In an effort to support the arts and humanities programs at the University of Wisconsin, university officials Thursday announced a new, annual $500,000 funding initiative.

Provost Patrick Farrell said the initiative would help improve many aspects of the arts and humanities programs.

"In particular, one part of the initiative tries to help out humanities and arts graduate students by providing external funding for their education," Farrell said. "And the second part of the initiative includes the renovation of Memorial Library in order to provide a more cohesive home for humanities students and faculty."

The initiative will provide $500,000 per year for the general improvement of both the humanities and arts programs, as well as for renovating the fifth floor of Memorial Library into a new "humanities center."

Every year, the deans of the UW College of Letters and Sciences, the School of Education and the School of Human Ecology will meet to discuss the appropriation of the annual fund.

"The Arts and Humanities Initiative will strengthen our already-rich menu of offerings and provide a foundation for future excellence," UW Chancellor John Wiley said in a press release. "It's a way to underscore our continuing commitment to arts and humanities education and to our students."

Renovation of the fifth floor of Memorial Library will entail the removal of the storage space currently in place to provide for a more hospitable environment for students and faculty.

"The renovation of the library is being done in order to provide a more cohesive home for the humanities that is closer to where humanities students spend most of their time," Farrell said. "Energetic faculty and graduates are an important part of our program, and we hope to support that ideal."

While the cost to renovate the fifth floor of the library is estimated to cost around $1.3 million, Farrell said as long as he continually receives the funding the project will be completed. No end date has been announced for the annual fund.

Julie Underwood, dean of the School of Education, said the extra funding would help to serve a variety of purposes.

"With a decline in state funding, it's getting more and more difficult to find funds," Underwood said. "I plan on using the funds for the many basic instructional purposes we sustain, so it'll be nice to put some of that money toward supply expenses such as materials for glass blowing and sculpting."

Farrell said he believes the initiative will help promote the education of all students, not only those studying the arts or humanities. He also said he hopes the initiative will help students learn from the arts and broaden their perspectives.

"You have to remember how important the arts are to our lives," Underwood said. "And how they help to make the campus a distinct and overall beautiful place to live and work."