In these closing minutes of the online Conference on the UCI School
of Design, I still have two more clarifications to ask the authors of
the Proposal:
1. Re the denomination of the proposed institution
On page 15 of the Proposal it is written that, prior to the Proposal
presented to us, an Ad Hoc Committee had previously produced a report
on December 11, 2000, presented to former Executive Vice Chancellor
William Lillyman, and in which it was recommended that:
"UCI develop a proposal to create a school of design to foster
inquiry into the nature of design and the design process. Its
objective would be to advance the techniques of design, to train
students to the technical and aesthetic dimensions of design at both
the undergraduate and professional levels, and to investigate the
deep intellectual and cultural issues associated with design in a
rapidly changing world."
Clarification needed:
In the process of giving shape to this recommendation above, did the
authors of the present final Proposal discuss the meaning conveyed by
the denomination of "school of design" given to the institution by
the preceding Ad Hoc Committee? Were other possible denominations
considered, like "Institute", "Center", "College", "Lab", or simply
a "Faculty" or "Department"? And if so, why the "School" appellation
has been favored, inspite of the eventual confusion with institutions
already existing?
2. Re Appendixes F and G, on "Students Dissertations"
What was the purpose in undertaking such an extensive search? In
which way such a broad array of students' work in the field of design
does support (hence the inclusion in the Proposal?) the "vision" for
the proposed "school of design"?
François-X. N.I. NSENGA
Montréal, Québec
Canada
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