Quit complaining…
We were at SFAI at the *WORST* possible time…As an art school we were 9 MILLION dollars in debt, the board of Trustees, especially Lydia Titcomb and Charles Collins and MANY other bailed us out…Larry Thomas was supposed to retire, and took the helm as requested..Together they bailed us out through many sacrifices by teachers and the then current students (remember how crappy 3rd street was?!?!). By leveraging our one asset…800 Chestnut, and selling 701 (and they weren’t allowed to know who they sold it to till AFTER so don’t blame SFAI for the Art Academy’s purchase) and the generosity of many, we were able to keep the doors open…The former president allegedly KILLED herself because she was blamed for the situation…No one person was to blame for that , it was institution-wide ***FAILURE***…I’m so thankful that SFAI is growing and changing out of that dysfunctional state.
Where do you guys get off saying that change isn’t good. You act as though you’re high and mighty as alumni, when the fact of the matter is you haven’t supported the school…Give back some money or volunteer your time, and I guarantee that you will see more results. Not to mention the fact that you will feel better as a person supporting your Alma Matter.
You guys keep looking for the “Administration” to do something for you, bitching about websites, and alumni affairs…OF COURSE THEY HAVE BIGGER FISH TO FRY!!! Current students, the maintenance of the school, and the attainment of the best new faculty around, while paying off the bond incurred during our financial woes, seems like there’s more benefit there than catering to Alumni’s every whim…
There is no denying that alumni relations are very important, and instead of looking for what the school HASN’T done for you, try and put some of that energy into making the school a better place…if you don’t see something being done that you want, take it into your own hands, and then give it to the school already prepared…I’m pretty sure they’d be happy with all the help they can get…
Margarita has already done this..Clearly certain folks feel strongly that their voices need to be heard. Figure out how to do it constructively rather than moaning about change, because any changes are making it better than it was when we were in debt, with NO LEADERSHIP, and NO FUNDS. (insert your favorite slam about SFAI here)
Bryan, I’m pretty sure they didn’t fire someone because you wrote your letter and I commend you for caring enough to say something good about the experience you had with your teacher, I think you have a VERY valid point “If enough of us write, then at the very worst, our former teachers will know they did something that worked. At best, it may help make it so that future students get to study with they same excellent teachers we had the opportunity to learn from.” Let’s keep this in mind too though, that hiring new *tenure* track professors will prevent stagnant instruction, fickle adjunct faculty, and cronyism that results in husband and wife teachers who don’t have the qualifications to instruct in anything (which I know some of us experienced).
We should be thanking our lucky stars that SFAI remained open, to allow others the experience of attending one of the premiere art schools that BASES itself on progressive thought and multiple-viewpoints..
It only reflects negatively on you if you want to keep everything the same…Grow up, and let the new administration do their jobs. Judge after, not during the process. While things are changing offer support, dissent or whatever you feel, don’t just write them off. The Admins do have the best interest of the school in mind, even if that’s different than what you or I think the best interests of the school are…
Remember Terina…she spoke for all of us, and did so eloquently…”of the growing phase of SFAI” “Our complaints have leverage, and we believed in it (the vision of the school) and sometimes it looked like it was slipping away from us…being here in this strange and crazy place has changed our lives forever”. Yes we had it tough, and yes we *still* have it tough…and I know that we are lucky to have been together. I appreciate getting your emails, and this is a challenge to everyone on this list to advocate for change through positive volunteer time, money, and artwork.
Remember like Terina says…
“True art comes from somewhere just above your left shoulder…the midpoint between your heart and your brain.”
We have the power, and need to use it positively.
Does anyone want to set a deadline, gather 5 (72 dpi) images and 1 paragraph (.doc) bios of the alums on this list and prepare a CD to *GIVE* to the school so we can get this done all at once? I’m game…
Best wishes,
Pete Ippel