Data-ism “A Historical Read-out:” This month’s article marks the end of “another school year” (sounds like something from your high-school yearbook, doesn’t it?) and, hence, I can’t help getting a little misty-eyed. Actually, that’s kind of a lie, but | needed some kind of “walk- down-Random-Access-Memory-lane” opening line. | thought what I could do would be to try and put present- day ECCAD in perspective with ECCAD-past, and with other in- stitutions. Specifically, I’m referring to the college’s implemen- tation of it’s computer resources. What else did you think | was going to talk about? On the 14th of April, Alan Barkley toured Presidents froma number of Canadian colleges through ECCAD. Part of their tour took them through the computer rooms, guided by computer instructor Dennis Vance. According to Dennis they were im- pressed with our computer facilities, and the extent to which they are integrated in the general curriculum. | suppose you could argue that it wouldn’t be impossible to impress people, who could possibly be computer laymen, with a bunch of tech- talk - that would be useless anyway. The significant factor here isn’t what we’ve got, nor how much we’ve got, but rather how it’s being utilized. Here is a comparative example: recently, | was discussing with Ken Chamberlain (Head Librarian, and Chair of the Computer Committee) the possibility of starting correspondence with other Canadian colleges and universities, to basically compare notes on each others’ computer use and curriculum. | was hoping to accurately place us within a more national framework. According to Ken’s counterpart at OCA (Ontario College of Art), Richard Milburn, OCA does have regular use of computers in it’s curriculum, but it appears each department has sort of initiated computer use for it’s own purposes. If that were applied here, any department having need of a computer would more than likely have to fund their machine out of their own budget, and other departments wanting computer use would either have to make arrangements with the department who bought the computer, or arrange to find access to another one somewhere. There doesn’t seem to be a central committee dedicated to purchasing and implementing computer re- sources at OCA. Here, back around 1984, it was decided to buy a number of Commodore VIC 20 micros as a general college resource. The only computer available to students here before that was one Commodore PET, which, if computers were cars, would have had the equivalent manoeuverability of a brick. Impetus for the VIC purchase was provided by then Dean of Instruction, Tom Hudson, and continued by Dennis Vance and Gary Lee-Nova, among others. | believe the purchase was financed in part through the library budget, since there was no computer budget at the time. From the start, the philosophy behind student computer involvement at ECCAD has been one of integration. Apparently, ECCAD is unique in Canada in this respect. Having computer technology centralized and open to all who want it may not be a perfect system, but it has facilitated a stronger base for explorations in computer literacy and the computer arts for the students and faculty. | doubt if the hundreds of hours of computer image research done for the upcoming Knowledge Network series “Mark and Image” would have been possible without easy access to ECCAD’s comput- ers. Major computer upgrading has occurred almost every year since the first VIC’s rolled over the border in the back of Dennis Vance’s car. At a recent computer committee meeting, a hard- ware report was read by A/V Manager Michael Agrios. Accord- ing to the report, our current number of student computers stands at 67, which is almost a 300% increase in hardware over the last year. And conservatively speaking, approximately 100 of the 650 full-time students are enrolled in some computer- related course. (That’s about 15% for all you number-crunchers out there in the audience tonight.) Some mail | received last month indicates that this trend is happening elsewhere as well. The mail was literature from a Toronto-based computer-art magazine called “Nexpress”. Included was a brochure for a computer resource centre called “Inter/Access”, which could best be described as a sort of “Video-In” for computer artists - a “Computer-In”(?). Fifty bucks per year gives you, or your organization, 24 hour per day access to their equipment, which includes a Mac Plus, an Amiga, two IBM’s, Apple Il’s, various color and black and white printing and copying equipment, and the software libraries. Not to mention the mobile facilities, tutorial workshops, and techni- cal support. Also on the listis their on-line telecommunications service, the MATRIX system. Through this you can submit articles via your modem, or read past issues of “Nexpress” for free. Sounds pretty good, don’t it? According to a report on the New York electronic arts scene, written by a “Nexpress” staff member, we don’t realize just how lucky we are up here. Apparently, government funding for exploratory art projects has been cut drastically by Re- aganomics, while private and corporate funding has enabled already established artistic bodies like theatre and dance to survive. There seems to be no large corporate backing for the computer arts outside of the educational realm, according to the “Nexpress” report. In Canada, computer-related art forms are recognized under the Media Arts section of the Canada Council. Meanwhile back at Bill’s ranch, news of a possible federal election or the emergence of a more sympathetic ear in the provincial government towards education-funding have set me to wondering what higher level of technology I can expect to be hacking away on next year. Or the year after that... 4 E. John Love Planet of the Arts Vol. 3 No.7 May 1988 Great Charles H. Scott When Williard Holmes left for the Vancouver Art Gallery in spring of 1987, Alan Barkley became the acting director of the Charles H. Scott Gallery. He inherited a gallery with one year’s programming already in place. He also had the gallery’s Adminis- trative Assistant, Betty Rumpel, to keep the gallery operating and accessible to the college community and public. However, since the time of Barkley’s inheritance and the last exhibition booked for the gallery (the Nomi Kaplan show), Barkley has not taken the initiative to program any shows for the summer and beyond. Added to this predicament, the Administration has made a decision not to extend Rumpel’s working contract and at the end of April her position at the gallery was terminated. There has been no serious attempt to keep the gallery open for the summer beyond the 1988 Grad show. Rumpel feels that the fate of the C.H.S. Gallery has been shrouded in secrecy for too long. She feels that Barkley has been negligent in his duties as an Acting Director and that he has not provided any clear leadership for the gallery. “Programming should have been in place and he has continually been putting off decisions to keep the gallery open for the summer and beyond.” In addition, she feels that the college is making a terrible mistake by closing the gallery for the summer espe- cially when the summer is the time when a steady stream of visitors attends the gallery shows. “The value of the public exposure which the gallery brings to the College is inestimable” she says, “because when visitors see the gallery they also see the College.” Approximately 15,000 people visited the gallery last summer. The Administration has drafted a new job description that combines Rumpel’s position with the duties of a full-time curator and those of a full-time receptionist. The unrealistic demands of this new position, called the Co-ordinator of Exhibition and Public Programming, requires the expertise and energy of a super human being. Rumpel feels that the quality of the gallery will diminish if this new position is approved by the Administration. She says it is impossible for one person to handle all of the responsibilities stated in the job descrip- tion. What is needed is a full-time curator, with support staff, who would be respon- sible for maintaining the excellence of the C.H.S. Gallery and for providing the support and leadership it clearly has been lacking this past year. Students will also pay the price of an empty gallery space. Rumpel arranged a Challenge ’88 work grant for the gallery and two students would have had the opportu- nity for summer employment and the chance to gain valuable work experience in gallery operation. But the grant is in jeopardy because it was only approved on the condition that the gallery would be open for the summer. It is undetermined at this point whether the grant could be salvaged for another work project. Sadly, the indefinite plans of the C.H.S. Gallery to open for the summer and beyond point to a potential erosion of the gallery in terms of one less public facility for visiting artists to exhibit their work; to the College as a valuable public relations tool; to the students as a practicable learning environ- ment and a source for jobs; and to the whole College community, the loss of Betty Rumpel’s experience and dedication. Kevin Louis Editor’s Note: in response Alan Barkley has said that the financial pressures felt throughout the College also affect the C.H.S.Gallery, and it is for this reason, limited and uncertain funding, that the Administration has been reluctant to commit to an immediate solution. The long-term goals include finalizing of the new curatorial job description and year- round operation of the gallery. = = Ke ws ae oage OES A Big Opening On Tuesday April 26 the Foundation Department hosted one of the most successful and well attended openings of the year. Despite unfortunate scheduling in the Concourse, which allowed only three days for set-up of the show, there was tremendous participation and group effort, and the show was in place on time for the 400-500 guests who came to view it. The show was adjudicated by a committee of five Founda- tion students (elected by their peers) and two faculty members, and over 120 students were represented in the show. In previous years the Foundation Show was limited to those students who had received scholarships. The success of this event can be attributed to the energy and organization of everyone involved. Five hundred invita- tions were sent out, as well as press releases to newspapers and radio stations. A great deal of food was prepared by several students, and wine and Founda- tion T-shirts were sold. Everyone had a lot of fun, and the art looked just like real art, too. Naomi Singer . Data-ism “A Historical Read-out:” ‘This month'sarticle marks the end of “another school year” (sounds like something from your high-school yearbook, doesn't it2) and, hence, | can't help getting a litle misty-eyed. ‘Actually, that's kind ofa lle, but I needed some kind of “walk- ‘down-Random-Access-Memory-lane” opening lin. ‘thought what I could do would be to try and put present- day ECCAD in perspective with ECCAD-past, and with other in- stitutions. Specifically, l'm referring to the college's implemen- {ation of it's computer resources. What else did you think Iwas, ‘going to talk about? ‘On the 14th of April, Alan Barkley toured Presidents froma number of Canadian coliagesthrough ECCAD. Partof thelr tour took them through the computer rooms, guided by computer instructor Dennis Vance. According to Dennis they were im- sed with our computer facilites, and the extent to which they are integrated in the general curriculum. | suppose you could argue that it wouldn't be impossible to impress people, Who could possibly be computer laymen, with a bunch of tech- talk- that would be useless anyway. The significant factor here Isn't what we've got, nor how much we've got, but rather how It's being utlized. Here is a comparative example: recently, | was discussing with Ken Chamberlain (Head Librarian, and Chair of the Computer Committee) the possibility of starting correspondence with other Canadian colleges and universities to basically compare notes on each others’ computer use an curriculum. 1 was hoping to accurately place us within a mor national framework. ‘According to Ken’s counterpart at OCA (Ontario College of ‘Art), Richard Milburn, OCA does have regular use of computers. in i's curriculum, but It appears each department has sort of iated computer use for it's own purposes. If that were applied here, any department having need of a computer would to fund thelr machine out of their own ‘There doesn't soem to be a cen dedicated to purchasing and implementing computer re- ‘sources at OCA. Here, back around 1984, Itwas decided to buy a number of ‘Commodore VIC 20 micros as a gene! ‘only computer available to students here before that was one ‘Commodore PET, which, If computers were cars, would hat it manoeuverability ofa brick. Impetus for the ‘was provided by then Dean of instruction, Tom among others. 1 belie was financed in part through he library budget, since there wasno computer budget at the time. From the start, the philosophy behind student ‘computer involvement at ECCAD has been one of integration. ‘Apparently, ECCAD Is unique in Canada in this respect. Having computer technology centralized and open to all whe want it may not be a perfect system, butit has facilitated @ ‘stronger base for explorations in computer literacy and the ‘computer arts for the students and faculty. 1 doubt if th hundreds of hours of computer ima: Sh done for the. upcoming Knowledge Network series “Mark and Image” would fe boon possible without easy access to ECCAD's comput- ‘Major computer upgrading has occurred almost every year since the first VIC's rolled over the border inthe back of Dennis Vance's car. At a recent computer committee meeting, a hard- ‘ware report was read by AV Manager Michael Agrios, Accord- Ing to the report, our current number of student computers ‘stands at 67, which is almost a 300% increase in hardware over the last year. And conservative king, approxime ‘of the 650 ful-time students. out 15% forall you number-crunchers ‘out there in the audience tonight.) ‘Some mall | received last month indicates that this trend is happening elsewhere as well. The mall was Ilterature from a Toronto-based. computer-art_ magazine called “Nexpress’ Included was a brochure for a computer resource centre called “Inter/Access”, which could best be described as a sort of “VideosIn” for'computer artists - a “Computer.in"(?).. Fifty bucks per year gives you, or your organization, 24 hour per day access to thelr equipment, which includes a Mac Plus, an ‘Amiga, two IBM's, Apple I's, arious color and black and white printing and copying equipment, and the software libraries. Not tomention the mobile facilities, futorial workshops, and techni- cal support. Alsoon the listis their on-line telecommunications ‘service, the MATRIX system. Through this you can submit articles via your modem, or ead past issues of “Nexpress” for free. Sounds pretty good, don't it? ‘According to a report on the New York electronic arts scene, written by a *Nexpress” staff member, we don't realize Just how lucky weareup here. Apparently, government funding Cut drastically by Fé funding has enabled ‘and dance to Survive. There seems to be no large corporate backing for the computer arts outside of the educational realm, according to the "Nexpress” report. In Canada, comput art forms ‘are recognized under the Media Arts section of the Canada Couneil ‘Meanwhile back at Bills ranch, news of a possible federal ‘more sympathetic ear In the lucation-funding have sat me to wondering what higher level of technology Ican expect to be hhacking away on next year. Or the year after that. 4 E. John Love for exploratory art projects has be Panel ofthe Arts Vo3 No.7 May 1988 Great Charles H. Scott When Willlard Holmes left for the Vancouver Art Gallery in spring of 1987, ‘Alan Barkley became the acting director of the Charles H. Scott Gallory. He inherited a gallery with one year’s programming already In place. He also had the gallery's Adminis- trative Assistant, Betty Rumpel, to keep the gallery operating and accessible to the. College community and public. However, since the time of Barkley's Inheritance and the last exhibition booked {or the gallery (the Nomi Kaplan show), Barkley has not taken the initiative to [program any shows for the summer and. beyond, Added to this predicament, the ‘Administration has made a decision not to xxtend Rumpel's working contract and at the tend of April her position at the gallery was ‘terminated. There has boen no serious attempt to keep the gallery open for the ‘summer beyond the 1988 Grad show. Fumpel feels that the fate of the C.H.S. Gallery has been shrouded in secrecy for too long. She feels that Barkley has been negligent in his duties Acting Director shoul have been in plage and he has Continually been putting of decisions to Keep the galery open forthe summer and Seyond,""in addition, she feos thatthe College fs making arise mistake by Closing the gallery forthe summer espe clay when the summer lathe timo when 2 Steady stream of viators attends the galery Showa. "The value ofthe public exposu which in gallery brings t the Cotege I inestimable" she saya, "because when Visitor see the galery they also see te College." Approximately $5,000 people Visited the galery last summer. ‘The Administration has drated 2 Job description that combines Rumpel oalton with the duties of fullime curator End those ofa fulltime receptionist, The Unrealistc demands of his new postion, called the Co-ordinator of Exhibition and Public Programming, requires the expertise land energy of a super human being, Furmpel fees that the quay ofthe gallery Wil diminish this new position is approved By the Administration. She says tis impossibie for one person to handle al of the responsibities stated inte job descrp- ton Wate needed is ullime curator, with support stat, who Would be respon Sible for maintaining the oxcelance ofthe CHS: Galery and for fd leadership tel this past w ‘empty gallery space. Rumpel arranged a ‘Challenge '88 work grant for the gallery and two students would have had the opportu- nity for summer employment and the chance to gain valuable work experience in gallery ‘operation. But the grant is in jeopardy because it was only condition th the summ whether the grant could be another work project. Sadly, the indefinite plans of the C.H.S. Gallery to'open for the summer and beyond point fo a potential erosion of the gallery in terms of one less public facility for visiting artists to exhibit their work; to the College as a valuable public relations tool; to the is as a practicable learning environ- ida source for jobs; and to the whole -ommunity, the loss of Betty Fumpel’s experience and dedication Kevin Louis Editor's Note: in response Alan Barkley has said that the financial pressures felt throughout the College also affect the C.H.S.Gallay, and tis for this reason, limited and uncertain unding, that the Administration, has been reluctant to commit to an immediate solution. The long-term goals include finalizing ‘of the new curatorial job description and year- round operation of the gallery. ABig Opening (On Tuesday April 26 the Foundation Department hosted fone of the most successful and well attended openings of the year. Despite unfortunate ‘Scheduling in the Concourse, Which allowed only three days for el-up of the show, there was tremendous participation and group effort, and the show was in place on time for the 400-500 guests who came to view it. The show was adjudicated by a committee of five Founda- tion students (elected by thelr peers) and two faculty member ‘and over 120 students were represented in the show. In previous years the Foundation ‘Show was limited to those ‘students who had received ‘scholarships. “Tho success of this event ‘can be attributed to the energy ‘and organization of everyone Involved. Five hundred invita- tions were sent out, as well as press releases to newspapers and radio stations. A great deal of food was prepared by several hhad a lot of fun, and the art looked just lke real ar, too. Naomi Singer