GSFA dean looks past the palette

Hack hopes to develop practical solutions to the problems of urban life. As director of Canada's Ministry of Urban Affairs, Gary Hack was determined to turn his theoretical ideas into practical solutions for improving urban life. In his new role as dean of the Graduate School of Fine Arts, Hack is working to bring that same goal into focus for the University. In that vein, he plans to create a new type of faculty position that allows for the continuation of research during the school year -- by having professors either to teach part time or take semesters off from teaching. Hack explained that this position would allow "the very best practitioners to join us? as permanent teaching faculty." He also said he wants to form a practice foundation -- similar to the other professional schools' clinical programs -- that "allows faculty to do projects while at the University." Hack noted that he does not want the foundation to have a large permanent staff because he hopes to have students involved every year. But Hack's vision for the future of both GSFA and the University do not end with these developments. He looks to GSFA as a very important participant in the urban agenda priority of University President Judith Rodin's Agenda for Excellence. He calls this initiative an "incubator for ideas to be transferred," and said it is important because it can make "West Philadelphia a model case of how urban revitalization can occur? and because every city in the nation is facing these types of issues." Hack said he also wants undergraduates to become more involved with GSFA, perhaps with the establishment of a hands-on visual arts requirement. That, he said, could bring a "culture of visual literacy to campus." But Hack did not come to the University just to further his own agenda. "It's a community effort to try to reach some of these goals he has been discussing, and I think people are very excited about that here," said Janine Scaff, GSFA's assistant director of development. Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning Department Chairperson John Dixon Hunt said although Hack has some definitive plans for the school, the new dean is interested in "where we are coming from, what our plans are." "He actually meets with departments on a regular [two-week] basis," Hunt said. And Warren Claytor, an architecture and landscape architecture dual masters student, said Hack has quickly made a name for himself in the University community. "Dean Hack is just an incredible man who is going to bring a lot of good things to Penn," he said. The vice president of the GSFA student council added that he has already met with Hack three times. Before coming to the University, Hack taught urban design at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for 25 years. Between 1982-1986, he headed the MIT department. During his time at MIT, his department began to incorporate direct practice into the curriculum through the development of urban design studios, which made real proposals for projects in areas such as Tokyo, Taipei, Miami, and most recently Bangkok, Hack said. But when he wanted to expand these programs into a more permanent part of the department, he realized that the concept was "foreign to MIT," which is primarily a research school. Hack said he became interested in Penn when President Judith Rodin and Provost Stanley Chodorow explained how the connection between theory and practice is central at Penn. "[I decided to] see if we can build a distinctive school with theory and practice really within the walls," Hack said.

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