Thursday, April 23, 2009

You guys! This is serious!

Everyone rants and raves about how important our feedback is...



Yet this ^ teeny little box is the only 'non-scripted' portion of any art class course evaluation i have ever taken. I know for a fact that faculty have the option to customize and expand on the specificity, number of text boxes, and specific questions on the evaluation. In my opinion this lack of diligence hints at the actual (un) importance.

Want to know what the University thinks of course evaluations?

BUSTED!!!! TMP Plagerizers 2009



I'm glad someone is stepping up and taking responsibility for the work created here, in this case Dean Mary Schmidt. To the heroic anonymous reporter who snapped all these pics before the signs got removed (and submitting them here) thank you. Update: Read the comments for the full story! 



Sunday, April 19, 2009

TMP Plagiarism irony



TMP or CFC posters posted in the street gallery. Image stolen from the Facebook Album "last day of art school!" by Zenobie Cornille. I really hope this was a strategically placed poster made by someone who saw the amount of plagiarized images (or at least not cited at all) in the street gallery, more info on this is pending. If you know more about this comment below! Included below are the images that this particular artist Photoshoped for their poster.





http://thehostess.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/ronald-mcdonald.jpg
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_TVVDdbRQQfg/SCxod7N7wgI/AAAAAAAABKU/tHX-S6VN9kw/1196532664876.jpg

Friday, April 17, 2009

Take Venturelli if you can....


 Always impressed with the work I see posted outside Venturelli's classes. I think this assignment was copying from an inspirational artist of choice. They are well executed portfolio pieces, and make the entire school proud! (Someone correct me on the assignment).

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Business School Courses of interest to Artists and Designers

To promote "multi-disciplinary" learning, a never ending battle that the Art school is fighting (very slowly) we have attempted to compile a list of Business School courses that may be of interest to us in the A&D program. To download the PDF direct yourself to the link here.

http://rapidshare.com/files/222169395/List_of_Business_Courses_for_Fall_2009_of_interest_to_Artists_and_Designers.pdf.html


Happy course hunting!

P.S. - Check out the informative course discriptions! Also, Sorry about the rapidshare download timer, if anyone wants to host a copy on the web (ie: their umich webspace) leave a comment and we will get you a copy.

Dear Professor,

Please, please, write clearer course descriptions!
    Love,
Undergraduate Students

This one goes out the the professors, a little instructional video! Enjoy.


How to Write a Course Description -- powered by ExpertVillage.com

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

WTF? #3 - Crazy Course Description

Real Fall 2009 Elective Course description:

300 30 Creating Outdoors Year-Round in Ann Arbor
MW 1:30-4:30pm tba

This course endeavors to engage the physical elements which typically keep creators working indoors most much of the academic year in Ann Arbor. Rain, snow, ice, fog, cold, darkness are engaged as media rather than obstacles to work around.
Prerequisite: A&D major or permission of instructor.

If the objective of the A&D course guide is to throw as much ambiguously vague bullshit on paper as possible, then this description is the winner. Have fun “engaging with physical elements” like rain, snow, fog, cold and darkness while apparently not learning anything remotely useful like technical skills, practical knowledge, or anything at all. On the flipside, if you like being wet, cold and stupid, then this course is perfect for you. Good luck getting a job when you tell your future employer that you are a master of darkness and fog.
by guest writer: Randall Pink

WTF? #2 - Crazy Course Description

The following is a real excerpt from theA&D_F09_Elective_Courses.pdf :


300 27 Arts and Bodies MW 7:00-10:00pm tba
This course is offered to coincide with the 2009-2010 theme of Arts on Earth. It objective is to develop a wide range of new work across the arts that relates to the human body. Of particular interest is work that connects the arts to other disciplines at the University.
Prerequisite: A&D major or permission of instructor.

This description would be helpful if you enjoy making decisions based on little to no information which may or may not end up biting you in the ass. I have a sneaking suspicion that George Bush’s cabinet had a hand in writing these course guide descriptions. I keep waiting for one of them to say there are WMDs in Iraq. I will be the first to seek the permission of the instructor and sign up for this class so that I can do…oh wait, I have no idea what this class will entail, other than in all likelihood, a mass suicide.
by guest writer: Randall Pink

WTF? #1 - Crazy Course Description

The following is a real excerpt from theA&D_F09_Elective_Courses.pdf :

300 29 Maps and Territories: Creating and Navigating
TTh 7:00

This course explores creating both maps and the real and imaginary territories represented by maps. Both physical and virtual maps are examined. A variety of mapping concepts are introduced and utilized including Global Positioning Systems (GSP).
Prerequisite: A&D major or permission of instructor.

If course descriptions were cruise ship life rafts, this one would be the Titanic’s: insufficient and poorly planned at best, downright stupid at worst. Seriously, I’ve seen patterns pissed in snow more coherent than this. I can’t begin to imagine what “creating imaginary territories represented by maps” means. And what exactly are mapping concepts? Perhaps drawing…if that is even relevant for map-making anymore in the Google-maps/modern era. How about using computers and “Global Positioning Systems” to make maps? Could be, except Global Positioning Systems are actually Global Positioning Satellites, the use of which requires a person to do nothing more than look at a computer screen and manipulate a mouse. Either way, have fun picking classes based on appallingly vague descriptions and your own assumptions. Ladies and gentlemen, your 2009 Michigan School of Art & Design course guide.
by guest writer: Randall Pink

When You Register the Elective You Want Will Be Full!

Don't worry everybody, all the courses you want to take (or with descriptions) are already CLOSED. Not to worry, they will never be offered again either, and faculty seem to just up and leave without notice. (My older brother who also graduated from the art school can vouch for this and I have already experienced it, Overmeyer (a great graphic design prof.) is probably going to retire in the coming semesters for example).


anyway, according to our lovely assistant dean, Joann McDaniel,

"Some of you have noticed that many of the elective (300 level) studios are capped at 15 students, when the usual number is 20. We have done this in an attempt to provide more equity for all A&D students in class selection. These classes will re-open later this week. There is no waitlist now because having a waitlist would mean we would not be able to re-open the class (thank you, Wolverine Access). Once these classes reopen we will resume the waitlist policy: add yourself to teh waitlsit and when a space comes available I will send you a 24-hour override."

I do not see the logic in this seems like an ill conceived plan to hush many students concerns about registration, while actually doing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING... Only thing I can see is that it will spice up the wait list so it will not reflect credits/ course standing, and will represent how lucky you were in figuring out the magic date that they will re-open.

SHEESH!


Sunday, April 12, 2009

A Well Written Course Description


I have included an example course description of mediocre caliber (but far better than any within the A&D program) in case the Art & Design Administration stumbles upon this blog so that they may realize the short comings of the current system.

MKT 300 - Marketing Management. Terms Offered: F09
Course Objectives
This course is designed to introduce students to the basic marketing concepts and functions in modern firms. As such, the course is a survey class intending to provide insights into the basic principles of marketing management, including the concepts and tools used by marketing managers and issues that they encounter. Various industries are examined in order to better understand and analyze marketing activities. In particular, the course focuses on the marketing functions and strategies which firms may undertake to meet the needs of their stakeholders.

Good! The purpose of the course happens to be a great place to start!Also mentioned are a few specifics that the course will address.
We first discuss the role of marketing and business environment in which firms face their primary challenges and opportunities. The next concentration is the strategic considerations, including segmentation, targeting, and positioning. A substantial amount of efforts are then devoted to specific marketing mix decisions to help execute a marketing strategy effectively.

How the course is intended to progress over the semester, and more specifics on what the course will concentrate on, strategic considerations, including segmentation, targeting, and positioning. This is pretty heavy stuff people...

In summary, students should expect the course to provide them with: Marketing decision-making skills, and a set of concepts and tools to use in support of their decisions.

Never has an A&D professor thought to include a SUMMARY of SKILLS they expect to teach...

Pedagogy
The course involves lectures, class discussions, case discussions and a group project. Case studies and the group project are an integrated part of the course. They offer an opportunity for the students to learn marketing decision-making skills in real business contexts and play an important role in the learning process.

The A&D vocabulary does not consist of "Pedagogy" (ped-uh-goh-jee, -goj-ee). This is basically HOW the course will be taught. Will we sit with our heads down on the desk meditating on natures precipitation, or stand out in the rain all night? Will we make maps of Ann Arbor, or shove the GPS up each others asses and let Google track us? Who knows.


Dear Administration,

I am not sure if there are any requirements given to professors (or whoever teaches classes) about writing their course descriptions, but I believe I speak from the entirety of the student body when I say that they are NOT informative enough. I propose that course descriptions include a summary of the course objective, information about course content including, the teaching methods that will be used and a summary of major assignments. You can not expect students to just feel a tingle in their big toe about a vague description, and let their soul and spirit compel them to enroll in a course that dosent even have a professor. We understand that Professors may not like to commit to teaching a course 22 or more weeks before the next semester starts, but neither do students. Remember the professors are getting paid, the students are paying.

Love,
The Entire A&D Student Body.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Remove Your Mess and Clean Up Your Art




This sculptural piece was spotted in one of the studios. Check out this rude note posted next to it. I like how the sign got defaced ;)! Props to the artist of this piece. Surely not the first or the last to make a mess, but done in style with great craftsmanship. Keep making messy art!


Tuesday, March 3, 2009

All Hype: Grammy Text Posters

...but don't be discouraged, this is what ALWAYS happens in the art world. You will soon notice that everything has already been thought of and you will never have a original idea, but you should try to create your own original process, or at least apply it to something original, why is everybody so obsessed with celebrities anyway? It reads, "The artwork supporting this years show features images of nominated artists madeup of song titles that have influenced them over the years." Vaguely familiar? Grammys maybe?




More Grammy images after the jump...... JUMP

Monday, March 2, 2009

Worst on the Wall

Anyone nice enough to give some constructive critique without drawing tears?


Peeping Tom - Cam Payne. Inspired by Dr. Seuss characters looking at each other through little holes.


See the Monkey Play, Fire Hydrant Explosion - Don Key. Inspired by a weekend of drunk debauchery, executed in the morning before the critique.

Day One : Why....

There are many contradictory things that I have encountered in my short life as an Art Schooler. Art is one field where there is no right or wrong, and you can be sooooo wrong at the same time. You are encouraged to think creatively and abstractly, thus the courses have no content. One required course here is called CFC (concept form and context), and depending on the teacher you get you could literally have a one word assignemnt. For me CFC is a place to be assigned work, or waste time because its impossible to get anything done while the rest of the class is wating time. I agree there is a fine line between too much guidance, and not enough, but in my opinion the school needs to come to a consensus on how they are going to teach, or at least give you enough info to choose for yourself.