The University of North Carolina - Asheville

Date: Feb 29 2012
Major: Art & Design Department (This Major's Salary over time)
Other than one faculty member who really encouraged students to explore different ideas and media, instructors seemed close minded about curriculum and limiting. I had chosen mixed media as my concentration, but after laying off the primary teacher that taught these courses, they stopped offering any mixed media classes. I was advised to finish my degree through independent studies, where I met with a faculty member once a week for 15-20 min. I felt discouraged by not having any studio time where i could get advice from a teacher and my peers, and my advisor offered to let me come to his BA painting seminar class since everyone was working on their own projects anyway, and it would help me as I developed the ody of work needed for my show. Unfortunately I was denied this possibility by the head of the department and told me I could change my concentration to painting and take the necessary pre-reqs before the seminar class. I explained that I wanted the same opportunities the other students had, and that not having in class work time, no contact with my peers or any guidance on how to work with Any materials. It was the same as me just working on my own, except that I was paying for something more. Finally I was offered a space to work on campus, yet since it wasn't in the art building it was more of an inconvenience to use and was given more support from a faculty member. I felt a lot of negativity from the faculty and that I was il-informed on what was expected of me. By the time I graduated I doubted by abilities and ideas and that I had been much more confident and open minded before. I've had a lot of experiences that were so encouraging, and took me in so many interesting directions with my work, but that was not my experience here u fortu aptly.