The theme of revolution will be at the forefront of various artistic performances and displays in the first Butler University ArtsFest.

ArtsFest will feature more than 40 performances and other events between April 18-28.

This is the first ArtsFest, which is to become an annual event.

It will be used, in part, to honor the opening of the Howard L. Schrott Center for the Arts this year.

Ronald Caltabiano, Jordan College of the Arts dean, said JCA was looking to accomplish several things at once when the idea for ArtsFest was conceived.

“We want to show the complexity of what we do as a college,” Caltabiano said. “The college is not just individual departments. These departments work together to create big things.”

Richard Auldon Clark, Butler Symphony Orchestra director, said ArtsFest is “a brilliant opportunity” for JCA students to work alongside professionals and guest artists.

“(ArtsFest) will be successful,” Clark said. “It’s not just a student or professional festival but a mix, which is a win-win for everybody.”

ArtsFest will include dance, music and theatre performances as well as lectures and art shows. All events will revolve around a central theme of revolution.

More than half the events are free, and student ticket prices are intentionally low in the hopes of bringing more Butler students to these events.

“My only disappointment with Butler is that not enough of the student population takes advantage of cultural events on campus,” Clark said. “I think ArtsFest will bring them in.”

Although the very first ArtsFest has yet to begin, Caltabiano said he is already looking forward to the event’s potential growth in the future.

“This is like a start-up company,” Caltabiano said. “Our intention is to grow from a modest beginning into a Midwest attraction that brings in major talent from around the world.”

He said the event can benefit not only those at Butler but also individuals and groups in the surrounding Indianapolis area.

“(ArtsFest) will create a new artistic entity for Indianapolis and, in that way, bring all the arts in Indy together at the same time as we bring in talent from outside the area,” Caltabiano said. “It will raise the profile of Butler in the arts community and put what we do in front of more diverse audiences.”

Larry Attaway, dance department chair and Butler Ballet executive director, said he is excited for the grand opening of the Schrott Center with ArtsFest.

“The only way artists know how to celebrate is by doing stuff,” Attaway said. “This festival is more about the celebration of the success of this whole project.”

Butler’s dance department will be holding three large-scale performances that encompass the revolutionary theme.

“Giselle” is a ballet performed in two acts that premiered in Paris in 1841. It tells the story of a peasant girl who finds out the man she loves is in love with someone else, and she dies of a broken heart.

“‘Giselle’ in and of itself is the quintessential romantic ballet,” Attaway said. “One of the first of its kind, it opened the doors in the ballet world for other pieces to come forth.”

In addition to “Giselle,” Paul Taylor’s conception of “Le Sacré du Printemps” will be performed to live music in the Schrott Center.

Lastly, Butler Ballet will perform Arnold Schoenberg’s “Pierrot Lunaire.” This was revolutionary in the music world because it abandoned tonality and featured the first use of sprechstimme, or speak-singing.

The piece requires five versatile instrumentalists, which is why it is not performed very often.

Soprano Mary Nessinger will be coming from Vassar College, where she is an adjunct artist in music, to perform this piece.

“This has been choreographed numerous times before,” Attaway said. “I’m choreographing this version, but my storyline behind it is not very typical.”

Sophomore theatre major Julia Levine said she looks forward to being part of this festival, specifically to getting the opportunity to work in the Schrott Center.

“It’s great for theater because it gives us an official proscenium space to work in,” Levine said. “As aspiring professional theater artists, we also need a more traditional and realistic space to work in.

“As someone in the arts, it’s helpful for me to know what my peers are doing in other departments,” she said. “It gives me a chance to share in what their works are.”

A full calendar of events can be found at blogs.butler.edu/artsfest.

Butler University is continuing to identify energy improvements on campus with the welcoming of Amanda Doenges, the new campus engineer.

Upcoming projects include lighting controls and daylight sensors in the front lobby and the weightlifting and pool areas of the Health and Recreation Complex. The sensors will dim or turn lights off that are not needed when enough daylight is outside.

“The HRC is such a beautiful building, and it has such good solar exposure,” said Rich Michal, executive director of facilities. “It doesn’t make sense to have lights on in the middle of a sunny day.”

Another improvement Doenges and the maintenance department are looking at is occupancy sensors in the HRC restrooms and locker rooms that automatically turn off lights when they’re not needed.

Doegnes said they hope to have the HRC light sensors up and running after Spring Break.

Identifying energy improvements also includes Hinkle renovations. Doenges said she is looking at LED lighting and seeing how much energy and money could be saved for the university.

Doenges, whose first day on the job was Jan. 14, said she has a passion for researching energy-efficient alternatives, especially in the sector of higher education.

“My senior year of college, I took an energy efficiency class as an elective, and I fell in love,” Doenges said. “I’ve kind of always been interested in helping the environment and looking at the bigger picture, like how I can make an impact to save the world.”

Doenges went to the University of Dayton, where she received her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and her master’s in renewable and clean energy.

After college, she worked at Heapy Engineering, where she was the LEED project manager.

LEED, which stands for Leadership in Engery and Environmental Design, is a sustainability rating system for buildings. The system is funded by the U.S. Green Building Council.

The Schrott Center is pursuing LEED certification right now, Doenges said.

Senior Project Manager Craig Hardee said he will not know for sure about the building’s certification for a couple of months.

Buildings can earn LEED certification through a point-rating system scale after meeting certain LEED prerequisites.

Hardee said the points are based on how well the building does environmentally and how much energy the building can save.

The building earns points for the rain garden on its exterior, which naturally filters rainwater and reduces the collection of water in a drainpipe.

The building has occupancy sensors in the rooms to shut off lights when they are not needed. It also has water fountains and toilets that use less water, Hardee said.

Michal said they have committed to ensure all new buildings on campus will be LEED certified.

Doenges said she already has a sense of what working at Butler will be like.

Doenges said she likes all aspects of her job as well as how well the different colleges work together to make energy plans.

She uses listervs to ask other colleges how they are dealing with energy-efficiency issues on campus. She said she receives tons of responses and feedback on dealing with certain issues.

“I’d like to get us to the point where we’re recognized as being a super sustainable and energy efficient campus amongst all of our peers, especially in Indiana if not nationally recognized for it,” Doenges said.

Michal said the university always had a commitment to sustainability and has been at the forefront for years with different projects going on around campus.

“We want to be good financial stewards because energy and water are expensive, finite resources,” Michal said. “We need to do everything we can to not only be sustainable and reduce our carbon footprint but also to save money and make sure that the students who are investing in their education are getting the best quality and most efficient service that they can.”

Jazz music filtered softly through the hum of voices. People mulled about, their nametags referencing their names and positions. The smells of new wood, paint and carpet wafted through the air.

And something else permeated the air, unseen but present all the same—pride.

On Feb. 21, the new Howard L. Schrott Center for the Arts officially became a part of Butler University’s campus.

The elegant event started with tours of the building with hors d’oeuvres and cocktails served in the Wood Family Foyer.

Tall ceilings towered over high tables set with candles in the foyer, dimmed lights flickering off the striking red paint.

The Board of Trustees, President Jim Danko, deans, faculty and many donors were in attendance.

Groups of people went up and down the identical staircases on either side of the auditorium entrances.

As the guests gathered to go inside the auditorium—the building’s focal point—excitement mounted and smiles appeared.

As they stepped across the threshold into the auditorium, that excitement wasn’t solely for what they saw but also for what they look forward to seeing from Butler students on that stage.

Conceptualization for this building started four years ago, but the idea for a mid-size arts studio has existed since the 1970s.

“We got to talking about this studio and began to realize the impact that it could have,” said Howard Schrott, the man for whom the building is named.

People began to see the use for the building, not only as a space for students but the Butler community as well.

The Schrott Center auditorium holds 450 people, a happy medium between the small Eidson-Duckwall Recital Hall and the 2,200-seat Clowes Memorial Hall.

On Thursday, the auditorium had a massive feel to it with only the esteemed guests sitting in the audience.

The enormity grew as guests took in the long, red curtain hanging just behind the podium and the giant ribbon spread across the stage.

“Butler knew that its students needed another performance venue,” Danko said while opening the ceremony. “We wanted a space that would provide more performance options for our students as well as guest artists, lecturers and community groups.

“The Howard L. Schrott Center for the Arts is that missing part for the Butler Arts complex.”

This ceremony wasn’t just for the limited number of people seated in the audience Thursday. It was also for the numerous audiences the Schrott Center will host and the students entertaining them.

“On this stage, dance students, theatre students and music students will all be able to practice and perform in ways that they hadn’t been able to do on our campus before,” said Dr. Kathryn Morris, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “This building is a powerful venue to engage in our mission in educating our students.”

After a speech from The Collegian’s Kevin Vogel, a Jordan College of the Arts junior, two large pairs of scissors were handed out. And as a community of people deeply involved in the creation of the Schrott Center watched, the ribbon was cut, and the center was dedicated.

Following the dedication, the audience joined those on stage for dinner.

The curtain rose to reveal candlelit tables placed in symmetry across the stage, which is the same size as Clowes’ stage. A jazz ensemble set the tone for dinner with its mellow notes and muted melodic phrases.

During dinner, the candles illuminated faces already alight with the glow of achievement.

The hope that generations of Butler students can use the center to hone their skills, showcase their hard work and perform their hearts out was the topic that led conversations during the four-course meal.

Even Thursday night’s icy storm could not dampen the spirits of the donors and guests.

Exiting the building after the event, the guests knew this night was only the beginning of what the Schrott Center will mean to Butler.

“I hope people will come in here, and they’ll be informed or entertained or enlightened,” Schrott said. “Maybe they’ll experience the arts in a different way or form a new appreciation for the arts. And if that sort of stuff starts to happen, then that will fulfill all my fantasies.”

Aside from a few perfomances in March, the Schrott Center’s grand public opening will be for the first annual Butler Arts Festival, which will be held April 18-28.

Buildings around the world are named after people for any number of reasons.

The Butler University community may be wondering who is behind the name of the school’s newest building.

That mystery is revealed for Howard Schrott, the man whose name is now permanently part of Butler University’s campus in the new Howard L. Schrott Center for the Arts.

Schrott came to Butler in 1972 and majored in radio and television broadcasting and minored in business administration.

His graduation from Butler in 1976 was followed by a chain of careers in the media industry.

Staying in Indianapolis after graduating, Schrott moved through various workplaces, including Indianapolis’ Channel 6 as a camera operator, a Marion County radio station and  Indianapolis Public Schools as a TV producer.

While at IPS, Schrott attended Indiana University School of Law at night and graduated in 1983.

He used his law degree in Indianapolis, then took it to Washington, D.C., where he worked with broadcasting companies, utilizing both degrees.

Schrott carried his talents through Charlotte, N.C., the San Francisco Bay area, back to Indianapolis and to Greenville, S.C.

Through all of his work ventures, Schrott ended up in his favorite location, California. He is now a corporate advisor and consultant for Schrott Consulting, the business he began in 2006.

Throughout his years away from Butler, Schrott stayed involved in the Butler community.

“I believe that it’s not what you take,” Schrott said. “It’s what you leave behind.”

Schrott served on the Jordan College of Fine Arts Board of Visitors from 1996 to 2009 and then was invited to be a part of the Board of Trustees.

His generous contribution has made the Schrott Center possible. His name will now permanently be part of Butler’s campus.

Schrott’s concern is for  students and faculty that will be using the building in the future.

“Arts students may never have the opportunity to perform on a stage of that size again and with a full house,” Schrott said. “Or they may realize that they can make it and want to perform for the rest of their lives.

“This building gives students and faculty an added tool to make them more effective teachers.”

But the center is not just for the students. Schrott said he also wants to see the community moved by performances that come to the stage.

This is an added way for the community to come in contact with the arts, and Schrott said he wants the community to take full advantage of it.

“What I would hope to see is anything that’s new or different in addition to the traditional things we know we’re going to see here,” Schrott said. “Maybe let people try something that they didn’t know they liked and find out that they like it. That’ll be great.”

Although he has been a part of Butler for a number of years, Schrott now has something tangible that permanently attaches him to campus.  Not many people have their name attached to a building, yet he has stayed humble about it.

“It’s less about having a name in the building and more about what I can imagine going on in there,” Schrott said. “Or what I can’t imagine right now.”

The Butler University maintenance committee is looking to start addressing the lack of parking and shrinking living space within the next month.

Butler is in the midst of many renovations, including a $1.7 million restoration on the exterior of Hinkle Fieldhouse.

The restoration was funded by a national grant and a matched dollar amount from the university.

The other major projects on campus include the completion of the Schrott Center and the refurbishment of Jordan Hall.

Senior Project Manager Craig Hardee said that a master plan was drawn up in 2011 that included more renovations for the campus.

“There is a total remodel for the interior of Hinkle in the design process, with new bathrooms, seats and scoreboard, along with a new residence hall located most likely in the front lawn of Schwitzer, renovations of the current halls and a parking garage,” Hardee said.

Rich Michal, executive director of facilities, said that the parking garage is a huge need because total enrollment is growing and the need for more space is vital.

However, members of the committee are trying to maintain the aesthetics of campus and not diminish it with this new structure, which would most likely be located near Schwitzer Hall and the Fairbanks Center.

“Butler is a traditional land-locked campus, and we want to maintain that so this campus is beautiful for centuries to come,” Michal said.

Jerry Carlson, director of maintenance services, said that the 2011 master plan that was drawn up will hopefully be completed within the next few years.

“We have a September board meeting which will point us in what direction to take, but the parking garage is so far set to be completed in August of 2014, which will be just in time for the new year in preparation of increasing enrollment,” Carlson said.

Though current students may not see all these projects completed in their time at Butler, the plans are set to improve this campus for many years to come.

The Howard L. Schrott Center for the Performing and Visual Arts will open this spring on schedule.

Senior project manager Craig Hardee said most of the summer construction took place inside the center itself, as the outside structure is nearly complete.

The exterior site work also concluded this summer, and the surrounding parking lots and sidewalks will be open for classes this week.

The inside of the center features a stage with an intimate seating capacity of around 400. The hall is significantly smaller than Clowes Memorial Hall, which seats 2,000 people, but the new stage will nearly equal the size of that in Clowes.

Hardee said even the back row of seats is close to the action on stage in such a small-seating hall.

“In a smaller hall, the audience will be full, and the students will be able to interact with the audience in a way that supports their educational mission,” he said.

Ronald Caltabiano, dean of the Jordan College of Fine Arts, explained that the Schrott Center was built to provide students with a smaller, more realistic rehearsal and performance space for JCFA ensembles.

He added that classrooms will also claim space at the center to provide students with hands-on learning.

In addition, Caltabiano said the Schrott Center will house an art gallery to showcase student projects.

Howard Schrott, a Board of Trustees member and sponsor of the Schrott Center, described the facility as a positive addition to Butler’s campus.

“I fell in love with the concept of having this facility and all the good that I think it will do so many people,” he said.

“I was so happy to be involved with this project and be a lead benefactor, but by large, this has been the university’s project.”

Hardee also expressed his gladness to have had a hand in the project.

“It’s really gratifying and exciting to be a part of something that is going to directly change people’s lives in a very positive way,” he said.

The cost of the project, Hardee estimated, is currently running at about $15 million.

The Schrott Center is currently in the running for the U.S. Green Building Council LEED certification.

LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, recognizes buildings and centers that effectively implement green design and environmentally friendly practices.

The Schrott Center has reached silver certification thus far in construction. Hardee said they are working towards the gold certification by implementing functional technology to reduce waste and environmental cost.

Students should use patience while they navigate around the several construction projects on campus.

Photo by Rafael Porto

There are many construction sites around campus, and students should understand that these upgrades are necessary and beneficial.

These developing areas are a good sign that Butler is putting our tuition dollars to good use, especially after raising the tuition for students last year.

Many students, especially those who drive, have likely noticed the construction by Clowes Memorial Hall.

The exterior of the $15 million Schrott Center  project is nearly complete.

It is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2013 vice president for finance and administration Bruce Arick said.

Another project on campus nearing completion is the second phase of the Atherton Union renovation.

There will be a temporary wall standing in the dining hall until mid-September  Arick said.

A larger student population, coupled with this temporary wall, will increase congestion in the dining hall.

With the integration of the new unlimited meal plan system, the traffic should be less than expected because students have the ability to eat at more times throughout the day.

Another building students should expect having to find detours around is  Jordan Hall, which is undergoing renovations on its exterior.

The northeast entrance, currently barricaded by fencing and equipment, will be out of commission for most of the fall semester.

This is due to safety issues, Arick said.

Hinkle Fieldhouse has also become a labyrinth in the midst of its recent renovations.

Workers are tuck-pointing bricks and replacing windows, Arick said.

Many of the entrances are not accessible because of safety issues, and scaffolding has been built in front of or around the doors.

The maze of scaffolding and sequence of locked doors make it difficult to find a way into the building.

This is the first of a few phases of renovations to be done to Hinkle, and talks of making renovations to the interior of Hinkle are underway.

“There is a lot they want to improve but not take away from the nature of Hinkle,” Arick said .

Basketball purists can now relax.

Butler students tend to complain a lot, even about the smallest of things.

The slight hurdles of detours, blocked entrances and construction are no exception.

As students groan about the longer or colder walk in the winter months, they should just think about how great all the renovations will look.

Don’t throw a fit of rage.

Don’t complain about how a particular project inconveniences you.

Instead, consider how  all these renovations benefit every student in the long run.

New residence hall, science building also possibilities for campus construction.

Butler University’s current and future construction plans may provide campus with a facelift.

The most notable recent change to Butler is the construction of the Howard L. Schrott Center, a new 450-seat theater adjacent to Clowes Memorial Hall.

Howard Schrott, Board of Trustees member and namesake of the center, said building it is important to him because the plans have been in the works since he was a student.

“Suddenly the drawings are becoming 3-D, and it’s been really exciting,” Schrott said. “I hope it’s been exciting for students too.”

Craig Hardee, Butler’s general construction maintenance manager, said the building is currently scheduled to open in January 2013 and will serve more than just fine arts students.

“It will be a nice venue for the visiting writer series, or lecture series, or when a college needs to get their folks all together,” Hardee said.

Hardee said the Schrott Center was not the only project Butler has been looking at taking on.

The 2010 Master plan outlined that the sciences and residence life were the top two priorities, Hardee said.

“Those two are still high priorities, and they need to be addressed,” he said.

Vice President for Finance Bruce Arick said Butler has recently shifted its priorities.

“We’re going to have to do something with parking before we do the other two (the sciences and residence life),” Arick said.

Gerald Carlson, director of maintenance services at Butler, said the change in priorities was the result of external pressure.

“It’s been brought to the forefront because the city of Indianapolis and the [Butler-Tarkington] neighborhood have asked us to add the additional parking before we build any new buildings,” Carlson said.

Carlson said President Jim Danko’s cabinet and Butler’s Board of Trustees will be meeting in May to discuss the potential parking structure, additional space for the sciences and the new residence hall.

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean Jay Howard said he believes a plan to remodel Hinkle Fieldhouse will be completed before additional space for the sciences is created.

“We’re currently in the midst of at least the silent phase of a campaign for Hinkle, and so the science building is sort of in line behind Hinkle,” Howard said. “The way these fundraising campaigns work is you have a silent phase where you raise money without publicly announcing it.”

The disappearance of the Ruth Lilly Science Library with the creation of a science building is a possibility that has been made public by The Collegian in the past.

Incoming Butler Dean of Libraries Julie Miller said she understood that no final decisions had been made and she would evaluate the situation once she arrives on campus.

“The library belongs to everyone, so everybody gets emotional at the thought of major changes,” Miller said. “I appreciate when people feel attached to the library and the library staff.”

Some Butler students may be living in a new residence hall in addition to studying in a new library in the future.

Arick said the proposed residence hall would be located north of Schwitzer Hall, and Carlson said the new hall would mirror Schwitzer and create a courtyard.

Hardee said he thought the new hall would include approximately 400 beds, of which 200 to 300 would be taken out of Ross Hall and Schwitzer so necessary renovations could be made.

“I think what it will do is relieve some of the pressure off the existing Ross and Schwitzer and open up some of the study space in those residence halls,” Carlson said.

Arick said he believes the new residence hall and science building could be built within five years.

“For those of us waiting in line, sooner is better,” Howard said.

Excavation for the Howard L. Schrott Center for the Performing and Visual Arts began slightly behind schedule a couple of weeks ago due to drainage permit issues with the City of Indianapolis.

Construction on the center, located adjacent to Clowes Memorial Hall, isn’t expected to be finished until fall 2012.

“It’s too early to tell how far behind we are,” said Gerald Carlson, vice president of operations. “We should know more once we get the excavation done. We’re hoping to catch up.”

Several other construction projects, some long term, began around campus this summer and will continue into the academic year.

Carlson said construction on Jordan Hall will not be finished anytime soon. After the west portion of the building’s exterior is finished, another will be started.

“That building, with the granite and the brick, just needs constant repairs,” Carlson said. “We keep trying to find the areas that are bad and then try to repair them and make them as water-tight as we can.”

The solar crosswalk in front of Ross Hall that was built last year also is being repaired.

Because the motion-censored solar panels failed, they are being replaced with an accessible touchpad located on a pole on the sidewalk. When activated, the touchpad triggers lights to signal to drivers that pedestrians are crossing.

“The intent of the touchpad is to benefit students at night,” said Ben Hunter, Butler University chief of police director of public safety.

”A mid-street crosswalk is always dangerous, so anything we can do to draw attention to it is a good thing.”

White paw prints were painted on other crosswalks around campus.

“They are neat and different, so they catch everyone’s eyes,” Hunter said. “We really just want cars to slow down.”

Carlson said construction of the Aquatic Center at the Health and Recreation Complex is a project that is nearly complete.

The center closed July 30 for repairs and is scheduled to reopen Aug. 27.

The plaster flooring of the leisure portion of the pool has been replaced with tile.

“It had to be patched quite often,” Scott Peden, director of the HRC said. “It wasn’t so much the lane area that was the problem. It was the leisure area, due to people stepping on the plaster.”

He said the replacement will eliminate repairs and save money.

The outdoor track also is undergoing a facelift. It currently is being resurfaced and reconfigured to meet competition standards.

Carlson said there are more projects currently being planned.