THE WESTERN ONION: UWS STUDENT NEWSPAPER
Semester 2, Issue 7, 2006, p. 3



















SAVE UWS ARTS!
By 'Save Z Block Collective'

It's no secret that the Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Electronic Arts at UWS have been discontinued in their current form. As a protest of this current state of affairs, UWS students have banded together and established a protest blog called Save UWS Arts http://saveuwsarts.blogspot.com/ For the last couple of weeks the blog has encouraged a community dialogue concerning not only the future of these esteemed degrees but the purpose of art and education in the current social and political climate. A petition has also been established to gather support for the arts programs at UWS: http://www.petitiononline.com/uws6Arts/petition.html

The success of the Fine Arts and Electronic Arts programs are legendary, with former students like Brook Andrew, Raquel Ormella and Justine Williams presently making their mark on the art world. Current students Paul Greedy and Robin Hungerford exhibited recently at Campbelltown Arts Centre and MOP Projects Gallery; former Fine Arts student Sari Kivinen was shortlisted for the recent Helen Lempriere Travelling Art Scholarship; while former student Savanhdary Vongpoothorn was one the few Australian Artists selected for the recent Biennale of Sydney.

That's just the tip of the iceberg, as the Fine Arts have produced an impressive honour role of high achieving artists, curators and art professionals over the last two decades. But now the highly reputable degree, which is taught by nationally and internationally regarded artists, is being phased out. Why is Vice-Chancellor Janice Reid not supporting the arts at her own institution when she maintains a presence in the arts as board member of the Art Gallery of NSW, patron for the Kedumba Drawing Prize, and past Trustee for Queensland Art Museum? Why isn't Reid fostering culture and the arts in western Sydney when increased cultural infrastructure has been established to facilitate a meaningful dialogue with tertiary arts programs in Western Sydney? Events such as the ARTiculate Arts Fair are being organised specifically "to showcase and highlight arts practice and issues for artists in Western Sydney - the most artistic and culturally vibrant region in Australia." (Community Cultural Development NSW webpage: http://www.ccdnsw.org/ccdnsw/about/)

The School of Communication Arts plans on replacing the Fine Arts and Electronic Arts with a new Bachelor of Contemporary Art. Intake for this degree has been suspended for the moment however. Head of School Associate Professor Lynette Sheridan Burns and Executive Dean Professor Wayne McKenna have confirmed that it will have an intake in 2008 and are meeting with directors and representatives from Western Sydney Regional Galleries and Arts Centres to help create a professional and dynamic Contemporary Art degree.

But if management is "suspending" intake, we can't help but be concerned that it's all just a smokescreen for the ultimate disintegration of art education at UWS. After countless restructures, offers to staff of voluntary redundancies, and current students struggling to access technical resources, there is no guarantee with the new funding model being introduced in 2007 that the specialised artmaking facilities of Z building (including woodwork, metalwork, printmaking and photomedia studios) will be able to sustain themselves. A current student commenting on the Save UWS Arts blog, writes: “The climate in Z building itself is such that many students have been considering transfer to other Sydney art schools and some have indeed already applied.” Students currently enrolled in art degrees must be ensured the quality they were assured when they signed up for the degree. And future art practitioners from Western Sydney should have an opportunity to attend a tertiary art school in their own neighbourhood if they choose.

Please sign the online Save UWS Arts Petition http://www.petitiononline.com/uws6Arts/petition.html

And keep an eye on updates on the blog http://saveuwsarts.blogspot.com/

JOAN GROUNDS LENDS SUPPORT

Joan Grounds shot by the legendary Carol Jerrems, 1974 (from Art & Australia, Summer, 43:2, 2005).

Former UWS Fine Arts lecturer and acclaimed artist, Joan Grounds, emailed to lend her support. Below is text Joan wrote for the petition (only the first paragraph appears on the petition, so read the rest here):

This decision to close Arts at UWS is the end result of years of distressing actions aimed at the Arts by the University. To observe the gradual dismantling of this vibrant and important tertiary cultural institution was one of the most unsettling events I have witnessed in education in Australia.

The Arts at UWS service the demographic centre of Sydney. Cultural institutions in this region are beginning to grow, to flourish and to gain a reputation for excellence in part because of the critical mass of talented past graduates. These institutions rely on a continuum of talent that has been developed and nurtured in the critical environment of tertiary art education within a liberal arts University. It is difficult to understand why or how removing this educational facility that so clearly is a key to the infrastructure of cultural institutions in Western Sydney makes any rational sense on any level.

For the present staff and students, ‘teaching and learning out’ the last of the courses this is a sad and bewildering event. For all artists in Australia this is a tragedy, because some of our best talent and minds have been educated and honed in this facility. Many of the students are first generation tertiary educated and many initially enrolled with little idea of the opportunities that would open for them as they developed as creative and productive artists. One has to assume that without this important and excellent facility there will be significant future loss for all of us, because the ‘voices’ of the students from this catchment will never emerge to enrich, challenge and bring honours to Australian life and culture.

It always takes years and years to build a strong arts program such as the one at UWS. And it takes so little time to break it down. So much good will, hard work and talent has gone into building up the Arts at UWS. To see it destroyed in this manner is a great and lasting tragedy. I would have to say, a tragic mistake of epic proportion.

- Joan Grounds

AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITY QUALITY AGENCY (AUQA)
AUDIT FOR UWS

A recent email from the VC sent to staff reports on the outcome of the AUQA audit, undertaken at UWS recently:

'The words used by the panel chair in describing the spirit individuals and groups conveyed was that "UWS is a University of the people" of which all are clearly very proud...

They commended us on our engagement with the community, the strong governance of the Board of Trustees and Academic Senate, the systems we have developed such as online course approvals, tracking and improvement for learning and teaching, and complaints management, and Library services, the heads of programs network and research register.

We received "affirmations" relating to our planning, WebCT, the measurable recent improvement in student satisfaction, the developmentof the work loads policy and University funding model, the commitment to research concentration and the strategy for research development, and community engagement.

The areas which the panel recommended need further work are all-of-University action on Indigenous education, IT governance and client service, quality assurance of our off shore programs, tracking the improvements in student administration and client service, the development of "commercial" activity to increase non-government revenue, and defining the distinguishing features of the UWS student experience.'

We wonder, if '"UWS is a University of the people" of which all are clearly very proud', why is it not listening to the arts? Obviously the rest of the community is very concerned. There is no "quality" at present for us. Pity the AUQA "panel" are not judging present deficiencies in Arts at UWS. Did the AUQA review TVS?

Thanks for sending this to us.

Thanks to The Artswipe for spreading the word on a recent post that can be viewed at: http://artswipe.blogspot.com and for reminding us of the artistically inspiring Kingswood swamp.

THE WESTERN ONION: UWS STUDENT NEWSPAPER
Semester 2, Issue 6, 2006

Hot off the presses!

The UWS student newspaper reports that Head of School, Associate Professor Lynette Sheridan Burns sent letters to prospective students about the School of Communication Arts not enrolling Fine Arts students, advising them to consider a Design degree or consider Fine Arts at TAFE. If prospective students wanted to study Design would they not have enrolled in Design in the first place? While Fine Arts and Design have a relationship, they are not the same thing, and not always compatible disciplines.

We'd love to see that letter! Anyone who received that letter from the Head of School, please scan it and email it to us to be posted on this blog.

The Western Onion article states: "The cancellation of fine arts at UWS does not appear to have been approved by the university's academic senate, which sets academic policy and approves changes to courses and units. The official position seems to be that the courses are not being 'retired' (official UWS-speak for cut); they are just enrolling no students. No doubt at some future time they will be 'retired' on the basis that they have no students."

Our understanding is, the said programs have been retired because the new Bachelor of Contemporary Arts is replacing the Fine Arts and Electronic Arts degrees. Reiterating what Associate Professor Sheridan Burns has told us in an email: "The Bachelor of Contemporary Art has been approved by the UWS Course Approvals and Articulations Committee and will be introduced in 2008."

So the implementation of the BCA was approved, but the relevant senate did not approve the "cancellation" of the Fine Arts degree. What is going on?

(Apologies the Western Onion article is scanned as two images - our scanner was not big enough)

2SER COVERAGE

Kudos to Margaret Mayhem for discussing the issues affecting art schools like UWS and the National Art School in her spot on Daz Chandler's Monday Overdrive program on 2SER 107.3 FM. Margaret's blog is Art and Mayhem.

BACHELOR OF CONTEMPORARY ARTS WILL HAVE 2008 INTAKE - HEAD OF SCHOOL

Associate Professor Lynette Sheridan Burns, Head of the School of Communication Arts, has emailed to correct a factual mistake we made about the Bachelor of Contemporary Art (BCA). We note that it has been "indefinitely" suspended. Lynette says by email, "This is not true and has never been true. The Bachelor of Contemporary Art has been approved by the UWS Course Approvals and Articulations Committee and will be introduced in 2008."

Changes to the text of the Petition cannot be made unfortunately. Once a Petition is live at that site it is permanent and cannot be altered. So please note Lynette's correction.

However, we stand by our motivating intention that the point of the petition is to rally support for the arts and art education in western Sydney when, until now, there has been ambiguity over the fate of the Fine Arts / Electronic Arts due to constant restructuring, lack of adequate funding, staff redundancies, subsequent lowering of morale for students and staff affected by these change proposals, and importantly, constant reminders from management that the arts areas have not been financially sustainable to date and have dropped in enrollements.

We hope, now we have solid confirmation that the BCA is slated for 2008, that it can service the needs for a well-rounded arts education for the west, with suitable consultation with fine arts/electronic arts staff (in addition to the consultation that is being sought from relevant arts bodies in the west) rather than a tokenistic gesture on the part of the university to provide an art degree.

PS. We just found Lynette's image when we looked her up on Google Images.

THE SUN-HERALD, Sunday 15 October 2007, p37


Online version read it here

This article, which was published today, reports on the impact felt on universities by federal funding cuts. UWS is the focus of the article, with the School of Economics and Finance, highlighted as one of the schools affected by the situation.

This situation is obviously widespread, because the School of Communication Arts is in the same boat as funding issues are the driving force behind the cuts to the arts programs.

We agree with Associate Professor Steve Keen, who is quoted in this article as saying: If the vice-chancellor [Professor Janice Reid] were to take up the cudgel against Canberra and their funding cuts she would have the backing of the entire UWS staff". And we reckon the students might be happy too.

TVS IS ALSO IN THE NEWS

The community TV station hosted by The School of Communication Arts is in crisis.

Harriet Alexander reports:

THE future of Sydney's only community television station is in doubt after a dramatic fallout between its partners, a nearly $900,000 deficit and millions of dollars sunk by the University of Western Sydney.

The university has spent about $1.5 million on TVS and guaranteed a $2 million loan from the National Australia Bank, but the money will run out within months unless TVS generates more revenue or the university agrees to more funding.

The UWS board of trustees will discuss its future relationship with TVS when it meets today.

Last month the university decided to indefinitely suspend three arts and performance courses because they were running at a $1 million loss.

Read the entire article here

PS. Don't forget to sign the petition to ensure the proposed Bachelor of Contemporary Arts sees the light of day:

http://www.petitiononline.com/uws6Arts/petition.html

SIGN THE SAVE UWS ARTS PETITION

A petition has been set up online to protest the decision on the part of the University's College of Arts/School of Communication Arts to suspend its Fine Arts and Electronic Arts programs and abandon its Performance program. The Fine Arts and Electronic Arts programs as they currently exist are being taught out, and the plan is for a Bachelor of Contemporary Arts to replace them. Intake for this program has been indefinitely suspended. Show your support for the implementation of this program by signing this petition. We believe it is important that this proposed program, when implemented, services the professional needs of arts students, lecturers and the arts communities in western Sydney.

Sign the petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/uws6Arts/petition.html

MEETING NOTES

The spokesperson for the Save UWS Arts group attended the meeting where Head of School Lynette Sheridan Burns, Executive Dean Wayne McKenna and Head of Arts program Rachel Bentley spoke to approximately 22 fine arts and electronic arts students on Friday 13th October, 2006.

Current issues arising from the cutbacks for students

The Fine Arts and Electronic Arts degrees are largely practical with a high percentage of work taking place in the purpose built spaces (studios and technical facilities such as woodworking, welding, printmaking, audiovisual and photography labs).

With current technical staff cutbacks students are having difficulty accessing these facilities. For example, a printmaking technician works for 2.5 days per week and students must access facilities during that time.

Currently there is no storeperson from whom students can borrow tools and equipment needed for work in the studios. A roster has been put into place with the store room opened for set times per day. However, this involves a technician leaving their designated work area to man the store for two hour shifts. While supposedly a temporary measure this takes other technical staff away from their specialist areas which then have to be closed.

Lynette stated that she approved students from Fine Arts and Electronic Arts access to any facilities housed under the School of Communication Arts. This means students can have access to design and media arts production facilities and equipment. Students expressed concern that they have not been granted this access. One student left the meeting to go and attempt to hire a camera from Building BJ's store room, and was told by the Storeperson he could not because his supervisor did not authorize Fine Arts/Electronic Arts access. Lynette insists that she approves it, but students were concerned technical staff did not know this approval was in place.

Future plans

Current students were assured they would get what they signed up for when they enrolled into their degree programs. Meaning they would get access to facilities, units of study comprising the degrees, and that they would graduate with the degree they signed up for.

The Fine Arts and Electronic Arts programs have been phased out (meaning the degrees in their current incarnation will be taught out). It is planned that the Fine Arts and Electronic Arts programs will be replaced with a Bachelor of Contemporary Arts (BCA). However, intake for this program, while initially slated for 2007, has been suspended. Lynette reassured students that the BCA would come into effect in 2008, and have an intake of 75 commencing students, but it could not be guaranteed that this would be definite. It could not be guaranteed because the requirements of space and facilities to operate such a program require much infrastructure.

Currently there are 14 academic staff in the combined areas of Fine Arts and Electronic Arts. They have calculated that to meet current student ratio demands, there should only be nine academic staff, therefore voluntary redundancies were offered because five staff were not needed.

A new funding model will be implemented throughout UWS from 2007 onwards. This has had significant impact on the proposed BCA and its ability to sustain itself. Currently Fine Arts and Electronic Arts have a combined debt of $775,000 to the University. Currently outgoing money (specifically salaries) exceeds the incoming. The new model will see $12,000 allocated per student instead of the current $5000 from the Government. The change is that University will now charge for the hire of space, administration charges, and so on. Areas with facilities like the arts will be specifically disadvantaged due to their specialist needs and their inability to raise funding externally (for example, through research funding).

Lynnette spoke about how there has been a 10% decline in enrollments for the Fine Arts and Electronic Arts in recent years. Students questioned why this was the case, suggesting that the continual restructuring of the courses was a potential reason why students were choosing not to study at UWS.

Part of the discontent at UWS with staff and current students is a feeling that the BCA will not come into effect, or if it does, significant input from the current art lecturers will not be sourced. Lynette indicated that she has been in talks with heads of regional galleries and arts organizations to assist in the development of the proposed BCA.

Unlike the BCA which merges the Fine Arts and Electronic Arts programs, the Performance program has been suspended and there are no plans in place for it to recommence in any form.

The discussion ended with a request from Wayne and Lynette for students to meet together and write a summary critique of what they think is needed for the BCA course, along with any current concerns felt due to their current degree programs being taught out.

If any of this information is inaccurate please let us know at saveuwsfinearts [at] hotmail.com and it will be rectified.

2006 ACQUISITIVE SCULPTURE AWARD & EXHIBITION AT UWS

The UWS Media Release for this sculpture exhibition at the Campbelltown campus quotes UWS curator Monica McMahon: "The University is very proud to be able to promote this wonderful art form, support great Australian artists, and create a valuable cultural and community event for the people of Greater Western Sydney and beyond."

That's a great line, but does it apply beyond the sculpture exhibition?

More info from the UWS web site. Read it here

Articles from the last two issues of Uni Life:


vol 1 Winter 2006


Vol 2 Spring 2006

The Art Life

Thanks to the illustrious Art Life blog for publicising this site in their latest post and contextualising the current cut to arts programs at UWS in relation to the preposterous merger of the National Art School and the College of Fine Arts. Whatever happened to art school autonomy? Whatever happened to art schools?

Invitation to Participate

CROSS CONVERSATIONS: What are art schools for?

The Cross Art Projects

33 Roslyn Street, Kings Cross, Sydney (opposite St Lukes Hospital gates)

Saturday 14 October 2006, 4 to 5pm
Exhibition Ends: Saturday 14 October 2006 at 6pm
Information: Jo Holder 9357 2058 or 0406 537933

In association with the exhibition WHAT ARE ART SCHOOLS FOR? BY JUSTIN TRENDALL

WHAT ARE ART SCHOOLS FOR? is an exhibition about the relationship between artists and institutions. The theme for this Saturdays conversation is the challenge faced by art schools in Australias current social and economic climate. Although many challenges are not new, what is new is the 10-year reign of a party whose political philosophy is hostile to the arts.The conversation will focus on the common experience of art schools facing cuts and downgrading. We aim to make a small contribution to the ongoing debate about the value and position of art in our society by considering the problems from the perspective of teaching art. The conversation might be able to cover ground not easily covered by the more abstract mission statements of major organisations. You are invited to participate in a talk about your firsthand view of art and education and the current state of the affairs of art institutions in Sydney this Saturday at 4pm until 5pm. Followed by closing drinks.

Cross Conversation participants include artists: Justin Trendall, Andrew Hurle, Christopher Dean, Maria Cruz, Sue Pedley, Save UWS Art School

The Cross Art Projects
A space for independent art & curatorial studies
Director: Jo Holder
33 Roslyn Street Kings Cross Sydney 2011
T: + 61 (02) 9357-2058
E: joholder@aic.net.au
W: www.crossart.com.au

A current UWS student asked us to post the details of a meeting where the Head of the School of Communication Arts, Lynette Sheridan Burns, and Wayne McKenna will chat with Fine Arts and Electronic Arts students about what is happening to their programs of study.

Midday

13th October

BBG23, Werrington Sth

All are welcome.

This is THE chance to raise questions and concerns.

Thanks guys for posting the news in the comment section.

Position Vacant at UWS: Research Associate for visual arts cultural research

Positions Vacant at UWS: A Research Associate is needed for the Centre for Cultural Research, which is located in Professor Wayne McKenna's College of Arts. What got our attention is the research project that created this Research Associate position is an Australian Research Council (ARC) funded industry "linkage" project about "contemporary arts partnership for creativity, collaboration and business engagement around Western Sydney". Further research at the ARC website shows the project's "linkage" partners are the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), Penrith Regional Gallery and Casula Powerhouse.

The College of Arts is dedicated to the visual arts when its cultural researchers from the CCR score ARC dollars. Interestingly Elaine Lally, Ien Ang, Kay Anderson are not art scholars: they're cultural studies scholars ...

The suitability of the CCR researchers for this research is really beside the point. What shocks us is the blatant contradictions UWS expects us all to gloss over. UWS supports visual arts research (if the ARC will do so first with a linkage grant). But as for its own demonstrated success in producing quality arts students and staff - well that's another "unsustainable" story.

Note posted by UWS Arts 17/10/06: We apologise if we offended anyone when we posted this. We were angry at the time and regret our hasty tone. Though admittedly, it's hard to "grow up" when our own art degree at our university of choice is shortchanging us and the broader Western Sydney community of a quality art school. Growing up is "cognate" with the education you choose.

UWS is missing a piece of its brain.

The new marketing campaign for postgraduate courses at UWS is a serious fizzer. Or does it reveal a serious flaw in UWS's corporate logic? Who is UWS's advertising client? Surely not any of the advertising staff or students in the School of Communication Arts? Yes, the School of Communication Arts has an Advertising degree program, which incidentally has not been cut. Surely UWS executives have no idea how advertising works, let alone how it can be interpreted. Maybe the UWS media department should sit in a few lectures or tutes offered on their own grounds at Werrington South. If this stupid postcard, freely available on campus and seen on billboards on the Great Western Hwy, is any indication of the kind of "logic" UWS represents, then it's time to look elsewhere for an education of any relevance.

If "the missing piece" at UWS is a postgraduate education, then maybe UWS should consider rethinking the way it stripped back its undergraduate programs a few years ago when it cut a thousand or so electives. How can UWS claim to have any postgraduate culture when its undergraduate courses have been so consistently depleted? In that case, Executive Dean of the College of Arts, Wayne McKenna's official line for axing the arts programs (they do not attract students anymore and are not financially sustainable) is true. The Arts programs suffering the axe at present have not attracted the same numbers in recent years because the programs have lost their edge. How can UWS art programs compete with tertiary art schools elsewhere when their programs have become such stripped back generic courses with nothing to offer?

Yes, UWS has a missing piece in its brain. And how dare UWS think it has anything to offer on a postgraduate level, when it can't even service the undergraduate cohorts who make up its majority.

Professor Wayne McKenna,
Executive Dean, College of Arts
Surely that is not art he is posing in front of?

It's gone public. The Sydney Morning Herald journalist Harriet Alexander reported on October 9 that UWS School of Communication Arts, which is governed by the College of Arts, is cutting their art school. Read it here

The Penrith Press reports about how the Performance degree in the same school is witnessing its "final curtain" as Executive Dean of the College of Arts, Professor Wayne McKenna, has axed the program due to his official line: "Student numbers in these programs have been falling steadily in recent times... As a result these courses are running at a loss totalling more than $1 million in 2006." Read it here

We'd ike to see some evidence to back up those claims, Professor McKenna. It's interesting McKenna doesn't mention how he has made it increasingly difficult for the Fine Arts, Electronic Arts, and Performance degrees to be sustainable. Because of their specialist facilities and technical requirement, they obviously require specific resources, staffing, and so on. Program areas will rent its own allocated space from the College in 2007. (We apologise for getting our earlier facts wrong when we said this had already taken effect. Thanks to our source for pointing this out). It remains to be seen, then, which programs - especially those with specialist facilities - will be able to afford the rent. Really, who has ever heard of a university renting space unto itself?

We'd like to see how the College of Arts can argue that the community television station it hosts TVS - that is not even available digitally - can be sustainable in terms of audience interest and revenue. UWS continues to foster a culture of mediocrity. Cut the arts and champion poorly produced community TV that until recently was headed by a design academic who had no background or expertise in television.