Curtain Falling on Cornell Theatre

by | February 11, 2010 at 2:42 pm

A growing chorus of artsy Cornellians are up in arms against upcoming mega-cuts in the University’s Arts department. In the midst of financial turmoil, it seems that Cornell is more interested in titration and Tesla coils than Rozencrantz and Guildenstern; the theatrey-folk are taking the lions share of the financial cut backs. The Department of Theatre, Film and Dance has been asked to cut 1-2 million of their $4.6 million budget. In total, $6 million worth of cuts are scheduled for the College of Arts and Sciences. According to Save Cornell Arts,

What this means:
1. The performing arts is being asked to bear a disproportionate size of the cuts among the 27 departments in the College of Arts and Sciences.
2. The types of budget cuts that are being proposed would so severely cripple the performing arts at  Cornell that it would destroy the department’s ability to provide nearly any kind of quality education.

For a school that claims to provide a liberal arts education, this all seems a little fishy and philistine-y. Whatever will the culture vultures do? Maybe in the wake of the Yale admissions video, Cornell is trying to position itself as, well, the non-gay Ivy. Take that, Dartmouth!

Famous performers who have graduated from Cornell’s soon-to-be-castrated arts program include: Jane Lynch (Glee), Jimmy Smits (NYPD Blues), Christopher Reeve, Bill Maher, Bill Nye,  Dan Duryea, and Franchot Tone.

Goodnight, sweet prince.

 
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  • CU ’10

    Bill Maher studied English. Bill Nye studied mechanical engineering. Christoher Reeves studied theater but his most notable legacy was the Risley Residential College — a dormitory and community home to many aspiring performers and artists. Cornell’s artisitic scene extends far beyond the TF&D department, which features a startingly small number of majors and an even tinier faculty. The majority of cuts presumably will be sholdered by production staff and lecturers.

    It’s important to note that the Architecture/Art college is transitioning into a broader school of design and the museum is receiving a large physical expansion. Cornell undergraduates seem to be the biggest “culture-vultures,” — the SA recently curtailed funding to the award winning student cinema. In short, these cuts, while large, hardly “cripple” Arts at Cornell. And honestly, IF you’re wandering all the way up to Ithaca NY to study theater, you’re probably doing it at Ithaca College. Cornell isn’t exactly a Julliard or an NYU.

  • CU ’10

    Bill Maher studied English. Bill Nye studied mechanical engineering. Christoher Reeves studied theater but his most notable legacy was the Risley Residential College — a dormitory and community home to many aspiring performers and artists. Cornell’s artisitic scene extends far beyond the TF&D department, which features a startingly small number of majors and an even tinier faculty. The majority of cuts presumably will be sholdered by production staff and lecturers.

    It’s important to note that the Architecture/Art college is transitioning into a broader school of design and the museum is receiving a large physical expansion. Cornell undergraduates seem to be the biggest “culture-vultures,” — the SA recently curtailed funding to the award winning student cinema. In short, these cuts, while large, hardly “cripple” Arts at Cornell. And honestly, IF you’re wandering all the way up to Ithaca NY to study theater, you’re probably doing it at Ithaca College. Cornell isn’t exactly a Julliard or an NYU.

  • CU ’10

    Bill Maher studied English. Bill Nye studied mechanical engineering. Christoher Reeves studied theater but his most notable legacy was the Risley Residential College — a dormitory and community home to many aspiring performers and artists. Cornell’s artisitic scene extends far beyond the TF&D department, which features a startingly small number of majors and an even tinier faculty. The majority of cuts presumably will be shouldered by production staff and lecturers.

    It’s important to note that the Architecture/Art college is transitioning into a broader school of design and the museum is receiving a large physical expansion. Cornell undergraduates seem to be the biggest “culture-vultures,” — the SA recently curtailed funding to the award winning student cinema. In short, these cuts, while large, hardly “cripple” Arts at Cornell. And honestly, IF you’re wandering all the way up to Ithaca NY to study theater, you’re probably doing it at Ithaca College. Cornell isn’t exactly a Julliard or an NYU.

  • CU ’10

    Bill Maher studied English. Bill Nye studied mechanical engineering. Christoher Reeves studied theater but his most notable legacy was the Risley Residential College — a dormitory and community home to many aspiring performers and artists. Cornell’s artisitic scene extends far beyond the TF&D department, which features a startingly small number of majors and an even tinier faculty. The majority of cuts presumably will be shouldered by production staff and lecturers.

    It’s important to note that the Architecture/Art college is transitioning into a broader school of design and the museum is receiving a large physical expansion. Cornell undergraduates seem to be the biggest “culture-vultures,” — the SA recently curtailed funding to the award winning student cinema. In short, these cuts, while large, hardly “cripple” Arts at Cornell. And honestly, IF you’re wandering all the way up to Ithaca NY to study theater, you’re probably doing it at Ithaca College. Cornell isn’t exactly a Julliard or an NYU.

  • dartmouth

    There are lots of gay people at Dartmouth, many even members of the fraternities and sororities you like to hate on so much. Also, gay people do other things than sing show tunes and write bitchy gossip blogs. They’re a great, big, wide world out there.

  • dartmouth

    There are lots of gay people at Dartmouth, many even members of the fraternities and sororities you like to hate on so much. Also, gay people do other things than sing show tunes and write bitchy gossip blogs. They’re a great, big, wide world out there.

  • CUArts
  • CUArts
  • CUStudent

    CU ’10 – please educate yourself on the effects of the cut.

    http://www.savecornellarts.com/budget-analysis.html

    Also, the department is not a conservatory. This allows non-majors to be involved in the programs, and allows the majors to educate themselves on other interests as well. That is why the department is not ranked as a “Julliard or an NYU.” In fact, students are regularly transferring to Cornell to study TFD and many of them came from conservatories in NYC and NYU. That speaks to the credibility and strength the program is, or was.

  • CUStudent

    CU ’10 – please educate yourself on the effects of the cut.

    http://www.savecornellarts.com/budget-analysis.html

    Also, the department is not a conservatory. This allows non-majors to be involved in the programs, and allows the majors to educate themselves on other interests as well. That is why the department is not ranked as a “Julliard or an NYU.” In fact, students are regularly transferring to Cornell to study TFD and many of them came from conservatories in NYC and NYU. That speaks to the credibility and strength the program is, or was.

  • CU ’11 Student

    To respond to the original CU ’10 writer, Cornell’s TF&D department actually has nationally renowned program for undergraduates where students earn equity points, can get high-quality, hands-on training, and get a chance to experience professional grade performances all as part of their study and research in all 3 areas. Remember also, that this is an open program, so while there may be 20-30 majors in a year, the department earns around 1200 enrollments in a year in classes and productions. Any remaining performing arts programs would have to be handled exclusively by students, instead of the present faculty, staff, and lecturers, which they certainly do in Risley. There is no denying, though, the difference in quality, content and educational value between extracurricular performances and what the department has put up. So I would say yes, Cornell performing arts would be crippled, if not eliminated.

  • CU ’11 Student

    To respond to the original CU ’10 writer, Cornell’s TF&D department actually has nationally renowned program for undergraduates where students earn equity points, can get high-quality, hands-on training, and get a chance to experience professional grade performances all as part of their study and research in all 3 areas. Remember also, that this is an open program, so while there may be 20-30 majors in a year, the department earns around 1200 enrollments in a year in classes and productions. Any remaining performing arts programs would have to be handled exclusively by students, instead of the present faculty, staff, and lecturers, which they certainly do in Risley. There is no denying, though, the difference in quality, content and educational value between extracurricular performances and what the department has put up. So I would say yes, Cornell performing arts would be crippled, if not eliminated.

  • CU ’11 Student

    & btw, Jimmy Smitts did study at the department too. You can come hear him talk about his experience later this month if you like–he’s coming up from New York specially. Also, Cornell has 3 actors on Broadway this season. & I did come here to study theater, not to Ithaca College.

  • CU ’11 Student

    & btw, Jimmy Smitts did study at the department too. You can come hear him talk about his experience later this month if you like–he’s coming up from New York specially. Also, Cornell has 3 actors on Broadway this season. & I did come here to study theater, not to Ithaca College.

  • CU ’08

    Pretty sure Bill Nye was a mechanical engineer, which is the College of Engineering, not Arts

  • CU ’08

    Pretty sure Bill Nye was a mechanical engineer, which is the College of Engineering, not Arts

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