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Department safe for a year
Students concerned about the fate of the theater, film studies, and dance department can rest easy: at least for another year.
Rumors about the fate of the department had been circulating since mid-April, causing many students to worry needlessly.
According to the dean of the college of fine arts and humanities, Roland Specht-Jarvis, the students majoring in any of the three areas will not feel the brunt of any internal issues the department is having.
"Students right now have the option of utilizing all the department has to offer, and they will be experiencing no detrimental effects," said Specht-Jarvis
Specht-Jarvis declined to go into detail about the department's internal problems, but as a response the department's accreditation organization recommended that someone from outside the department be brought in as chair.
"We selected a professor from the Communications department to be the chair of the department for next year," Specht-Jarvis said.
After a meeting with Specht- Jarvis, Bruce Hyde, was selected for the position.
"Because of my background in theater and problem solving, we decided I would be the perfect person for the position. The faculty are very skilled and committed," said Hyde. "I just bring in a different perspective."
The rumors that SCSU was going to lose the department were caused by a lot of different kinds of problems, Hyde said, some developing over a number of years, having to do with different aspects of the department.
"There are a number of issues, the curriculum, different perspectives on things among the faculty and a lot of things overlapping," Hyde said. "The financial problems, while afflicting everyone on campus, only exacerbate the issues so that if there were already differing views on what should be done, those differing views only become stronger."
Hyde, who has worked with many of the department's faculty members previously is looking forward to his new position.
"I know and respect the members of the department and I hope to be of service to them, and resolve some of the issues," Hyde said. "I want to get the department back on its feet," Hyde said.
According to Hyde, his primary goal for the upcoming year is to create excitement among the students and to serve the majors.
"I want to give the theater majors and minors what they really want in their theater education, students are the priority this year," Hyde said.
Hyde also recognizes many students have become apprehensive about the program and wants to reassure them.
"I know some majors have become disenchanted or worried about their education, I want to get them more secure about their future in the department," Hyde said.
While admitting the future of the department remains uncertain, Hyde is confident the outlook for the coming years is improving.
"The dean and President Saigo have a very strong commitment to having a theater department in a university like St. Cloud State," Hyde said. "I am going to do everything I can to see that this department is healthy and vital."
Currently Hyde's tentative prescription for a healthy department is aimed at strengthening the curriculum.
"We are going to put on a really strong schedule of productions this year, that students will be excited about participating in and we really want to stay in communication with majors and minors about their needs and interests," Hyde said.
Specht-Jarvis also agrees that the department needs strengthening in some areas and is exploring several options.
"We are going through all kinds of scenarios," Specht-Jarvis said, "We are talking with Tami Spry in Communication Studies about possibly moving her and her performance studies program into theatre. That would give theater more staff, and a larger and stronger program."
According to Specht-Jarvis, Hyde will have a year to refocus the unit, then he will whether or not to shut down the department, the likelihood of which finds small.
"Everything is looking up right now, as far as I can tell," Specht-Jarvis said. "But we can only be successful if faculty pull on the same end of the rope. Any inside fighting makes it hard to renew theater.
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