The moving image arts department has gone through some changes with faculty this academic year after Fritz Kiersch, former department chairman, left the university.
Kiersch started the department and oversaw its growth and development for the last 10 years, but took a position this semester as a professor at Point Park University in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.
Casey Marks, film production senior, said he was surprised Kiersch left.
“I’m actually kind of sad that he left. I really felt like I had bonded with Fritz,” he said. “I actually found out from an incoming student that he wasn’t coming back this year. He didn’t tell us.”
The department now has a smaller faculty, but Bryan Cardinale-Powell, professor of moving image arts, said it will not hurt the program.
“Our program is not going to go away because of this. In fact, we hope it will continue to grow,” he said.
“We appreciate everything Fritz did for us, but we still have lots of opportunities for our students and we’re continuing to work in teaching narrative, storytelling and film making.”
Matt Payne, television writer, was brought on as an adjunct professor and new additions are being added to the building.
“We are going to get a new screening room and a new post-production suite within the semester that the students will be able to use,” Cardinale-Powell said.
Despite being sad, Marks said he’s hopeful for the program.
“I’m sad because you make these connections with people and then you don’t even get an email saying goodbye,” he said. “But I’m not worried about it, I think we’re in really good hands with Bryan.”
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