A short note to let you know that today VCAM Review Committee Chairperson Ziggy Switkowski announced that you have an opportunity to present to the Review Committee on 17 March 2010 regarding VCA’s future.

In order to request a time, visit the Review website shown below and lodge your request by 9 March 2010. We particularly encourage arts businesses of all sizes to apply for a time – as the future employers of VCA graduates, your input is invaluable. We also encourage VCA graduates to present so the Review Committee can hear how your training has translated to your working life.

Because so few timeslots have been made available, you may consider presenting to the Review with your arts business partners.

We apologise such little notice has been given, however we are bound by University timelines.

Visit the Review Website to request your appointment.

FOR CURRENT VCAM STAFF & STUDENTS

We realise that some staff and students are wary of asking to present to the Review Committee with Heads of School and the Deputy Dean on the panel. You may consider asking the Chairperson to allow you to present (e.g. delegation of students from each Discipline, followed by a delegation of staff from each Discipline) without the Heads of School and Deputy Dean in the room.

We encourage all staff and students to take an active interest in the Review, even if it just means observing the delegation for your discipline presenting to the Committee.

UPDATE 05/03/10

The Review Committee composition has changed (new Chair of the VCAM Advisory Board Ian Wilcox replacing Trevor Green).

New Committee is:

Dr Ziggy Switkowski Independent Chair

Mrs Eda Ritchie Representative of the Vice-Chancellor

Mr Ian Wilcock Representative of the VCAM Advisory Board (replaced Trevor Green on 05/03/10)

Prof Gary McPherson VCAM academic staff (Head of Music)

Prof Kristy Edmunds VCAM academic staff (Head of Performing Arts) & Deputy Dean

A/Prof Su Baker VCAM academic staff (Head of Art)

Prof Ian Lang VCAM academic staff (Head of Film and Television)

Mr Brian Long VCAM professional staff

Mr Shane Woon Undergraduate VCAM student representative [Elected by Students]

Mr Richard Mason Postgraduate VCAM student representative

Prof Pip Pattison University academic from outside VCAM

The Hon Mary Delahunty Community representative with a background in the arts

Prof Catherine Falk Representative of Parkville [Elected by Parkville Staff]

A/Prof Jon Cattapan Representative of Southbank

The team behind SaveVCA would like to thank each and every one of you involved in the campaign this year. We have achieved some amazing things, and from humble beginnings, as we didn’t exist before May. Personal thanks must go to the large group of students, alumni and staff who have given their time, money and skills on a daily basis to make this so much more than just a group of angry artists.

What would SaveVCA like for Christmas you may ask? Well we would like a new pair of ankle socks, and your suggestions and input on the discussion paper, which is currently seeking submissions; please see here for more information.

Lets hope 2010 is the year we SAVE VCA.

Until next year, stay safe,

Love The SaveVCA Team.

The Cover of the discussion Paper

It’s taken seven months of pressure to force a formal consultation process out of Vice Chancellor Glyn Davis and VCAM Dean Sharman Pretty.

Only problem is they will be playing judge and jury in the “discussion”.

SAVE VCA welcome the University of Melbourne (UoM) finally opening up discussion about the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) to the wider Arts Community as well as to students, staff and alumni. It is also encouraging that some staff recommendations about the composition of the Review Committee have been acknowledged in the document.

However let us not forget the only reason this Discussion Paper exists is because of the seven-month backlash against the UoM changes.

Now UoM want the VCA community to entrust the moderation of discussion to an organisation which has already shown high disregard for VCA’s staff, students and Victoria’s arts business. And considering the ongoing conflicts in the Law, Business, Economics and Arts faculties, SAVE VCA feels it is reasonable to be sceptical about this consultation process, especially as the result is ratified by the VCAM Integration Committee (the same Committee from which the Chair and two other highly regarded members resigned this year).

It is also hard to escape that reality that VCA is in crisis now and it’s because of the UoM. We’ve gone beyond a Discussion Paper. We need the Federal and State Governments to urgently step in to not only safeguard VCA’s courses and funding, but Australia’s arts business:

Students are voting against the Melbourne Model with VTAC first-preference applications down 27% (The Australian 11/11/09 ).

• Victoria is losing arts industry jobs and business now because of UoM’s mishandling of VCA. UoM has cut off the supply of Music Theatre and Puppetry graduates to the ‘arts capital of Australia’ without notice. Ironically VCA’s Music Theatre course was developed after extensive industry consultation and it was the first course UoM cut – clearly the opinions of industry are not held in high regard.
• Even this week The Age reported West Side Story will buck the trend and open in Sydney. VCA is the epicentre of Victoria’s arts business and it is being left to the wolves.
• A National Tertiary Education Union run survey taken by approximately a quarter of VCAM Southbank staff showed 40% are seeking to leave VCA within a year. VCA is facing a huge and immediate teaching talent drain.

FURTHER OBERSEVATIONS:

• The “independence” of the Discussion Paper is highly suspect. How independent is an “Independent Chair” and his/her Review Committee if they are all “appointed by the Vice-Chancellor in consultation with the Dean of VCAM?”
• There is no mention of whether the highly controversial tenure of the new Dean Sharman Pretty should/will be reviewed. Many would argue there is no point in discussing anything with the current Dean at the helm.
• All the changes done to date (e.g. Puppetry & Music Theatre being axed and staff cuts) are not mentioned in the document. Is UoM embarrassed of its management of VCA to date?
• Nothing has changed in the UoM attitude to VCA. VCA is still presented as ungrateful child that has rudely questioned its parent’s wisdom:

“The VCA affiliation turned into a significant financial disadvantage for other University of Melbourne students. Millions of dollars in teaching income earned from enrolling students at the University have become cross subsidies to the VCA and then the Southbank campus of VCAM. As these student places were already under-funded without this added cost, it would benefit University of Melbourne students if this money could be used as originally intended.”

The above statement is also highly defensive and conveniently forgets the $103million of VCA assets UoM inherited and that three other UoM Faculties are also cross-subsidised. There is also no discussion of the UoM rental and administration cost system which is the major financial drain on the VCA.

• The tone of the Discussion Paper gives a very obvious sense of what the result of the Review will be. The most obvious solution to VCA’s is independence from UoM, but this is demonised and does not factor in perusing funding from the Arts Ministry (like NIDA):

“The risk to the University itself would be low; the risk to the training of students through many of the current VCAM programs and the wellbeing of the existing VCAM staff would be significant.”

The Discussion Paper is box ticking. It’s no mistake this document was launched to the media whilst most students have already ended classes for the year. The UoM have bought themselves another 6 months in the hope staff, students and industry will simply get war weary. It also means the UoM have deflected the Government’s ability to become involved because UoM can say they are “consulting”. All this at a time when VCA can least afford to delay in clawing back its reputation and arts business need urgent certainty on the supply of graduate quantity and quality.

Read the highly subjective UoM Discussion Paper “Defining The Future” document here (http://vcam.unimelb.edu.au/discussion/)

Meanwhile, Sharman Pretty has tried to sell the Discussion Paper on ABC Radio, to listen, click here

As always, comments welcomed below and at facebook.com/savevca

Students & Lynne Kosky at the VCA

Victorian Arts Minister Lynne Kosky yesterday received a 15,000 signature petition in opposition to the changes to the Victorian College of the Arts. Current and past students were on hand to facilitate the hand over, completed by David Haidon, the former VCA Student Union President.

This comes after more than 150 staff “apply for voluntary redundancies” at Melbourne University.

Photos of the hand over can be found here.

This is an important step in the campaign, but there is still more you can do to help; become a fan on Facebook, or Twitter, spread the word about the changes and pass on the newly released industry document.

Front Page of the Industry Document

In a response to frequent requests for detailed information about the status of VCA particularly from Arts Businesses, SAVE VCA have produced a document which gives readers “the full story” all in one place. Indeed many VCA staff and students will find some of the information new, such is the difficulty in getting detailed information from the University of Melbourne and from Dean Sharman Pretty. If you don’t have time to read the whole document, there is a two page Executive Summary (in the PDF below).

You will find a full copy of this document here > SaveVCA Information for the Arts

Screenshot of the VCA Video

Brumby has pledged to answer the question which gets the most votes.

Visit the YouTube channel, click on “Vote”, click on the “The VCA” video and give it a Green “Thumbs Up”

http://www.youtube.com/user/premierofvictoria

Thanks for your help!

Art Fail

Save VCA presents the VCA ‘all schools’ FAIL Ball!

FAIL Ball promises not only to be a great party, but is presented in an effort to further raise awareness and rally support for the school.

Celebrate the achievements of the school while you still can and to make a difference where you’re still able!

The ball is organised and run entirely by the students with the intention that funds raised through the sale of tickets will be used to implement projects in 2010 to help ensure the standard of education we have come to expect from our school. Proceeds from tickets sold will go towards setting up independent monthly tutorial sessions. We will pay – in effect – from our own pockets (and on top of our annual fees) for our sessionals to remain at the school. Suggestions for other projects that benefit VCA students are very much welcome too.

DETAILS!

When: Saturday 7 November 2009 – 8:00pm til late
Where: Donkey Wheel Basement, 673 Bourke Street, City (enter via Godfrey Street)
Theme: FAIL (see failblog.org, thereifixedit.com for inspiration)
Dress: wearable sculpture
What: Bands, dj’s, art installations! Watch Facebook for announcements!

Get Tickets on facebook (booking fee applies): http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=logo#/pages/VCA-Ball/159493851243
RSVP on facebook, see http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=161866202067&index=1