SU Department Chair Leaving

<p>I am a lurker here and just created this screen name so I can post this. I have been waiting for months to see this information posted but to my surprise it never was. </p>

<p>My child is a BFA MT student at SU and this summer we, parents and students of the SU Drama Department, received a letter from Jim Clark that he was stepping down from his position as Department Chair in 2006/2007. In his letter he stated that although he would not be Chair of the department any longer he would still be involved in the Department. I have no idea what that means. It also stated that there is a National Search going on for his replacement.</p>

<p>With Fall Fridays and auditions coming up I feel that this is information that you all need in order to make an informed decision. </p>

<p>It will be interesting to see if they will tell you at the auditions that he his leaving.</p>

<p>Wow, I really liked him based on our audition day. I liked his presentation to the parents and students. Down to earth. He spoke from the perspective of being a parent of college students himself. It so happens that I had a one to one friendly chat with him later in the day when I was sitting alone in the lobby as my D was observing a class that a freshman MT friend was in after the audition day ended and he came around and we started talking. Anyway, too bad if he is leaving though you say he is just stepping down from being the Dept. Chair so maybe he isn't totally leaving.</p>

<p>My D and I attended the fall reception/visiting day event a few weeks ago and we did not meet Mr. Clark and no one mentioned that he was leaving.</p>

<p>Jim Clark is stepping down as chair, but he is going up for full professorship. So, I imagine if you really do enjoy him as a person, rest assured that the students will have more involvement with him if he gets granted this.</p>

<p>That's good to hear, BrendanN. My D and I LOVED SU and my D was super impressed with what she saw on stage in Urinetown. We, unfortunately, did not get the chance to meet Mr. Clark, but the woman who led the info session (off the top of my head, I think her name was Maria Morrerro ... a tech/design person???) was warm and friendly and very knowledgeable and anything she couldn't answer, Murphy did.
BrendanN, do you know anyone who did the summer precollege program in MT? If you do, can you ask that person to PM me?</p>

<p>I'll add that Murphy was very nice, too, when I ended up chatting with her when the auditions were all done and I was sitting alone in the lobby as my D was observing a class with a Syracuse BFA friend and she came by. The experience and people at Syracuse were positive.</p>

<p>I don't know of anyone on this board who attended the pre-college program. From those I know who have attended, I hear it's great.</p>

<p>My D is auditioning at SU on Friday. If I find out any information I'll post it when we return. Does anyone know how many full prof.s they have on staff? I've heard that the department is much more grounded and tends to treat students better when the staff feels secure in their positions. </p>

<p>Sarahsmom</p>

<p>Sarahsmom, you will get a brochure/pamphlet during your visit that tells you the names of the professors and, I believe, which are full and which are part time. It appears to be a stable dept.</p>

<p>I am wondering if anyone has heard anything further about the status of the department chair change. The website still lists Jim Clark as chair. I am curious because when we visited this summer, the student who gave us a tour was describing what sounded like quite a shake-up in the department- disagreements among the faculty in regard to the way the juries (or whatever they call them at SU) were handled.</p>

<p>I think the shake-up was about the sophomore evaluations..not juries. </p>

<p>I am a Junior MT major at SU. We have been assured by Jim that this change is not going to affect the department in a negative way. Jim is carefully choosing who will follow him. </p>

<p>I wouldn't let this change deter you from choosing Syracuse.</p>

<p>What were the issues in the "shake up" about the sophmore evals? What was the outcome - any changes? Are there "juries" at Syracuse that are a separate process from the "evals"?</p>

<p>
[quote]
Bond Is Syracuse Stage's New Producing Artistic Director and New Head of S.U. Drama</p>

<p>By Kenneth Jones
27 Jul 2007</p>

<p>Timothy Bond has been named producing artistic director of Syracuse Stage and the Syracuse University department of drama, effective immediately.</p>

<p>Bond, 48, will be Syracuse Stage's fourth artistic leader in its nearly 35-year history, and its first "producing artistic director" since Arthur Storch held the position from 1974 to 1992. As producing artistic director for both Syracuse Stage and S.U. Drama, Bond "will oversee the valuable nexus between Syracuse Stage and the department, which constitutes a 'teaching hospital' relationship between the two," according to the announcement. Syracuse Stage and S.U. Drama are housed in the Regent Theatre Complex in Syracuse, NY.</p>

<p>"We're restructuring the leadership team to effectively address the current and future growth of Syracuse Stage," stated James R. Smith, chair of Syracuse Stage's board of trustees. "The appointment of Tim Bond is a bold first step in that direction. A separate national search will identify a managing director who will focus on the day-to-day business and operations of Syracuse Stage.".......

[/quote]
</p>

<p>For the rest of the article, please go to:
<a href="http://www.playbill.com/news/article/109905.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.playbill.com/news/article/109905.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Jim Clark, who is stepping down as Chair of the Syrcause Drama Dept. and producing director of Syracuse Stage, will remain to serve as managing director of Syracuse Stage until a separate search identifies a candidate to replace him.</p>

<p>I recently spoke to a member of the faculty at SU on a person level and there are tremendous changes coming down the pike with the Drama Department due to the new leadership and, I agree, it is needed.</p>

<p>I know they plan to make the number of students in the program smaller and I have to agree to that as well. I also understand that Timothy Bond plans to be involved in the casting due to the amount of "political" casting that is, unfortunately, part of SU at the present time. </p>

<p>I think it is an exciting, but transitional, time for SU.</p>

<p>Speaking as a class rep and having met with Tim a couple times already, I can say that anyone coming to SU from now on should be very excited. His plans are awesome and he's really going to take the department to the next level.</p>

<p>Dancersmammy: I'm curious to know what you mean by "political" casting?</p>