By Celeste Morales
Outreach Assistant
Things are constantly changing and growing here at CSUSM. One of the new and exciting things that are opening up this year is the new School of Art.
Because the new college just opened this semester, many students do not yet know about it. Jacquelyn Kilpatrick, the Director of the School of Art, is new to our school since starting in July. Her background is in literature, not art; however, she sees having a degree in literature as something that has helped her get where she is, having given her an appreciation for all areas of the arts. She developed the music and art department at California State University, Channel Islands, and CSUSM brought her in because of her experience with building programs.
The administration felt that one department does not serve the needs of the students well. In order to help the students better, they brought her in to devise a plan that will help the five disciplines (Music, Dance, Visual Art, Visual Culture, and Media and Design) become degree programs. She feels that making the department into a school will unify the Arts, and wants students to grow and flourish. Each discipline teaches different things,. allowing students from these disciplines to be unique and have equal opportunities. The faculty is working towards a forum where they will go through the curriculum to create a program for each degree. Currently, the Music program is almost complete, and possibly in the next year or two the Media and Design degree will be finalized. Each one takes time to become the start of a bigger picture within the art community.
Newly transferred Visual Arts student, Jerry Slough, looks forward to the changes that the School of Art will bring.
“I think that the School of Art is a very positive and exciting addition to CSUSM,” Slough said. “For me I’m hoping to gain expanded programs and additional emphasis in the fine arts.”
Director Kilpatrick says that the Visual Arts program is the only one in our region, which is a huge benefit for students so that they have a place to go, especially those transferring from Palomar College. One of her goals with this new college is for the students to be more active in the art community so that the school can be part of a larger hub for local artists. Right now, she says Oceanside has a vibrant arts community and is working on projects constantly. She would like the school to eventually work with people from that community in order to establish ourselves as leaders in the arts community as well. She hopes that the hands-on approach she plans to make will help students accomplish that goal. Eventually she would like these degree programs to develop enough in order to lead the way to a Masters program in the various disciplines offered.