Visual Arts - Class of 2021 Letter

 Dear Visual Arts Class of 2021,

This email summarizes the planning for the Visual Arts class of 2021.

As President Bollinger announced, next year’s academic calendar will run on three trimesters: Fall, Spring, and Summer (2020-21 Academic Calendar). These trimesters will also be divided into optional six-week ‘A’ and ‘B’ intensive sessions. In addition, Visual Arts core MFA classes will run on a different two-semester schedule that will start later, on October 26, to accommodate low-density production work in our facilities. 

Graduate Studio, Group Critique, and Artist-mentoring will run on the following schedule:

• MFA Lab 1 (Fall B + Spring A): October 26 – February 26, 2021
• MFA Lab 2 (Spring B + Summer A): March 8 – June 18, 2021

The Foundry Sculpture course, and Visual Arts Lab course will take place on the MFA Lab 2 schedule.

All of the other Visual Arts MFA electives: Critical Issues, Graduate Seminars, and Professional Practices will be offered on the Fall and Spring schedules which start on September 8 and January 11. 

The First Year Exhibition for the Class of 2020 will occur in late March of 2021 in the Wallach Gallery provided it is safe to proceed and the University approves the required access and staffing levels needed.

The Thesis Exhibition for the Class of 2021 will occur in the fall of 2021 in two exhibitions in the Lantern of the Lenfest Center for the Arts, provided it is safe to proceed and the University approves the required access and staffing levels needed.  The Class of 2021 will have the option to graduate in October 2021 or they will be eligible to register for Thesis Completion for Fall of 2021 and graduate in February, 2022.  If the Thesis Exhibition is extended beyond the start of Fall B of 2021, Thesis Completion for the spring of 2022 will then become an option and students would then graduate in May 2022.

Thesis Completion for Class of 2021 for Fall of 2021:

• Continuation of Registration, Tuition, and Fees:

  • Students who wish to delay graduation until February 2022 will be able to register and maintain full-time status.

  • Students will not be allocated a studio space on campus.

  • Tuition and SoA fees will be waived with this status.

  • University fees cannot be waived.

  • The University requirement to maintain health insurance cannot be waived. Students who wish to request a waiver from being enrolled in health insurance through the University must do so through Columbia Health. Waivers require proof of comparable insurance.

• Loans, Service Positions, and Teaching Assistantships.:

  • With full-time status, US citizens and permanent residents will be able to access federal and institutional loan funding.

  • Students will not be eligible for Teaching Assistantships service positions.

  • International students can apply for casual positions at the university as usual.

• Studios, Shops, and Low-Density Requirements:

  • Students will not be allocated a studio on campus.

  • The School of the Arts will not be a party to any lease agreement between an outside studio.

  • Access to the shops will be granted on a case by case basis via a proposal process in adherence with low density requirements.