Sounds like you’ve read Professor Joseph Siry’s article published in The Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians (2016), a good summary of which is at the link below. The key technical reason Wesleyan’s art center would not fit @dfbdfb’s definition of brutalism is that it was not constructed from concrete but rather from individual blocks of limestone. That literal unit of “building blocks” further distinguishes it from the Hamilton College “dark side” campus in that all the walls are load-bearing; there is no superstructure holding everything together. So, you are correct about the “neo-classicism” aspect. The sheer number of buildings, the impossibility of capturing the entire effect in one photograph, make them a popular tourist attraction:
And it appears that not only does Wesleyan not apologize for the modernist arts center, it’s doubling down by bringing that design (in part) to the art gallery connector between the renovated Pac and Olin libraries.
Been on 30+ tours on the East Coast between all 3 kids. Many have offered water, snacks and a few full lunches. Private schools were more likely to offer food but many publics offered water.
Only strange one was UT Knox that specifically said they would be giving water on the tour in their confirmation email, then did not. Boy did we need it! It didn’t take it off the list though.
Speaking of food (because that is pretty close to #1 on my son’s list), we went to an Open House a few weeks ago at Duquesne and they offered breakfast and lunch. That alone moved it up on my son’s list. 
Did UT Knox happen to mention an alum named Peyton Manning? 
UF offers water. The parents all looked at each other and wondered, is it really ok to get that water?
UMichigan didnt offer water but gave us the best Kn95 masks Ive ever had - and Ive bought tons of different masks - we’re a Kn95 mask warehouse.
They also gave us free panchos when there was a monsoon outside and we ran across campus to see the business school.
People who think that the area around Providence College is “downtrodden” and “sketchy” have lived a privileged and sheltered life.
Believe it or not, if they did, it was so quick I do not remember it! We did notice the street named after him.
Seems it was the admissions presenter’s last day and he was crying during the presentation and was honored by staff at the presentation. It was one of the most bizarre we have experienced but showed how much he cared for the school and the support of his colleagues. Maybe that was why they forgot to tell us where the water was and why I don’t remember them mentioning Peyton Manning.
We stayed at The Graduate Hotel when we toured UTK - very Peyton Manning heavy there. Our room key was his UTK I.D., complete with his picture. I kept it and gave it D’s boyfriend, who is a big fan.
I toured Brown way back when and was quite impressed. IIRC Providence College isn’t far away. What’s that campus and area like? I suppose a far cry from other Big East schools (Villanova, BC and GTown) but more like Xavier, Butler or Marquette?
Downtrodden, or gritty, could describe the area around St John’s in Queens.
Wow. You realize Queens could be a stand-in for just about every part of the City of New York outside of the touristy parts of Manhattan?
To be honest, I find NYC to be a dirty, gritty city.
Recent public safety issues certainly don’t help its image either.
I guess this begs the question, “What major, international city isn’t dirty and gritty?”
Zurich, Montreal, Singapore and so many others.
That’s a good list. I’d like to hear more!
I’ve travelled to many places. What I’ve noticed. Cities where people have rigid rules about cleanliness and crime are often the cleanest and safest. You could literally list dozens of cities that sparkly. And you can also list cities that were once beautiful and no longer are, this is especially true in the US. This effects all people living in a city, as tourists will go to the places that are safe and clean. In addition, conferences are often held in places that are also deemed desirable. That is, unless someone wants to save money.
I’m not saying you’re wrong. I’m learning more with every post. 
Frankfurt and Berlin aren’t what I’d call sparkling clean, and despite the stereotype of Germans as rule followers you don’t get it so much there (especially Berlin), and they’re extremely safe places.
I think it’s more that cities that are clean and such are more likely to be perceived as safe.
Singapore….
Any list of Northern European cities that are every bit as dirty as NYC must include Amsterdam which settled the place and gave it its original name. Human beings are about as careful with their trash as they are with their viruses.