Talk:The Art Institute of Boston

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[edit] Degree/department descriptions

Please add lengthtier descriptions of departments and degrees, or add additional images.

[edit] Why the de-emphasis of AIB identity and presence?

I note that changes by MementoVivere seem intended to deemphasize AIB's identity and presence. The earlier article clearly articulated it being a part of the larger Lesley University, in my recent edit I have tried to give more prominence of that. Many art schools have merged with larger universities, and all maintain their history and identity. Consider the Museum School (now entirely a part of Tufts) or Parsons, a part of the New School university since the early 70s.

I believe the relationship is very clear, further degradation begins to present AIB more as a university art dept, not a true art school. I have restored "non=profit" to emphasize AIB is not a part of the for-profit Art Institutes, which have a reputation for not being serious study.CApitol3 13:22, 4 October 2006 (UTC)

The AIB is a part of Lesley University. That is a fact. My intent was to make this clear from the beginning of the article (in the introduction, which you reverted and moved below the first section's heading). It would be misleading to present the AIB as an independent institution in the very beginning and bury its status as a constituent of a university in the body. That was my impression upon reading the article for the first time. If you feel that informing the readers of this fact from the outset "degrades" your school, you are clearly biased. Look at the AIB's own website at http://www.lesley.edu/aib/. Right on the main page it states, "Part of Lesley University." If the AIB itself is not ashamed of the association, then why are you? I removed "non-profit" from the introduction because by stating that it was a part of Lesley, it would not be confused with The Art Institutes. I changed the website link because that's where AIB's website is located. http://www.aiboston.edu merely redirects to http://www.lesley.edu/aib/, and is clearly a relic of a time before 2001 when the AIB was independent.

By the way, the Museum School is actually not "entirely a part of Tufts". They are affiliated and run a joint program. Parsons is called Parsons The New School for Design, so they don't appear to be too worried about "de-emphasizing their identity".

—MementoVivere (talk • contribs)14:23, 4 October 2006 (UTC)

Hi MementoVivere, thanks for your timely response. It has not been my intent to demphasize a Lesley link. But, instead emphasize that AIB has a history predating their merger, and within the university is a distinct college, and a real art school, not a university fine arts department. AIB's history is an assett to itself and the larger Lesley University. My concern was that your edits pushed it towards seeming less of an art school, and more a department of Lesley. There are very few truly independent colleges of art and design remaining, merger is a very positive, win-win, solution for these smaller schools to continue. The AIB and Lesley merger had the net effect of making both institutions, better, stronger, and a new university has been the result. Though AIB is not my school, several friends have attended, many friends have have taught there, presently teach there, and I have hired many AIB grads, in fact I have one working for me now. I have taught at the school as an adjunct. If I knew more about Lesley's history and programs I would attempt to fortify their presently thin article with their own history and more about their programs. From what I hear from AIB grads and teachers, Lesley seems to very much value AIB, and vice versa. As an employer of AIB grads in photography, design, and illustration, I can only rave, but try to keep POV out of articles. Their grads are consistently well prepared, think on their feet, and though they know plenty of theory, produce nuts and bolts solutions quickly. As an employer, that has not been my experience with grads of some other New England art schools (some with much higher profiles), where I feel I am too often presented with regurgitated verbal theory (on my dime) and little physical work to show my clients. So, therein lies my fondness for AIB. I suppose my belief in AIB and Lesley is best demonstrated by my recommending AIB to my niece who wants to study photography, and recommeding Lesley to a friend hoping to study art therapy. CApitol3 17:22, 4 October 2006 (UTC)