On March 17, 2022, Stevens students from the Music and Technology program sent out a petition asking for increased campus space to accommodate the academic and creative needs of individuals in the program, saying that “the students of the Music and Technology department do not have enough space on campus to adequately and satisfactorily fulfill academic requirements and learning goal” in the petition’s longer description. Since its creation, the petition has garnered many signatures in support of the cause. While this issue may be unfamiliar to those studying within STEM fields, the lack of space to practice and record music is an everyday struggle for those who depend on campus practice space.
On-campus music spaces are crucial for students, especially those who reside in on-campus housing or apartment buildings and are under threat of noise complaints. Currently, students officially have four options of music spaces that they can use: one mixing studio, one mixing/recording studio, one piano studio, and the Sound Synthesis Research center, which has been shut down for two years and isn’t accessible to students. Between the three remaining options, availability is tight. Both the primary mixing and recording studio and secondary mixing studio host several classes throughout the day on top of student projects and band practices. If a student wants access to these spaces, they have to schedule no less than two weeks in advance, and even then, their schedules need to be flexible. The piano studio is available to everyone without reservations, but it also holds several classes and private lessons and is almost always busy and loud, making it an unideal space for academic work. Additionally, the Howe building holds a few practice rooms; however, they are in high demand and virtually inaccessible due to low staffing.
Anyone can see that the current accommodations for music students place a stress on their ability to practice instruments and gain practical skills. On the homepage of the official Stevens Music and Technology website, the school claims that “dedication to music theory and instrument learning underpins the curriculum, imparting artistic knowledge and rigor.” However, students in the Music and Technology department are calling out the hypocrisy of this statement, saying that the lack of space, practice rooms, and accommodation for music students deeply impacts their ability to learn music theory and practice instruments. Writers of the petition point out that it is impossible for them to grow as instrumentalists without adequate practice rooms or learn music theory without properly equipped classrooms. Jack Piccirillo ‘24, a student in the Music and Technology department, as well as a member of a Stevens band, says that his studies are impacted by the lack of campus space everyday, and he believes that better access to practice rooms and recording studios could better the quality of his academic work.
Ultimately, this lack of space threatens the future success of Music and Technology students and the success of the program as a whole. If students are not getting enough time with quality equipment and space, their academic and personal projects will suffer. For students studying music, having success in personal projects could help build careers and create name recognition for Stevens. As the program is expanding, Stevens should be focusing on preserving quality education by encouraging creativity of every individual.
At a minimum, the petition is demanding legitimate practice rooms with upright pianos, dedicated rooms that ensembles can use for practice, and at least one additional recording studio. These facilities would relieve the stress on those rooms already available and allow students to complete work with greater ease. This petition also lines up with the introduction of the new towers, giving Stevens the means to fulfill the students’ needs. Even if Stevens does not create space for the Music and Technology department in the new towers, many offices and services are being moved out of their old spaces, potentially freeing up already existing rooms to be converted into studios or practice rooms. Either way, the administration has no excuse to deny these basic academic needs to its students and only stands to benefit from the learning and creativity that these spaces will foster.
Anyone concerned about this issue who has not already signed the petition can do so here.
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