New Drawing of proposed Performing Arts Center

For the past year or so The Pipeline has been hearing rumors about the proposed Performing Arts Center (or Center for the Performing Arts...or Center for the Visual and Performing Arts...or The Arts Center for Performing Visuals...or whatever). But up until now it has been just talk...with not much to look at. But now Kinateder, "Utah's finest architectural illustration company" has released this:




Pretty cool looking. The question is will it ever get built. Chances are you won't see much in the way of state funding. This project isn't like the much-needed Digital Learning Center and we don't predict the legislature will be salivating over it.

But perhaps the school could scare up some serious donations from local deep pockets. The Arts center has been on the master plan for decades and many on campus see the building as their pet project.

At the top of that list is Kathie Debenham. Debenham ran UVSC's dance department for years and has been serving as an associate dean in the School of HASS. But with Dean Bill Cobb stepping down sooner than expected she has been named the interim dean (no doubt while the school conducts a national search for Cobb's replacement).

Debenham's promotion, no matter how temporary, comes at a critical junction as many on the campus consider the possibilities of splitting up the hulking school of HASS. Plans were on the table for creating a new school of the Arts with the departments of Dance, Theater, Art and Visual Communication, and Music on board. But at the recent HASS PBA (planning, budgeting, and accountability) meeting most in attendance got the impression that President Bill Sederburg wasn't sold on the idea of a split.

If a split did occur it might mean a greater push for a performing arts center. Like always, the college faces serious space issues. The DLC's nearly 200,000 square feet filled up quickly...and many administrators are licking their chops for more.

An arts center would pull Dance out of the Liberal Arts Building and rescue the other departments from Gunther Trades obscurity. There is even talk of bringing the Woodbury Art Museum from its current location at the University Mall and putting it in the new center.

The building is planned to be placed just north of the McKay Events Center. Yes, that means more parking spots will be sacrificed in the name of progress...but who didn't see that coming? If the performing arts center does end up there it might make the soon to be completed Lakeview Room at the DLC seem a little silly, as it will most likely block any view of the lake.

This drawing also most likely kills one rumor that circulated a few months ago. At a planning meeting over the summer local boy wonder Brandt Anderson suggested that it might be possible to get architecture legend Frank Gehry interested in the project. Gehry is currently producing Anderson's Traverse Mountain project at the Point of the Mountain. Of course that sent a million tongues a waggin' but we never heard another thing about it. The Kinateder site doesn't mention which architectural firm has drawn up this design...but considering Sederburg's relationship with Jacob Alspector (which stretches back to Big Bill's time at Ferris State in Michigan) we wouldn't be surprised if the New York based architect was involved.

Is Academics headed for a major change?

The Pipeline has been hearing rumblings from various corners of campus about a major shake-up in Academics for months now. There had been whispers about departments moving around, departments getting split up, and whole schools being overhauled. But nothing was ever definite....all just rumor and conjecture.

Well it still isn't official yet, but now at least there is a concrete document from VP of Academics Liz Hitch's office that lays out some of the plans. If even half of this stuff actually happens (it looks like it probably will) it will be the biggest change the campus has seen in many years. Check it out:

Organizational Redesign for Academic Affairs (doc)

The document is dated October 8 but the footer at the bottom of each page says September 20. We know that Hitch sent an e-mail to some faculty and staff that included this link recently.

As for what is going to happen, we will let you read the document yourself. But if you are really lazy here is the list of substantial changes listed in the report:


1. Aviation, Emergency Services, Fine and Performing Arts, Social Sciences, and Health Science become schools reporting to a dean.

2. There are no substantial changes in the School of Education.

3. Forensic Science moves to Biology.

4. The School of Business will divide the Department of Management into two smaller groups.

6. The School of Business will send Criminal Justice faculty to the department of Anthropology/Sociology in the School of Language and Social Sciences.

7. The School of Business will assume Culinary Arts faculty in hospitality management.

8. The College of General Academics will be renamed “University College.”

9. University College will include remedial programs as well as programs for high academic achievers, such as Honors, Debate, Integrated Studies and Humanities.

10. Speech Communication faculty from the current Communication Department will be assigned to the University College as a core academic skill. The debate program will be housed in or near Honors.

11. Honors will be in University College.

12. A centralized Graduate Office will be formed in the VPAA office.

13. ESL goes to the School of Adult and Continuing Education.

14. Turning Point, Wee Care, Women in Technology, and other appropriate programs that provide student services go to Student Services.


In other words...big changes. There is way more to this story, but we'll save that for future posts.

Don't miss this!

Students and faculty will get an opportunity to hear writer Charles Bowden, journalist Scott Carrier, and poet Alex Caldiero read from their works and discuss issues regarding the US-Mexico border.

From the Press release:

Charles Bowden is one of today's premier writers on the American environment and social issues along the U.S.-Mexico border. His recent books include A Shadow in the City: Confessions of an Undercover Drug Warrior; Down by the River: Drugs, Money, Murder, and Family; Blues for Cannibals: Notes from Underground; Blood Orchid: An Unnatural History of America; and Desierto: Memories of the Future. He lives in Tucson, Arizona.

Alex Caldiero was born in Sicily, raised in Brooklyn, attended Queens College, and now lives in Orem, Utah, with his wife, Setenay, and children. Well known for his performance works that integrate poetry with music, dance, and art—and for his appearance in the independent motion picture, Plan Ten from Outer Space—Caldiero has performed at the New School for Social Research, the Pritchard Art Gallery, the Salt Lake Art Center, and on Brazilian TV. Among his collections are Book o’ Lights, From Stone to Star, The Milk of the Mother, Toy Blood, and Various Atmospheres: Poems and Drawings. He has been published both in Italy and the United States, reviewed in Village Voice and the New York Times, is anthologized in Text-Sound Texts, featured in Utah: State of the Arts, and is included in the Dictionary of the Avant-Guards.

Scott Carrier is an independent radio producer and writer who lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. His radio stories have been broadcast on All Things Considered, This American Life, and The Savvy Traveler. His print stories have been published in Harper's, Esquire, and Rolling Stone. A collection of his stories, Running After Antelope, was published in March of 2001 by Counterpoint. Some of his radio stories can be heard on hearingvoices.com.

Caldiero is UVSC's lone Artist-in-Residence and teaches in the Philosophy and Humanities Department. Carrier joined the UVSC faculty this year, teaching journalism for the Communication Department.

New play a first for UVSC's theater department

A new play by award-winning student playwright Mahonri Stewart will open next week, and it represents a new era for the Theater Arts department.

'Rings of the Tree' at UVSC (Deseret Morning News, August 30 2007)

Rings of Trees is the first senior project approved by the department. As the performing arts at UVSC continue to grow, look for more student productions in the works.

Here is the info if you are interested in attending:


Blackbox Theater, Gunther Trades Building, Room 631, UVSC Orem Campus

7:30 p.m., Sept. 6-8; 2 p.m. Sept. 8

Cost is $5

HASS to host benefit luncheon for Paxman Scholarship

An e-mail went out to employees today from Bill Cobb, dean of the School of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences at UVSC, concerning a benefit luncheon for the Shirley and Monroe Paxman Scholarship for Humanitarian Service.

If you have ever attended any kind of function at the college, chances are you have seen the Paxman's (pictured here). Their support of the college is legendary.

Here is the what Dean Cobb had to say:

The School of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences will honor local humanitarians Shirley & Monroe Paxman at a benefit lunch at the Outback Steakhouse in Orem, on Wednesday, July 18th, at 11:00 a.m. All proceeds from the luncheon will go to the newly established Shirley & Monroe Paxman Scholarship for Humanitarian Service.

Life-long residents of Provo, Shirley and Monroe had their first date 72 years ago – a midnight mass at St. Francis. When asked why a young Mormon couple had their first date to a midnight mass, Monroe responds, “It was the cheapest date I could find.” Monroe is a retired 4th District Juvenile Court Judge in Utah. Shirley is a retired nurse and nursing instructor at both UVSC and BYU and former owner/curator of the McCurdy Doll Museum in Provo. They are the parents of seven children.

When Shirley heard about President Sederburg’s Community of Engaged Learners, she said, “I like that phrase. That is what we try to do.” Among their many humanitarian projects through the years are the non-denominational chapel at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, the preservation & restoration of Academy Square in Provo that is now the Provo City Library, the recent attempt to save the historic St. Francis Catholic church in Provo and the Brockbank Foundation Education Fund, which provides for the education of young women in South Africa. At last count, 71 women have received scholarships through the fund, established by Shirley and her sisters.

The Paxmans’ association with UVSC began during the administration of Wilson Sorensen. Now in their late 80s, they haven’t slowed down a bit. It is difficult to attend a lecture, concert or fundraiser at UVSC and not see the Paxmans there. They are among our greatest advocates. The scholarship established in their names will go to a student who exemplifies the humanitarian service given by the Paxmans.

For tickets to Outback Benefit Lunch honoring Monroe & Shirley Paxman, please contact my office, LA209, ext. 7435 or Campus Connection. Tickets are $20 per person. If you have any questions, please contact myself or Barbara Hammond, my assistant dean.

Thank you,

William W. Cobb, Jr.

Dean, Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences