Dean Ford Notes Success Of Visual Studies Courses

Dean Ford indicated last week that the University's experiment with new creative courses in the visual arts has been successful, despite continued criticism from some Faculty members. The program will be reviewed next fall by the Committee on Educational Policy which approved the present offerings last spring.

Dean Ford said reaction to the new courses offered at the Carpenter Center had generally been favorable, but admitted that there was still some criticism of non-academic course offerings.

The Committee on the Practice of the Visual Arts currently offers courses in descriptive drawing, still photography, and motion picture making. Ford noted that with a course in animation scheduled for this spring, "some Faculty members are grumbling about what next will be taken under the Faculty's wing."

Eduard F. Sekler, Coordinator of Studies at the Carpenter Center, said that he is pleased with the program so far. He mentioned as particularly encouraging the massive oversubscription for all the courses. Fifty-five people have already applied for a seminar to be given this spring that will accept only 15 or 20.

Dean Ford said that if a lot of the students in the Visual Studies courses seemed to be getting A's, the program would probably be challenged, but that such was not the case.

"You see the students there often and pretty late," said Sekler. "I think they have been made to work very hard. You can't bull your way out. Either you perform or you don't. And if you don't there are plenty of people waiting to get in."

"I can any with confidence that the program will be expanded next year," Sekler added. If there is enough equipment he hopes to add sections in some of the most popular courses.