Architecture faces move or termination

 
The dean of architecture and architecture students discussed the possible move of Southern University Baton Rouge’s School of Architecture to Southern University of New Orleans in prevention of terminating the program.
The architecture program has been slated for termination due to a low completion rate before and post exigency on the BR campus.
At the Southern University Board of Supervisors meeting, in August, proposals were made to move the program to prevent termination.  
Lonnie Wilkinson, dean of School of Architecture, clarified the information that surfaced after the meeting.
“We’re still meeting and working with administration at SUNO to make this happen,” Wilkinson said. He said with the serious ongoing dialogue with SUNO administrators, he is reasonably sure it will happen.
While constant communication has been ongoing with SUNO, Southern University’s board has yet to give confirmation on proposal.
“We have not gotten approval from the board whether they will approve of the location change,” said Wilkinson. He said he has not received any favorable response or effort from administration to try to make this proposal happen.
Even though the proposal is favorable for SUNO, Wilkinson revealed there could be some possible setbacks in the process.
“One of the concerns with whole process is that the school’s accreditation will follow to SUNO,” said Wilkinson. He said that they have been in touch with The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) committee about the movement from Baton Rouge to New Orleans.
Wilkinson made an argument why the move will be good for the architecture program’s diversity and competitiveness.
“Even before Katrina, New Orleans is a larger more urban and diverse city than Baton Rouge. As well as having people with more aggressive, progressive thinking that would serve an HBCU architecture program better than Baton Rouge,” Wilkinson said.
Evan Hutchins, Spring 2012 architecture graduate reflected on his ideas about the move.
“I think it may be good, because a lot of active alumni are in New Orleans,” Hutchins said. He said the presence of alumni in New Orleans gives architecture students more opportunities for mentorship.
Ephraim Franklin, a junior architecture major from Baton Rouge, agreed with Hutchins.
“In terms of saving the program I agree, in terms of getting rid of program no,” Franklin said. He said SUNO, will still have architecture and that less than five HBCU’s can say that.
Despite having one their larger graduation classes in recent history of the program, Spring 2012 commencement with eleven graduates still wasn’t enough to get the program off the chopping block.
Bryan Raymond, a senior architecture major from Hahnville, La., didn’t believe more graduates would change anything.
“No, I don’t think that it would’ve changed much,” Raymond said.
Although Raymond thought it wouldn’t, Hutchins believed it would make a small difference.
“Realistically I didn’t think they would, however in my mind I thought they would’ve changed their mind,” Hutchins said.
Kyron Thompson, a senior architecture major from Convent, La., agreed with Hutchins.
“Honestly, I thought it would change it, but money issues are the main issues,” said Thompson.
Taikan Brooks, a senior architecture major from Batchelor, La., explained why the architecture program is necessary.
“It cuts off opportunity that students would not have gotten at Louisiana State University because of the higher tuition,” Brooks said.
Hutchins echoed these sentiments in his statements.
“I’ve been to both schools. At Mississippi State two years and doing the same thing. The quality was way different. I’ve learned a lot more down here than when I was at Mississippi State University, and I was willing to restart to stay down here,” Hutchins said.
Franklin said architecture is necessary to cultivate culture.
“Architecture conveys culture by way of design, influences and human interaction by creating an environment cultivated in culture,” Franklin said.