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Pat Arbuckh Chronicte Staff When WLU's music faculty was es tablished eight years ago its goal was excellence in its undergraduate programs. The university is hoping that the construe tion of a proposed ts-million, 40,tttNFsq.-ft. music building may help it achieve that goal. "The faculty is working in a residence and gym that are not suited to what the music department is trying to do," Weir said in an interview last week. "We need facilities with proper performance and teaching space and we certainly don't have that at the moment." Tr WLL' President John Weir announced plans for the new structure at last week's board of governors meeting. The music faculty at WLU is currently housed in MacDonald House, a former residence. Office space in there fialrilities, are also shared with the faculties of Romance Languages, Sociology and An- thropology and include a Fine Arts studio and language lab. Portables on campus have also been pressed into service and the Theatre Auditorium, a former gymna~ slum, has been converted into a classroom and practice area. Anna Bier, executive assistant to the Dean of Music echoed Weir's comments about the inadequacy of the present facili, ties. Laurier announces proposal " L for " million music facility "in terms of teaching and praietice, there is no facility set up properly for the teaching of music both acoustically or for the control of sound because they are in a residence," she said. Although rugs and acoustic ceilings have been installed in MacDonald House to accommodate the needs of the music department. Bier said that there are many problems that are difficult. if not impossi- ble. to remedy in the present facility. BIBLES o BOOKS o CHURCH SUPPLIES o RECORDS Tir? The rugs and acoustic ceilings have helped, she said, but sound still escapes through electrical outlets and along heat- ing ducts. Two people playing different instruments in adjacent rooms compete with each other. A Dr. Gordon Greene, dean of the Faculty of Music added that room size is often a problem. While practice areas are too large, classrooms tend to he too small to accommodate the large instruments. Even if other rooms were available on campus, Bier said it is doubtful if the music faculty could take advantage of them. She likened the special needs of the music faculty to those of a chemistry lab. An artist‘s rendition of tttis new WLU music building. "We can't move around. We're not that neatittie in integrating With other parts of the campus beennse we need rooms tnnt are equipped with a piano and listening equipment," sne said: - _ - Weir outlined two plans for the construe tion of the new music building at the meeting. The first alternative calls for the new facility to be built in three stages. Stage one would include renovation of the. Theatre Auditorium and the construction of a MO-seat recital hall and two rehearsal halls adjacent to it at a cost of $1 million. i, part" of the second stage, additional practice and studio space and offices will be built while the third stage could yrMEttutguittfetSM 'tet_tmEgikrAr, complete classrooms, administrative lac- ulty omces. The second plan calls for the entire structure to.be built in one stage. Weir said that a decision to proceed with the first or second plan will not be made immediately. - Both Greene and Weir said the proposed facility will benefit not only the faculty‘s an music students. but the whole campus. With more students choosing to live tn residence, MacDonald House could even- tually be returned to its original function. providing badly needed space for about 90 students, “If music didn't have to use the TA. as an academic area, it could be teyed for other activities on a campus," said Greene. Weir said that the improved facilities would encourage greater participation by both students and members of the commu- nity in a wide variety of activities including concerts. drama and other culturai events. "it will make such a difference in the entire campus to have a proper music facility," he said. "We hope some people would be willing to come forward to be major donors." said Weir, adding that much of the money for the project will be raised through dona- tions from individuals, foundations, cor- porations or government agencies. A total of $1 million of the WLU's current Excellence in the Eighties fundraising campaign has been earmarked for the new music building and, said Weir, if the university decides to build the whole structure at once, "we will have to enlarge the scope of the campaign" to raise the additional funds. The goal of the current campaign is $6.2 million to finance 10 improvement proj- ects. It is to be raised by 1986, the university's 75th anniversary. PAGE“)