Looking at CAS Over the Past Year and Into the Future

CAS Faculty Group PhotoLast Friday the faculty of the SIUE College of Arts and Sciences gathered in the Meridian Ballroom for the annual CAS breakfast. This meeting welcomes back faculty after the summer break, while reminding them of the accomplishments of the college over the previous year, and briefing them on the various goals for the coming year.

The breakfast was followed by speeches from our new chancellor, Julie Furst-Bowe, as well as Vice Chancellor Ann Boyle. Following them was a multimedia presentation by Dean Aldemaro Romero highlighting the achievements of CAS over the past year including: the Cuban Caribbean Centers progress in establishing an academic exchange with the University of Havana, the construction of the new art and design building, as well as numerous grants and awards earned by CAS faculty. The presentation also featured live music by the SIUE Steel Band, to perform later this year in Trinidad, as well as a live flash mob style dance number performed by Erin White, Nick Blaylock, and Romero.

One of the biggest announcements of the presentation was the intention to build a new visual and performing arts center (VPAC). A new state of the art venue for the housing of live performances as well as a central gallery space.

“When I became dean over three years ago I was impressed by the huge number of performances that take place at SIUE,” Romero shared, “It is time for us to have a venue where we can show what all these faculty and students are capable of.”

The facility would offer a new venue for many of the performances currently housed in Dunham Hall and the Metcalf Theater, as well as hosting visiting professional performances. Funding for the proposed 50 million dollar project would be raised through private sources. This strategy would speed up the development process and Romero is optimistic that the project could get the green light as early as this year.

A full length video of this years CAS breakfast presentation will accompany an edition of This Week In CAS in the near future.

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