Welcome to the College of the Arts
On behalf of the entire College of the Arts, I’d like to welcome you to the Spring 2021 semester. Our leaders in the College – Dr. Katherine Powers, Director of the School of Music; and Professors Jade Jewett Chair of the Department of Visual Arts and Professor Dave Mickey, Chair of Department of Theatre & Dance – have joined with their faculty and staff to design a semester that delivers the high-impact educational experience our students have come to expect in concert with current health and safety protocols.
Last year, the resiliency of the creative spirit emerged
as a compelling force throughout the college. Students flourished as they completed solo projects or collaborated “together apart” in quarantine, and faculty and staff provided continuity and support to thousands of students. I am so incredibly proud of our college and of this most recent example of Titans in the arts reaching not only higher but forward as we rise to meet the challenges of the moment.
We rise together not only to meet academic challenges, but also to uphold the rights of all persons of color as essential human rights by combating racism and inequity on our campus. The college affirms its ongoing commitment to justice and inclusivity in the arts by facing these issues head-on – diversifying faculty, critically examining curricula, and decolonizing our practices in the arts.
While this particular academic year may be unlike any other, our forward momentum remains the same, as we present innovative performance and exhibition opportunities across the entire College of the Arts. Our students, campus, and community will be treated to a variety of programming, including virtual theatre and dance performances, storefront exhibitions, and virtual music concerts, including the annual fundraising event, Clayes Collage Concert.
In the meantime, I invite you to experience all the college has to offer by visiting our Arts Calendar
. This is only the beginning. Stay tuned! You won’t want to miss a moment.
Be well, stay healthy, and keep moving forward,
Dale A. Merrill
Dean, College of the Arts
Land Acknowledgement The College of the Arts acknowledges our presence on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Gabrielino/Tongva Nation.
We pay our respects to the Indigenous land caretakers past, present, and emerging. For more information please visit the Gabrielino-Tongva Tribe website
