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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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:
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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):
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•
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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.
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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.
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