Courtney Rile

Dear Nancy Cantor,

It is with utmost urgency that I ask you to override Jeff Hoone's decision to remove Astria Superak as Director of The Warehouse Gallery. If this decision stands, you are threatening the very environment of collaboration and innovation that you have worked so hard to create. I understand there may be another vision for The Warehouse Gallery, but Ms. Superak's departure is leaving a scar that will not be easily forgotten. She has been far too successful in building relationships here in Syracuse to have them severed without repercussions.

What kind of message do you want to send? Firing your young liaison to the contemporary art world says those who are interested in innovative programming are not welcome here. I am a model graduate of Syracuse University- I came here from Philadelphia and stayed after graduating because I was so passionate about Syracuse's potential. After three years of working in the arts (Coordinator of Greenberg In Syracuse: Then and Now, which traveled to the Palitz Gallery at the Lubin House; Curator of Videohm at Ohm Lounge, Marketing and PR Coordinator of Delavan Art Gallery; Coordinator of Th3, The Third Thursday, etc.) I am sorry to say this decision has squashed my confidence in what I thought was an upward swing.

The arts here are delicate. Ms. Superak has done some favors for us through her presence here. This sentiment is echoed in the hundred testimonial letters written to Mr. Hoone over the past week from students, curators, professors and professional artists from as far and wide as Toronto, Montreal, Florida and Texas. You are certainly not doing any favors for us by allowing her to be fired. You, the Chancellor with such an inspiring vision, can and should step in to reverse Mr. Hoone's decision. Ms. Superak's level of support should be increased. A supervisor who understands Ms. Superak's vision should be assigned to The Warehouse Gallery. CMAC is supposedly a new model for the administration and operation of art centers and museums. This action sets a horrible precedent. Please realize this has become more than an issue in the Human Resources department. This is a sign of your commitment to forward thinking.

Thank you for bringing us this far. Please continue to support the innovation you have started.

-Courtney Rile