<p>Or not. There is no evidence that 'reds daughter has even attempted to go see any of the professors involved (every single one of them has posted office hours), has shown a portfolio to anyone, or has even gone to a department open house to talk about the issue.</p>
<p>When faced with similar ostensible bureaucracy, my d. has simply waltzed into the office of the prof she needed to see, and not in a single case has she been denied.</p>
<p>My point being— If you are interested in a BFA, it would probably be beneficial to attend an “art” school or a college more renowned for it’s “art program”, rather than a university known for Political Science and International Relations.</p>
<p>Many of the arts professors have not even been chosen yet for the courses, so how can one visit during office hours??? The school is known more for than a few departments, and if that were true, no one would go there. AU is know for its art program. UMD profs and other arts professionals in the community have a BFA or MFA from there. If a university has a BFA program which is rare, that would suggest they take art seriously, especially with a beautiful art facility like Katzen. GW doesn’t have a BFA program or a Katzen Center, but I noticed they offer more fine arts courses and sections per semester. Odd , isn’t it???</p>
<p>BTW, no child should have a constant uphill battle or have to deal constantly with the bureaucracy, just to sign up for his or her classes.</p>
<p>What’s most curious, Cadmiumred, is that after all this continuing discontent with the AU Art Department, which you began complaining about back in the summer, your daughter has not already submitted her transfer applications.</p>
<p>I believe that in accepting your daughter as a Fine Arts major, AU has promised only that your daughter will be able to fulfill all her requirements and graduate with a degree in four years. No specific timetable for courses was guaranteed. As for being able to practice her drawing and painting throughout the year, what is stopping her?</p>
<p>She could EASILY make an appointment with the chair of the department, or any other professor in the department, walk in with her portfolio, and make her case. I do know that the art department regularly hosts an open house for majors and projected majors, where students can ask faculty whatever questions they like.</p>
<p>Rules are made to regulate the student flow, and facilitate the registration process, and to ensure all students have the opportunity to graduate in four years. And, we have found, through repeated experience, that regulations are easily broken if students just put themselves out very little bit in order to meet their own needs.</p>
<p>cad, your daughter should have a four year plan for graduation which is up to her to create, it doesn’t need to be concrete but give her an idea of what she needs to take each semester, if shes having trouble creating one she can go to her advisor who would I’m sure be helpful. The point is this is the last semester she should be getting shut of such low level courses so she should be getting gen eds out of the way now so she can focus on art later. I understand your frustrations, its just as hard as polisci, ibus, sis, or any other student to get shut of their pre reqs but its a part of college and life that your daughter is going to have to learn to deal with b/c it happens everywhere. I know you keep saying its harder for art students but its simply not true, all the disciplines require constant improvement from their students not just the fine arts.</p>
<p>CR,
I remember your daughter also was unhappy with her dormitory situation and her roommate. Is she moving off campus into an apartment for the next semester?</p>
<p>In answer to your questions:</p>
<p>1.) My daughter is staying on campus, Spring semester, as we didn’t want the added hassle of signing leases with strangers who may not truly commit or pay. She is used to the new floor now even though roommate is not ideal.</p>
<p>2.) There really are hardly any intended studio arts majors, and it just shouldn’t be this much of a hassle. Advisor says she can’t do anything. Daughter told us today that of the four studio art majors she knows, most are transferring. My daughter is adverse to change and does not want to transfer. She is shy about going to department chair, though we have encouraged her to do so.</p>
<p>3.) Just because the school focuses on Communications, SIS, Public Affairs and Business, doesn’t mean the other majors deserve complete disrespect. We are paying the same tuition. Slots and classes are definitely reserved for SIS, Comm., Business, freshman. Look at the online schedule of classes and you will see that.</p>
<p>4.) We are not confident that she will get into intro drawing classes even for sophomore year, because the slots for Arts 205 were filled up with Juniors and Seniors almost immediately during the registration period starting October 16. There are huge waiting lists for the intro art classes. AU is not meeting the need. My daughter went to the fine art registrar and was told they are not opening any new sections for these classes. Ridiculous!</p>
<p>CR,
I just have the feeling that AU is not the right school for your daughter and what she wants.</p>
<p>According to you, she hasn’t been happy about anything or anyone since the moment she sent in her deposit.</p>
<p>AU is what it is. It’s not going to change. </p>
<p>While it does offer an art program, the art program obviously is not one of the primary focuses of the school. I would guess that most of the art majors are pursuing art because they love it; and also are pursuing a degree in one of AU’s other premier colleges as well. My S is very good friends with a girl who is some sort of theater or drama major who is also double majoring in Latin American Studies. I am betting she is typical of a lot of the art-type majors on campus.</p>
<p>As far as your daughter getting what she wants next fall, she should start working on that now, by getting in to the department office and getting to know faculty, etc. Also, didn’t you say that your daughter entered AU with an impressive number of AP and community college credits? They should be putting her right at the front of the line. Registraton priority is assigned according to the number of credit hours a student has; the more hours, the higher the priority. If she feels she is lacking in this area, perhaps she could take a few classes at home over the summer and transfer the hours to improve her registration status.</p>
<p>P.S I’m surprised your daughter didn’t opt to move out of the dorm in to one of the nearby apartment complexes where she could get a studio apartment of her own, without having to deal with a roommate, etc. In a studio, she could draw and paint to her heart’s content without having to worry about her easel being in the way.</p>
<p>So…the department chair has never seen ‘red’s hypothetical daughter’s portfolio, and has never even met her. Probably the same is true for every other member of the faculty. She probably hasn’t even attended a single art majors’ open house. No one who can make a difference knows who she is or what she can do, and none have been asked whether an “exception” can be granted. As far as they are concerned, she doesn’t even exist.</p>
<p>(That conforms with my understanding as well.) Doesn’t sound like AU has a problem to me.</p>
<p>Mini:
She has been told consistently to see the arts registrar and her advisor which she has done a number of times. The courses she wants do not have faculty ASSIGNED yet to visit. I have mentioned that numerous times. She is shy about going the arts chair. She is not aware of these art open houses. Isn’t that for students in high school though??? Where are they? She just wants to sign up for intro classes. That’s why her friends are transferring because they think they can’t fulfill requirements because of what’s going on and the cost which doesn’t seem to be worth it for their parents.</p>
<p>Why are there huge waiting lists for the intro art classes? That means students want them. Why not provide them? Why not add sections? Why discourage young freshman wanting to major in art? What is the Katzen Art Center there for? What is its intended purpose? Why are there barely any art classes with a BFA program in place? Why are the intro art courses monopolized by Juniors and Seniors not majoring in art? Who is really running the program??? Lastly, why not give the freshman priority for the intro art critical prereqs ? Will someone please explain this.</p>
<p>this “new AU parents thread” is unraveling again.</p>
<p>CR: obviously, none of us can anything for your D. None of us can give you anymore or any better input than what’s been reiterated over and over again. </p>
<p>Can you and/or her please direct your concern to AU and its authorities?</p>
<p>On a totally different topic…D moved into her new room (got detripled, yay) Friday. Nice roomie, same end of campus…happy…made it home via AU shuttle, Metro, train, airport shuttle, plane, bus…and it actually went smoothly. Looking forward to seeing HS friends and her family, but also very very much looking forward to spring semester. She really likes AU.</p>
<p>I received a private message saying I have no right to complain because this poster said that trying for the AU BFA program suggests my daughter wants serious art training and should have also gone to an art school. Also ,they said she didn’t didn’t go to the right people. Well, we have every right to complain because she was an innocent high school student sold on the AU "BFA "program during AU’s accepted students’ day at the Katzen “Art Center” this past year. If they offer a BFA they should come through, not offer the prereqs to Upperclassmen through GEN Eds. It is absolutely ridiculous. As a freshman all she should have to so is go to her advisor who would NOT even help with this. She is always sent to the arts registrar. This is a disorganized setup. Why are SIS and COMM freshman given priority for many intro classes?? No one has yet to answer this. Freshman have a lot of adjustments without worrying whether they can even get enrolled into their needed courses. What are we paying for? There are barely any art majors. Hey why not give them priority. is that so much to ask? Thisis no way to sell a school or any of its programs through discouragement She went through the right channels to set up an appt. to meet with faculty and was told to enroll in something else??? Couldn’t even get an appt. They were not flexible or encouraging.</p>
<p>Her friends are transferring or are changing majors because you can’t get the requirements met on time.</p>
<p>When I launched this thread, I had hoped that it would be a place where AU parents could exchange information and share experiences in a friendly and civil atmosphere. I see that it is starting to morph into the previous parents’ thread, dominated by Cadred’s carping about the AU fine arts program and about the school in general. I can’t offer any other advice to Cadred that hasn’t already been tendered, other than to say that complaining here isn’t going to improve her daughter’s situation and only serves to annoy the rest of us. If Cadred’s daughter can’t get what she needs from the school, then the only thing left to do is transfer - the sooner the better.</p>
<p>Hover:
I am certainly exchanging information. People should know what goes on. You shouldn’t ever discourage a freshman and say transfer; we just can’t help you. Successful people hang in and achieve results. All programs at the school should be given attention and respect not just SIS and IR. I am constantly being told on the thread that’s what school is known for SIS and PUblic policy, Comm. Sorry; tha’s it. Don’t even try to be an art major you say, not allowed, go to art school. That does not even warrant a response. Kids shouldn’t not have to transfer because a school didn’t come through on majors carefully described in the college catalog.
Why would anyone attend a school with one or two good programs?</p>
<p>Talk to the hand, 'red. I’m done with you.</p>