V O C A L
The Open College of the Arts’ quarterly newsletter for tutors.
BA Hons in Creative Arts now available 20 years since its inception, the Open College of the Arts is now proud to announce it can offer a full BA Hons degree through its distance learning courses. This development is a crucial step forward on OCA’s path to becoming a world-leader in distance learning arts education. For more information, either contact the OCA office on 01226 730495 or visit the website at www.oca-uk.com
New accrediting university In an exciting new development, the recently re-branded Bucks New University (formerly Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College) is now OCA’s accrediting University. Bucks New University describes itself as: “...a university that makes a significant social and economic contribution to the local region, while building a national reputation for our work and achieving international recognition for our specialist areas of expertise. “As the only publicly-funded higher education institution in Buckinghamshire, we’re proud to provide quality, inclusive and relevant higher education that develops and builds the potential of individuals and organisations alike.”
OCA’s Executive Director stepping down Roger Head has announced that he will be stepping down as Director of The Open College of the Arts in February 2008 to take up the new role of Executive Vice Chairman. In this capacity he will continue to support and promote the activities of the OCA, while being able to step back from dayto-day management responsibilities. Chris Jelley, Chairman of Trustees, said “Since his appointment as Director 8 years ago, Roger Head has transformed the OCA and its capabilities, and created a sound and secure position from which it can grow and develop further in the future. The Trustees are enormously grateful to him for his dedication and hard work, and are happy that he will continue to be associated with the OCA in his new role.”.
The comings & goings at OCA OCA is pleased to welcome two new staff members. They are Jade Lees (Academic Assistant) and Dee Bean (Events Organiser). OCA has waved a sad goodbye to Sue Ibbotson and Julie Lunn. Both long-serving OCA staff members.
Open College of the Arts
Winter ‘07
OCA’s new website A new website is currently being developed to fulfill the needs of students and tutors. This new website will allow tutors and students to create their own E-portfolio, which can contain examples of work and some background information. An OCA Shop will also be introduced, where books and artists’ materials may be purchased.
Workshops OCA’s workshop programme has been picking up steam this year, with more and more workshops causing feeding frenzies amongst the student population. Geoff Taylor’s Photography workshops in the Shropshire Hills being a case in point - even the local wildlife has been expressing a keen interest! If you have an idea for your own workshop, please contact Dee (Events Organiser) at OCA on: 01226 704374.
Reminders
The website forum and gallery will now play a more important roll in the OCA student and tutor community, and this will be supplemented with additional features such as Wikis later in the website’s development.
to your contact details (especially your e-mail address and telephone number) please let us know. When sending in your claims, please include your tutor reports and original receipts.
21st Birthday OCA was founded in 1987, and so we are marking the 21st year with a series of events throughout 2008. If you have any ideas or suggestions on how we might celebrate this occasion or would like to be involved in some way, please contact the Marketing department on 01226 777593 and ask for either Lee Openshaw or Paul Vincent.
Updated contact details
Geoff Taylor’s Photography workshops are attracting all kinds of attention.
To keep OCA’s OPENdoor publication fresh with new work, we ask that you keep an eye out for good examples of work by your students and encourage them to submit work to OCA for inclusion. You may also wish to send in examples of your own work for students to view in OPENdoor. Contact Lee Openshaw or Paul Vincent for more details (01226 777593). Please remember to keep OCA up-to-date with any alterations, such as exhibitions attended; qualifications gained; artwork/books published etc. that should be made to your tutor profile. Also, if any changes have been made
Freephone: General: Finance: Academic: Marketing: Fax: E-mail:
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Office hours Mon – Thurs 9am – 5pm Fri 9am – 4pm Other Times Answerphone
Deepest regrets Rose Rands, one of OCA’s longest serving and most popular tutors, recently passed away. She will be deeply missed by all at OCA and by the many, many visual arts students she tutored over her 18 years with the college.