The University of Southern California Gayle Garner Roski School of Fine Arts presents: The Claude and Alfred Mann Symposium ON THE FUTURE OF ART SCHOOL ON THE FUTURE OF ART SCHOOL is a symposium meant to offer artists, students and educators a forum to seriously consider what we want our schools to be, what we want them to do; here's an opportunity to freely imagine what should be done, unhindered by administrative worries about what can't possibly be done. The symposium will take the form of a roundtable discussion featuring Mai Abu ElDahab, Jan Verwoert, Howard Singerman, Lane Relyea and Robert Linsley, moderated by Frances Stark, Stuart Bailey, and students of the USC Gayle Garner Roski School of Fine Arts. Mai Abu ElDahab, independent curator based in Cairo/Amsterdam, co-curator of Manifesta 6 Jan Verwoert, contributing editor of Frieze, Berlin Howard Singerman, Associate Professor of Art History, University of Virginia Lane Relyea, Professor of Art Theory and Practice, Northwestern University Robert Linsley, Assistant Professor of Fine Arts at the University of Waterloo in Toronto Stuart Bailey designer, editor, member of Academic Workshop, Parsons/New School in NY Organized by Frances Stark, Assistant Professor of Painting and Drawing, USC Gayle Garner Roski School of Fine Art 10:00 am - Introductions by Frances Stark 10:15 am - The Meaning and Value of Degrees Looking at the relationship between post-graduate and undergraduate degrees, the first part of our symposium will attempt to outline and examine the pedagogies appropriate to the shifting definitions of the field of Art assumed by each degree. Here we will also touch upon the PhD trend on the horizon and additionally what problems/solutions alternative non-degree granting art school experiments are currently posing. 12:15 pm - Lunch 1:00 pm - Examining the boundaries between the Market and the Academy The second segment of the discussion focuses on the new economy in light of the proposed paradigm "the MFA being the new MBA." In addition, it debates the need for teaching the role of the market in the field of art. 3:15 pm - Towards a Critical Faculty In light of de-skilling as a legacy of the avant-garde, "critical faculty" should be considered as a required tool of art, as a transferable skill that can function across traditional media-based disciplines. Also, we will explore the other meaning of "critical faculty" -- in terms of faculty's potential to shape and/or not be limited by their institutions. A related, 100-page publication "primer" is now available to buy as a book or download at http://www.lulu.com/content/642748. To download the PDF, you must add the FREE download version to your cart by checking the box, as if you were going to pay for it online. The download process may be very slow.  The event is free, but seating is limited. Limited reserved seating is available. Please email roskisvp@usc.edu and write "symposium" in the subject line. In the body of the email please write the name(s) of those attending. (Limit each reservation to 3 names.) Please arrive at 9:45 am the morning of the symposium and check in. A number of unreserved seats will also be available on a first come, first serve basis.    Parking is available in lot PSA for $7. Please enter at Gate 1 (Watt Way), from Exposition Blvd., just east of Vermont Blvd.   For more information, please contact Malika Williams at malikawi@usc.edu.