UNC Charlotte Trustees Approve...

New College of Arts and Architecture

http://www.publicrelations.uncc.edu/default.asp?id=15&objId=362

February 6, 2008

UNC Charlotte Trustees Approve New College of Arts and Architecture
Called a Conduit Between the University and Regional Arts and Cultural Groups
CHARLOTTE – Feb. 6, 2008 – UNC Charlotte’s Board of Trustees has approved the establishment of the College of Arts and Architecture, a change that will prepare graduates for careers as architects, artists and other creative and innovative professions in the arts and cultural economy.

The Board of Trustees approved the establishment of the new college on Jan. 31, and it becomes effective on July 1. It will bring together multiple disciplines, ranging from the College of Architecture to the departments of art and art history, music, and dance and theatre. Those departments previously were in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Ken Lambla, dean of the College of Architecture, said the college will provide a broader channel for the university to offer the right kinds of professional degree programs for students to develop artistic and creative leadership skills. Lambla also will serve as dean of the College of Arts and Architecture.

The UNC Tomorrow Commission’s recent report concluded that North Carolina’s public universities should produce more graduates who are well-rounded in the arts and culture.

“Creating the College of Arts and Architecture at UNC Charlotte is a bold decision by the institution to recognize the vitality of these disciplines, promote programs in creative leadership, develop innovative programs and projects, and move the arts, architecture and cultural production to a more central place in the identity of UNC Charlotte,” Lambla said.

In his 2006 installation address, Chancellor Philip L. Dubois advanced the idea of creating the college, saying, “… we should look inside our own University as well, to see whether there are creative synergies that might be realized by the creation of a new academic college that would house both architecture and the arts.”

Provost Joan Lorden said the college will help to engage the university with Charlotte’s arts and cultural community, including such important institutions as the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, Imaginon, and the new cultural campus under construction on South Tryon Street.

Board of Trustees Chairwoman Ruth Shaw called the combination an ideal fit.

“There’s a real sense of excitement and vigor around this,” she said before the board’s unanimous vote to approve the proposal.

The College of Arts and Architecture will provide more opportunities for students to collaborate with community arts organizations in such areas as arts education, environmental programs and community development projects, supporters said.

“There is no greater bridge between a community and its university than an excellent campus program in the arts,” said Michael Marsicano, president and chief executive officer of the Foundation For the Carolinas and a member of the task force that studied the proposal. “UNC Charlotte has just taken a leap forward in reaching out to the citizens in Charlotte even as it enhances its academic offering to prospective students.”

Lee Keesler, president and chief executive officer of the Arts & Science Council who also served on the task force, said the project will lead to exciting collaborative works in the future.

“The creation of the new College of Arts and Architecture affirms the University’s commitment to supporting artistic development, and strengthens opportunities to partner with the cultural community,” Keesler said. “The college will enhance creative activity at the University for residents and visitors to enjoy.”

Other members of the Arts and Architecture Task Force included: Edward St. Clair, Department of Religious Studies (Task Force Chair); Bruce Auerbach, Chair, Department of Dance and Theatre; Suzanne Fetscher, President and Executive Director, McColl Center for Visual Art; Carl Johnson, Director of Gift Planning, Office of Development; Royce Lumpkin, Chair, Department of Music; Albert Maisto, Bonnie E. Cone Distinguished Professor and Associate Dean, Honors College; William Ribarsky, Bank of America Endowed Chair, College of Computing and Informatics; Roy Strassberg, Chair, Department of Art; and, Betsy West, Chair, College of Architecture.

lol. almost had me.

Football???

oh wait… (reads over)

(slams door on the way out)

[QUOTE=Hawthorne_49er;292149]lol. almost had me.[/QUOTE]

Sorry, had to do it.

It got me excited too when I saw the words Trustees and Approve next to each other.

Having a gf (yes, I know I talk about her a lot… you would too if you had her) that is an architecture major, I can say that in her opinion and in the opinion of many of the students in her program, this is [I]not[/I] a good thing. There was already a College of Architecture, a very good one at that, but now the architecture program will take a backseat to art. Why this was approved is beyond me.

[QUOTE=thelew1014;292156]Having a gf (yes, I know I talk about her a lot… you would too if you had her) that is an architecture major, I can say that in her opinion and in the opinion of many of the students in her program, this is [I]not[/I] a good thing. There was already a College of Architecture, a very good one at that, but now the architecture program will take a backseat to art. Why this was approved is beyond me.[/QUOTE]
This is frankly a weird move. If they wanted to give fine arts more of the time of day, they should’ve created a college of fine arts and left Arkey alone.

Theater and Architecture should not be in teh same college.

[QUOTE=Sideshow;292178]Theater and Architecture should not be in teh same college.[/QUOTE]
My point exactly. They go together like chocolate and ass.

My point exactly. They go together like chocolate and ass.

I can see some places where art and architecture could over lap. The stage isn’t really one of them though. Probably have been better to levave them apart.

My point exactly. They go together like chocolate and ass.

There is a pretty big link right there… I’ve had pretty good success with chocolate…:lol:

more like… chocolate and goat cheese.

from one standpoint it gives the university a more direct college rather than the broadness of “arts and sciences” but I agree that it probably hurts the arch program at first glance… but realistically the programs so good that it will be continue to be the standout.

A better move would have to have just established a “college of arts” and left the college of arch alone.

As a recent grad. of the College of Architecture, I did not care for this to happen. Architecture is Art, but at a totally different medium, and not to mention all the curriculum that separates it from an art form. There are courses that you take that are related more towards math and engineering, not pottery and basket weaving. I really never saw exactly what benefits (or faults) this could have. It just seems to put it all under one banner, but for what? Hell, even in the article is was never expressed what this whole thing would be beneficial for, or for whom. I do fear that it will make the College of Arch. even less relevant on the campus, no matter how great of a college it is.

I guess this is so the theater people can use the woodshop to create their stage sets.

So what happens to all of the science programs?

So what happens to all of the science programs?

It will be part of the new College of Motorsports and Sciences.

personally this makes zero sense. I’m guessing part of the reason is “The UNC Tomorrow Commission’s recent report concluded that North Carolina’s public universities should produce more graduates who are well-rounded in the arts and culture.” How does this change effect this study/report at all? If you want more well rounded students, change the graduation requirements.

at least when i started school, the architecture program/college was one of the best and most exclusive at uncc if not the region. How does this change effect this? Since the first statement in the article is by the dean of the architecture school, I’m sure he/she wouldn’t have agreed to this if 1) it lessened the impact of an archectural degree, or 2) didn’t increase his/her salary. I just hope its the former and not the later.

at least when i started school, the architecture program/college was one of the best and most exclusive at uncc if not the region. How does this change effect this? Since the first statement in the article is by the dean of the architecture school, I'm sure he/she wouldn't have agreed to this if 1) it lessened the impact of an archectural degree, or 2) didn't increase his/her salary. I just hope its the former and not the later.

It still is very exclusive… when I applied there for the Fall of 2002, there was something like 450-500 applicants (may have been more, I heard varing numbers), half of that received an interview, and 50 were accepted. That meant at that time only 10-11% were accepted. I know the number of appilicants increased every year and the amount let in did not so much.

The Dean is a nice guy, although he rubs people the wrong way at times, very long-winded.

of all the departments/colleges to combine…its just odd.

Having a gf (yes, I know I talk about her a lot... you would too if you had her)

You’ll get over it…

Actually, I think Art and Architecture go together well. They are both schools that require a lot of creativity. Putting the Art school with Geography, Biology, and Chemistry makes less sense than Architecture.

Actually, you’d be surprised at how well they go together. The architecture students design the set for the music department’s annual opera, and they also have designed sets and lighting for a show done by the theater department. Also, to the comment that they are separate mediums: Theater, music, art, dance, and art history are all completely different mediums, yet they merge very well. I believe this will be a great benefit for the arts, and the architecture students will be a part of an improved College wherein they will have more exposure to the arts.

Plus, the former dean of the college of architecture will be the new dean of the College of Arts and Architecture. He was a huge supporter of this, and I’ve spoken with him about it personally. I actually wrote a bill promoting this last year in the Student Government Association.

(And it really seems like everything I write here is in the University News forum.) :shades:

So what happens to all of the science programs?

The College of Arts and Sciences will be renamed something like The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.