In November 1973, a group of faculty petitioned then President Robert L. Ketter to “appoint a University-wide ‘Committee for Art on the Campuses’ and that a fund of $50,000 be established as a commitment to the purchase and placement of sculpture and other appropriate art on the Amherst and Main Street campuses” (33/5/1373, Memo to Ketter, November 7, 1973).

Ketter agreed, and in October 1974, appointments were made to the newly formed Commemorative Arts and Arts Management Committee. The Committee’s primary responsibilities were: Works of creative and performing art to be commissioned for the dedicatory ceremonies projected for the fine arts buildings which were opening on the Amherst campus; a policy for the acquisition of works of art to be part of the décor of all Amherst campus buildings and, conceivably, of the then-rehabilitated Main Street campus buildings; and establish an arts management policy for the administration of the Amherst Fine Arts complex (33/5/1373, Memo from Robert L. Ketter to Dr. J. Benjamin Townsend, October 7, 1974).