Investment in the overall artistic culture within the university is beneficial to the community and further solidifies the Wisconsin Idea.

Jerome and Simona Chazen have pledged to donate $28 million to the Chazen Museum of Art, which is home to 20,000 works, the second largest collection in the state of Wisconsin. They have also donated an additional $5 million to further the development of the physical building, as well as $3 million that will soon create the Chazen Family Distinguished Chair in Art and the Simona and Jerome Chazen Distinguished Chair in Art History.

The museum is home to distinguished permanent and temporary exhibits, a variety of art history courses and numerous music programs. And this wealth in art and culture sits right on our campus.

In upholding the Wisconsin Idea, the University of Wisconsin must seek to enrich the lives of its community members outside of the classroom.

The mere presence of artistic resources fosters curiosity and in turn fosters a self-acquired appreciation for the arts within the community. The Chazen is a primary vehicle by which this curiosity may be spurred in and out of the student body.

With the recent donations to the museum and UW, the community has acquired more resources for culturally enhancing programs. They have assumed a vital role as institutions within the community that promote an environment of cultural appreciation and education.

Amongst elementary and middle school students, the exhibits at the Chazen are regularly utilized to complement social studies curricula. But are these resources being utilized by UW students as much as they could be?

Various classes at UW integrate the resources provided by the Chazen into their assignments and structure.  Resources such as performances, lectures and film screenings are at our disposal. UW has done an excellent job of providing these resources. Donations help UW continue to improve and add to its repertoire of artistic materials that we are free to explore. Now, we must make a point of utilizing them to the best of our abilities.

UW has a responsibility to provide a culturally enriching environment for students both inside and outside of the classroom. This is being achieved via the presence of artistic resources on campus, and has reached a new height with the donations made by the Chazens.

A commitment to culturally enhancing programs is a clear manifestation of the Wisconsin Idea. The Chazen is an institution that is easily accessible and is an educationally important program within the UW community.

With the recent donations, our community now possesses even more tools that further augment the UW academic and extracurricular communities as essential arts institutions.

To make these investments worthwhile, we as a community need to take advantage of these institutions. So, take a walk through the Chazen, even if only for a little while. Besides, with this multi-million dollar donation, admission is still free.

Danny Walzer ([email protected]) is a sophomore majoring in Spanish and communication.