HASS developing School of the Arts
Utah State University is in the process of establishing an official School of the Arts.
The school will be an umbrella program in the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, that will envelop music, art, theatre, landscape design, environmental planning, interior design and some creative writing emphasis courses, said Gary Kiger, dean of the College of HASS. The new administrative structure will give the arts more official recognition within the college.
“It will give us recognition for what we are already doing and allow us to do more,” Kiger said.
The idea first came about in the late 1990s when USU President Stan Albrecht was the dean of HASS. With the building of the new recital hall, the concept of a School of the Arts has grown even more. The plans will go before the Faculty Senate on Monday and then must pass through the Board of Trustees and finally the Board of Regents. Kiger said he expects the plans to pass on all levels and the program will be in full swing by next fall.
The organization of the school will improve the caliber of the arts programs, Kiger said. By connecting the programs under one school, the departments should be able to collaborate more often. It will also create a bigger draw and more opportunities for visiting artists and performers.
“This is what we’re after, bringing faculty together, departments together and students together,” Kiger said.
Kiger also believes the new school will be a good recruiting tool.
“It will send a message to students that the arts are important in the college [of HASS] and to the university,” Kiger said. “Students will be able to make a more conscience choice to study the arts at USU.”
However, the school won’t only benefit those at USU. Results of the School of Arts such as new facilities and renovations will benefit the whole community, Kiger said.
“The new world-class recital hall won’t just benefit music students, but everyone will attend concerts there,” Kiger said.
The recital hall is scheduled for completion in January 2006. The School of the Arts will create an ever greater community of artists to use the facility.
“When students think about where they want to go to school, one thing they might think about, not only the beautiful Cache Valley, but cultural opportunities. The more we can provide in terms of art and activities the more attractive the community will be to students,” Kiger said.
Similar schools are common at USU’s peer universities, Kiger said. Such a school is important to the College of HASS because HASS is not only the largest college on campus, but the arts make up a good part of the college, Kiger said.
-hilaryi@cc.usu.edu