Gary Writes Back..

Dear Craig - thanks for writing with your concern. All at the college join you in distress at Jessica's loss. I'm saddened too at the loss of your regard, because I like and respect you, and I have a sense of how productively you've invested yourself in the college. As I'm sure you know, matters like this are complex. You see some parts of the puzzle that I don't. I see some that you don't. We come to different conclusions, both I hope in good faith.

Surely you have cause for your disappointment, but among the possible wrongs, I want to point to one on which I hope you'll let me respectfully disagree. I can't agree that the administration of VCFA has either let down or is engaged in dismantling the MFA-V program. While the program surely needs some growth in enrollment, its pedagogy is unchanged, its marketing is being improved, its technical needs will soon see a surge in budgeting, and most important, the students who graduated last semester were assessing their life-changing experience in the program using the same glowing terms that you use.

The administration is fully committed to the support and growth of the program. The program is succeeding and I trust that it will continue to succeed, because Jessica and other staffers and the faculty and graduates and students and graduate assistants have built it into a marvelous institution that is bigger than any one person.

I wish you well, Craig, and I know you will be true to yourself. If that truth ever involves a desire to come back to support -- or just visit -- the program, you will find an open door.

Gary

A Letter to Gary

Gary -

Your letter to alumni on March 16th notifying us that Jessica Lutz is no longer a member of the Vermont College staff is cause for great concern. Simply put, I have lost all trust in your leadership of the college, as well as the strategic vision that Tom continues to promote. While I remain proud of being associated with the college for the last 12 years in a variety of capacities including that of student, staff, critter, artist-teacher and advocate, I am deeply ashamed of the turn the college has taken since the launch as VCFA.

I had the pleasure to testify in front of the NEASC accreditation panel on their first visit to campus during a residency. I was along side my peers, students, staff and faculty when i stood in the Chapel and offered my heart felt experiences to the panel on how Vermont College has allowed me to not only be a better artist, and a better teacher, but perhaps most importantly, how my art and teaching work together to affect meaningful change. I rightfully attributed this ability to the pedagogy of the MFA-V program. As such, I am dismayed to see what has become of the program after that evening in the Chapel.

You state in your letter that " VCFA is proud of the distinctive teaching methods and strong reputation of its program in Visual Art and looks forward to investing and planning with faculty to build the program an even greater future."

Frankly, you inherited the legacy of MFA-V and you have done very little to assure it's future. This most recent event proves you have no interest in such things as "distinctive teaching methods", or a progressive pedagogy for that matter.

I strongly suggest that you and Tom look closer at the elements that built the program that you are so quickly dismantling. As a start, I suggest reading the catalog essays from 1998, including: Art Education as a Cultural Practice by G. Roy Levin; Pedagogy and Autonomy, or, Why I Teach at Vermont College by Steven Kurtz; and Lines of Flight by Faith Wilding. You will find that these essays speak to the important role that collaboration plays within art, education, and dare i say it? Life.

For my part, I will continue to work at being a better artist and teacher. However, I will not be standing up anytime soon to be an advocate for VCFA again. Nor will I continue to participate in the program if asked.

I remain,

Craig Snyder




Craig Snyder MA, MFA
Adjunct Faculty
Art Department, Humanities Department
Cornish College of the Arts
1000 Lenora St.
Seattle, WA 98121

Our Captain Overboard !

Dear Students and Graduates of the VCFA Program in Visual Art --

I’m writing to tell you about staffing changes in Visual Art. Danielle Dahline has accepted the position of Interim Director of the program following the departure of Jessica Lutz as Director. Jessica will be greatly missed at VCFA and we know, of course, by so many of our students and alumni who have been through the program under her watch. The College is grateful for Jessica’s many years of committed service and we all wish her well in her new directions.

As many of you know, Danielle has worked for years with Jessica and is an experienced administrator. She holds an MFA in Writing from VCFA and is well-acquainted with College personnel and procedures. She is an experienced college teacher. Thanks to eight years of work with the MFA in Visual Art, she knows program operations thoroughly and is well prepared to help faculty assure a smooth transition.

Faculty will work with administration to select a new program director, and I hope to send news before long about plans for that search. In the meantime, please know that all of us here at the College will be working hard to ensure that your needs as students and graduates of the program are met. VCFA is proud of the distinctive teaching methods and strong reputation of its program in Visual Art and looks forward to investing and planning with faculty to build the program an even greater future.

Please contact me if I can be of help.

Gary

Gary Moore

Academic Dean

Vermont College of Fine Arts

36 College Street, Montpelier, VT 05602

gary.moore@vermontcollege.edu