Students, faculty say new location raises safety, health concerns
Students and faculty in the UA ceramics program are up in arms about next week's move to their new home in the Esquire building, which they say will be a health hazard.
Students and faculty say they are frustrated and concerned about the relocation from the historic adobe church on North Mountain Avenue to a smaller studio in the Esquire building, 1230 N. Park Ave.
Rachelle Angle, an art history senior, said she is concerned about the safety of the students who are moving to the Esquire building.
"Wind can blow the chemicals into the air to residences and offices and in our eyes," Angle said.
She said in the new location, the ceramic glazing will be done outdoors, and the airborne chemicals could be dangerous.
Jeff Burgess, an associate professor for environmental and community health, said he was not aware of any problems associated with airborne chemicals and ceramics, but lead and silica dust can cause respiratory problems if they are present in the material.
"Any chemical can be harmful with long-term and adequate exposure," Burgess said.
Aurore Chabot, a ceramics professor, said the ceramics department avoids using lead-based products in the process of ceramics.
Steve Holland, director of the risk management and safety department, said some chemicals are safe enough to mix outside, and more toxic chemicals may be safe if mixed inside with proper ventilation.
"The potential for exposure is probably less outside than inside," Holland said.
Chabot said she has never seen an outdoor glazing area during her work in ceramics.
"I don't know one ceramics program that would have an outside area that deals with these materials," Chabot said.
James Cook, the 3-D art studio coordinator, said the department had to move because a cooling plant next to the ceramics program's current home needs to be expanded.
"It is unfortunate that the ceramics building is right next to the plant, but expanding the cooling plant by adding the additional cooling apparatuses will save bundles of money," Cook said.
The new chillers were purchased to reduce utilities by approximately $3 million per year, Cook said.
"In terms of the big picture for the university, the move just makes sense," he said.
But that does not comfort Chabot, who said the new location will negatively affect students because it is a smaller space.
"The space is decreased by 40 percent," she said. "There is no space for graduate students who may want to learn ceramics."
The ceramics program, which is a part of the 3-D studio, has 59 students.
The move is scheduled to take place over spring break so it can be completed by the time school starts on March 22.