Academy of Entertainment and Technology Faculty

Let's look at the faculty members for Santa Monica College's Academy of Entertainment and Technology. Here's a list taken from AET's website on or about February 25, 1999. Let's see how many of these individuals are still teaching at AET as of Spring Semester 2006. I've indicated those who taught in 1999 and who still remain with an asterisk after their names.

01.) James Keeshen, Professor, Computer Animation * (Jim Keeshen Course Syllabus)
02.) Philip van Allen, Associate Professor, Interactive Media (now teaches at Art Center)
03.) Brad Ableson (taught storyboards, works for Film Roman)
04.) Don Beck
05.) Jack Bosson
06.) Lorraine Bubar
07.) Heidi Crane
08.) Jack Duganne *
09.) Jeff Floshinsky (should be spelled, "Jeff Folschinsky", designs sound for theme parks)
10.) Leanne Good
11.) Pauline Greene
12.) Adrienne Greenheart (works for Philip Van Allen)
13.) Tony Grillo
14.) Howard Gross
15.) Jerry Hamby (received a consultant contract for SMC under Broadband Multimedia)
16.) Warren Heaton * (works with Clive Henrick at Ractive Media)
17.) Clive Henrick (works with Warren Heaton at Ractive Media)
18.) Sherry Hoffman (worked as a marketing director for Universal Studios)
19.) Cathy Karol-Crowther *
20.) Bill Lancaster (no courses, but AET Dept. Chair)
21.) Ford Lowcock
22.) Daniel Manahan (teaches 3D Studio Max Modeling and Computer Animation)
23.) Joddy Nicola * (worked for Jim Keeshen Productions)
24.) Kimberly Robinson *
25.) Chad Shattuck (animator for Rhythm & Hues, a client of Jim Keeshen Productions)
26.) Steven Sidelinger (now teaches at Otis College of Art + Design)
27.) John Sisti
28.) Frank Stiefel (no courses, but Board President of the SMC Foundation)
29.) David Schwartz
30.) Norland Tellez (storyboard artist for Seth MacFarlane's Family Guy TV Show)
31.) Sherm Thompson
32.) Kim Unger
33.) Robert Ware
34.) Jody Zellan (should be spelled, "Jody Zellen," here's her resume)

Seven years later, only 6 of the 34 AET professors continue to teach Entertainment Technology courses. That's only a fifth of the original names left. That's a very poor retention rate of what SMC had referred to as qualified industry professionals. Where's the commitment to the AET program? Why did these individuals leave?

Here's some current names on the Spring 2006 roster who have replaced them:

01.) Ian MacGillivray
02.) Jeannie Novak
03.) PJ Abode (graduate of AET)
04.) Bechtel J A
05.) David Javelosa
06.) Zeny Baduel
07.) James Reilly (graduate of AET, created the original AET website)
08.) Joey Jones
09.) Chris Fria
10.) Eggert M L
11.) Eric Gerds
12.) Uzan D
13.) Tim Brady
14.) Kaman G
15.) Michael Cameneti
16.) Fletcher Beasley
17.) Castillo T R
18.) Lee A
19.) Taylor R F
20.) Williams V J
21.) Will Cunningham
22.) Jan Nagel (worked for Jim Keeshen Productions)
23.) Post D J

Adding the original 6 faculty members who still teach at AET, that's five less instructors than in 1999. That's pretty close to the same number from 7 years ago. It will be interesting to see how many of these individuals remain in another 7 years.

-- Des Manttari,
Editor-in-Chief,
Phoenix Genesis

(c) 2006: Phoenix Genesis/MBS LP

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