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As you might have heard, I am retiring at the end of December thus concluding a fifty-year higher education career that has included appointments at four universities and a number of decades as a professional musician. My deanship here has been a career capstone. The College of Visual and Performing Arts has an incredible record of preparing its graduates for successful careers as teachers, professors, performers, researchers, administrators and so on. This is due to a long-standing culture of faculty excellence that goes back scores of years.
I arrived here long not after the programs in music, theatre and dance were merged into a single unit. It was my opinion that the merger had not gone far enough and should have included the Department of Art. Eventually the visual and performing arts were unified and, in 2016, became the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA). This new College is one of the largest of its kind in the Southeast and the nation and is comprised of the Schools of Art, Dance, Music, and Theatre as well as the new, burgeoning Arts Administration Program. Our enrollments have increased to over 1550 students. We offer a comprehensive set of programs while maintaining the close, personal relationships that always existed between students and their professors. Our students are still very much known by face and name.
The job of any administrator is to honor what is working well while helping make needed enhancements and changes. I have very much enjoyed helping the College establish new traditions, programs and initiatives. For instance, the annual Distinguished Alumni Awards Program recognizes selected graduates who are making significant contributions. The annual Arts Summit brings nationally-recognized arts leaders to campus for day-long discussions of emerging trends. Because of significant gifts, the University College and Lecture Series, in existence since before WWI, is now able to bring higher profile national and world-class artists to campus for performances, lectures, master classes and residencies. New programs in Arts Administration, Musical Theatre and, soon, Animation are attracting new students. Studio 91, the new Arts Residence Hall, is helping primarily first and second year students build community and connections as they adjust to their new home and the rigors of academic life. There are more initiatives that could be described but that will have to wait for another time.
It has been a joy working with an outstanding group of School Directors: Chris Cassidy (Art), Janet Lilly (Dance), Dennis AsKew (Music), John Poole (Theatre), and Hannah Grannemann (Arts Administration) as well as an impressive, hardworking staff too numerous to mention individually. Their combined dedication has permitted the individual units in the College to thrive, build international connections and opportunities, and expand community engagement.
Dr. Lawrence Jenkens will take over in January as Acting Dean. He is an experienced administrator having served as CVPA Associate Dean for two years and, prior to that, as Art Department Head for two terms. He will do a fine job and has already played a big role in the founding and success of the College.
There are a large number of colleagues to whom I am truly indebted and thankful. What I will miss the most is the daily interactions with an inspiring group of bright people who are devoting their lives to this exceptional College of Visual and Performing Arts.
A national search is already underway to identify a new dean. I am confident the history, traditions and quality of the College will attract a strong pool of candidates and a progressive, able new leader.
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