Mac Art History 1

CONTRADICTORY STATEMENTS (Part I)

-Compiled by First Year Art History Student

"...we are actually increasing, not reducing, our language options in Humanities."
(Dean of Humanities, McMaster University Dr Suzanne Crosta, The Silhouette, April 24, 2009)
"First, we are in the final year of closing all Language Programs in the Department of
Linguistics and Languages. This included Honours programs in German, Hispanic,
Italian, Japanese, and Modern Languages & Linguistics."
(Humanities Complete Budget 2008-09, p.3)

"The implication that a degradation of Humanities at McMaster is happening is simply

incorrect. The Provost has recently made the largest investment in faculty renewal in the
history of the Faculty of Humanities and this process is continuing. Rather than reducing
Humanities, the university has put us at the centre of new initiatives."
(Director of the School of the Arts SOTA, McMaster University response to student email/
response to faculty email, February 12th 2010 and March 2nd 2010)
"Second, the Faculty is in the first year of closing the Comparative Literature program and
has already reduced the sessional needs of the Department of English & Cultural Studies...Third,
the Faculty has placed the Women’s Studies program on three year probation. Without tangible
results – in the form of increased program students – the Faculty may have to close this
program as well."
(Humanities Complete Budget 2008-09, p.3)

"[Dean of Humanities, Dr. Suzanne Crosta] suggested an expanded fine arts program including a
master’s degree provides an exciting opportunity to give McMaster students a competitive
edge. According to the Dean, the proposal will meet declining demand for Art History and
increasing demand for Fine Arts."
(Dean of Humanities, McMaster University,Dr. Suzanne Crosta, Dundas Star, February 18, 2010)
"The university continues to face a number of significant challenges that are not addressed by
this two-year operating budget plan, including: Space constraints to support graduate student
expansion"
(McMaster Consolidated Budget for 2009-2010, p. v)

The new programs would see the stand-alone art history program phased out, although art
history will be a central component of the bachelor of fine arts. Students will also continue to
have the option to take a minor in art history.
(Dean of Humanities, Dr. Suzanne Crosta, Daily News, February 3rd 2010)
"The Faculty can no longer afford to absorb all the costs attached to offering Minors
which generate no funding for the home department. We shall proceed to delete them
where there are limited resources to sustain them."
(Humanities Complete Budget 2008-09, p.5)
-"We cannot allow the current short-term financial challenges to impact opportunities that will
advance the long-term vision." (Consolidated Budget for 2009/2010, p. v)
 Mac Art History 2

"The criteria for assessing proposals for the closure of undergraduate programs include:
• the program is no longer consistent with McMaster’s academic objectives, priorities and
existing strengths of the University;"
(Protocol for the Closure of Undergraduate Programs, January 10, 2007, p.2)
"Major strengths of the Art History programme include the quality of the faculty and students
and their commitment to creating and sustaining the best possible environment for learning. In
this, they meet McMaster University’s mission and vision to “inspire and support a passion for
learning” alongside “a commitment to excellence, and to integrity and teamwork.”"
(External Review of McMaster University Undergraduate Art History Programme, May 2009,
p.1)

"The criteria for assessing proposals for the closure of undergraduate programs include:
• the program is no longer of high academic quality;"
(Protocol for the Closure of Undergraduate Programs, January 10, 2007, p.2)
"The quality of teaching is the programme is very good with much attention given to learning
strategies that encourage critical inquiry along with object-based knowledge. These are
transferable skills that encourage analyses of text and image in an increasingly visual and
globalised world."
(External Review of McMaster University Undergraduate Art History Programme, May 2009,
p.5)

"The criteria for assessing proposals for the closure of undergraduate programs include:
• there is convincing evidence of the lack of student demand and/or societal need for the
program. This criteria could include any of the following: a decrease in the number of degrees
awarded"
(Protocol for the Closure of Undergraduate Programs, January 10, 2007, p.2)
"The program should be lauded for the fact that overall enrolments in Art History have
significantly increased over the past three years. This, in itself, is evidence of its high quality."
(External Review of McMaster University Undergraduate Art History Programme, May 2009,
p.2)

"The criteria for assessing proposals for the closure of undergraduate programs include:
• there is convincing evidence of the lack of student demand and/or societal need for the
program. This criteria could include any of the following:
a decrease in the quality or amount of faculty scholarship within the program"
(Protocol for the Closure of Undergraduate Programs, January 10, 2007, p.2)
"Indicators of quality for the faculty include their excellent teaching evaluations, high
quality research programmes and productivity and dedication to service."
(External Review of McMaster University Undergraduate Art History Programme, May 2009,
p.1)
 Mac Art History 3

"The criteria for assessing proposals for the closure of undergraduate programs include:
• there is convincing evidence of the lack of student demand and/or societal need for the
program. This criteria could include any of the following: a continuing decrease in attracting
the best qualified applicants to a program"
(Protocol for the Closure of Undergraduate Programs, January 10, 2007, p.2)
"Indicators of quality for the students include their successful and timely completion of their
degrees, number of awards garnered, success in applying to graduate programmes and success
in their chosen employment fields. In all these categories, the students are very successful."
(External Review of McMaster University Undergraduate Art History Programme, May 2009,
p.1)

"The criteria for assessing proposals for the closure of undergraduate programs include:
• there is convincing evidence of the lack of student demand and/or societal need for the
program. This criteria could include any of the following: an inability to meet internal and/or
external standards relative to that program;"
(Protocol for the Closure of Undergraduate Programs, January 10, 2007, p.2)
"As external reviewers we recognize the significance of the art history programme within the
School of the Arts as a dynamic and vital component of the university and of the community
beyond the university."
(External Review of McMaster University Undergraduate Art History Programme, May 2009,
p.1)

"The criteria for assessing proposals for the closure of undergraduate programs include:
• there is convincing evidence of the lack of student demand and/or societal need for the
program. This criteria could include any of the following: • there are insufficient resources
available to support the program."
(Protocol for the Closure of Undergraduate Programs, January 10, 2007, p.2)
"...I share the writer’s wish that the arts would receive a greater share of recognition and
funding."
(Dean of Humanities, Dr. Suzanne Crosta, The Silhouette, April 24, 2009)

"In the fall of 2008, Dean [Suzanne] Crosta launched a Faculty newsletter with the goal of
raising awareness of the programmes across the university and within the local community. The
dean stressed her goal of creating more support, “morally and financially” for the arts."
(External Review of McMaster University Undergraduate Art History Program, May 2009, p.2)
"It was revealed by the dean, associate dean and faculty members that SOTA sustains
the second largest teaching/service component in Humanities, yet faculty numbers have shrunk
by half over the past 15 years."
(External Review of McMaster University Undergraduate Art History Program, May 2009, p.3)
 Mac Art History 4

"Demand for spaces in the standalone art history program has dwindled to the point where
only seven students chose the specialty this year, Crosta said."
(Dean of Humanities, Dr. Suzanne Crosta, McMaster University, Hamilton Spectator, February
17, 2010)
-"The program should be lauded for the fact that overall enrolments in Art History have
significantly increased over the past three years. This, in itself, is evidence of its high quality."
(External Review of McMaster University Undergraduate Art History Programme, May 2009,
p.2)
-2009-2010 Enrollment Statistics in the Faculty of Humanities:

1) Full- Time numbers: http://www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/meetings/Full-

time%20program%20enrolments%202009-10.pdf

2) Part-Time numbers: http://www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/meetings/Part-

timeprogramenrolments2009-10.pdf

(to be continued....)