CONSULTANT RECOMMENDATION REPORT Planning and Review Committee Consultant Recommendation I. Degree: BFA in Studio Art Date of Review: 2013-2014 Program Director: Amy Fichter PRC Consultant(s): Debra Homa and John Klem Purpose of the Review: This review was conducted to assess the quality of the BFA in Studio Art program as part of the ongoing seven-year review cycle of UW-Stout programs. Committee Findings: The PRC recommends continuation of this program through the next scheduled review in 2020 and that the recommendations made by the committee be implemented. Abstract: The BFA in Studio Art II. Process Followed for Current Review: The PRC consultants met with the program director to review the procedures and offer assistance. Data regarding several aspects of the program were collected from juniors and seniors currently enrolled in the BFA program, key faculty and alumni. The data were analyzed and returned to the program director and PRC members. The program director then completed the self-study report and presented the report to the PRC. The consultants then wrote the recommendation report. This report was forwarded to the Director of the School of Art and the Dean for their response. The PRC reviewed the dean’s response, approved the recommendation report and forwarded the report to the Faculty Senate. III. Previous Review Year: 2007-2008 Previous Recommendations for Program Director: 1. Work with the department chair and the dean to ensure that effective enrollment management continues. Response from the Program Director (from 2013 Self-Study. Note: Dean’s Response did not include Program Director or Chair response): Overall School of Art & Design enrollment for Fall 2013 is 814 majors. When including Art Education and Game Design & Development students, this total rises to 1130 students. The department chairs and program directors work to management enrollment, class sections, and class scheduling. At this time, enrollment for Studio Art could actually increase with the help of 1 better marketing and more focused recruitment, but this needs to be done with the large SOAD enrollment issues and facilities limits in mind. 2. Work with the dean to address the high administrative demands placed on department chair and program director. Response from the Program Director (from 2013 Self-Study): This concern has been remedied by creating five programs out of the one large BFA in Art program. There are now two departments, each with a separate chair; a Director of the School of Art & Design; and five program directors. This has made the workload much more manageable, made those positions more attractive to faculty members, and increased overall faculty morale. 3. Utilize the valuable industry advice provided by the Art and Design Professional Advisory Board, in order to keep the program up to date. No specific response available. 4. Support department chair’s efforts to recruit and retain qualified faculty and mentor junior faculty. Response from the Program Director (from 2013 Self-Study): This is less of a concern within the Studio Art program as it is in the design programs. The Department of Art & Art History has replaced three tenure-track faculty members in the past five years. Two of those replacements were due to retirement. Dividing up the BFA in Art into separate programs with manageable administrative workload has certainly helped retention and morale. Faculty workload and salaries remain significant concerns; however, the program has made some strong recent hires in Art Metals, Printmaking, and Sculpture and we hope to retain these quality instructors. 5. Work with faculty and department chair to review opportunities to enhance the curriculum in the area of history of art and design, and examine student interest in business oriented coursework. Response from the Program Director (from 2013 Self-Study): The art history curriculum has been updated. The art historians have introduced several new and revised courses in the past several years, including ARTH 256: Art and the Plague, ARTH 331: Art and Controversy, and ARTH 340: History of Interactive Media. The art historians have also taken several students on study-abroad and domestic travel experiences. The SOAD now has four tenure-track Art History faculty members. An Art History minor is currently moving through the curriculum approval process. ART 145: Practice of Art and ART 445: Senior Seminar are two courses in the Studio Art curriculum that directly address business practices for fine artists. Studio art representatives on the Professional Advisory Board have discussed the need for students to take more classes in such subjects as accounting/tax preparation, writing, and non-profit business practices (such as BUMKG 308: Marketing for Non-Profit Organizations). While the program covers some business topics in the curriculum, continued discussion and curriculum revision regarding this topic is needed, both at the course and program level. 2 6. Continue to explore opportunities for increased internships and Career Services support. Response from the Program Director (from 2013 Self-Study): The Studio Art program has had at least three students work at internships at the Soap Factory in Minneapolis in the past few years, as well as two students intern at the Ah Haa School for the Arts in Telluride, Colorado. While internships are traditionally more available for design students, and ART 490: BFA Thesis Exhibition course fulfills the experiential learning component for Studio Art students, finding (and/or helping students find) more internship opportunities in the fine arts industry is a goal of the program. 7. Work with faculty to maintain and improve student advisement. No specific response available. 8. Work with faculty to recruit a more diverse student population. Response from the Program Director (from 2013 Self-Study): 2012-13 minority enrollment for studio art is 45 out of 433 (these numbers represent those students in the BFA in Studio Art as well as those still in the BFA in Art, so is not a completely useful reflection). The School of Art & Design has worked with the admissions office in hosting multicultural preview days, and is currently planning one or more BFA Preview Day(s) specifically targeting multicultural, low-income, and first generation students. 9. Work to address student recruitment concerns in Industrial Design and Studio Art. Response from the Program Director (from 2013 Self-Study): Student recruitment remains an area of improvement for the Studio Art program. As the new program continues to move forward, this will be an area of focus. Previous Recommendations for Department Chair: 1. Continue efforts to recruit and retain qualified faculty and mentor junior faculty. 2. Work with the program director and the dean to ensure that effective enrollment management continues. 3. Work with the dean to address the high administrative demands placed on department chair and program director. 4. Work with faculty and program director to review opportunities to enhance the curriculum in the area of history of art and design, and examine student interest in Business oriented coursework. 5. Examine student concerns about limited course offerings and too large classes. 6. Work with dean to address need for enhanced facilities, equipment and software. 7. Work with dean to address need for increased technical and clerical support. Response from Department Chair: There is no listed response from the Department Chair for the 2007-2008 PRC report. 3 Previous Recommendations for Dean: 1. Continue valuable and effective work with program director and department chair to manage enrollment. 2. Support efforts of program director and department chair to better manage their administrative workloads. Consider additional course releases for both positions. 3. Support the efforts of the department chair to recruit and retain quality faculty. 4. Support the BFA program by allocating needed funding and positions to address the need for improved clerical and technical support. 5. Support the BFA program by allocating needed funding for enhanced facilities, equipment and software, and other resources. Response from Dean: Continue valuable and effective work with program director and department chair to manage enrollment. This remains a high priority for CAS. Over the past month alone, there have been numerous emails, conversations, and meetings between the dean, the program director, and the chair. Just last week there was a meeting between the individuals listed above and the Provost’s Office regarding enrollment management. CAS is committed to doing all in its power to maintain a positive balance between enrollment, funding, staffing and facilities to ensure the viability of the program. Support efforts of program director and department chair to better manage their administrative workloads. Consider additional course releases for both positions. CAS is acutely aware of the workload required of the chair and program director. Within the last few months we have increased the release time for the department chair. We are investigating avenues, within University guidelines, to address the workload of the program director. Support the efforts of the department chair to recruit and retain quality faculty. This has been a priority of the CAS Dean’s Office for many years. Over the past four years we have made a significant base budget investment to raise salaries throughout the college, with particular attention paid to faculty in Art & Design. In each of the last two funding cycles, faculty in the department have appeared prominently in our recommendations for Recruitment and Retention awards. Support the BFA program by allocating needed funding and positions to address the need for improved clerical and technical support. Over the last five years the CAS Dean’s Office has invested heavily in the Department of Art and Design by providing over $190,000 to hire LTE, technical support staff, and student workers. We have increased the FTE of the program assistant and provided additional financial support during the various accreditation report and visitation cycles. Our office continues its financial support of the Professional Advisory Board through funding of meals and travel. 4 Support the BFA program by allocating needed funding for enhanced facilities, equipment and software, and other resources. The Department of Art and Design has been the primary beneficiary of Lab Mod funding for CAS over the past 5 years ($436,597) and will continue to remain a major point of emphasis. Additionally, this office has made fund raising for Art and Design one of its top priorities IV. Current Year Program Review: Program Strengths-Indicate Source: • • • • • • Knowledgeable and supportive faculty committed to teaching and research (PD self-study, student survey, instructor survey) Evidence of student and alumni achievement through exhibitions, publications, and acceptance to graduate school (advisory committee survey, PD self-study) Program provides strong foundation in core areas of the field (PD self-study, advisory committee survey) Studio Art program is well-integrated with other courses and majors (PD self-study) Campus gallery available to showcase students’ work (PD self-survey, student survey, instructor survey) Collegial faculty that collaborates effectively with other departments (advisory committee survey, instructor survey) Issues of Concern-Indicate Source (NOTE: All issues of concern need to have a recommendation related to it. However, there may be some recommendations that don’t relate to a particular issue of concern): • • • • • Need for improved facilities due to outdated labs and inadequate space (PD self-study, student surveys) Funding issues affect program’s ability to meet ongoing needs for basic supplies and equipment (PD self-survey, student survey, instructor survey) Limited student access to studio space needed to complete projects outside of class (PD self-study, student surveys) Need for more student opportunities to gain experience in the field (student survey) Class sizes are too large for available space and restrict instructors’ ability to provide feedback (PD self-study) Recommendations for the Program Director: 1. 2. 3. Work with the Director of the School of Art, Dean, and Department Chair to upgrade and update labs. Work with the Department Chair to identify options for improving student access to studio space. Continue to explore opportunities for students to gain experience in the field. 5 4. Work with the Department Chair, Director of the School of Art, and the Dean to ensure that class sizes are maintained at levels that are appropriate for available space and instructional needs. Recommendations for the Chair(s) of Department(s): 1. Work with the Program Director, Director of the School of Art, and the Dean to address need for updated lab facilities and identify strategies for finding sufficient classroom space. 2. Work with the Director of the School of Art and the Dean to identify funding sources that will enable the program to meet its needs for supplies and equipment. 3. Work with the Program Director to identify possible solutions to increasing student access to studio space. 4. Work with the Program Director to increase field experience opportunities for students. 5. Work with the Program Director, Director of the School of Art, and the Dean to identify strategies for maintaining class sizes at a level that is consistent with available classroom space and instructional needs. Recommendations for the Director of the School of Art and the Dean: 1. Support efforts of the Program Director and Department Chair to address issues involving insufficient classroom space and need for enhanced facilities, equipment and software, and other resources. 2. Work with the Department Chair to identify funding sources for needed supplies and equipment. 3. Work with the Program Director and Department Chair to identify strategies for maintaining manageable class sizes. 4. Continue to support the efforts of the Department Chair to recruit and retain key faculty. 6