Let us come together to advocate for Anne just as much as she advocates for us!

It is time to fight back against the sudden dismissal of Anne Massoni as the Photography Program Director at the University of the Arts. Just days before the beginning of the Spring 2020 semester we received a disheartening email informing us that Anne Massoni was no longer serving as our program director. Coming as a complete unsuspected and unjust shock we saw an opportunity to use our power as students to make a change.  

Anne Massoni has dedicated the last 7 years of her career to improving the Photography Program at The University of the Arts. Anne has continuously supported her students and has advocated for us when we feel no one else in the university has cared enough. While improving the program as a whole, Anne has been an extremely present professor and advisor, and creates an open and safe space for her faculty, alums, and students, photography or otherwise.

With her door always open, Anne keeps any student that walks in her office a main priority. Once Anne's student, she always keeps you in mind. Anne constantly reaches out to her advisees and current, past, or future students, to notify them of industry opportunities while supporting them along the way to success. A place that was once a warm and welcoming space during our long days that turned into stressful semesters, we now see an already dark and locked office most of the time we pass. We looked to Anne Massoni as someone who was always there, and now we see a closed door.

Not only has Anne helped us as artists, but she also pushes us to balance creativity with professionalism, while not threatening our individuality. Anne stands as a role model who can run an entire department smoothly, while also being a successful independent artist and curator. She makes this environment run so we don't have to sweat the small stuff, academic or otherwise.

This sudden dismissal has shaken our department to the core. Not only the "photo family" of the 15th floor has been affected, but also the entire university. Anne Massoni's touch has gone far beyond photography.

Please help us now and take just a few moments to sign this petition in hopes of the REINSTATEMENT OF ANNE MASSONI. If Anne impacted you as a member of the UArts community, we also urge you to leave a short message of your experiences with her.

Thank you,
Lucia Klarin & Bari Pallarino                                                                                           Photography Class of 2021