College of Visual and Performing Arts : Crafting a College: Dean Ann Clarke might only have 15 months to lead her school. But she’s not letting a time-constrained tenure affect her goals
Ann Clarke runs her painted fingernails along the green wicker chair she’s sitting in, considering whether or not she’ll become a candidate in the national dean search for Syracuse University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts.
‘Probably,’ she said. ‘It’s still pretty early. But yeah, I think so. I think it’s hard not to…oh…’
Her voice trails off.
‘You know, I care too much. I care a lot. So I’d put my hat in the ring, yeah.’
Smiling, she pauses, glancing down at her green stone ring and then nods her head.
‘Absolutely.’
Clarke is already the dean of VPA. She accepted Vice Chancellor and Provost Eric Spina’s offer for the position March 14. But she did so knowing her appointment would last only 15 months.
The selection was the result of an internal dean search conducted to replace Carole Brzozowski, former dean of VPA, who was appointed to university performing arts presenter Jan. 25 by Chancellor Nancy Cantor.
But after Spina announced that VPA’s dean would come from an internal search, students and faculty within the college called for a national dean search. Spina confirmed this external search Feb. 7.
So at the end of the 2008-2009 academic year, Clarke will once again have to prove her capacity to serve as dean of VPA, this time against applicants from outside the university.
‘I saw in Ann someone who had demonstrated the ability to take problems, and from that, find opportunities,’ Spina said. ‘She is a very warm person and very smart. She can really interact with all different kids of people.’
Spina stressed that though 15 months is a short time frame, Clarke’s appointment is not a placeholder. She will be supported by students, faculty and administration to make long-term decisions, he said.
But Clarke is looking past the time constraints.
‘I think I’d be a fool if I wasn’t somewhat daunted,’ she said. ‘I feel like I just got shot out of a cannon. But it’s part of the speed of change. My head is so full of what we’re going to do in the next 15 months, so it’s incredibly exciting.’
One of Clarke’s chief plans for the college is to improve communication, especially between administration and faculty. When doors aren’t open and the faculty feels out of the loop, that anxiety leaks into the student environment, she said.
Clarke began to address this problem three weeks ago by hosting a faculty meeting for the entire college, a step toward what she calls VPA’s ‘moment of renaissance.’ The gathering featured a state of the college address and discussions about the school’s budget, admissions plans and fundraising.
Her other goals include the creation of a VPA alumni network for the college, a renovation of the college’s Web site and a push for national recognition for the college’s programs.
Judith Meighan, an assistant professor of foundation and history of art in the School of Art and Design, said she expects Clarke will be able to raise the college’s profile on a national scale.
‘We need some really good outreach and some signature programs,’ Meighan said. ‘We also need to promote the fact that we have a full-scale art school with the benefit of a university education.’
VPA professors have generally been pleased with Clarke’s efforts to energize faculty and students alike, Meighan said. But she expects the faculty to hold Spina to his promise of a national search.
It’s not just faculty calling for the opportunity to find an external dean. Students are also looking forward to the national search.
‘I think the school would benefit from having (a dean) not from within VPA,’ said Justin Dillard, a sophomore film major in the department of transmedia. ‘Especially with my program, we need to draw (a dean) from other places.’
Another student concerned about the dean search is Leila Gheitu, a sophomore vocal performance major in the Setnor School of Music. She said she hopes Clarke will improve fundraising for the school.
‘I think of all of VPA, (the music program has) the most issues,’ she said. ‘We don’t have enough money for practice rooms, and it gets worse because we’re getting more students each year.’
Clarke approached Sky Harris, a graduate student in music education who served as the student representative to the Provost’s Advisory Committee during the dean search, and presented the idea of scheduling a meeting with VPA’s student representatives. One of the goals for the fall semester is to start a student representative council.
‘She’s a very genuine person who is interested in people not just for her job, but to get to know them,’ Harris said. ‘She certainly seems like she’s worked very hard to engage students and faculty on a personal level, which is nice.’
But some students and faculty worry that Clarke, who became the college’s associate dean of the visual arts in 2007, will show preference to the School of Art and Design, where she started teaching in 1998.
‘There’s certainly that aspect to it that students and faculty in programs outside of art are concerned about,’ Harris said. ‘She has taken the time to get to know more about the programs. Hopefully, she can speak and advocate for all of the schools – not just the one she’s most familiar with.’
Clarke knows the tasks that lie ahead of her in her tenure as dean will be challenging, but she’s optimistic about what she’ll be able to accomplish.
‘There are many things that can’t be done in 15 months,’ Clarke said. ‘Changing the infrastructure of the college, changing the schools, that can’t be done. But 15 months is plenty of time to do a lot.’
Kendall Phillips, chair of the department of communication and rhetorical studies and one of the candidates in the internal dean search who did not receive the position, said he’s most impressed with Clarke’s ability to mentor young artists. He meets with her for coffee to discuss their classes. The pair team-taught a graduate class together in art and popular culture in the spring of 2007.
‘If I were the vice chancellor, I would have made the same choice,’ Phillips said. ‘She has strong convictions about the college, and as an administrator, she has a real ‘can do’ attitude. If it wasn’t going to be me, I’m glad it’s her.’
Unlike Phillips, Clarke was surprised by the appointment – it wasn’t something she’d considered.
‘My children still think it’s funny,’ she said. ‘It’s not something I ever projected as a desire ahead of me. If I can make positive changes for (the school), then yes, I want to do that. If that means (serving as dean), then I say yes to that.’
With goals in sight and plans for unification in mind, Clarke hopes to create an exciting atmosphere for VPA – despite any timeline on her position.
‘This college is amazing,’ she said. ‘We’re really aiming for being ahead of the wave, creating new ideas. The place that we can’t yet imagine is a place that we want students to be aiming for. And we can do it.’
Published on April 23, 2008 at 12:00 pm
