[NU Sports] Music School to be named for Bienen

[Jonathan Hodges]

I acknowledge that Bienen has had a wealth of accomplishments across
Northwestern during his tenure: numerous sports accomplishments (obvious to
those on this listserv), many academic achievements, huge capital (building)
improvements across campus, and generally raising the status of NU
nationally and internationally.  The effects of his tenure will undoubtedly
go well beyond his time here.  And I am sure that naming the School of Music
after him was a big way to acknowledge these effects of his time here.

(Note: I'm sure the name of the new School of Music building is still up for
grabs as they still need money for the building fund).

BUT I do agree with some sentiments here that there are more appropriate
names to put on the School of Music who have had longer term impact.  Peter
Lutkin was the first dean and has a hall named after him that will either go
unused or be razed once the new building is complete - and he obviously has
a longstanding impact on the school.  As others have mentioned, John Paynter
was at NU for a very long time and had a huge impact on the school -
particularly the band program.  Before him, Glenn Cliffe Bainum led NUMB and
introduced a number of new marching band concepts and helped shape Paynter
himself when he attended NU.  And I am sure that there are a number of large
contributors from other areas of the School of Music (voice, orchestral,
organ, etc.) who also have a lot of worth.

To sum it up, I don't believe Bienen's role in the School of Music was large
enough to contribute slapping his name onto that particular school.  Sure,
his name does belong on something - what level is a matter of debate (wasn't
he well compensated for the job he was doing and wasnt it all part of his
job description anyways?) - but I don't agree with the choice of the School
of Music.

Jonathan


On Wed, May 14, 2008 at 3:47 PM, Eric West <e-west at northwestern.edu> wrote:

> SjT (Stephen J. Truog) wrote:
>
>> Could not agree more - the school's name should have
>> something to do with the school, and while I'd have no
>> problem if a library, stadium or general building on
>> campus were named for Bienen ... I do have a problem
>> naming the school of music after someone who is not
>> identified with that school.
>>
>> Medill works with journalism. Paynter would work with
>> music. Bienen does not.
>>
>>
> I agree and would go even further: Bienen brought in a new dean purportedly
> known for raising/saving money, then basically forced her to cut out one
> program and severely gut another before he'd even think of giving her any
> funding. Many parts of NU are surely better off thanks to Bienen, but the
> School of Music is not one of them. As a Music alum, I was excited about the
> planned new facilities, but the Bienen name leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
>
> Sadly, I wouldn't be surprised if less than half the current School of
> Music faculty/staff even knows who John Paynter was.
>
>
> ---
> Eric West
> e-west at northwestern.edu
>
>
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-- 
Jonathan W. Hodges
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