CCS Ad School Petition for Change

As alumni of the College for Creative Studies, we feel we have made a great
investment with our time and money to complete our education. We only hope
for the best for the College. We wish even more for the current students. We
want them to be challenged creatively and intellectually. We are paying for the
best education possible. However, there have been disturbing events that have
come to our attention recently.

In the world of advertising, CCS’s Ad Department is very new and unknown.
Alumni and current students combined, hope for a program to be developed
that puts CCS on the advertising map. And let the world know that great talents
are coming out of CCS.

Recently, students have been told to copying professional work, take all
personality out of their portfolios and truly creative ideas have been stompped
out. As we all know the industry is looking for Artist and true "creatives" the
old model of the Art Director is out the window.

While we feel that it’s necessary to be encouraged, motivated and pushed,
stealing and forcing another's ideas on student is not a way to inspire young
talent. Students should be free to explore and stretch their creativity. They
should also find individuality and stick out from the clutter of information out
there.

The business of advertising is ever changing. As future Art Directors, students
should be learning how to use their artistic abilities to adapt to the change. The
advertising department has tried to fit the past and present students into a
mold of what it believes an “Art Director” should be. Many have felt stifled
creatively. Many have also felt that more concern is put on the portfolio of the
department, rather than individual growth and finding their own strength.