COST CUTTING PROMPTS SCRUTINY
OF ECIAD STEREOTYPES .

BY HARALD GRAVELSINS

Glass, concrete, tax dollars
and stereotypes are - to list some key
items - the stuff of which art schools
are built.

Can ECIAD reconsider the
stereotypes underlying its academic
programmes as consciously as it is
responding to less tax dollar support
for post-secondary education?

Getting these stereotypes
into the open is one of the goals of
Monique Fouquet and a working
group drawn from the President's
Budgetary Task Force. Monique's
working group is in the process of
devising a survey that will provide “a
better picture of the student popula-
tion."

The point of obtaining this
information is to guide the Institute
in taking a more pro-active or inter-
ested stance towards extra-curricular
demands, particularly employment
during the school year, that students
contend with in order to attend
ECIAD.

"Right now we operate on
the basis of a student who takes |5
or |8 credits per term and who does
their four years of study without
working during the school term,"
Monique notes.

“We are not that naive as
to think that no one is working dur-
ing the school year.

"So it may be that the
demands we place on students ignore
that fact."

ECIAD presently orients
itself to a social construction of “full-
time" attendance that is virtually
unchanged from a 1950's definition of
post-secondary school attendance.

Lisa Loeb

Commodore Ballroom

The relevance of this definition is
challenged by social and economic
constraints that preclude a four-year
period in which people have the
leisure to concern themselves exclu-
sively with school.

“The reality of being a stu-
dent in Vancouver," Monique con-
tends, “is that you are supported fully
by your family, that you have saved
money from previous employment, or
that you do part-time work during
school.

"Or that you accumulate a
huge amount of debt."

The debt option defers the
problem of coping with the cost of
accommodation, tuition and art sup-
plies for students not supported by
their families. Only after such stu-
dents are out of school with a $600
per month repayment obligation on
their $30,000+ loans does it become
completely obvious how out of synch
a student's educational commitment
can be in relation to his or her oblig-
ation to pay for this education.

Ongoing part-time employ-
ment is an obvious strategy for many
students to avoid sinking into debt.
This “extra-curricular” activity takes a
student away from the pursuit of an
academic load geared presently to
students who can devote every day of
the week to school.

One of the chief tasks of
Monique's working group is to evalu-
ate the feasibility of a more expan-
sive definition of full-time status.
This would involve a lower minimum
credit requirement per term, e.g., 9
credits. A lighter course load would
give more ample room for part-time

work or other essential extra-curricu-
lar obligations such as child care.
Changing definitions on
paper is much simpler than changing
institutional structures. Institutions
are easier and, at first glance, more
cost efficient to administer on the
basis of relatively simple stereotypes.
Any altered definition of
full-time status brings in its wake the
need for more detailed individual
academic planning, earlier registra-
tion, and pressure to expand summer
offerings into a relatively standard
term in contrast to the current
abbreviated summer schedule. These
matters are part of the deliberations
of Monique's working group.
Monique's group will also
be assessing the need for counselling
students in the area of job skills in
regard to both part-time and full-
time employment. Many ECIAD stu-
dents complete their diplomas
without obtaining skills from which
to earn a sufficient living income. Job
counselling at ECIAD might prompt a
student to determine a strategy in
this regard prior to graduation. @&

Ny

Tree ted

FEBRUARY - MARCH 1996 / Emity 19

| ambled up the stairs, getting gradual sonic waves
of the opening band. And yes, | had heard all this
before. Yawn> Sat down upstairs, tuned out the
band and crowd and got to know my roommate
better. Next thing | know the crowd is roaring so |
assume Lisa has entered the room. That's when it
struck me, the Commodore is full of little, itsie-bit-
sie mall rats running around screaming.frantically |
could pass as the father of the majority of the
crowd. Yup, there were young girls in black dresses
and white T's running around everywhere, scream-
ing, flailing, chanting,” Lisa, Lisa, Lisa." Some
screams were pitched so high that little drops of
blood trickled out of my ears.

It was a mega-mother lovin'-lisa crowd,
not to be messed with. So | quietly stood out of the
running path of the hoards and focused on Ms.
Loeb. And let me tell you, this gal can really rock
and put on a fun show. She was working off the
pre-pubescent energy waves ricocheting off the
walls. Granted , the music is basic, leaning to the
blander side. However, her lyrics and sugar sweet
voice compensate for it all.

-Sean lliuk

emu - aso 1996 / sim 19)

COST CUTTING PROMPTS SCRUTINY sis: sess! amar

iets a cd cre
Chg ets
OF ECIAD STEREOTYPES pipers much mgr an gis
rile Guvnsos Shion sects tte
tous eae snl stern.
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tune sa gs nfs we be
tes er moe ed et
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Glass concrete, tax dollars The relevance of this definition is
and stereotypes are - to ist some key challenged by social and economic
items ~ the stuff of which at schools constrains that preclude a four-year
ae but. period in which people have tne

CCan ECIAD reconsider the leisure to concern themselves exclu-
stereotypes underlying its academic sively with schoo

programmes as consciously 35 it is "The realty of being a stu-
responding to less tax dollar support dent in Vancouver Monique con- __ferngs into a reatively standard
for post-secondary education? tends, “is that you are supported fully © in contrast tothe current

abbreviated summer schedule. These

Getting these stereotypes by your family that you have saved
sea? a aaa matters are part ofthe deliberations

into the open is one ofthe goals of money from previous employment, ot

Monique Fouquet and a working that you do part-time work during of Monique's working group.
‘group drawn from the President se a Monique's group wil iso
Budgetary Task Force. Monique's “or that you acumulate a € a5ssing the need for counseling
‘working group inthe process of huge amount of debt” students inthe are of job skin
devising a survey that wil provide “a The debt option defers the 98" to both part-time and full-
better picture ofthe student popula problem of coping with the cost of time employment. Many ECIAD stu-
tion” accommodation tution and at sup- ents complete ther diplomas

The pont of obtaining this pis for students not supported by without obtaining sil from which
information i to uide the Institute their families Only after such stu-___ © €4™m a sufficient ving income. Job

in taking a more pro-active or inter- dents are out of school with a $600 counseling at ECIAD might prompt a
‘sted stance towards extra-curricular per month repayment obligation on student to determine a strategy in
demands, particularly employment their $0,000 loans does itbecome 8 e9ard prior to graduation. ~
uring the school year, that students completly obvious how out of synch

contend with inorder to attend a student's educational commitment
ECIAD. ‘an be in elation to his or her oblig=
"Right now we operate on ation to pay for ths education.

the bass ofa student who takes (5 ‘Ongoing part-time employ
‘or 18 credits per term and who does ment is an obvious strategy for many
theie four years of study without students to avoid sinking into debt.
working during the school term,* Ths “extra-curcuar” activity takes @
Monique notes student away from the pursuit of an

“We are not that naive as academic load geared presenty to
to think that no one is working dur- students who can devote every dy of

ing the school year. ‘the week to school
*So it may be that the (ne of the chief tasks of
demands we place on students ignore Monique's working group isto evalu-
that fact” ate the feasibility of a more expan-
ECIAD presently orients sve definition of fulltime status,
itself to a social construction of “ull- This would involve a lower minimum
time” attendance that is vitwally credit requirement per term, €9. 9
unchanged from a 1950's definition of credits. A lighter course load would
post-secondary school attendance. glve more ample room for part-time

Lisa Loeb

core Raita y JX

may

| ambled up the stars, getting gradual sonic waves
ofthe opening band. And yes, | had heard allthis
before. Yawn> Sat down upstairs, tuned out the
tband and crowd and got to know my roommate
better. Next thing I know the crowd is roaring so 1
assume Usa has entered the room. That's when it
struck me, the Commodore is ful of itl itsie-bit-
sie mall rats running around screaming frantically |
Could pass asthe father ofthe majority ofthe
‘row. Yup, there were young gil in black dresses
and white Ts running around everywhere, scream-
Ing, falling, chanting Lisa, Lisa, Usa.” Some
screams were pitched so high that little drops of
blood trickled out of my ers.

It was a mega-mother lovintisa crowd,
‘not to be messed with. So I quietly stood out ofthe
running path of the hoards and focused on Ms
Loeb, And let me tel you, this gal can realy rock
‘and put ona fun show. She was working off the
pre-pubescent energy waves ricocheting of the
walls. Granted , the musi is basic, leaning to the
blander sie. However, her Itics and sugar sweet
voice compensate frit alle.

-Sean uk