A high-profile campaign has convinced Scotland’s third largest college to retain theatre arts in its curriculum, albeit at a reduced size.
NULLAdam Smith College chiefs have decided against completely closing the theatre arts department, which launched the careers of several household names of the stage and screen, and have opted to keep it running as a “smaller element” of college provision for the time being at least.
While management is understood to still harbour concerns about this area of college work, principal Dr Craig Thomson said the subject area will be supported in improving performance and will be given the opportunity to develop again if “appropriate improvement” is achieved.
The news comes after nearly 1800 people signed a petition aimed at saving the department, while the bid by staff and students was also backed by course alumni and Holywood actors Ewan McGregor, Alan Cumming, Shirley Henderson and Dougray Scott.
Actor Brian Cox, rector of Dundee University, also expressed his dismay at the proposed closure, describing it “short-sighted” and a “typical knee-jerk reaction.”
While it remains unclear what the decision to downsize exactly means for the 13 members of staff and 13 courses which were under threat, Dr Thomson said he valued the views put forward from all quarters and had decided to change the proposed “red card to a yellow one.”
Dr Thomson said, “The debate on the future of theatre arts has been vigorous and challenging and we have listened carefully to representations from staff, students and external individuals and bodies.
“The size of this part of the college will be reduced and clear objectives for improvement will be agreed with the staff. The challenge to staff now will be to make their case in the classroom as opposed to making it in the newspapers. “I am choosing this course of action because I am confident that staff are capable of rising to this challenge and I hope that we will see growth in this area again in the future based on students staying for the full course, gaining their qualifications and moving on to appropriate employment.
“Staff have assured me that they can provide the best theatre arts school programme in any college in the UK I’m backing them to succeed in this ambition.”Slight dropAsked what the decision means for the near 170 students studying a theatre arts discipline and staff, Dr Thomson said student numbers would “drop by a few but not a tremendous amount.”
He went on to highlight an agreement with staff that there would be no compulsory redundancies, adding that any cuts would be met through voluntary means if needed.
The department has offered theatre arts training for around 30 years and has acted as a springboard for many actors who have gone on to bigger and better things.
However, recommendations were put forward in March which suggested theatre arts was “no longer a viable area to support economic development in Fife” and the department’s closure was mooted.
Dr Thomson told The Courier that the recent curriculum review had been necessary following funding cuts announced by the Scottish Funding Council for the coming year.
Highlighting the “severe financial constraints” on each and every college in Scotland, he insisted that Adam Smith College had to take appropriate action in light of the cuts.
“The strategic review of the college is an internal exercise that has been thorough and very challenging,” he said. “It represents a major step in ensuring that Adam Smith College continues to deliver courses of the highest quality and that these are relevant to the needs of individuals, the economy and our local communities.
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“The recent HMIe report on Adam Smith College gave us top marks and the review will ensure that this level of excellent performance continues.”
Away from theatre arts, the review which focused on the range and level of courses provided at the college and the ways in which staffing, management, campuses and a wide range of supporting services could best support courses on offer has some other implications.
Engineering is expected to see growth whilst sports studies will see an “element of reduction,” the college stated.
In addition to this, courses in tourism will be moved into closer alignment with the college’s business programmes.
At entry level, the college is bringing in a series of changes to allow greater choice for new students beginning their studies at that stage. A number of “taster” courses will be introduced in areas such as science, technology and business.
Developments are similarly taking place at higher levels of study with a number of new degrees being introduced including a BA in accounting with finance, a BEng in renewable energy technology and an honours option for the BA in Business Administration.