Well, I read my "Offline" paper -- or a 7-pg version of it (I know, you're thinking "why didn't you post THAT version here??" Suck it up) -- at the Cultural Production conference yesterday. It went pretty well, though I had to read fast and the discussant asked each panelist a question relating to how our projects would work in conjunction with various James Cameron films...and my comparison film, he said, should be Titanic. Considering the question, I think I acquitted myself well.
Unfortunately, by the time I went on, about half the people I knew at the conference had left, and I was an hour late for work.
Even more unfortunately, this is probably the last CP conference for Brandeis, which has decided, bizarrely and opaquely, to end the Cultural Production program. The most frustrating aspect of the process is that despite our protests -- well-written, well-spoken protests that were supposed to go to the heart of what they objected to in continuing CP (which is a money-making program, by the way, cut by a committee designed to cut costs at the university) -- the committee, provost, and other decision-makers simply and continually averred that there were "other reasons" and "hidden costs" to the program that they then refused to name.
It's enough to make a girl think in terms of conspiracy theory -- like how maybe these decision-makers are still upset at the protests over selling off art from the Rose Art Museum on campus, which was another hasty and opaque decision made by committee last year.
Perhaps the "hidden costs" of continuing a profit-earning Cultural Production program is the price of the art they'd be able to sell from the museum if people like us weren't there to stop them.
Personally, even in the midst of the conference-high, I feel insulted by the decision and by the apparent lack of concern and respect shown in not giving us real details on why our program should be expunged. I am going into debt to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars for this degree, paid to a university that not only doesn't value my education, but doesn't care enough to tell me why it doesn't care.
We were instructed, in our protesting and letters, not to make threatening remarks that wouldn't help us with the committee, remarks like "I will blacken the name of Brandeis with everyone I talk to for the next forty years," or "this is a stupid decision made by stupid people" or "are you on crack? Seriously, are you?"
Well, nothing will help us with the committee now, and so nothing will help the committee, administrative decision-makers, and provost's office with my wrath. This was a stupid decision, made by people I hope were on drugs, and I will be responding to every future "please give us money" alumn call with "sorry, you already took my money, and I am never giving you more."
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2 comments:
I'm sorry we bailed! Brian had an appointment in the afternoon... and you know I just tag-along. Your ranting against Brandeis is a whole lot more graceful than Brian's private ranting, which usually is consisting of indiscriminately chosen expletives strung together into something not so poetic as this, although, length of string must count for something.
I did want to hear your presentation, though, and I regret missing it.
Sam -- you were one of the half! And so was Brian. But unfortunately, so was Prof. Tom King, who got sick after the panel before mine, and Penny had had to leave, and three of my CP friends as well.
In part it's too bad because I'd like more people in the world to be able to talk with about the absurdity of my discussion question, and my well-spoken answer. Titanic? Seriously? That's a bit of a stretch.
But I will continue to plan on inviting you guys over, perhaps for hotpot or something equally good, and perhaps next week (what are you doing on Wednesday?), and perhaps then when I've stuffed you with good food and you can barely move, I'll spring the talk on you. You won't be able to escape.
As for poetic rants against Brandeis, well, I've never been much for swearing. But what convictions I do have left in life often go towards thwarting organizations that have caused me to hate them, and while Brandeis may not have earned true hate, it has certainly earned a dangerous lack of respect from me that could turn on a whim into hate and action.
It was nice to see you guys at the conference and art party, anyway.
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