UNI Museum worth saving

By Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier

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The University Museums at the University of Northern Iowa has been serving the local community and school districts across the state for many years.

That's why news the museum building at 3219 Hudson Road is apt to be closed down within a couple of years is distressing to many.

The building needs major repairs or the collection could be at risk of damage. Renovations are considered too expensive to undertake. The possibility of dividing the collection and storing it in various buildings on campus is becoming more realistic every day.

The situation has led to a strong statement from the Iowa Museum Association board of directors - which has come out in support of the nationally accredited museum.

“The UNI Museums have served students, the community and the state of Iowa for over 100 years - since 1892,” IMA Director Cyndi Sweet, said in the statement.

“The IMA understands budget issues, but the Provost (Gloria Gibson) has indicated that closing the museum building will save under $500,000. When compared to the budgets allocated to nonacademic programs this seems fairly minimal and an insufficient reason to close a nationally accredited museum,” Sweet noted.

She presents an argument that is tough to counter.

Teachers across the state, surely many of them educated in UNI's College of Education, have brought their students through this museum for a variety of presentations, programs, academies and camps - complete with hands-on experiments and experiences for the kids.

“Things are up in the air,” said Sue Grosboll, the museum's executive director. “President Ben Allen said in August that the building needs to be closed in two years and that we have to find new places on campus to store the collection. We are working on a plan and should have it within this calendar year.”

A committee is exploring options. A capital campaign to raise funds for a new building reportedly is not one of them. However, Grosboll said if a donor stepped forward with a sizable lead gift toward a campaign, or offered to donate a building in the community, the administration might be more receptive to the campaign idea.

Back in 2004, first-graders from South Tama brought $285 - mostly in pennies - on one of their field trips to the museum as a donation. They had dubbed their drive “Pennies for Panthers” as a way to say thank you for offering the free educational programming they had been using.

At this point, we can only hope that some philanthropy-minded adults can also see the incredible resource that this museum has become.