Architecture Program Report Tulane University New Orleans ...

this relationship, every action is amplified and scrutinized by the entire
architectural student body. Students are an observant group and notice
everything from the number of outfits a professor has worn each week to where
professors were seen around town last night to the disapproving body language
expressed or offhand comment made in yesterday’s review or pin-up. Professor
attitudes and body language are very influential to the way in which students
view and appropriate the role of studio in their education. Professors have a
responsibility to their students to encourage hard work and dedication but cannot
become detached from their students’ health concerns and individual needs. It is
crucial that these guidelines do not become mere platitudes; professors must
lead by their actions. We value the professional relationships between students
and professors within and outside of studio at TSA because we feel that formal
and informal student/professor interaction will help to dispel fears surrounding
professors and will allow for a more open dialogue about architecture. We feel
that the atmosphere at Tulane fosters these relationships, and we are open to
professor involvement in student body activities.
The positive influence of students and professors within the school of
architecture should extend outside of the school to embrace the community and
the city. We, as architecture students, have a responsibility to use the skills
acquired in school for city outreach. Tulane’s location in New Orleans provides
an exciting, if sometimes frustrating, atmosphere of change. The problems that
New Orleans is facing, like many other cities across the country, are directly
related to our specific training as architects. Like no other profession, we have
the opportunity and responsibility to assume leadership positions throughout the
community. This cannot be solved by simply assigning community service.
Teaching these leadership skills must become integral to the curriculum if our
profession is to affect real change within our world. However, this leadership role
must not be seen as disrupting the positive aspects of a studio-centric
curriculum, rather, programs that deal with the city should be respected by the
professors and students. Instead, this should be a symbiotic relationship
between the school and the larger community.
Students value the opportunities Tulane gives them to explore other
educational paths within the architectural curriculum. Though the balance is
difficult, it is important to recognize the value of this supplementary education.
Like in the professional world, it is critical to engage various view points and find
a common language and mutual respect with peers. Students understand that
studio currently has and should be given more emphasis; however, one should
not be forced to choose studio over other classes. The value of our education
relies on this multi-faceted approach to learning. Both students and professors
must work together to find this balance.
The student body and the curriculum changes have taken steps in the
direction of outreach. The student body’s Architects’ Week addresses and solves
a design problem at a specific site in the city for one week. This could be