ECA SPENDING SCANDAL

SquareOne News

by Chris Hammond

Senior students and staff at Edinburgh College of Art have raised concerns over the institution's spending after learning thousands of pounds have been spent on what many believe to be unnecessary extravagances.

Foremost amongst student gripes are the purchases of a chair costing £1,800, along with four powerful projectors totalling £60,000. These projectors are housed in the reception of Evolution House and project both the ECA logo and student artwork onto the walls. Connor Dupre a 4th year student said “There are four of those projectors and I believe Wembley Stadium only needs two. It’s bad management considering the distance they actually project in the reception.” A member of the ECA staff who wishes to remain anonymous also told SquareOne that the projectors were so powerful only one was needed on Madonna’s last world tour.

£167,000 was also spent during the design consultancy for Evolution House and projects at the Lauriston Place campus. ECA includes interior design as one of its taught disciplines. Miss Hollie Reid, student at ECA is disappointed that the College management didn’t ask students to do the work instead of outside contractors: “For the work on The Wee Red Bar in college, the students were involved and it went well . . . surely it would’ve looked good for the college to have had the students do this? It looks like another real waste of money.”

Malcolm Gauldie another 4th year, is angry about the amount spent on the interior design consultation. “I think there has to be an investment in the students and interior design is pretty superficial when you come down to it, we need more space, better tools for technicians to help the students and improved facilities.”

The support staff have also been affected with students noticing a decline in their work space and resources. Not only that but under a new job evaluation scheme, some staff claimed they could have their wages reduced by as much as a third in three years time. Miss Reid said: “The technicians help us get our degree, they’re essential whereas the projectors and things like that aren’t. These guys are integral to everything and are always here to help us. They should be getting a pay rise!” SquareOne can reveal that at a time some staff look set to lose money Ian Howard the Edinburgh College of Art Head took a 15% pay increase between 2005/6 and 2006/7 bringing his salary up to £112,608 per annum.

According to the ECA’s own website “operating costs are primarily met through government educational grants and student fees.” Despite this they state that “costs of essential student exhibitions such as the annual Fashion and Degree Shows must be met from sponsorship, ticket income and the generous support of our alumni and the general public.”

Michael Wood the College Secretary said that he had not received any complaints from students or staff on the issues raised. And went on to say that: “the College is committed to cost-effectiveness – it has now reduced its estate from 11 buildings to 4 which provides students with some of the best art and design facilities in the world, not just in the UK. The furnishings for students in the new building are the same as for the administrative departments – it would be a false economy to buy cheap, inferior designed furniture. The new building's interior design has recently won a top merit award in the US, which again promotes the College and Scottish higher education to the wider world in a very positive light. Both the architect of Evolution House and the lead interior design consultant are College graduates, so the institution does invest in its own home-grown talent.”

o

TARTENED UP

SquareOne News Feature

by Atholl Simpson

What do the FBI, a famous Russian family and Chinese dignitaries all have in common? No, this is not the beginning of a rather questionable joke nor is it another conspiracy theory. The answer is a kilt, or to be more precise, tartan.

These distinctive organisations and groups all have their own registered tartan, which has been recognised and approved by the Scottish Tartan Authority.

There is no requirement that stops groups from having their own tartan according to the authority’s Director, Brian Wilton. Neither Scottish blood nor Scottish connections are necessary, although it must be a unique design which is used.

“Quite a few people come with their own ideas, but a lot of them ask us to design them,” Wilton told SquareOne. “Tartan is the only design in existence into which you can include personal significance. A lot can be incorporated into it.”

One example is a tartan Wilton designed for a famous Russian family called the Lermontov’s. After discovering they had Scottish descendants they wanted their own tartan to be made. Wilton used the colours from their Coat of Arms to create the design, incorporating into it the blue and white from the Scottish flag. Many people from all over the world are very keen to have their own tartan.

“There is a huge interest. The Scots have a tremendous reputation worldwide for being hard working, creative and having strong family ties. Although these might be a bit outdated, by choosing a tartan they are aligning themselves with the strengths that Scots are known for.”

Recently he created tartan designs for the O2 company but has also developed many for the US military including the American Navy submarine hunters, who when asked by Wilton why they wanted their own tartan, told him that although they have no Scottish connections, they feel like a big family.

From November of this year the government will finally participate in the registration process after years of campaigning by the Scottish Tartan Authority. Before this decision, the authority had been ‘de facto’ the official register. The change will mean that all the past, present and future tartan designs will be kept in an official government database in the National Archives of Scotland, which is something that did not exist before. The authority will still be heavily consulted according to Wilton, and will still be in charge of the registering for some time to come.

“It’s only in recent years that the economic and cultural value of the tartan has come to be recognised and protected. It’s good news for us!”