Free art events

A lot of focus recently has been directed at new and rising fees on campus, but several of the free events that still exist are often overlooked and ignored.

Laurier offers a plethora of on-campus events that are not currently part of the mainstream student culture, such as Orientation Week and football games may be. These events include free weekly concerts, the Robert Langen Art Gallery exhibits and the Friday night film screenings.

If the student body does not utilize these opportunities it is only a matter of time until they are cut or discontinued. This harms Laurier’s future as well as the greater Waterloo community, who also have access to these events.

Even though Laurier no longer has fine arts students, as the program was cut in 2005, the university still needs to harvest an interest in culture, as the arts events are equally as important to education as classes.

Students often blame a sheer lack of time as to why they cannot participate in the arts community but we need to start placing value on these experiences.

The time we have at university will likely be the only time we can easily access free films, art galleries and a renowned symphony orchestra. While these events could benefit from better self-promotion, students need to seek out activities that will be helpful to a well-rounded education.

We need to support other departments that cater to equally important aspects of student and academic life.