Article #2 draft
This year Morningside College has gone through multiple changes. In those changes the Theatre department was affected. Starting next semester Theatre won’t be a major or minor available for new students. Theatre classes will continue for creative expression and art.
The Department will continue to give the major to the current enrolled students; until the class of 2021 is graduated. Students for this class and before have until October 13th to declare the major. After this the academic department will be creating a detailed plan for every student that declared the major.
For now, the theater department is focused on giving its best. With continuing the traditional productions every semester; the department will look into building a stronger base for their student produced shows. These will become the main focus for maintain a strong presence of theater in the college.
This student produced will be held in collaboration with APO (Alpha Psi Omega) the national theater honor society on campus (started in 1927, is one of the oldest societies on campus). Which is fully directed by students and is focused in making theatre stronger on campus.
As Taylor Clemens Head of the Theatre department explained “We don’t have the major anymore but there’s still the dedication to strengthen the theatre, getting students and community involved” His only concern comes down to what will happen after the class of 2021 graduates. Still he seems very optimistic with APO and the involvement of other major in the productions.
One students that is not a theater major but has participated in the past Luis Seijas gave his opinion saying “I witnessed the great material the department has, but I’m not surprised of the cut thank to it’s lack students”. Many students like him are sad to see the major go mostly for the tools and potential it had to grow.
Taylor also explained the whole process of eliminating the major. A year ago, Morningside started a taskforce to look into future problems and how to solve them. All the majors where put into consideration and a rubric was sent to all the faculty staff. Depending on their score the majors would end in the top or bottom 50 percent. The ones in the bottom The President of the college John Reynders would have to decide on whether eliminating or keeping them.
After the decision was taken, a reasonable concern was shown by faculty and students. But the truth is that the department has been struggling for the last decade. From administration issues to a very small group of students enrolled in the major; the major was not on the best place.