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.
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.
posted by UWS Arts at 12:00 PM
10 Comments:
This is very sad. I hope Lynette will keep the lines of communication with those poor students who are caught up in the middle of this.I also hope that staff are requested to call her office to verify these sorts of changes.
I am truly shocked that the resources such aas the print workshop are being wasted by the university.
It seems to me to be a mistake to divide facilities up in such a way.
with a manager, those presses could be running hot in the holidays, evenings, and weekends with community education courses and summer/winter schools.
I don't think its fair to expect Art teachers to administer such ventures, there is no reason why , with some effort and enthusiasm on the part of the University, these facilities could turn into a real assett.
"Research" funding may not be the only possible source of income. Unfortunately, if you run the facility down too far, it will become unusable.
Would there be a possibility of raising the money to set the whole workshop/lab area as a separate community access facility, via benefactors, sponsors and supporters.I suggest an appeal to the Whitlam Institute, and the Philanthrophist who supports RMIT). This could still allow university staff to also conduct units of a new degree?It might be worth canvassing NAVA and other Arts organisations to see of there would be the interest in a public print access workshop like AGOG in Canberra, or in a commercially operating Art foundry. I know other schools do good business in the IT area, and with Electronic Arts, surely there is a demand for skills upgrading for all these arts graduates.
The university does have student accommodation empty in the vacations which might also be rented for summer schools.
There's management and marketing in your school: are they up to the challenge?
So much downtime in the presses! What criminal neglect!
Are you telling us that there is no theatre studies, or Dance studies, or that these will be phased out?
If so, what is the Performance building used for at the momment, and what does the university intend to use it for?
The architect designed purpose built theatre and dance building must have cost millions. It sets beautifully into the hillside and has double story theatre, fully equipped sown to a little mercedes forklift, State of the Art lighting, at least four rehearsal rooms, huge dressing rooms, at least two full size dance studios, comfortable, well designed offices, conference facilities and small lecture roooms, a cafeteria, student and staff common rooms, to name some of the facilities I saw in a brief visit. What are these to be used for if not for teaching theatre and dance? Such grand facilities can hardly be converted to sets for the Anatomy lesson of Dr. Tulp. in a proposed Medical School. The building is for theatrical productions. The least the university could do is make sure its used for the purpose for which it has been so thoughtfully designed.
Can you tell us what is going on there?
It looks like a scandal of major proportions.
I'd send your blog to A Current Affair or equivalent or the 7.30 report. Maybe they can find out what on earth is going on in Sydney's Wild West, while nobody's looking!
From what I know, the dance degree was deleted ages ago. Maybe it's still being taught out? Whatever the case, dance is long dead at UWS. Maybe the performance facilities will be turned into a big bathroom for the vice chancellor and her cronies.
Yes dance has been gone for some time already. Basially at the meeting we were told that although Fine Arts, Electronic Arts and Performance were all having intake suspended for 2007, that Fine Arts and Electronic Arts were in a better position as there is a future 'plan' (the BCA), as opposed to Performance which at this point does not have a plan (under the School of Communication Arts). Big shame to waste those facilities. Thankyou all for your comments so far, keep them coming.
I think anyone doing performance at the university needs to organise a similar meeting to discuss their concerns and issues, I fear that if they dont then you could all be screwed around without even realising it.
Personnaly I think the university should look into ways of increasing the intake and making best use of the facilities thats on offer. I suggested during the meeting of possibly organising a program with the highschools where students can come in and use the facilties at possibly a small cost. This will increase their interest, make good use of the facilities and possibly be a source of income for the university.
The National Art School while I was in highschool, in 2004, ran an extension art program for year 12 students where they studied at NAS for 2 weeks in fields such as painting, drawing, ceramics, printmaking, scultpure and digital media. Possibly the university could organise a similar program. I intend to write up some possible suggestions for the next meeting.
Heres hoping this meeting was a start to solve some serious issues.
Matt
Good thinking Matt. Perhaps the workshops could be hired out, for example to experienced, qualified artists who want to make, say, and edition of prints, or put a CD or DVD together-once again, at a reasonable cost.
We also think you mihgt find a Bollywood movie company currently in Adelaide who would jump at the chance to take part of their fim in the amazing facilities in the Performance Building. Throw in Nick Dorrer , Techo extroadinaire for hire and his workshop, you'd have enough to support a few year's worth of Art School!
These things have certainly been suggested to management...its common sense and yet the feeling is one of disconnect- go figure - see article on TVS for a possible pointer. A 10 % decrese is a pretty decent result. However only two years ago UWS Fine Arts was in the top ten first preference places out of all courses at UWS.
Its funny how this has been forgotten. My experience as a research student at UWS has been that it suffers from a totally a-historical perspective on these matters as a matter of inconvenience. Power to the people. This blog is doing great work - at least the silence is being broken.
I should have said " it suffers from a totally ahistorical perspective on these things as a matter of convenience"
The only inaccuracies I can spot are as follows.
"Casual printmaking technician has been hired for 2.5 days per week and students must access facilities during that time"
-- true, except said technician was an existing employee rather than a new hire. However the printmaking studio has lost it's full-time technician.
"there is no storeperson from whom students can borrow tools and equipment needed for work in the studios. It is suggested a roster could be put into place with the store room opened for set times per day..."
-- this roster is already in place. While supposedly a temporary measure this takes other technical staff away from their specialist areas which then have to be closed. So far it just isn't working and IMO is not an acceptable solution.
As far as I can see, the rest of this post is spot on. Particularly that it's been the constant restructure and over-generalisation of both existing courses that's caused increasing disillusionment among students, and is indeed likely the cause of increased drop-out and declining enrolments.
And what I can tell you for sure is that 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. Which says a lot about where they see the quality of their arts education heading.
Thanks Samuel for highlighting those errors in the meeting notes - the changes have been made.
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