Ontario College of Art & Design

Infobox_University


caption=OCAD, from Canada Life building
name = Ontario College of Art & Design
motto =
established = 1876
type = Public university
endowment =
chancellor =
president = Sara Diamond
city = Toronto
state = Ontario
country = Canada
publictransit = 505 Dundas (TTC), 501 Queen (TTC)
undergrad =
postgrad =
staff = 156 full-time; 229 part-time
campus = Urban
mascot =
free_label = Students
free = 2767 Full Time, 700 Part Time
affiliations = AUCC, IAU, COU
website= [http://www.ocad.ca ocad.ca]

The Ontario College of Art & Design (commonly referred to by its acronym, OCAD) is Canada's largest and oldest university for art and design. [ [http://www.aucc.ca/can_uni/our_universities/ocad_e.html AUCC - Publications and Resources ] ] It is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on McCaul Street beside the Art Gallery of Ontario. The school combines an experiential, studio-based education with liberal studies, which are recognized with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), a Bachelor of Design (BDes) degree, Interdisciplinary Master's in Art Media and Design (MA, MFA or MDes), Master's in Criticisim and Curatorial Practices (MFA) and Executive Master's of Design in Advertising (EMDes). The school has a student body of approximately 3,500, with a student-faculty ratio of 16:1. [ [http://www.ocad.ca/about_ocad/facts_indicators.htm OCAD - Facts & Indicators ] ] OCAD has various programs leading to Bachelors of Fine Arts (BFA) and Bachelors of Design (BDes) degrees. Courses are offered through the Faculty of Art [http://www.ocad.on.ca/academic_programs/art.htm] , Faculty of Design [http://www.ocad.on.ca/academic_programs/design.htm ] , Faculty of Liberal Studies [http://www.ocad.on.ca/academic_programs/liberal_studies.htm] and alternative programs. [http://www.ocad.ca/academic_programs/alternative_studies.htm] In the fall of 2008 OCAD will offer graduate programs leading to MA, MFA and MDes degrees. [ [http://www.ocad.ca/about_ocad.htm OCAD - About OCAD ] ]

History

Different Names

Founded in 1876 at the Toronto Normal School by the Ontario Society of Artists, the Ontario College of Art & Design was originally known as the Ontario School of Art. In 1931, the school adopted the name Ontario College of Art. The school changed to its present name in 1996. [ [http://www.ocad.ca/about_ocad/history/historical_summary.htm OCAD]

On August 2, 2007, it was announced that OCAD is considering changing its name to reflect its status as a degree granting university. The term College in OCAD's title often causes confusion amongst the general public and potential students. [ [http://www.ocad.ca/Page1479.aspx?newsid=69 OCAD - News Item ] ]

On April 15, 2008, it was announced that the Board of Governors voted in favour of recommending that OCAD's name be changed from "Ontario College of Art & Design" to "OCAD University." [ [http://www.ocad.ca/Page1479.aspx?newsid=144 OCAD - News Item ] ] Any name changes to OCAD must be approved by the Ontario Government and be granted Royal Assent.

Curriculum

In 1969-70, Roy Ascott radically challenged the pedagogy and curriculum structure of the College. [Wolfe, Morris. "OCA 1967-1972: Five Turbulent Years". Toronto: Grubstreet Books, 2002. ISBN 0-9689737-0-1]

OCAD received official status to confer the degrees of Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Design in 2002, via the new Ontario College of Art & Design Act, passed by the Government of Ontario. With its new university status, OCAD has made a number of significant changes. These include such things as a renewed curriculum, a new professorial structure for faculty, a research mandate, a new system of governance, and preliminary groundwork for future graduate programs.

In 2004 work was completed on a new expansion. The "Sharp Centre for Design", designed by architect Will Alsop, of Alsop Architects, in a joint venture with Toronto-based Robbie/Young + Wright Architects Inc. [ [http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/skyline/2007/10/22/071022crsk_skyline_goldberger?currentPage=1 The Colorist: The Sky Line: The New Yorker] It consists of a box four storeys off the ground supported by a series of multi-coloured pillars at different angles. The $42.5 million expansion and redevelopment has received numerous awards, including the first-ever Royal Institute of British Architects Worldwide Award, the award of excellence in the "Building in Context" category at the Toronto Architecture and Urban Design Awards, and was deemed the most outstanding technical project overall in the 2005 Canadian Consulting Engineering Awards.

Health & Safety

OCAD has a strong Health & Safety program for both staff and students, consisting of online information [ [http://www.ocad.ca/about_ocad/health_safety.htm OCAD - About OCAD - Health & Safety ] ] , in-class, hands-on training and lectures on art hazards by specialist Ted Rickard, Manager of Health & Safety. Awareness training, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and alternate materials use to minimize risks are all promoted. WHMIS training is mandatory for all teaching staff whose courses use hazardous materials, and First Aid training is strongly encouraged.

tudent life

OCAD's Centre for Advising & Campus Life develops programs while working with students to enhance the student experience at OCAD and the overall quality of campus life.

tudent groups

The Student government is headed by the Ontario College of Art & Design Student Union (OCADSU). It brings students together through community building and collective political action. They provide support of various kinds to student based initiatives that benefit the student population. OCADSU also supports a student-run independent gallery and social space called XPACE. OCADs' largest student group, with over 3000 members, is a nonpartisan student-run website called MYOCAD.There are also several student clubs including The Korean Students' Association (KASA), Green Palette, OCAD Dance, OCAD Film Society and OUT at OCAD.

tudent housing

OCAD does not have on campus housing but provides links to off campus housing. Some of these services are provided by the University of Toronto’s Student Housing Service as well as the OCAD website

Notable faculty members

Faculty and staff of OCAD have included George A. Reid, Arthur Lismer, J.E.H. MacDonald, Jock Macdonald, Lisa Steele, Ian Carr-Harris, Richard Fung, Carl Dair [http://www.gdc.net/about_gdc/fellows.php?id=4&press=1&draw_column=3:1:2] , Allan Fleming, Maurice Vellekoop, Martha Ladly, Mary Margaret O'Hara and Norman White. [ [http://www.ocad.ca/about_ocad/history/background.htm OCAD - Background ] ]

External links

* [http://www.ocad.ca/ Ontario College of Art & Design]
* [http://www.ocad.ca/current_students/advising_campus_life/campus_life.htm Campus Life]
* [http://www.myocad.com/ Myocad, a student-run website]
* [http://www.xpace.info XPACE, student union gallery]
* [http://www.snow.ocad.on.ca/library/index.html OCAD Library]
* [http://ipac.ocad.on.ca/ipac20/ipac.jsp?profile=ocadlib#focus OCAD Library (catalogue-web)]
* [http://www.aucc.ca/can_uni/our_universities/ocad_e.html Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada profile]

References