Though it was received Monday as if it were a done deal, the concentration must clear several more hurdles before opening for enrollment.
First, it will undergo curricular review by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences’ standing committee on Undergraduate Educational Policy, according to Puchner. From there, the proposal will go to the Faculty Council for approval.
Puchner said that he expects the proposal will reach the Faculty for a full vote by the end of the 2014-2015 school year, nearly three years after he brought it to Faust.
If approved, the concentration will likely be administered by a committee, rather than a full department, according to Puchner, who added that the existing Committee on Dramatic Arts may be “transformed” to suit this need.
Outside of the approval process, Megan and Puchner said those working on the concentration still have many details to hammer out, like requirements and pathways through the concentration, as well as the hiring of additional instructors. With Faust’s seed money slated to run out within five years, FAS leaders will also have to secure long-term funding to sustain the program.
Another primary challenge for the concentration will be meeting its needs for space and resources while preserving extra-curricular offerings in the arts, Megan said.
“I actually think that this will be a plus for non-curricular drama. We will need to invest in spaces to be shared by both,” Megan said, adding that he does not see a conflict. “I see a rising tide lifts all boats.”
Puchner agreed.
“In no way does this proposed concentration want to interfere with student-led theater,” he said, a fear that he noted was expressed by members of the Harvard Radcliffe Dramatic Club when he met with them two years ago.
Going forward, Megan said that the solution will arise “through a lot of give and take.”
“We all sort of know a piece of the puzzle,” he said. “Theater is collaborative, so of course this should be collaborative.”
—Staff writer Dev A. Patel can be reached at dev.patel@thecrimson.com. Follow him on Twitter @dev_a_patel.
—Staff writer Steven R. Watros can be reached at steven.watros@thecrimson.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveWatros.