2008 Woodie Awards
New developments paint a promising future for the arts at NGU
By: Jon Harris
Issue date: 4/23/08 Section: News
Jon Harris
Staff Writer
North Greenville University may have its first four-year art degree - funding is in place to institute a degree program and finalize new art studios at the Tigerville Village.
"One thing Mr. Craft [former head of the Art Department] had been working on very hard was money for the expansion of the department. He was real instrumental in putting together fundraisers for that expansion. So he left right at the time when the school had the money and desire to go ahead with the project," said Zac Buser, head of the art department.
The Art Department has proposed a Bachelorsof Arts degree in Studio Art with specific areas of emphasis, including ceramics, printmaking, drawing and sculpture. The proposal reached the Board of Trustees on April 17.
If the board passes the proposal, it will continue to Southern Association of Colleges and Schools for accreditation. There is no specific timeline for when the degree will be available.
"I think over the past two years we've had over 200, 250 or so students, that have expressed an interest in wanting to come study art at North Greenville, but we don't have a degree to offer them. Which is the reason why we have made this proposal, and why the faculty, curriculum committee and administration have looked favorably on it," Buser said.
The department plans to hire another full-time professor for the fall of this year.
If this new program is instituted, 14 classes will be created, and the department will hire another professor within the next five years.
Buser sees the new degree program to be a stimulus for the future of the art department.
The Village at Tigerville broke ground in the fall to begin work on the Eddie Runion Creative Arts Center, Billingsly Theatre and Rosti Ole' 414 Art Studio.
"All the funding is in place, and I've been working with the architects and designers of the new facilities. Everything is going really well. In fact, the new building, which will house the sculpture and ceramics and our gallery space, has already been built," Buser said. "Now it's not on site, it's a pre-fabricated building that then they're going to put a skin of brick on the outside."
Staff Writer
North Greenville University may have its first four-year art degree - funding is in place to institute a degree program and finalize new art studios at the Tigerville Village.
"One thing Mr. Craft [former head of the Art Department] had been working on very hard was money for the expansion of the department. He was real instrumental in putting together fundraisers for that expansion. So he left right at the time when the school had the money and desire to go ahead with the project," said Zac Buser, head of the art department.
The Art Department has proposed a Bachelorsof Arts degree in Studio Art with specific areas of emphasis, including ceramics, printmaking, drawing and sculpture. The proposal reached the Board of Trustees on April 17.
If the board passes the proposal, it will continue to Southern Association of Colleges and Schools for accreditation. There is no specific timeline for when the degree will be available.
"I think over the past two years we've had over 200, 250 or so students, that have expressed an interest in wanting to come study art at North Greenville, but we don't have a degree to offer them. Which is the reason why we have made this proposal, and why the faculty, curriculum committee and administration have looked favorably on it," Buser said.
The department plans to hire another full-time professor for the fall of this year.
If this new program is instituted, 14 classes will be created, and the department will hire another professor within the next five years.
Buser sees the new degree program to be a stimulus for the future of the art department.
The Village at Tigerville broke ground in the fall to begin work on the Eddie Runion Creative Arts Center, Billingsly Theatre and Rosti Ole' 414 Art Studio.
"All the funding is in place, and I've been working with the architects and designers of the new facilities. Everything is going really well. In fact, the new building, which will house the sculpture and ceramics and our gallery space, has already been built," Buser said. "Now it's not on site, it's a pre-fabricated building that then they're going to put a skin of brick on the outside."
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