful and influential. Despite the expressed value, art departments traditionally have the smallest budgets and are the first to suffer during pay cuts.
After discussing the topic with Dale Newkirk, gallery director and associate professor of sculpture, and Chad Winters, instructor of acting and directing, we agreed one of the more evident causes is the ability of sporting events to fill stadiums with spectators, while university art events generate modest audiences. People love to cheer, socialize and believe in a team or a player, which goes back to 100 BC with the Roman gladiators.  
There’s no denying the popularity of sports and sporting events. While I’m in no way trying to dismiss the value of the athletics department, I’d like to bring attention to the extreme unfairness and undervaluing demonstrated in the arts’ miniscule university budget. Society needs to stop dismissing the people who add color, grace, individuality, beauty, creativity and light into the world. Both departments make an equally important impact on our culture. It takes both brain and brawn to make a healthy community.