Taking pride in our space

By Peter Miller

Student Body Vice President Peter Miller presented this speech to the Board of Directors in the chapel last month.

When I reflect on my time here at Bethel, the memories present themselves as a play in four acts with three-month-long summer intermissions. Although the characters and plot change from act to act, the setting is a constant. The Bethel College campus has provided the backdrop for my academic, spiritual, social, and cultural development.

And as these stained glass windows demonstrate, physical spaces do more than provide a place for human activity. Our surroundings influence how we perceive our experiences. A campus ought to convey a sense of tradition, a sense of confidence, a sense of place.

The importance of the campus environment is described on the University of Kansas website: “A university's image is linked to its physical assets but it is not just the sum of those assets. A university is also a series of experiences that occur in physical space, experiences that derive from thoughtful composition of the built environment… When any individual arrives here, he or she experiences the campus not only as a place that educates students, but also as a campus, whose architecture and landscaping lend it an identity beyond mere functionality.”

The bulk of our architecture here at Bethel is second to none. The Ad Building and Thresher Stadium (our oldest and newest buildings, respectively) are impressive edifices. Recent additions like the Krehbiel Science Center and Voth Hall have been designed to fit into the overall look of the campus. Even the plans for the new Academic Center are in keeping with this classic style.

Clearly, our buildings reflect an interest in the “thoughtful composition” of physical space. Unfortunately, other aspects of the Bethel environment do not receive as much attention. Closer examination of the interiors of our buildings reveals inadequate levels of cleanliness and upkeep. From the library to the Mods, Schultz Student Center to Voth Hall, there is hardly a space that is free of some level of grime and disrepair.

I doubt that this is news to you. At every level of this institution, from prospective students to faculty to administrators, there has been recognition that this is an issue facing our campus. I am here today to report that students are also very aware of this situation

Because this is a campus-wide problem, it requires a campus-wide solution. Janitors, groundskeepers, and maintenance workers are generally quite responsive to specific complaints. Administrators deal with students’ concerns professionally and creatively—no one more so than President Bartel, who, in addition to listening attentively and taking decisive action when necessary, has begun an initiative to align the development of our campus with our values of environmental stewardship. So, why then do we still have a problem?

The immediate explanation is a lack of resources. There is nothing that I can tell you in this regard that you do not already know. You are far more familiar with the cost of our deferred maintenance then I will ever be. You also understand how this resource situation results in staffing issues and affects our ability to deal with all but the most pressing issues.

It is possible that at its root, the problem we are currently facing is the result of misplaced priorities in previous years. If so, the maintenance of our existing physical plant should be seen as an opportunity worthy of investment, instead of a burdensome expense. Bethel College alumnus Gene Schmidt, who served many years as the CEO of Hutchinson Hospital Corporation, believes that “what people see is what they believe they are getting.” If our customers are prospective students, what does a tour of our campus tell them that they are getting? I believe that a clearly articulated commitment to maintain the beauty and functionality of this campus’s existing physical spaces would demonstrate a healthy level of pride in Bethel College.

In light of these reflections, I would like to encourage you to take three specific steps toward the creation of a thoughtfully composed physical space. First, as you embark upon new building campaigns, pay careful attention to the amount of money set aside for future upkeep. Second, as individuals and as a body, support the coming endowment campaign. That fund is vital to ensuring that resources can be spent preemptively instead of in reaction to the greatest and most pressing need. Finally, articulate your vision for Bethel’s physical environment.

Each of our performances on this Bethel College stage is limited in time. We must act as stewards of this place to ensure that future actors will have an even grander set. A set that honors the past and serves the future. A set that we can be entirely proud of.

Peter Miller is a senior from Partridge.