The Facts: A concert hall in the new plans for the new Talley Student Center — promised to the music department — has been removed due to budget cuts.

Our Opinion: In addition to an expanded performance space, the music department is in need of a new academic building.

The plans for the new Talley Student Center, call for a 500-seat concert hall for the N.C. State band. It has been eliminated to make the required 30 million dollar cuts to the plans that were mandated by Chancellor Jim Woodward. It is a shame that a performance space for the music department has been deemed one of the nonessential aspects of a building that purports to serve the needs of all students.

Even if the concert hall were built, it would hardly cover the needs of the music department whose building, Price Music Hall, desperately needs upgrading.

It is common knowledge that Price Music Center as it stands has problems. The rooms are not as soundproof as they should be and storage space is extremely limited.

The constant construction obstacles, not to mention noise levels, will negatively affect the use of Price over the next few years, if the Talley plans go forward. Something will have to be done to house the music department during construction at the very least. The fact that there have been no plans regarding this situation and the administrative level reflects poorly on the planning of the Talley renovations.

Over the past few years, the music department has been expanding in a number of ways. It added a music minor and has been steadily building up a distinguished faculty to accommodate the needs of a growing student body. By claiming to supports the arts and expanding the music program but not creating better performance and practice spaces has created an unhealthy disconnect between what the administration and Student Government wants and what the University needs.

As of now, no money has been allocated for Price upgrades. While the funding for academic buildings usually come from the University building fund, all of that money is, of course, tied up as well. The music department is justified in its opposition to these half-baked plans. All of those involved should take a closer look at the big picture of the Talley renovation again before they make any more authoritarian decisions.

The arts are an integral part of campus life. Would people react the same if the administration treated the sports teams this way? The needs of our academic departments should take precedent over student buildings.