Strategic Plan - Newspaper

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Strategic Plan 2025

the SMFA Senior Thesis Newspaper Strategic Planning _Chip Franklin Where are we now, where are we going, and how are we going to get there? Or rather, what does the SMFA of the future look like? How should student learning experiences be cultivated at the museum school? How should aspiring artists be supported in their creative exploration and artistic growth? What successes do SMFA graduates go on to achieve, and how does the school support them in preparing for those endeavors? How do programs, courses, faculty, facilities, and all the rest combine to meet student needs, now and in the future? And then, maybe a harder question: what comprehensive vision captures the answers to these questions, and how can it be articulated to prospective and current students as well as faculty, staff and other institutional stakeholders? These questions are at the heart of the strategic planning process, helping the institution define its mission, vision and strategic goals, and then building a clear plan of action to achieve those goals. But the process goes deeper as well, building out a complete understanding of the current state of the institution, from student outcomes to financial reports, compiling quantitative and qualitative measures of school performance to compare against internal and external benchmarks. A detailed evaluation of the current state of the school, combined with the vision for where the school is going, supports the development of a strategic plan to close the gaps between where we are now and where we want to be. Simply put, the definition of the “what” leads to the planning for the “how.” Successful navigation of the strategic planning process requires input from all perspectives in and around the school, building buy-in on both the ultimate goals and the process to get there. Understanding the relative strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges inherent in an institution necessitates the shared perspectives of individual contributors across the school, as well as an objective lens through which to view those perspectives. Ultimately, the process itself should provide a depth of understanding and a clarity of purpose to help the broader community coalesce around a shared vision, and commit to a shared plan of action. So, one more time: where are we now? And where are we going? And how are we going to get there?

The Losing Commencement Speech Good evening everyone. First, I’d like to thank every professor, staff member, parent, relative, and friend that has supported us through our time here at the Museum School. We wouldn’t be here without you. I have to tell you; I never thought I would be the one up here today. But, I guess you could say, this is a testament to all that I’ve learned during my past four years at the Museum School. Rather unsurprisingly, for those of you who know me, tonight, I will be talking about Art and Activism. I’d like to start out with a quote from someone I can never quote from too much or too often, James Baldwin. In 1961, he said: “All art is a kind of confession, more or less oblique. All artists, if they are to survive, are forced, at last, to tell the whole story, to vomit the anguish up.” If any of you have read his wonderful texts, or listened to him speak, you’ll know that these are words Baldwin always stood by. I feel, when making art or teaching students, we should strive to embody Baldwin’s words as well. I believe Baldwin’s words are pertinent not only to our class, but also to a resurgence of socially engaged art on a larger scale today. Four years ago, many of us in this class entered this school at the launch of Occupy Wall Street – the largest protest movement we’ve seen in the US in decades. Since then, we have witnessed student protests in Quebec and Chile, protests against corruption and censorship in Turkey, nationwide protests supporting undocumented migrants, the campaign to keep Cooper Union Free, and most recently Black Lives Matter, a movement Museum School students have fiercely organized around. With all these political movements, and so many more, art and artists have occupied a central role. Whether it’s through photography or graphic arts, printmaking or performance, painting or social practice, I feel this class in particular has had the courage and motivation to take on the critical social and political issues of our time. However, one thing we must remember is that we are not just artists. None of us here are. Some of us are students, and some are teachers, and some are retail workers, and some are parents, and some are security guards – the list goes on. Regardless of our titles, it is important for all of us to continue, “to tell the whole story, to vomit our anguish up.” While every class is special in its own way, there is something significant to be said about those of us standing up here today. Over the past few years, our school has gone through a number of substantial changes, and as diverse as our student body is, so are our opinions on the matter. Every change has been met with the full range of responses from enthusiastic support to spirited resistance. Every change also presented us with new challenges, teaching us to be an exceptionally self-determined, resilient, and adaptable class. SMFA has tested us, and we’ve grown so much because of it. However, it is important to recognize that this relationship is a two-way street; SMFA has challenged us as much as we have challenged it. We leave our school – that we love and care about so deeply – with a legacy of significant contributions. Perhaps then it can be said that SMFA has learned and grown just as much from us as we have from it. Before I finish, I’d like to end with another quote from James Baldwin about the role of artists – “Artists are here to disturb the peace. They must. Otherwise, chaos.”


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