Students and staff at the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) have the past days been blitzed by a large and bright LED billboard-like screen running commercials from large international companies like Coca Cola, Prada and BMW at the end of a building at campus.<\/p>\n
The bright light has blinded students who are studying for their exams at the faculty library at the opposite side of the square by the main entrance at KUA2.<\/p>\n
It has also caused outrage among some students and staff who don\u2019t want the University to be associated with big business. <\/p>\n
Lene Fagerlund Larsen, a student of history finds it inappropriate to advertise at the University’s campus.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is wrong because this is a place for learning and not for selling the products of big companies. Also the inferno of bright lights disturbs the students studying at the library. I really wonder what the people who put the billboard up there were thinking,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n
Jes Fabricius M\u00f8ller, associate professor at the faculty, was also bothered by the screen when he was at a seminar at the library. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe light is very bright but I also think it sends a wrong signal because we should protect the University against commercial and political interests,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
According to Julie Sommerlund, associate dean for external relations at the faculty, the timing of running the commercials couldn\u2019t be any worse. It happens while a debate over the government plan to reduce student numbers is running at its highest.
\nThe cutbacks will primarily happen at Humanities, allegedly not job-oriented enough.<\/p>\n
According to the faculty management official response on Facebook, the billboard is from the Danish Building & Property Agency, which owns the buildings.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe only thing we could do was to laugh and ask them to turn off the billboard, but of course we would have preferred to be informed in advance,\u201d Julie Sommerlund says.<\/p>\n
Press officer at The Danish Building & Property Agency, Christian Lietzen, , that the screen is part of an artwork, which was planned some years ago in cooperation with the faculty, and that the company who installed the screen, accidentally tested it with commercials. It was a regrettable mistake and it was stopped as soon as the agency was made aware of these tests.<\/p>\n
He explains that the brightness of the LED screen was put on extra high because the screen was being tested.<\/p>\n
According to Christian Lietzen the Danish Building & Property Agency will meet with the faculty management Tuesday to, among other things, discuss how the coming art installation can add value to the campus.<\/p>\n
clba@adm.ku.dk <\/p>\n
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