Wait, Suffolk has an art school?

NESAD demands more attention

Skot+Lindstedt%2FJournal+Staff

Skot Lindstedt/Journal Staff

There is a disconnect between Suffolk University and NESAD. To see the evidence of this, ask non-art students about NESAD. You’ll have to explain by saying, “you know, the art school part of Suffolk.” If they know Suffolk has an art school, you’ll likely get a reply along the lines of, “It’s over there on the other side of the common.” They may even point it out or know it’s on Arlington St., if you’re lucky.

However, when you ask them a follow-up question, their knowledge about NESAD runs dry but it isn’t entirely their fault because NESAD is on the opposite side of Boston Common, away from the rest of Suffolk. Non-art majors are unlikely to ever take classes here unless they choose to for an elective.

Since school was in session on Veterans Day, pins were distributed across campus, but not at NESAD. This was perplexing and frustrating, seeing as I (Skot Lindstedt) am a veteran. I couldn’t be offended, it wasn’t me they were forgetting, it was the whole school.

Was the distance of walking across Boston Common too much to bear for the pin distributors? Well, Suffolk should realize that’s the distance between classes on an everyday basis for NESAD students.

Was there a shortage of pins? If so, maybe they could have been reallocated to unify our school in its support of all its veterans.

But it’s not even about the pins, it’s about the message Suffolk is sending NESAD and it’s students. It’s about showing NESAD that it’s equally as important as every other department. It’s about the message that is sent when NESAD is left out.

Clearly, there is a profound disconnect between Suffolk University and NESAD. It’s a 15-minute journey from any NESAD class to other classes outside of NESAD and vice- versa. Whether you walk through Boston Common or take the green line between Park St. and Arlington St., it’s going to take the same amount of time.

NESAD is the only part of Suffolk who is subject to this walk-of-shame. Could the school provide a prepaid Charlie Card as a shuttle like the freshman living in the MassArt dorms? Why should it cost NESAD student money just to run between classes?

If there weren’t such a misunderstanding, then there wouldn’t be a need for a walk. If the rest of the campus were in touch with NESAD, they would know what the needs of the students are.

If Suffolk were paying attention, they would know that art students need art supplies along with many other things. To further the distance struggles of NESAD students, the nearest art supply store is another 15-minute journey in the opposite direction of the Suffolk bookstore, which doesn’t carry art supplies.

The issue of Suffolk not paying attention to NESAD and its students matters. NESAD should be able to put art supplies on their student account, like food and books.

NESAD students usually go to Arts and Craftsman or Blick for arts supplies and both are fantastic stores but neither compare to the ease and security of knowing you can afford the supplies you need because they can be added to your student account.

To fix this issue, it would be great to have an art store or a donated art supply program. This could be a step in the right direction to help support NESAD students.

However, besides not understanding the supply needs of the students as well as the distance issue, there is a space dilemma. There was a rumor last semester that 20 Somerset was going to bring NESAD into the area where the rest of the school is.

Imagine the dynamic change in the whole culture of Suffolk that would have caused?

By putting the artists in open spaces, with natural light, and giving them actual resources, you’re telling them they aren’t less than their counterparts; you’re telling them that you value them and want them to be included. This spatial change would have likely solved the informational disconnect as well.

Unfortunately, that turned out to be false and we returned to the basement for class with a deflated hope that NESAD would be part of Suffolk.

Fixing the information disconnect is the first step in lifting the hopes of NESAD students and faculty. One of the major concerns is; where are classes going to be held after this lease is up? It should be interesting to see what Suffolk comes up with.

As design and art students, we are taught that everything means something. From the color of the stitching throughout a room, to the thickness of a line, everything we do sends a message.

Constructive criticism, even though it hurts, can unify a design, message, and hopefully a school.

Contributors: Skot Lindstedt, Hayley Desroches, Erica Pritchett, Robby Johnson, Michael Peterson, Diane Appaix-Castro, Dongyun Kim, Josh Yu, Aditya Patel, Katie O’Brien, Emily Shedlock, Bila Baba, Alaa Madani, Krysia Strumpf, Makena Schiffmann, and Agus Márquez.