Fine Arts consolidates under Wild's leadership

laurie zack

Dean Catherine Wild outlined the successes and challenges facing the Faculty of Fine Arts to the Board of Governors on April 12.

Under the theme “Consolidating our strengths, widening the lead,” she presented a snapshot of the most comprehensive and the second-largest faculty of fine arts in Canada. York University is the closest competitor in size and diversity of programs.

Wild explained, “For 31 years, Concordia University has set the pace for comprehensive fine arts education.

“Our overarching goals are the creation of an environment that fosters teaching and research excellence, a responsive and open approach to current challenges and new models of learning, development of partnerships and seeing the local environment as a unique element which can be integrated and expressed through curriculum and related activities.”

The faculty’s nine departments group 3,259 undergraduate and graduate students in 52 programs, taught by 106 full-time and 247 part-time faculty members. While most students choose traditional disciplines, many are also pursuing cross- and interdisciplinary pathways.

This is reflected in the evolving program offerings such as the recently approved Major (BFA Studio Arts) in Intermedia/ CyberArts.

Twenty-eight per cent of Fine Arts students are from elsewhere in Canada, and nine per cent are international in origin.

Thanks to the faculty’s reputation and increased levels of post-secondary participation, undergraduate applications have jumped 75 per cent since 1997-98. Over the last 10 years, the faculty has seen a significant increase in full-time undergraduate and graduate student enrolments of 52 per cent and 61 per cent respectively.

Although the faculty strongly supports Concordia’s mission of accessibility, many Fine Arts programs are highly competitive. For programs in Cinema, Design and Computation Arts, Studio Arts, Theatre and Photography, only between one in five to one in seven students are accepted. In Film Production and Theatre Performance, acceptance rates narrow to one in 10 and one in nine respectively.

Dean Wild outlined some of the challenges facing the faculty. Increasing funding for graduate students tops the list. She is also looking for improved recruitment and retention strategies, increased support for data collection and analysis, and enhanced academic and community partnerships.

“In today’s competitive postsecondary climate, funding is essential to attract and retain highly qualified applicants and to maintain and increase our lead in graduate studies,” she said. “We are working with the new advancement and alumni structure to increase support from all sources.”

Faculty renewal is another priority. As Wild explained to the Board, due to the hands-on nature of many of the disciplines, classes are smaller in Fine Arts than in other faculties.

Development of a long-term faculty renewal plan is underway and will be based on a faculty-wide assessment of enrolment projections, current curriculum and new initiatives, and the growing research profile. Cross-disciplinary opportunities can be enhanced and duplication of facilities reduced if all departments can be brought together on the downtown campus.

Although total research funding has increased by about 25 per cent, there is room for growth. Due to historic funding patterns and in contrast to the other faculties, most fine arts research funding is not administered by the university.

As a result, the faculty needs to work to increase recognition and support for the diversity of fine arts research. Better data collection and analysis, stronger interdisciplinary research and partnering with other institutions are other key goals.

Wild discussed the faculty’s recent review of operating procedures, services, and revenue-generating possibilities and their commitment to work towards a balanced budget.

“We will continue to champion the arts as a vital and strategic activity that shapes and reflects contemporary culture,” Wild concluded.

“Achieving our goals is key if we are to consolidate our strengths and continue to widen our lead for fine arts at Concordia.”