<p>In doing research on BFA MT programs, many programs seem to be defined by the personality, style of their director. What happens if the director retires, moves to another school etc.? Has this happened in recent history? Should the director’s career stage be another variable to consider in our decisionmaking? It seems like my daughter will be deciding with whom to study as much or more than where to study and has been something I have been fretting about.</p>
<p>This was a significant consideration for our D, not just wrt the Director but with faculty in general. She specifically wanted a program with a large faculty, to provide a choice of Acting profs, a wider knowledge base and a better shot at finding mentors with whom she personally connected. Similarly, she didn’t want to be part of a small class, as one or two strong personalities could make 4 years feel very long. A larger program obviously makes it tougher to be noticed, but this is a business where learning to be noticed is a critical skill, and as a current junior she is extremely glad to have made this choice. I think in some programs the Director is a huge factor, while in others not.</p>
<p>Last year we ran into two instances where things like that happened. My D did a walk in audition for a program at Unifieds that the dean of the program had left his position as head of acting at Emerson that previous year - it made us look at the program because she did connect with him but ultimately decided it wasn’t right for her. Also after Unifieds last year the head of acting at Hartt suddenly passed away. While you are looking at the faculty (which does make the biggest impression on you while they are meeting you at auditions) you have to take a look at the whole program. You never know what will happen so make sure you like the program and are not basing your decision solely on one person. Also once accepted going back and sitting in on classes will help you decide if you like the whole atmosphere and program or just a person.</p>
<p>For my D, who she studied with was a huge influence in her decision. She eliminated some very well-known prominent programs after working with certain faculty (several of whom are mentioned on CC quite frequently and beloved by some) at summer programs/master classes and feeling that she didn’t “click” with them (for lack of a better word). One had a somewhat formal style that felt weird to her, coming from a very informal school and background. Another had a dance stye she didn’t like. And, though I am not a performer, looking back at my own education, good teachers that I connected with was everything. But at some schools the “Director” is more directly involved with students than others, though certainly they influence many other things about a program. As for whether or not they are gonna leave, unless they announce that, no one knows, and it could happen anywhere. I know that Kaitlin Hopkins, Brent Wagner, and Amy Rogers have all been dogged by rumors of leaving, but as far as I know they have denied it, and those rumors may be completely unfounded. I agree though that going to a school because one person hugely impresses you is probably not a good plan. Look at the whole program and try to spend time at the school meeting and learning about other faculty before making a decision. </p>
<p>I think it is like any other college within a university. If the program has been thriving for decades, then the people in administrative positions are important, but not as important as the parts all together as a whole. In long standing good programs, the administrators, directors, professors, etc., work within procedures, protocols and philosophies that were in place before they got there, and will be there long after they depart. </p>
<p>However, I’d be inclined to think this would be a real concern in a newer program, and we have seen some programs recently grow rapidly into “legit” top programs based on who is in charge, who they bring aboard to teach, what connections they forge, etc. If there is turnover at the top, then the program without a long tradition might suffer.</p>
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A beloved acting prof left D’s program last year due to tenure issues, and ironically he went to another program which D had put lower on her list in part because she had heard from students there that acting training was their weakest link. Fortunately in her program he was only one of many amazing professors, so his loss was less painful than it would have been in a smaller program. </p>
<p>There’s a lot of good info here but I can add a few other thoughts.</p>
<p>-If the university relies on adjuncts, there is good reason to be concerned. Adjuncts come and go and the pay is low so the quality often varies greatly depending on who is willing to work long hours for low pay.</p>
<p>-If the faculty members in question are junior faculty (assistant professors) there is a stronger chance that they may move on to somewhere else for a better opportunity or due to issues with the tenure process.</p>
<p>-Associate professors tend to be a little more stable. They already succeeded in going through the tenure process and may not be interested in doing it again. If they have been there for 15+ years and the program has a strong reputation, odds are good that they will be there for the rest of their career.</p>
<p>-Professors are the highest rank and are most likely to stay put. Trying to find a new job with that rank is difficult since those professors usually carry the highest salary and schools are usually not looking to hire the most expensive person who applies.</p>
<p>-Small programs are more susceptible to changes in quality when a faculty member leaves. Not only for the reasons mentioned above but also because it is often more difficult to get a seasoned performer to leave a career or an experienced tenured faculty member to leave their secure job to teach at a smaller program.</p>
<p>-Larger programs are less likely to see a significant deterioration in quality for two reasons. The first is the larger faculty as mentioned above. The second is that larger programs are usually more attractive to those considering leaving a performing career or those looking to leave another position. If the school is more attractive the applicant pool for a new faculty hire will be stronger.</p>
<p>Unfortunately there is no way to know what is going to happen over the course of four years at a university. I do think you are safer going to a university where you feel a connection with multiple faculty members.</p>
<p>~VT</p>