The Graphic and Animation program will be implementing changes with the next group of incoming freshman.
The program will begin to request students applying to the major to optionally send a portfolio of their work.
“This year is the first year we are piloting a portfolio entrance, so we are not requiring it,” said Christopher Register, Chair of the Theatre, Art , Graphic and Animation Design department. “So we are basically saying if you would like to apply with a portfolio you will be eligible for a one-time $1,000 scholarship to the best portfolio that is submitted.”
With the concrete details still in the planning, Register mentioned a few things they would expect to see in a portfolio, such as drawings, sketchbooks, three dimensional construction and animation or simulation.
“Most likely, if the questions are well answered and the portfolio is of high quality, we will go ahead and accept them. If the portfolio is terrible and the answers are really bad, we will say no, you can’t get into the program,” said Register. “If the portfolio is not very good but the questions are insightful or vice versa, we would probably do a skype interview with the candidate.”
According to Register, the art department has never really been in favor of adding a portfolio requirement.
There was a concern that if they received portfolios (from high school students), they wouldn't be able to tell if the portfolio came from the student or was overly directed by the faculty member at the school.
“We are nurturing in the manner that we wanted to work on the students first,” said Register.
When asked about why this will only be affecting the Graphic and Animation Design major, Register said that the three programs in the department are separate programs, and even though they function differently from each other, they still share a strategic connection.
According to Register, they intend to focus on how many people participate and then want to discuss the results since they don't know what they expect to see.
“There is no guarantee that that’s going to be in the future, but we are just trying to pilot because no one has really done this before on campus,” said Register.
They have also been working with the admissions office to try and measure the results of this pilot.
Register hopes changes will eventually lead to a faculty increase.
“We were having studio classes with 40 students and it was completely unmanageable,” said Register. “So unless if they can get more faculty, they will have to be able to control the number of students coming in.”
Jackie Muir, a senior Graphic and Animation Design major, expressed her support for the addition of a portfolio requirement, “I think it will help with the numbers, because Bedford is a small building and my biggest class, we’re trying to fit almost 35 kids in a drawing studio, and some of us are at tables and some of us are on the floor...by help controlling the influx of students coming in, it can help give everyone a seat, as well as to prevent overcrowding happening.”
With this new process, they will be able to capture the amount of students that want to be admitted into the program.
“If the number increases, we can make the argument that we need more faculty because there is more popularity in this program,” said Register.
Register emphasized that if it negatively impacts admission, it will at least increase the rigor.
The option for applicants to submit a portfolio is going on now and will affect students applying in the fall of 2016.
