The Academy of Art University (formerly known as Academy of Art College) was founded in San Francisco in 1929 by Richard S. Stephens. Since then, it has gradually expanded to occupy almost 30 buildings in the downtown area and with an enrollment of approximately 8,700 students, it is the second largest private school of art and design in the USA, directly behind the Savannah College of Art and Design.

University Students can choose to pursue AA, BFA, MFA, M-Arch, or Certificate programs in twelve majors: Advertising, Animation & Visual Effects, Architecture (MFA & M-Arch only), Computer Arts/New Media, Fashion, Fine Art, Graphic Design, Illustration, Industrial Design, Interior Architecture & Design, Motion Pictures & Television, and Photography. Students have the option to pursue many of their classes online. Actress Diane Baker heads the school's Acting program, which is the most recent addition to the university's degree offerings. Legendary ILM animator, Tom Bertino, heads the Graduate Dept. of the School of Animation. Rather than being centered within a unified campus, the university holds classes in a number of buildings, most of which are within a few blocks of each other in downtown San Francisco. There are classes in Several of the buildings, which are significant historical structures; in some cases, bought by the university to preserve them from demolition for commercial redevelopment. There are eleven student dormitories. Some dormitories are coed, some are not, and some occupy structures built in the early 20th Century. The university also has a limited number of student apartments. Residence facilities and all academic buildings are linked by an extensive school shuttle bus system, free to students, that runs both daytime and evening routes.

In the summer of 2005, the university purchased St. Brigid's Church on Van Ness Avenue from the Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco. The church was first opened as a parish in 1864 as a small wooden structure set on sand dunes. A large new stone church on the same site was completed in 1904 and survived the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and fires with relatively minor damage when a desperate fight finally stopped the spreading of such fires across the street from the church on Van Ness Avenue. The church had been closed by the Archdiocese in 1994 as a cost-saving measure. After a seismic restoration forecast to cost $7,000,000 USD, the university plans to use the church as a meeting hall, and its basement gymnasium will provide a long-needed sports facility for the school. Arrangement for access for former St. Brigid's parishioners (who have fought to re-open the church ever since its closure in 1994) have apparently been discussed, but no conclusions have been reached.

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David Lynch : Transcendental Meditation

What is the field of consciousness?
sanunit@iowatelecom.net Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:00:00 +0100
Can you explain about consciousness? The field of consciousness, the field of pure consciousness, as explained by Dr. John Hagelin, is also known as the Unified Field—the Unified Field found at the base of all matter. And it’s found at the base of all mind, at the source of thought. And this Unified Field is also beyond space and time. It’s unbounded and eternal; it’s beyond duality. It’s oneness; it’s unity. An [...]
Drugs or meditation
sanunit@iowatelecom.net Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:00:00 +0100
Have you ever used hallucinogenic drugs for inspiration, or have you done it entirely through meditation? I have smoked marijuana. But I don’t smoke it any more. And I was pretty lucky—and it’s a true thing. You know, I went to art school in the ’60s. So you can imagine what was going on. And yet my friends were the ones: they said, “No, no, no, David: don’t you take those drugs.”

How do ideas become a script?
sanunit@iowatelecom.net Wed, 13 Aug 2008 19:00:00 +0100
How do you find your ideas, and how do you form them into a script? That’s a beautiful question. I think a desire for an idea is like a bait. And I say it’s like fishing. You desire an idea. And when you go fishing, you know you have to have patience. And you bait your hook, and then you just kind of wait. But the desire is that bait that pulls those fish in—those ideas. And the beautiful thing is: when you catch one fish that yo [...]
Music and consciousness
sanunit@iowatelecom.net Sun, 10 Aug 2008 19:00:00 +0100
Can you explain how you use music to transform consciousness within your story? But it doesn’t expand—music doesn’t expand consciousness. The only thing that expands consciousness… You know, they have these so-called “consciousness raising” groups. What they’re doing is sharing information, or giving information. It doesn’t raise consciousness. Consciousness can be raised only by experiencing that d [...]
Does meditation protect you?
sanunit@iowatelecom.net Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:00:00 +0100
How can you just so fully commit to the violent, dark nature of life—mostly in Twin Peaks, I think, and all of them—how can you be so committed to that darkness without being harmed by it? And how does meditation help you with that? In a way—this is a strange thing, but it’s a true thing in my experience–bliss is like a flack jacket. Bliss is like a protecting thing. If you have so much bliss, they say it’s [...]
Where to meditate, even on location
sanunit@iowatelecom.net Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:00:00 +0100
Could you share your technique for being able to meditate twice a day while you’re shooting your films? Yes. I wanted this meditation. And I think that the key is this desire for it. And where it came from, you know, I don’t know for sure, but I wanted it. And so I have never missed a meditation in those 32 years, twice a day, morning and afternoon. You wake up, you do your meditation, and then you go about your business. And in the ev [...]

Education: News & Videos about Education - CNN.com

Math tests for kindergartners?
Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:48:00 -0400
The city is asking public school principals to consider giving math tests to kindergartners, a proposal that comes amid debate over the growing use of standardized tests nationwide.
Mom finds U.S. lagging in early education
Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:56:00 -0400
That's my girl, I thought, as Olivia tore away from us to join the other 5-year-olds for circle time -- legs crossed, hand stick-straight in the air in response to the teacher's question about how the kids spent Father's Day.
U.S. Colleges' Green Grade: C-
Sun, 24 Aug 2008 17:00:00 -0400
Campuses may be getting greener, but college curriculums are falling behind in teaching students the basics of global warming and sustainability

UN News Centre - Culture, Education

UN agency gives laptops to youth at technology conference
Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500
The United Nations technology agency announced today that it will give away free laptops to each of the young participants attending its Asia conference in Bangkok this weekend.
Top UN envoy in Liberia stresses importance of education
Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500
Liberian children deserve the opportunity to attend school, the top United Nations envoy to the West African nation said today, calling on families to make their children's education a priority as the country rebuilds after years of civil war.
UNESCO chief deplores murder of senior Iraqi cultural official
Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500
The head of the United Nations culture agency today condemned the murder of a senior Iraqi Government official who had long worked to protect and preserve his country's cultural heritage.

U.S. Department of Education

Grant to Utah to Help Create More Charter Schools
Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:14:00 -0000
ED's Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement Doug Mesecar visited Guadalupe Schools in Salt Lake City today to present an $8,533,334 Charter Schools Program grant to the Utah State Department of Education. Utah's Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert and Vice Chairman of the Utah State Board of Education Mark Cluff joined Mesecar for the announcement.
Career and Technical Education Grants
Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:08:00 -0000
ED has awarded a total of $750,000 in grants to six states to help strengthen and enhance career and technical education (CTE) programs. Indiana, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Nebraska, Florida, and Hawaii have received grants to support partnerships that will create new CTE programs, or adopt existing ones, that will align secondary and postsecondary education courses needed to prepare students for further education and employment.
Teaching Resources: U.S. History, Polar Sciences, Countries of the World and More
Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:37:00 -0000
The Constitution, U.S. government, international relations, nations of the world, pivotal moments in U.S. history, early childhood education, calculator-controlled robots, and polar sciences are topics of new resources at FREE, the website that makes teaching resources from federal agencies easier to find.

BBC News | Education | UK Edition

Database of children is delayed
Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:09:13 -0000
A database of every child in England due to be piloted in October has been delayed for the second time.
Seven-year-olds' results plateau
Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:22:33 -0000
Results for England's seven-year-olds in national curriculum tests remain at the same level as last year.
'Positive' key classroom results
Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:03:25 -0000
School assessments show improvements but still a gap between girls and boys in Wales.
Young 'dreaming of living abroad'
Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:12:04 -0000
Seven out of 10 young people want to work abroad one day - but most do not have a second language, research suggests.
Nigerian state bans co-ed schools
Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:19:11 -0000
Bauchi State in Nigeria bans girls and boys from going to schools together because of poor performance.
Drop in 'good' childminders
Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:06:50 -0000
A smaller proportion of childminders in England are offering childcare rated "good", says Ofsted.
Exam board to help sort out Sats
Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:11:58 -0000
Exam board Edexcel is given a contract to provide "back-room" support for the remarking of England's Sats papers.
All pupils to learn about slavery
Tue, 26 Aug 2008 10:36:12 -0000
Slavery and the British empire is being made a compulsory part of the secondary school curriculum in England.
Students taught computer hacking
Tue, 26 Aug 2008 09:33:25 -0000
A university offers a postgraduate degree in computer hacking and security so students can help protect systems.
Big jump in top GCSE exam grades
Thu, 21 Aug 2008 10:21:51 -0000
There has been the biggest annual rise since 1990 in the proportion of GCSE exams awarded the best grades.
Roma's struggle
Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:19:51 -0000
Czech attitudes change following landmark ruling
Subject by subject
Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:32:49 -0000
Compare your grades with everyone else's
More pressure
Thu, 21 Aug 2008 09:19:38 -0000
New target hanging over hundreds of schools.
Quads celebrate
Thu, 14 Aug 2008 09:58:24 -0000
University and A-level success for awesome foursome
Sats 'shambles'
Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:48:52 -0000
What next for England's troubled testing system?
E-mail us
Tue, 10 Jun 2008 13:22:01 -0000
How to contact the BBC News website education team
Languages still slipping at GCSE
Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:52:54 -0000
Fewer people are taking modern languages and fewer GCSEs have been taken overall, results from the exam boards show.
Results show regional variations
Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:47:50 -0000
The first breakdown of results in England's GCSE entries reveals regional differences, with the North East and London doing well.
Schools keen to pass 30% target
Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:15:31 -0000
Many secondary schools will be discovering whether they have beaten a new government GCSE target.
Pushy parents can act as agents
Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:30:18 -0000
Parents can now act as agents to handle their children's university applications - and then turn up for the interviews too.
No quick exit from GCSE challenge
Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:08:22 -0000
Even if GCSE results this week raise schools above the 30% threshold, they can remain in the National Challenge programme.
Decline in number of childminders
Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:53:19 -0000
The number of childminders in England has continued falling in the face of increasing regulation.
US to back 21st century learning
Tue, 19 Aug 2008 07:51:13 -0000
The US Congress backs plans to bring technological advances from the business world into the classroom.
University used in Nigerian scam
Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:55:33 -0000
The name of Liverpool Hope University is being used in an internet scam in Nigeria.
Teacher concerns over CCTV
Sun, 17 Aug 2008 23:22:41 -0000
Many teachers say they are concerned about "hidden" surveillance cameras located in their schools.
Sats marking contract is scrapped
Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:55:42 -0000
The contract between exams authority the QCA and troubled marking firm ETS is ended by "mutual consent".
Cash for youth diversity projects
Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:52:46 -0000
Children's Minister Beverley Hughes allocates £4.5m to programmes to unite youngsters from different backgrounds.
'Bravest' students do not cheat
Sun, 17 Aug 2008 23:08:42 -0000
The most courageous students are least likely to cheat in class, US researchers say.
A-level results show big divide
Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:23:01 -0000
Exam boards have given a regional breakdown of A-level results for England for the first time, showing big differences.
Thousands call university hotline
Thu, 14 Aug 2008 16:09:30 -0000
Record numbers of students call the university admissions line after receiving their A-level results.
What future for schools?
Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:38:48 -0000
Mike Baker considers the big picture of where schools should be heading in the future.
Tests - do we still need them?
Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:00:26 -0000
Mike Baker considers whether the "high stakes" testing regime is still needed.
Future of league tables
Fri, 18 Jul 2008 13:37:46 -0000
Mike Baker says it is hard to see how performance tables can be published on the basis of this year's school tests.
Was there ever a golden age?
Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:37:54 -0000

Digging for hope
Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:33:14 -0000
English teenagers help African village build classrooms
'Try teaching' scheme booming
Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:06:40 -0000
A scheme that gets American graduates to try teaching in tough areas before other careers is proving a hit.
When pupils are too shy to learn
Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:16:57 -0000
"Invisible children" too shy to put up their hands could be helped by a scheme to boost their social skills.
Multiple difficulty?
Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:07:09 -0000
Why multiple choice exams trouble dyslexics
What is BBC News School Report?
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:13:39 -0000
Find out more about the project which motivates secondary students around the UK to make and broadcast their own news.

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