Petition to Senate Concerning Admission Freezes and Closures
178 Comments
J
Jenn Pratt
12 years ago
I personally am not in the Fine Arts program but I know of people who are. When I asked them why they had chose Queen's for Fine Arts, all of them said that Queen's has a strong and reputable for this program. I think it would be devastating to cut a program that is so respected.
G
George Clark
12 years ago
Though I am now a professor emeritus, I support the petition and the principle behind it.
F
Frank Barratt
12 years ago
ArtSci '09
J
Jordan Morelli
12 years ago
On May 25, 2011, Queen’s University Senate approved the Internal Academic Review (IAR) for the Department of Art (http://www.queensu.ca/secretariat/senate/agendasminutes/052511/IARCArt.pdf). This IAR stated that the “Department of Art can be characterised by high quality academic programs, productive and respected scholars and artists, and strong students enrolled in all of its three units (Art Conservation, Art History and Fine Art).” The IAR did express “concern about the impact of the pending retirements on the current Master of Art Conservation program. In order to keep this sole-Canadian program viable in its present form, these faculty members must be replaced with well-established academics who have the necessary expertise in specialized disciplines.” The IAR made no mention whatsoever of concern about financial or ‘resource’ limitations that might in any way impact the BFA program. How only six months later the University Administration can straight-facedly claim that the BFA program must be suspended “based on an assessment of the faculty resources available to support the program” (http://www.queensu.ca/news/articles/bfa-enrolment-suspended-2012-13) is very difficult to understand; especially when it was the Art Conservation program, not the BFA program, that was identified as having ‘resource’ limitations. Something doesn’t seem to add up. Was the BFA program sacrificed to save the Art Conservation program? How were any of these decisions reached? Why the secrecy?
D
Don Stuart
12 years ago
Queen's should be more than a business
W
William J. Egnatoff
12 years ago
Arts programs require continuity in enrollment to thrive, especially programs that involve performance, since performing groups inevitably involve students in various years of their program.
C
Ciara Phillips
12 years ago
BFA 2000
J
jobb arnold
12 years ago
Suspending the BFA makes Queen's look terrible, because it IS a terrible thing to do.
E
Erik Zhang
12 years ago
N/A
A
Anonymous
12 years ago
i wish i'd taken a BFA.
K
Kara Phinney
12 years ago
Life Science '13
J
Jackie Davies
12 years ago
The lack of transparent and appropriate process and communications with interested and affected parties is shocking and demoralizing for Queen's faculty, staff, alumni, and current and prospective students and their families. It also threatens Queen's reputation.
As for the substance of the decision, I can only hope that the suspension of admissions to the BFA program is temporary.
What does the administration have in mind for Fine Arts at Queen's? Aand which parts of the admin, I would like to know has these changes in mind?
Are there changes afoot that could make sense of even a temporary freeze on admissions? If so they should be properly communicated so that we can all have a part in "managing" these changes in the least disruptive way and indeed in a way that will enable fine arts to flourish at Queen's.
Fine arts, as well as music and drama and film are essential to an engaged intellectual life and to what it means to develop and sustain the skills necessary for participating in a free society. Fine arts, music, drama, and film are needed by all of us at Queen's, including those of us who do not work in those departments. It matters that we share community, influence and are influenced by the people who do work there. The loss of these programs at Queen's will bode ill for Queen's and beyond..
C
Chris Gusen
12 years ago
Queen's Arts & Science '09
K
Ketsia Green
12 years ago
Please save the quality and valuable diversity of our education.
E
Eric Wedderspoon
12 years ago
save the arts!
A
Aaron Wynn
12 years ago
Save BFA!!!!!
K
Kelly McKinley
12 years ago
As if the arts weren't already under fire in this country! Queen's has the potential to offer the best fine arts program in the country - a top notch regional art museum with significant Canadian and international collections, the ONLY art conservation program, art history and fine arts. A unique combination that this country needs. Admitting too many students last year combined with a faculty retirement cited as a reason for suspending admissions - pitiful.
N
Nicky Clarizio
12 years ago
The Queen's Fine Arts Program was one that I was actually considering and now I feel like I was thrown under the bus!
F
fanny
12 years ago
because arts matter most!
D
Dan Beadle
12 years ago
Queen's needs to keep it's Fine Arts Program alive and well.
Dan Beadle ~ Sci'03
I personally am not in the Fine Arts program but I know of people who are. When I asked them why they had chose Queen's for Fine Arts, all of them said that Queen's has a strong and reputable for this program. I think it would be devastating to cut a program that is so respected.
Though I am now a professor emeritus, I support the petition and the principle behind it.
ArtSci '09
On May 25, 2011, Queen’s University Senate approved the Internal Academic Review (IAR) for the Department of Art (http://www.queensu.ca/secretariat/senate/agendasminutes/052511/IARCArt.pdf). This IAR stated that the “Department of Art can be characterised by high quality academic programs, productive and respected scholars and artists, and strong students enrolled in all of its three units (Art Conservation, Art History and Fine Art).” The IAR did express “concern about the impact of the pending retirements on the current Master of Art Conservation program. In order to keep this sole-Canadian program viable in its present form, these faculty members must be replaced with well-established academics who have the necessary expertise in specialized disciplines.” The IAR made no mention whatsoever of concern about financial or ‘resource’ limitations that might in any way impact the BFA program. How only six months later the University Administration can straight-facedly claim that the BFA program must be suspended “based on an assessment of the faculty resources available to support the program” (http://www.queensu.ca/news/articles/bfa-enrolment-suspended-2012-13) is very difficult to understand; especially when it was the Art Conservation program, not the BFA program, that was identified as having ‘resource’ limitations. Something doesn’t seem to add up. Was the BFA program sacrificed to save the Art Conservation program? How were any of these decisions reached? Why the secrecy?
Queen's should be more than a business
Arts programs require continuity in enrollment to thrive, especially programs that involve performance, since performing groups inevitably involve students in various years of their program.
BFA 2000
Suspending the BFA makes Queen's look terrible, because it IS a terrible thing to do.
N/A
i wish i'd taken a BFA.
Life Science '13
The lack of transparent and appropriate process and communications with interested and affected parties is shocking and demoralizing for Queen's faculty, staff, alumni, and current and prospective students and their families. It also threatens Queen's reputation. As for the substance of the decision, I can only hope that the suspension of admissions to the BFA program is temporary. What does the administration have in mind for Fine Arts at Queen's? Aand which parts of the admin, I would like to know has these changes in mind? Are there changes afoot that could make sense of even a temporary freeze on admissions? If so they should be properly communicated so that we can all have a part in "managing" these changes in the least disruptive way and indeed in a way that will enable fine arts to flourish at Queen's. Fine arts, as well as music and drama and film are essential to an engaged intellectual life and to what it means to develop and sustain the skills necessary for participating in a free society. Fine arts, music, drama, and film are needed by all of us at Queen's, including those of us who do not work in those departments. It matters that we share community, influence and are influenced by the people who do work there. The loss of these programs at Queen's will bode ill for Queen's and beyond..
Queen's Arts & Science '09
Please save the quality and valuable diversity of our education.
save the arts!
Save BFA!!!!!
As if the arts weren't already under fire in this country! Queen's has the potential to offer the best fine arts program in the country - a top notch regional art museum with significant Canadian and international collections, the ONLY art conservation program, art history and fine arts. A unique combination that this country needs. Admitting too many students last year combined with a faculty retirement cited as a reason for suspending admissions - pitiful.
The Queen's Fine Arts Program was one that I was actually considering and now I feel like I was thrown under the bus!
because arts matter most!
Queen's needs to keep it's Fine Arts Program alive and well. Dan Beadle ~ Sci'03