In anticipation of and in conjunction with the University Arts & Culture strategy process, we have undertaken an intentional and exciting re-visioning and restructuring process in the Department of Art, Art History, and Design (AAHD). Our efforts are inspired by a passage from the 2008 Harvard Task Force on the Arts report, which recognized that a 21st century research university should:
“… make the arts an integral part of the cognitive life of the university: for along with the sciences and the humanities, the arts—as they are both experienced and practiced—are irreplaceable instruments of knowledge.”
To this end, after completing a phase of learning and exploration, we have charged the AAHD Action Committee to shape a vision that will establish itself as a catalyst of creativity and collaboration within and beyond MSU capable of fully integrating the artistic work of the faculty and its students into the research mission of the University. We envision the arts at MSU enriching and being enriched by the sciences, the social sciences, humanities, and professional schools of Michigan State University.