Letter from the Dean
Dear Friends,
As we enter Spring Term and approach the end of this academic year we have a lot to celebrate.
It is tremendously exciting to announce that the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) has moved our professional degree, the Master of Architecture, from candidacy status to a fully accredited program. This accreditation is extremely important as a NAAB accredited degree is required for licensure as an architect.
We are on track to build the Lincoln Hall glass tower this summer. The Broadway entry and Lincoln Performance Hall will close on June 17th and reopen for classes Fall Term along with a new art gallery on the ground floor and new dressing room and greenroom for the performance hall. Interior work on the new black box theater, dance studio and acting studio will continue and be ready for classes starting January 2014. This final phase of the Lincoln Hall renovation is possible because of the generous lead gift from Arlene Schnitzer. And, while we continue to fundraise, the university has made a commitment to complete this project.
It is a great pleasure to also announce that the Harold and Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation has created the Arlene Schnitzer Visual Arts Prize in our School of Art + Design. Cash prizes of $5,500 and $4,000 will be awarded annually to two art students, respectively, based on a juried competition. The recipients will also be featured in an exclusive public exhibit of their work. The goal of the prize is to recognize outstanding talent in the School of Art and Design, to help recruit and retain top students, and to advance the recognition of PSU as a major player in the arts in the Pacific Northwest.
On a personal note, I will be stepping down as dean at the end of August and returning to the faculty. It has been an exciting and eventful seven years with the $36 million renovation of Lincoln Hall, the $13 million renovation of Shattuck Hall, the expansion in number of majors from approximately 1650 to 2800, the establishment of the research-focused Center for Public Interest Design, the creation of several professional degrees and majors in all four Schools, the rise in number and expertise of our faculty and staff throughout, our increasingly selective admission, the increase in our community partnerships both locally and globally, and the launch of a strong development campaign and the college advising office, all culminating in the creation of the new College with a new vision this year. I have been blessed to be part of the wonderful team of faculty, staff and students that have made the College of the Arts one of the highlights of PSU, and look forward to many more successes to come.
I do hope that you will join us at one of our many events during Spring Term. Please visit us on the web at www.pdx.edu/the-arts to take a look at our College video or to keep current on the ever-increasing number and range of events that we offer.
Sincerely,
Barbara A. Sestak, AIA Dean, College of the Arts
