Paier College outlines plans for University of Bridgeport
It would be fair to call Joseph Bierbaum the silent partner.
While his step-father, Goodwin University President Mark Scheinberg has been the face and the muscle behind an effort to buy the University of Bridgeport as a means to keep it afloat, Bierbaum has worked quietly to complete his part of the deal.
“There are about 18 places you need to go” for approvals, said Bierbaum, owner of the Paier College of Art in Hamden, in a recent interview.
Bierbaum, who first worked for the Paier family then bought their small college in 2018, is working to make UB’s Shintaro Akatsu School of Design programs part of his institution.
Paier, Goodwin and Sacred Heart University announced in June plans to acquire portions of the financially struggling UB’s majors and real estate. Sacred Heart eventually left the partnership.
Akatsu has several graphic and interior design majors and about 200 students housed in UB’s 10-story Arts and Humanities building on the corner of University and Iranistan Avenue. When absorbed by Paier, it will more than double the Paier enrollment, which was at 89 students in 2018 —and this fall jumped to 128 students.
“We are the little brother in this deal,” Bierbaum said.
UB had 4,155 students this fall, according to preliminary state enrollment counts.
Bierbaum has told city officials recently that he plans to keep UB staff who fall under the programs Paier is acquiring. The initial intent is also to keep Paier programs at its Hamden and Bridgeport campuses distinct, for now.
“Until we get down there, we really don’t know,” said Bierbaum.
The last remaining independent art college in the state, Paier was founded in 1946. Its current campus is a cluster of four concrete buildings that hug a residential neighborhood on one side and commercial strip on the other and was designed for about 150 students.
The college focuses exclusively on visual arts. Its interior classrooms are nondescript on purpose, according to Bierbaum, and have windows designed specifically to catch light a certain way.
“We don’t want things to come across as warm in a three hour drawing or painting studio,” Bierbaum said.
Paier’s undergraduate degrees include core curriculum but most students concentrate on courses in their respective majors, he said.
“We have well known artists that have come out of Paier,” said Bierbaum.
Alumni include Walter Wick, the photographic illustrator of the I SPY book series; comic book artist Howard Porter and illustrator Tim O’Brien, who has done Time Magazine covers, including one on April 23, 2018 of Donald Trump.
Copies of alumni work are included in book
stacks of the campus library, which still features a wooden card catalog.
Elsewhere, the architecture is custom designed with three-hour art studio classes in mind.
Bierbaum called UB a beautiful facility but said he wonders how the impact of all the natural light streaming in from windows on all sides will impact instructional space.
While Goodwin Univer
sity is getting most of the public attention during the takeover, some watching the metamorphosis said they are looking forward to Paier gaining a foothold into Bridgeport.
Alicia Robinson, director of performing and visual arts for the city school system, is a UB alum. She received both a bachelors in music and a masters degree in education with a concentration
in music at UB.
“I think Paier College of Art taking over their design program presents a real opportunity for our students who are interested in pursuing visual arts as a career,” Robinson said. “They have a reputable program and I’m hopeful they’ll be open to partnering in some capacity to create a funnel for our (Bridgeport Public School) art students.”