We consider The Evergreen Gallery to be essential to the educational mission of The Evergreen State College. It is an essential part of curriculum, contributing to visual literacy across disciplines. It is necessary for attraction and retention of students, faculty, and staff. It is an essential part of Evergreen's identity as a liberal arts college that values the arts. The Evergreen Gallery is an important asset to the larger community of the South Puget Sound and beyond. We understand that the gallery program has been removed from the state operating budget and placed on a 'soft money' account. The Evergreen Gallery is too essential to be placed on this less dependable funding base. To insure the future of The Evergreen Gallery, we urge the college to return The Evergreen Gallery's funding to the state operating budget.