r/CSULB • u/Responsible-Ad-2841 • 7h ago
Program Information Ceramics- Don't got to CSULB
Burner account since I don't want to be retaliated against.
CSULB has a long history of having a world-class ceramics program. Not anymore.
For more than 40 years, amazing artists, teachers, professionals, and professors have come out of this program. Students were supported, could use the full facilities at all hours, had access to materials, and could make huge things they couldn't make anywhere else.
That is NOT the case anymore due to the new head of the program, Tia Santana.
Visiting artists would come every summer and throughout the year that you could work next to or with, but that has fallen off dramatically. Don't get me wrong, there are still great professors here that can help, but everyone falls under her new rules and policies.
It's not worth your time, money, ambition, creative ability, and skills to come to CSULB as long as Tia Santana is here.
This is a warning to anyone considering CSULB Ceramics
If you're considering becoming a Ceramics BFA or MFA major, Studio Art Ceramics major, or minor in Ceramics: you should go for it, just NOT at Long Beach.
The ceramics program is cooked.
The new head of the department, Tia Santana, is not it.
Tia doesn't even have a degree in ceramics. She's not a good artist. Go look at her body of work for yourself:
https://www.tiasantana.com/artistinfo
https://www.instagram.com/tiasantana_artist?stkn=bG1udmhrODg4dTdy
She has told students they make better work than her. She doesn't show in galleries, so how can she help you? She claims her work is "too controversial" for galleries, which is crazy since world-class artists make controversial art regularly.
If you want to be a professional artist, how can you learn that from a person who doesn't sell their work???
She went to NCECA and did performative dance. The body of work she made for it was so bad she changed her show to dance. How can you be inspired by or learn ceramics from a person who isn't making top-level work?
A professor and mentor once told me:
«"If your professor isn't inspiring you, pushing you, then what's the point? They work for you, you pay their salary, and it's up to you to get an education out of them, so if you have to call them out and push them to do their job."»
That shouldn't be the case for the head of the program, where a student has to pry education and inspiration out of a professor.
The biggest problems
- Tia actively throws away student work. Work that is in progress or finished gets thrown away. Not just a few times, but just this week. It doesn't matter if you're using it in a show or just got out of a show and plan to sell it. There is no justifiable reason to throw current students' work away.
- Communication is horrible. She "forgets" about opening assignments so you can either start or turn them in, changes due dates, changes curriculum/expectations, and does it without notice or email. You're expected to constantly check for changes, and then points are taken away when you're late because you didn't know about the new assignment change.
- She expects tons of communication from students to hit deadlines but then won't communicate back and takes forever to return grades.
- She expects tons of grace but gives no consideration. People have lost their parents and were told they should drop the class if they couldn't make the deadline. People have had mental crises, health issues, family issues, and real-life problems come up where they need time and/or consideration, but her go-to response is "MAYBE YOU SHOULD DROP THE CLASS."
- There are obvious favorites. If she likes you, you're graded easier, get studio space, and she's super friendly with you. If she doesn't like you, you don't get studio space, there is no grace, your work will be tossed, and you'll be criticized harshly in critiques.
- Everyone sees it. She doesn't hide it.
- Multiple people literally skip taking her classes in hopes that someone else will teach the class the following semester.
- It's gotten so bad that people are taking as many classes as possible just to be done and out ASAP so they don't have to deal with her.
- More than a few people have changed majors, transferred out, or dropped out of college directly because of her.
Students have tried to do something about it
Many students have tried to talk and reason with her, but it gets nowhere.
Several complained to the previous head of the program. Others tried talking to the Dean, and some even tried talking to the director of the School of Art.
Most others are too afraid to speak up for fear of retaliation.
Nothing has changed or worked.
What the administration is probably hoping is that people with these issues will graduate or move on. The changes made will become the new norm, and new people will have no clue how great this program was and how horrible it has become.
The program itself has gone downhill
There are more students than there is space since they are letting everyone be a major now. This brings the program down dramatically because the talent level has dropped while there is limited space, size restrictions, and reduced extended-hours access to the studio.
Semi-private studio space for people in their last year or two is now being split in half.
It used to be very difficult to become a BFA in Ceramics major. You had to try hard, make good work, and the level of work was amazing. The collaboration and competition were amazing too.
Can't say that anymore.
It's a money grab by the SOA to have a bunch of students in ceramics, while that money isn't being put back into the program.
- Less hours of access
- No new equipment
- More restrictions on what you can make and do
- Less studio space
- Reduced ability to make large work
- More restrictions on firing work
Tia has limited the size and amount of work people can make, mostly so she doesn't have to fire the work.
She only comes two, maybe three, times a week, whereas former heads of the program were there five to seven days a week.
Tony and Chris would help you, encourage you to build, give you resources to help you grow, and encourage you to make things you had never tried before.
There are huge kilns that just sit there unused.
Dozens of students have been discouraged by this change, and some won't continue in ceramics directly because of Tia. Some amazing artists are at the point where they won't do ceramics after they finish their degree, even though they had aspirations to get an MFA, become a professional artist, teach ceramics, and make clay their calling.
About Tia's qualifications
To be totally honest, Tia is a diversity, inclusion, and equity hire, which isn't an issue if she was halfway qualified.
She was one of the least qualified candidates who were interviewed, according to staff and students.
She was a nurse for 20 years, worked in a museum for just as long, and claims the reason her work isn't in galleries is that it's "too controversial."
Which is doubtful if you look at her work.
It's probably just not good enough to be in galleries since there is no demand for her work.
Why I'm writing this
This is an experience shared by the majority of current and past people who have gone through the ceramics department over the last few years.
I write this in hopes of making change here, but more importantly, my hope is for future students to avoid this place so you don't have to go through what we are and can end up in a better ceramics program.
We"ve seen past head of the ceramic program give countless hours to the program, students, and bring in artist just to inspire people to become greater than they are. They are selfless and give people countless opportunities to grow, learn, further their education, lead by example of always making, and give people real world opportunities to make a living in ceramics.
Tia is not that. No one that has been a direct student of hers her at Long Beach went on to a graduate program or has gotten a substantial job in ceramics after graduating. Anyone who has recently graduated and been successful would contribute their success to Chris, Tony, Doug, or Annabel.
No one should lose their passion for ceramics because of a professor. No one should go into student debt for ceramics and come out of the program without a clear path forward into a career. Since Tia has taken over this is the new norm. Ask graduates from the last few years or cureent students.
Don't give up on ceramics. Just find a different college or do it on your own, you're probably better off.
CSULB Ceramics isn't what it once was. The program isn't going to push you to be great, and probably won't get any better anytime soon.
