President Knapp Testifies on Vision for Corcoran Agreement

By Brittney Dunkins

George Washington University President Steven Knapp took the stand at the D.C. Superior Court on Tuesday to provide testimony outlining the university’s vision for the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design, which would be established through a historic agreement among GW, the Corcoran and the National Gallery of Art.

Dr. Knapp said that GW is committed to ensuring the academic future of Corcoran students as members of the university community while also preserving the historic mission of founder William Wilson Corcoran during the evidentiary hearing on the Corcoran’s cy près petition.

A final decision regarding the cy près petition will be made at the close of the hearing. D.C. Superior Court Judge Robert Okun granted the hearing following his ruling last Monday that seven current students, one faculty member and one staff member of the Corcoran have a special interest and right to intervene in the approval of the petition.

Approval of the petition is necessary for the agreement among the three parties, which was finalized in May, to move forward.

“We are excited about the prospect of having the faculty, students and legacy of the Corcoran become a part of our institution,” Dr. Knapp said. “This partnership is an opportunity to create a historic and powerful example of arts education in our nation’s capital and a true model of what arts education in the 21^st century can be.”

Dr. Knapp reaffirmed the university’s commitment to providing world-class cross-disciplinary academic opportunities to incoming Corcoran students and faculty that utilize the resources of GW’s 13 colleges and schools, including the seven existing arts departments.

He said that incoming Corcoran students will also benefit from university services including academic advising, health and wellness services, opportunities for civic engagement and public service and career services.

“This partnership is an opportunity to create a historic and powerful example of arts education in our nation’s capital."?

- George Washington University President Steven Knapp?

"As a university, we attract students who want to engage in practice, and we emphasize teaching through practice,” he said. “We look forward to collaborating with Corcoran faculty to find opportunities for students to combine different areas of study.”

GW has extended a one-year contract to full-time Corcoran faculty members. Dr. Knapp said that the curriculum for Corcoran students will be enhanced through collaboration among Corcoran faculty, existing GW faculty and a director, who would serve as “chief academic leader” for the newly established Corcoran School.

Should the agreement be implemented, currently enrolled or admitted Corcoran students will graduate from GW under the same requirements that they were admitted or enrolled.

“We think it is important that when students graduate, they are able to go into a profession that is based on their passions rather than their financial need,” Dr. Knapp said.

The university also is committed to the Corcoran’s tradition of having students and faculty display their artwork at the historic Corcoran building located at 500 17^th Street, NW. The facility, built in 1897, is the second location of the Corcoran and is known as the Flagg Building in honor of designer Ernest Flagg. ?

Dr. Knapp said that the university will undertake an initial $25 million renovation to maintain the structural integrity of the Flagg Building and develop plans over time to complete renovations to enhance academic and programming space that would be financed through fundraising and university operations.?Those renovations, including the?initial repairs, are estimated at $80 million.

“What matters in this agreement is the mission,” Dr. Knapp said. “GW’s mission is to preserve this historic arts institution in the nation’s capital and help students take advantage of the opportunities that we can offer through this agreement.”