Students criticise ECA

Students at Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) have told The Journal how broken equipment is negatively effecting their education, following growing concerns over the institution’s financial position.

The Journal understands that, after being unreliable in the past, the exposure unit in the printmaking workshop is broken beyond repair. A replacement machine is expected to take “weeks” to arrive.

An ECA spokesperson told The Journal: “Estimates have been received and the order is in the process of being placed although, due to complex manufacturing issues, it may be some weeks before the new machine arrives.”

This has forced fourth year printmaker Alison Shave to abandon her intended project and take an entirely different approach, as the machine was essential to her technique.

“I have been left feeling annoyed and frustrated,” she told The Journal.

The unit broke days after the start of term. Rebecca Wilson, another specialist printmaker who commutes from Glasgow said: “It is very frustrating in a key year to walk into a department and find that there were already supply shortages and broken equipment.”

It was two weeks before the college confirmed it had ordered a new exposure unit.

Brian Park, a technician in the printmaking department, admitted communication was a problem at ECA. “Communication in the college has historically always been a problem as it is such a compartmentalised series of departments and schools.

“However, we get the message through in the end and fully sympathise when people feel out of the loop. This is obviously a problem felt by staff and students alike.”

The printmaking facilities as a whole have come under criticism. Student Rosamund Garrett told The Journal: “The sale of Inverleith House in 2007, which previously housed postgraduates and printmaking, was a major blow to printmakers as it squeezed the facilities into a smaller space only to be shared by more students.”

Beyond the printmaking workshop, cuts have seen restricted access to the Hunter Building since early October.

The spokesperson defended the college’s reputation, telling The Journal: “The recent press coverage about the financial position of the College reflects the increasingly constrained funding situation faced by higher education institutions across the UK, particularly small specialist institutions like the College.

“However, the College is doing everything in its power to make the best use of its resources to ensure students continue to receive the finest education.”

Responding to specific complaints they said: “The exposure machine in the printmaking workshop failed within the past few days and immediately measures were put in place to facilitate the ordering of a new machine.

“The Hunter Building entrance was closed because it was felt that visitors would receive a better service from the central janitors’ desk in the Main Building, and this has indeed proved to be the case... staff and students continue to be able to access the Hunter Building from two other points, with little or no inconvenience.”