Opinions vary about the Central theatre department’s new partnership with the Seattle Film Institute (SFI).

According to Scott Robinson, chair of the theatre department at Central, SFI approached multiple different departments on campus about two years ago in hopes of creating partnerships that would allow their students easier access to bachelor’s degrees. Among these departments were art, business, film and theatre.

At SFI, students leave after one year of film-intensive study with a certificate, not a degree. Michael Smith, theatre professor and head of performance for the theatre department, sees this partnership as being very beneficial.

“I think one of the advantages of this is that it does offer the students the possibility of getting a BA or BFA,” Smith said. “And another thing that I think that they see, after taking classes there, is that they can take classes over here for their BA that would make them a much more rounded artist, a much more hirable performer. I think they would be able to compete much more readily in a really diverse market and an expended market.”

Robinson appeared somewhat biased towards four year students. He sees the university setting as not only beneficial for providing degrees, but also life experience and growth.

“There’s a certain amount of maturity that comes between 18 and 22,” Robinson said. “Just having a one-year certificate at 18 doesn’t make you the same kind of performer as somebody who has had a little bit more training and life experience for the next three or four years. So that’s a big bonus to really have the time to mature.”

Paul Bugallo, a senior theatre performance BFA, also said the partnership is advantageous.

“I think it’s a really good idea for both, because I think that our program could use more film training and film experience,” Bugallo said. “I think actors should be first in all kinds of acting, so I think that they should be able to get a full degree. When they come over here they’re actually able to get a bachelor’s degree, which is nice.”

Aside from the opportunities the partnership provides for SFI students to earn degrees, the transferable course credits established in the agreement could allow Central students to also attend SFI, for a more film intensive experience.

This choice of studying for one’s final year at SFI then returning to Central and applying for graduation, can seem illogical. But it is an option.

“Studying abroad is an option,” Smith said. “I think the more options you provide a student the more well-rounded their education could be.”

Aside from the benefits offered to students who wish to earn a degree at Central, this partnership also operates as a form of recruitment.

“The university as a whole is always looking for opportunities to recruit students,” Robinson said. “If you could have students come [SFI] and get what they’re offering and have an automatic track to be able to do what their parents want them to do, then everybody’s a winner.”