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briansteffy · 02-01-2008, 06:23 PM

A-Polly: This note is for anyone in the southeast, and elsewhere, who may see a lack of representation by southern LACs on CC Drama. A-Polly: I sent you a private message. Tulane does what you are describing, but I am not sure that I would call it a small LAC. When I think of small southeastern LACs with a quality drama-writing programs I think of Sewannee, perhaps the prettiest and classiest campus in the country (also known as the University of the South - publishes the famous Sewannee Review and summer writing conference - see recent theatre trade magazine). Centre College also has a great drama program with sizable drama scholarships. Catawba is another, popular. They have a BFA/BA, while retaining a classical LAC philosophy.
If we want to start a debate, we might ask/answer 'what exactly is a small classical LAC?' I would suggest that there is a substantial difference between a large private/public university - that has core/foundational curriculum requirements, distribution requirements (across all regions of knowledge production), capstone/senior requirements, and major/minor requirements (with a double-major as an option) - and a small LAC like Sewanee, Rhodes, Muhlenberg, Vassar, Beloit, etc. Yes, Syracuse, BU, NYU, Duke, Vanderbilt, Southern Methodist, and the land grant universities require liberal arts courses, but, as the Carnegie Commission on Education outlines, there is a difference between national private/public universities, comprehensive colleges, and liberal arts colleges - USWN draws from the Carnegie classifications, though I am not sure they know why. The difference is hard to pinpoint. Obviously 'size' is a distinguishing feature, but it's more than that. Space does not allow for all that could be said here. Some kids are not cut out for a small LAC, especially if the school is geographically isolated (Washington & Lee, Sewanee, Bennington, Skidmore, Bard, Cornell College), but there are others that may be surprised as to how stimulating and innovative a small, cloistered learning community can be. When we started our search we tried to find small, cloistered LACs with a BFA option. There are few (I would rather others suggest this list, though I could).
Obviosly, like many of you, we have auditioned with large private/public universities, but I wish there were more small LACs with BFA or quasi-BFA (more conservatory like; less 'history of theatre I-IV', with a 10 course ceiling) programs.

02-01-2008, 06:23 PM	#206
briansteffy Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Lititz, PA Posts: 546	A-Polly: This note is for anyone in the southeast, and elsewhere, who may see a lack of representation by southern LACs on CC Drama. A-Polly: I sent you a private message. Tulane does what you are describing, but I am not sure that I would call it a small LAC. When I think of small southeastern LACs with a quality drama-writing programs I think of Sewannee, perhaps the prettiest and classiest campus in the country (also known as the University of the South - publishes the famous Sewannee Review and summer writing conference - see recent theatre trade magazine). Centre College also has a great drama program with sizable drama scholarships. Catawba is another, popular. They have a BFA/BA, while retaining a classical LAC philosophy. If we want to start a debate, we might ask/answer 'what exactly is a small classical LAC?' I would suggest that there is a substantial difference between a large private/public university - that has core/foundational curriculum requirements, distribution requirements (across all regions of knowledge production), capstone/senior requirements, and major/minor requirements (with a double-major as an option) - and a small LAC like Sewanee, Rhodes, Muhlenberg, Vassar, Beloit, etc. Yes, Syracuse, BU, NYU, Duke, Vanderbilt, Southern Methodist, and the land grant universities require liberal arts courses, but, as the Carnegie Commission on Education outlines, there is a difference between national private/public universities, comprehensive colleges, and liberal arts colleges - USWN draws from the Carnegie classifications, though I am not sure they know why. The difference is hard to pinpoint. Obviously 'size' is a distinguishing feature, but it's more than that. Space does not allow for all that could be said here. Some kids are not cut out for a small LAC, especially if the school is geographically isolated (Washington & Lee, Sewanee, Bennington, Skidmore, Bard, Cornell College), but there are others that may be surprised as to how stimulating and innovative a small, cloistered learning community can be. When we started our search we tried to find small, cloistered LACs with a BFA option. There are few (I would rather others suggest this list, though I could). Obviosly, like many of you, we have auditioned with large private/public universities, but I wish there were more small LACs with BFA or quasi-BFA (more conservatory like; less 'history of theatre I-IV', with a 10 course ceiling) programs. Last edited by briansteffy; 02-01-2008 at 06:29 PM.