42 planet of the arts / spring 1998 THE INSTITUTE Fair Funding ..continued from page 39 farther than a frivolous student. Sometimes it’s nice to see money spent well. I’m not saying to just give money to poor stu- dents, and I understand that some explain scholar- ships as rewarding academic achievement. The root scholar means someone who applies themselves to their studies; therefore, scholarships exist for stu- dents who have worked hard to excel in their cours- es. I actually subscribe to the idea that hard work will eventually be repaid—most people participate in the rat-race of life because there is an element of hope that they will succeed. But the people who SN a’ ILLUSTRATION BY JULIE ARTHURS. already have money (or have wealthy parents) don’t have to waste their lives slaving away at dead end jobs just to support themselves and therefore have more time, confidence, space and money for art production, ergo a better chance of getting a schol- arship (read: even more money). It’s a vicious little circle isn’t it? You can defend this capitalist system by saying it was designed to let the hard workers rise to the top while letting the slackers fall. The idea is if someone has the desire or need for money they will work hard for it and earn it while other people will fall behind (kind of the same idea behind pros- titution - if you have no money you'll do anything to get it). People argue that there are loans and bursaries for students in need, but seriously the maximum Institute bursary ($200) is just enough money to keep you from starving to death or pay the rent at the end of the semester—students receiving bursaries are not getting ahead on them. And : international students can’t even apply for bursaries anyway; they’re told: “If you want money go ask your own government for it,” like their need does not exist simply because they are from another country. Personally, I think ECIAD should make some kind of effort to help out its international students who are all alone far away from home, help, and friends. It's the international students who cannot work because they only have a student visa (trying to get a work visa is difficult and does not guarantee a job). It’s the international students who often do not know the language and customs all that well. It’s the international students who boost the school’s image as an Institute which is compassionate and appealing — where students will recieve a quality education. Never mind the fact that international students pay their full tuition directly to the school the Government’s significant subsidies to education instead of benefiting from Canadian available to its citizens. (It seems that few people know that the Canadian Government effectively pays its citizens to go to school.) And as for student loans: they alleviate immedi- ate financial strain but they only create more debt (debt that accumulates interest). Students on loan usually end up spending a large part of their career repaying their loans. You can get student loan after student loan, but it’s never going to get you ahead. If a student without a loan wins a schol- arship they will certainly benefit from having more money, but if a student with a loan wins a scholarship they could avoid tak- ing out a loan in the first place or actually lower their debt. Through per- sonal experience, I know that applying for loans and demonstrating need is a lot of paper work and it’s not a perfect system. Loans are mostly given to people liv- ing at or below the pover- ty line, and that’s a pretty low standard especially when you consider that standard means “aver- age”. It’s pretty sad when our society accepts poverty as its standard. Some people think there should be money reserved solely for the pur- pose of helping students in need, and I may have even given the impression that I want to give money to the poor, but giv- ing money away to anyone creates jealousy because everyone wants their share and believes that they are entitled to a piece of the pie. When people find out that so-and-so got they believe they are (or may something and have been) just as deserv- ing, they start to hate or envy this person who, real- ly, has done nothing wrong. The students accepted Media and Design are often the envy of the people into who did not get into these programmes due to lack of space. A scholarship creates the same division of “us” and “them”. You Dream It... We Paint It! Example of a shortlisted work from last year’s School of Foundation and Critical Studies. So now that I’ve led you through all these finan- cial gripes, let’s look at the scholarship judging. The school makes all kinds of claims about art process being more important than art product, but I can’t that, with the All-Institute Adjudication date being pushed up to allow work to be completed. A slide usually shows completed or nearly completed, presentable work, and process fully believe has little to do with completion. My process is embedded in the pages of my sketchbook and jour- nals, my mind, my preliminary sketches, the pieces Use plaques to recognize merit - spend $63,000 more per year on extended hours or equipment. that get tossed aside, and I don’t document every single change I make. Can this be seen in a single slide? No. This is the whole problem with process — unless you are wealthy or have enough time to doc- ument every change you make, you can’t prove the process took place. And who’s to say you can’t sim- ulate the process after the work is complete? Besides, if you’re rich enough to document every- thing why are you at school and why do you need a scholarship? And if you've got enough time on your hands to document everything shouldn't you be putting more time and effort into producing art? Besides, few people buy process, they pay for com- pleted work. So a scholarship is essentially selling your work to the school and its sponsors. If you want a scholarship you basically have to produce what the school and the sponsor (consumer) want to see — the idea here is to sell out. continued on next page, see “Scholarship” Arts Opportunity FOR SALE: Established Vancouver Mural Business, complete with 1991 Astro Van, full office including Mac LC and a wealth of paint and equipment. Ten years of ‘Good Will’ and two months of training. If you want to make a living in the arts, check this out. Terms available. Call Cindy Johnson ° , Golden Dream Murals 876-4455 or Maggie Magie International Business Brokers 738-6700. 42 plonet of the orts / spring 1998 THE INSTITUTE Fair Funding farther than 3 fvolous student Sometimes ts nice to see money spent vel, Tm not saying to just give money to poor st dents and | understand that some explain scholar ships as rewarding academic achievement. The root ‘chalar means someone who applies themselves to ents who have worked ard to excel in their cous [actually subscribe tothe idea that ard work will eventually be repaid-most people participate in the rat-rae of life Because there isan clement of hope that they will suceed. But the people who y already have money (or have wealthy parents) dont have to wast their ives slaving away at dead end jobs just to support themselves and therefore have ‘more time, confidence, space and money for art production, ergo a better chance of geting a schol arsip (cea even more mone). I's vicious litle circle isnt it You can defend this capitalist system by sayingit was designed to et the hard workers rise to the top while letting the lackers fl, The idea is if someone has the dsite oF need for money they ‘wll work hard for it and earn it while ther people wil al behind (kindof the same dea behind pros: ttation - if you have no money youl do anything to getit People argue that there are loons and bursaries for students in need, but seriously the maximum Institute bursary ($20) is just enough money to ep you from starving to death or pay the rent at the end of the semester-students receiving bursaries are not geting ahead on them. And international students Poly for bursaries any they're tld: “If you want money go ask your own ‘government for i” ike their need does not exist Simply because they are from another country Personally hink ECIAD should make some kind ‘of efor to help out its international students who areal alone far away from home, help, and fiends Te the international students who cannot work because they only ave a student visa (trying to get 1 work visa is difficult and does not guarantee a job) Is the international students who often do not know the language and customs all that well I's the international students who boost the schools image as an Institute whichis compassionate and appealing ~ where students will recieve a quality eucation. Never mind the fact that international stents pay thee all tition directly tothe school instead of benefiting from the Canadian Government’ significant subsiies to education available to its citizens. (It seems that few people know thatthe Canadian Government effectively apis citizens to goto school.) And s for student loans they alleviate immed at financial strain but they only create more debt (eb that accumulates interest). Students on loan usually end up spending a large par oftheir career their loans You can get student loan ater loan, but its never going to get you head. fa student without aloan wins schol arship they wil certainly benefit from having ‘more money, but if student with alan wins scholarship they could avoid tak: jing out 2 Joan in the frst place or actually lower their debt. Through per sonal experience, I know that applying for loans and demonstrating need is lot ‘of paper work and ifs not a perfect system. Loans are mostly given to people li ing at or below the pver: ty line, and that's a pretty low standard especially when you consider that. standard. means “aver age Its prety sad when four society accepts poverty as its standard Some people think there should bbe money reserved solely for the pur pose of helping students in need, and 1 ray hae even given the impression that ‘want to give money othe poorbut giv ing. money away 0 anyone creates jealousy because everyone wants their share and believes that they acentitled toa piece of| the pie. When people find ‘out that sovand:so. got something and they believe they are (or may have been) just as deserv ing envy this person who, real: hey sar 10 hate oF Iyshas done nothing wrong. The students accepted into “Media and Design are often the envy ofthe people who did not gt into these programmes due to lack ‘of space. A scholarship creates the same division of “us andthe You Dream It. We Paint It! Example of shortisted work from lat years ‘Schoo of Foundation and Cal Suds, So now that veld you through ll hee finan: