The remarks in red are not part of the memoranda They are intended to raise questions in the mind of the reader!
Office of the President
New School University66 West 12th Street New York NY 10011 212.229-5656 fax 212.229.5397 www.newschool.edu
May 5, 2000
A MEMORANDUM TO THE NEW SCHOOL UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY
Recently some students and faculty have expressed concern about the future of instruction in printmaking at New School University. Two units of the University, Parsons School of Design and The New School, each have printmaking offerings, primarily for adults not enrolled in degree programs.(How do you define primarily, are no BFA or MFA students in or interested in printmaking?) The University has taken an interest in Printmaking because it is space- and equipment-intensive, and represents a significant expense.(How much MONEY does the school loose on this? We thought broadbased education not bean counting was the purpose of the NEW SCHOOL UNIVERSITY) Furthermore, several faculty groups have advised (Who, why the secrecy in identifying them? Were they primed by Dean Swearer?)that the program be more closely allied with digital technology, among other recommendations (What other recommendations? A bigger cafeteria?).
In order to address academic and budget concerns and plan effectively for the needs of both academic divisions, the University will appoint a University Commission on Printmaking to review the mission, status and future of the program during the 2000/01 academic year. The Commission will include external participants as well as present faculty and students.(Clearly permitting advocates of traditional printmaking to be selected for the commission by their constituencies would not be in the best interests of administration policy!)
The Commission will:
· Examine academic, budget, and facilities issues and recommend the best course of action for the two divisions in a context of limited resources.(In view of the printshop's national reputation, it clearly "aint broke" , so what do they want to fix?)
Consider current tuition, fees and class size in light of cost.
Consider, with the University's facilities planning group, the best location(s) for printmaking and related activities.(The administration has still not given a good reason as to why the poresent location is unsatisfactory… except of course as under utilized cafeteria space)
Hold meetings during fall 2000 with students, faculty and others to gather information. (As of end October, only one public meeting has been scheduled!… see report date below!)
The Commission will report its recommendations(which the administration is totally free to ignore) to the University Community in January 2001. During the time of the Commission's operation, printmaking courses for the Parsons degree program, the Parsons continuing education program and the Adult Division will all take place in the current location. Current faculty will return to teach. Each division will plan courses on a case by case basis, considering faculty availability and student enrollment.
The University will disseminate the Commission report and hold forums on its recommendations in the Spring 2001. The University has formed (This is an inadvertent Freudian slip revealing the truth! The verion for public consumption appears in the next paragraph) the Commission to help guide the consultative process and to develop new information. The University and its Trustees reserve the right to make all decisions affecting the future of this and all other programs (Really!).
The University is now in the process of forming the Commission. All correspondence related to this issue should be directed to: University Commission on Printmaking, Room 800, 66 West 12th Street, New York, NY 10011. E-mail: printcom@newschool.edu
Philip Scaturro
e Chancellor
To: Announce Announce
Date: Monday - September 25, 2000 9:59 AM
Subject: A MEMORANDUM TO THE NEW SCHOOL UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY
September 25, 2000
A MEMORANDUM TO THE NEW SCHOOL UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY
During the Spring 2000 semester, some students and faculty expressed concern about the future of instruction in printmaking at New School University. In order to thoroughly address these concerns the University decided to appoint (without any input from the faculty and students of Printmaking and expressly excluding vigorous pto printmaking advocates) a University Commission on Printmaking, effective as of Fall 2000.
The Commission has now been appointed and will be chaired by New School University trustee William Havemeyer. The membership includes two additional trustees, Ivan Chermayeff and Gabriella De Ferrari, Nicole Bent, an M.F.A. student at Parsons, Julie Evans, Director of the Studio Art Program at The New School, Susan Muther-Reed, a student and alumna of The New School, Roger Shepherd, Loeb Chair of Fine Arts at Parsons, and Sven Travis, Chair of the Digital Design Department at Parsons.
The Commission will:
_ Examine academic, budget, and facilities issues and recommend the best course of action for the two affected divisions (The New School and Parsons) in a context of limited resources.
_ Consider current tuition, fees and class size in light of cost.
_ Consider, with the University's facilities planning group, the best location(s) for printmaking and related activities.
_ Hold meetings during fall 2000 with students, faculty and others to gather additional information. Dates and times for these meetings will be announced in advance.(FIRST meeting in public on Nov 9th)
The Commission will report its recommendations to the Trustees and then to the University Community in December 2000. (This cuts input time down EVEN MORE than originally scheduled) All correspondence related to this issue should continue to be directed to: University Commission on Printmaking, Room 800, 66 West 12th Street, New York, NY 10011. E-mail: printcom@newschool.edu
Philip Scaturro
Chancellor
September 27, 2000
In reference to Monday's memorandum;
As a whole, the students, faculty and staff of the printshop are completely unsatisfied with the commission appointed by the administration. We find it unsatisfactory in it's supposed classification as a democratic forum. We find the process by which the commission was called and those appointed to the commission direct contradictions to any vestige of a democratic process.
The hypocrisy present in the series of decisions made this summer is confusing to those of the New School community directly involved with the printshop. Since the printshop is of such importance to our work and our education, we deserve to be included in any and all decisions made on it's behalf. Last spring the administration implied a desire for an open door of communication between it and the student body. Trust was placed by the students onto the shoulders of the administration to bring a group of people together that would represent all sides of the printshop dilemma.
The memorandum makes evident the administration's failure to realize it's stated intent. With a severe budget cut, the decision to restrict access to a vital digital printmaking process, and the entire process of the commissions appointments being intentionally concealed from this university's community, any faith placed in the administration by the students and faculty involved has disintegrated.
We demand that alongside those you deem valuable as commission members, are those directly involved with the printshop and it's facilities. Next week, the students will convene to decide on representatives from the assorted degree and non-degree programs through which they are involved with printmaking. Following Wednesday's meeting a list of these elected representatives will be submitted to the existing commission. The expectation is that an immediate reevaluation of the existing commission will be made, inclusionary of the names on the list. We also expect that the commissions meetings be held publicly, in full view of those whose decisions it affects.
In the future, we plan to actively participate in our university's decision-making process. Since this is of utmost importance to our work and our education, especially in matters that concern community issues like the printshop, we deserve this. We feel that as an important base for community, we warrant this. And as dedicated individuals, we refuse to accept anything less.
The Printshop Community
Office of the
Executive Vice President
New School University66 West 12th Street New York NY 10011 212.229-5656 fax 212.229.5397 www.newschool.edu
October 2, 2000
A MEMORANDUM TO THE NEW SCHOOL UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY
I have received a September 27 communication regarding the composition of the Printmaking Commission and its ability to inform the decision-making process with representative views.
The Printmaking Commission is committed to hearing the views of all in the community, whether in a forum or in writing. The Commission has been formed by the administration
(with what undisclosed instructions open or implied?) to review the mission, status and future of printmaking to help guide the consultative process and to develop new information. The Commission has no predetermined position about the future of printmaking at the University and will issue its final recommendations only after the community has had a full opportunity (As defined by whom? 1.5 hours at 3 minutes a head in November 2000?) to inform the process (but clearly not to commit the administration even by implication).All members of our community are encouraged to work with the Commission in a cooperative spirit and to help it to carry out its mandate and reach the best possible decision.
James Murtha
Executive Vice President
Staff to the Printmaking Commission
October 18, 2000
A MEMORANDUM TO THE NEW SCHOOL UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY
The University Commission on Printmaking held it's first meeting last week to begin the process of reviewing the mission, status and future of printmaking at New School University.
To a member, the Commission quickly established that it begins
(there appears to be no forward commitment to retention of printmaking) its work committed to retaining the discipline of printmaking at the University. (No time frame for this commitment is mentioned) Indeed, until the recommendations of the Commission have had the opportunity to be fully vetted by the University through the traditional academic decision-making process, printmaking instruction for degree and continuing education students at The New School and Parsons will continue uninterrupted and in its current location (The administration has already promised this, the commission has NO AUTHORITY on this point ) .The commission’s goal is to make recommendations to enhance and improve printmaking at the University and in so doing contribute to the academic program review process.
(This clearly implies that the administration is in no way bound by commission recommendations) It will consider curricular issues including what is the best mix of traditional and modern methods, and it will examine curricular, budget and facilities issues as they relate to the educational goals of the discipline and its degree and continuing education students. (What is the timetable for laying out the administration input on this, so it can be subject to community critique?).The Commission first and foremost wants to hear from the University community.
(When will they hear from the community at large?) On November 9, 2000 the Commission will hold an open forum at which faculty, students and staff are invited to share their views with the Commission . This fact-finding forum will be held from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. in Tishman Auditorium, 66 West 12th Street.(this time frame is much too short). The purpose of this meeting is for the members of the Commission to listen to your concerns, hear your ideas and gather information. It is not the intention of the Commission to make any statement or answer questions at this forum (that is fine, but what is the timetable to question the commission before the final decision). Since the Commission has just begun its deliberative process, to do so would be premature.If you would like to make a statement to the Commission at this forum, kindly sign up by writing the Commission at printcom@newschool.edu
. (Great, this gives the administration a written revenge sheet against those who oppose their viewpoint. It provides a very effective chilling effect. What is wrong with time limited remarks from the floor?) In order to ensure broad participation by the community, the Commission requests that you limit your comments to three minutes. The Commission respectfully requests that at this forum testimony be limited to members of the University community. (Why, the New School exists to serve the community at large, outside remarks would be very relevant?. The Print Shop is a general community respource) External experts (who determines who they are?) will be invited to share their views with the Commission at a later date during the fall semester.Critical omission: when will the administration openly present its views?. Clearly these are already very much in existence though possibly open to change.
The Commission thanks you in advance for your cooperation and we look forward to hearing from you on November 9.
William E. Havemeyer
Chair, Printmaking Commission
REPLY TO THE ABOVE
Dear Mr Havemeyer
We note your memorandum of October 18. We are sure you are aware that the level of confidence in the neutrality of the commission is not high due to the fact that it was unilaterally appointed by the administration without community input of any sort.
If you wish to reduce the level of anger and suspicion that will almost certainly be vented at the upcoming meeting we would like to offer a few suggestions.
(4) will raise the public confidence in the fairness of the Commission more than anything else.
Very truly yours
Marion and Omri Behr
PS: If you and other members of the commission have not done so yet, please view http://www.electroetch.org/dontstrike.htm for matters PRIOR to your May 2000 meeting. It includes Administration memoranda, with commentary and letters to Parsons which may not be part of the Commission's archives.