by Chiara Spagnoli Gabardi

Tim Marshall has made a name for himself, in the world of academia, creating innovative programs in design, research and education. Before joining Parsons in 2004, he was the director of Academic and International Programs at the University of Western Sydney and taught photography and visual communication design and research. As dean of Parsons School of Design from 2006 to 2009, he led a major restructuring effort to emphasise a multicultural faculty and a more integrated and comprehensive suite of undergraduate and graduate degrees. Ever since 2009 he is Provost and Chief Academic Officer of the Athenaeum that has made history for its forward-thinking approach in welding the arts with social sciences: The New School

In this Exclusive Interview Tim Marshall shares his ideas and experience about the direction education is heading today:

The New School for Social Research was founded by a group of university professors and intellectuals in 1919 as a modern, progressive, free school. How does it comply to its motto in the 21st century? How is it progressive today?

The New School has always been progressive and free, in terms of not having a government or a religious institution telling us what to do. We make our way in this world. You can see that in the history of the school: from the very beginning it went into a new area of intellectual education. In general terms in order to remain free is not to overly subscribe necessarily exactly to what was happening in the faculty during the founding, otherwise that becomes increasingly conservative in time. I think it’s a very common problem when you have a radical moment and everyone just wants to remain there forever more. I think it’s more about living to the spirit, than living to the actuality of it. In the spirit we have remained progressive in the 21st century, by intertwining fields. That is our greatest capacity. We have unusually a very particular and rigorous story of social research to our institution and very prominent comprehensive art design school: Parsons. Social research and design are the pillars of the school and where we have placed our vision for the future. Intertwining the social research with a creative action, based on dealing with the world, can be very powerful and innovative. The key in being progressive today therefore is this constant agitation, being on edge and challenging ourselves. We never rest on laurels and always question ourselves on how we can address society’s biggest issues and needs. I think we are getting better in putting the pieces together. Everything is so intertwined that you need more than one discipline to have an impact on the world. You need this collective enterprise.

The New School’s open intellectual environment also comes from the selection of progressive educators. What do you look for in Professors nowadays?

We attract and look for people who think outside the box. In Parsons too. We are on the look out for faculty who do not fit in a traditional disciplinary departmental mould. We are increasingly looking for hybrid faculty, who are able to go from one space – where they think very theoretically – and then be very comfortable in walking into a more proactive space – where things get done. Professors must be able to embody the capacity of moving in and out of the rigour of theory and productive generative action.

How much do classes at The New School incorporate current issues?

The New School has been incredibly good both in putting new degree programs and in creating new ways of teaching incorporating current issues; we have built our reputation over this. Sustainability and social justice are just a few of the many issues we are addressing in different topics, rather than approaching them as a sub-specialism, as if they were a professional domain that is unto itself. But if we really want to be effective, for instance in terms of sustainability, we will make sure every single class where students are learning about putting something in the world, has an environmental impact that students have to take that into account. This is making students aware of the world surrounding them. What they can not do is beg ignorance. Even more in the age of social media, where news travel fast.

As someone who won recognition for being an innovative creator of academic programs, do you think constructivist teaching methods have taken over the traditional theoretical approach?

There is a place for everything and students will respond differently to education. Needs are different. I never wanted to become completely homogenous in my teaching approach, but I definitely lean towards the constructivist method. There are critiques for sure, but most students are more likely to learn in a way that gives real agency to that knowledge, to use it in an effective way, through that learning approach. As regards The New School, we were founded by John Dewey, who came up with this whole concept, so this is absolutely in our DNA, to make learning more socially engaging.

In this six period as Provost what achievements have given you greatest satisfaction?

When I was the Dean of Parsons I had a huge complete rethink of the school, in every dimension, concerning curricula and faculty. My greatest joy was to have the opportunity to hire various worldwide professors, who were coming because of this vision. As Provost of The New School the greatest satisfaction is to see the momentum behind this approach of social research, in all the things we do, especially how they are picked up by students in ways you would have never imagined.

Were you aware that The New School is mentioned in Harper Lee’s new novel Go Set a Watchman? What does it feel like to discover that a Pulitzer Prize Author mentions it as one of the beacons of knowledge?

The New School pops up in a number of places, books, films, and television shows. Naturally it was very flattering to be featured in Harper Lee’s new novel, since she is such an institution and is so much affiliated with the South of the US. It is definitely a major thrill, besides giving immense buzz to The New School.

 In a few years The New School will celebrate 100 years, how influential do you think it has been in spreading the Continental Philosophy throughout the century?

The Graduate Faculty of Political and Social Science was founded in 1933 as the University in Exile, getting inspired by the old continent’s philosophy and being influential in academic institutions back in Europe. This remains for that European tradition, although there is a lot of skepticism in the US about the Continental philosophy. But we have a lot of European connections, both in students and faculty. We also have many Latin American and Asian faculty, so we are very global with educators and also students. We want to be a vibrant intellectual cultural hub in the heart of New York, since the city has that reputation, and The New School has embodied that in a very particular way.

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