Fine Arts, MCA Merge to Form Media Communications and Visual Arts Department
ASHLEY BRESSINGHAM
Issue date: 2/3/10 Section: News
ASHLEY BRESSINGHAM
Featured Reporter
In October 2009, Pace University decided to unify the Fine Arts and Media and Communication Arts departments to create the new Media Communications and Visual Arts department.
The new department's chair is Prof. Robert Klaeger, previous chair of the Media and Communication.
Prior to the merger, Linda Herritt ran the Fine Arts departments at both the New York City and Pleasantville campuses. After commuting back and forth between campuses, she decided to concentrate on just one, and chose to remain director of the program in of the New York City.
Klaeger then proposed absorbing the Pleasantville Fine Arts department into the Media and Communication Arts program.
"It can be much more efficient. Each separate department has a chair located on campus, and when a chair has to commute to both, it's harder to be effective," said Klaeger. "I certainly wouldn't want to do it."
The merger also gives Pace the opportunity to save money by having only one chair for the once-separate departments. Leadership could also be tighter with one person working with all students on the various subjects within media, communications and the arts.
"I think it will be interesting to see how these two departments are combined and how it will affect the majors and their requirements," said Rebecca Pepe, a sophomore Communications major. "As a communications student, I would be most concerned about how these two departments being consolidated will play out with the classes that I would have to take, or that incoming communications majors would possibly have to take."
Kristin Piekarski, a junior fine arts major with a concentration in painting, added, "Well, I don't really know too much about the merge, but I have noticed more of an integration between the two departments. I know more about the communications department then I did before…I now know there is a media lab…I guess the merging of departments could be semi-promotional for both departments."
Featured Reporter
In October 2009, Pace University decided to unify the Fine Arts and Media and Communication Arts departments to create the new Media Communications and Visual Arts department.
The new department's chair is Prof. Robert Klaeger, previous chair of the Media and Communication.
Prior to the merger, Linda Herritt ran the Fine Arts departments at both the New York City and Pleasantville campuses. After commuting back and forth between campuses, she decided to concentrate on just one, and chose to remain director of the program in of the New York City.
Klaeger then proposed absorbing the Pleasantville Fine Arts department into the Media and Communication Arts program.
"It can be much more efficient. Each separate department has a chair located on campus, and when a chair has to commute to both, it's harder to be effective," said Klaeger. "I certainly wouldn't want to do it."
The merger also gives Pace the opportunity to save money by having only one chair for the once-separate departments. Leadership could also be tighter with one person working with all students on the various subjects within media, communications and the arts.
"I think it will be interesting to see how these two departments are combined and how it will affect the majors and their requirements," said Rebecca Pepe, a sophomore Communications major. "As a communications student, I would be most concerned about how these two departments being consolidated will play out with the classes that I would have to take, or that incoming communications majors would possibly have to take."
Kristin Piekarski, a junior fine arts major with a concentration in painting, added, "Well, I don't really know too much about the merge, but I have noticed more of an integration between the two departments. I know more about the communications department then I did before…I now know there is a media lab…I guess the merging of departments could be semi-promotional for both departments."
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