June 22, 2020
Dear ACM Students,
Now that Summer is officially underway, I write to you with the most up-to-date planning information regarding our course offerings, particularly for the Fall semester, and to ask you for your feedback via a survey.
We’ve been working hard for months now to provide you with the best possible learning experience in ACM this year. Our faculty have been learning themselves – new technologies, new approaches – and are looking forward to seeing you online in September.
In our lecture-based classes in ACM programs, you can generally expect virtual lectures and discussions, a lot of it in so-called “synchronous” classes preserving some direct live interaction with your Professors. For our practice-based classes, we have worked especially hard to offer high-quality learning experiences online. For example, in our Music & Culture program, we are still offering ensemble performance classes and group-oriented work like the Concert Band, using software and extra technical support to make the experience effective for you; in Theatre & Performance, we are still holding our performance classes and organizing our annual faculty theatre production, partly enabled by some digital/streaming upgrades we are making to our Leigha Lee Browne Theatre; in Studio Art, where most courses depend heavily on materials and equipment, the faculty and staff have devised ways to make the courses work by putting in a lot of advanced planning and making clear well in advance what will be needed to successfully complete your classwork.
While we continue to fine-tune the details, I invite you to keep an eye on our webpage (https://uoft.me/ACMfall2020tech-supplies) for program/course-specific technology/supply lists. We will be adding additional information on the webpage in the next few weeks. It is my hope that this information will help serve as a guide as you prepare to select your courses.
If you are interested in staying engaged with the department through the summer months (above and beyond any courses you may currently be taking), there are two student-led opportunities to which I draw your attention:
ACMSA will be selecting its executive team for the 2020-21 academic year soon. Applications are open until 11:59PM tonight. Apply while you can here - https://utscacmsa.wordpress.com
ARTSIDEOUT has published its Call for Submissions for the October 1, 2020
interdisciplinary festival. Learn more here - http://artsideout.ca
We really want to hear from you about what’s on your mind about the fall term. I will follow this email with an invitation to participate in an ACM Student Voice Fall 2020 Survey – please give us couple minutes of your time and help bring your voices to the table.
I encourage you to keep an eye on your email mid-July as at that time, we will share with you the final arrangements for the fall term. As mentioned in my previous correspondence, our staff and faculty are here to support you with any questions or concerns you may have. Please do not hesitate to reach out.
Warmly,
Barry Freeman
Associate Professor – Theatre and Performance
Department Chair – Arts, Culture and Media
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Resources and Contacts
UTSC Emergency Undergraduate Grant – Contact Registrar’s Office at askro.utsc@utoronto.ca for additional information
ACM Program Manager, Manaal Hussain – manaal.hussain@utoronto.ca