1999-00 Planning and Review Committee
Consultant Recommendation
I.
Program Reviewed: Bachelors in Fine Arts in Art
Program Director: Paul DeLong
PRC Consultants: James Maxwell, Bob Peters and Annette Taylor
Date of Review: Spring 2000
Purpose of Review: This review is conducted to assess the quality of the program as a part of the
university systematic seven-year review of all academic degree programs.
Committee Findings: The PRC is recommending that the B.F.A. in Art program is to remain on a
seven-year review cycle. However, this program is scheduled for a status report in Spring 2002
which will address the concerns listed in the recommendation section of this report.
II.
Abstract:
The Bachelors in Fine Arts program includes a general education component with specific
preparation in art, design and art history to develop artists and designers. The National Association
of Schools of Art and Design accredits the program. Delivery of educational experiences that blend
art theory, studio application and experience, and design are combined with the general education
component to complete the program. These experiences yield graduates capable of filling creative
positions in business, education, and entertainment.
The program contains concentrations in Studio Art (71 credits), Graphic Design (69 credits),
Industrial Design (69 credits), Interior Design (69 credits), and Multimedia Design (69 credits).
Students must complete a minimum of 69 to 71 credits in art, 42 credits of general education course
work, and 14 to 16 credits in a major studies area for a total of 127 to 129 credits. The program
consists of five concentrations with graphic design containing the largest enrollment; industrial and
interior design relatively equal to one another and at a third the size of the graphic design
concentration. Studio art was the fourth concentration reviewed and it had the smallest enrollment.
Multimedia is a new concentration that is expected to draw enrollment from the graphic design
concentration and was not in place at the time of the review.
The program director, through the Interior Design concentration, has recently completed a selfstudy in preparation for an application for accreditation in the Foundation of Interior Design
Education and Research (FIDER). This would be the second accreditation within the program.
Fine Arts program students are required to maintain a 2.5 GPA in art and design course work and a
2.0 GPA in all other course work. Each student is required to participate in a mid-program review
of artwork and design materials. During the senior year, Studio Art concentration students
participate in a senor exhibition. Art and Design students must present a portfolio of their work
during the final semester in the program. Due to the demands of the program there are no free
electives however, students may add courses if they choose. The program is an ambitious four-year
degree plan with an average 16.5 credits per semester.
Current enrollment in the BFA program is 794 students as of fall 1998 as reported by UW-Stout
headcount, and is one of the largest programs on campus. The program director is responsible for
both the BFA program and Bachelors in Art Education program that includes approximately 140
students yielding a total of approximately 930 students in the two programs.
III.
Current Review Process:
Information regarding this program was gathered according to PRC guidelines and includes data
and responses from the following sources:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
Program Director Report to PRC
UW-Stout headcount by program
Placement Report from Placement Office
PRC Key Instructor Survey (N=8 of 27)
PRC Program Committee Surveys (N=1 of 8 to 12 possible respondents)
Follow-up surveys of graduates both one, and three-year Institutional Review
1997 (1 year) (22 of 65 responded)
1995 (3-year) (20 of 71 responded)
g. Cost per credit – as report by UW-Stout
h. Degree summary – as report by UW-Stout
i. PRC Student Surveys (N=88)
j. Planning and Review Committee Report of 1992-93
IV.
Previous Review:
The Bachelors of Fine Arts program was reviewed in 1993. Recommendations included:
1. Evaluate the adequacy of current fundraising efforts relative to the program’s needs and work
through the Stout Foundation to aggressively pursue corporate and individual support to
provide the equipment, supplies and materials needed for the program to function effectively.
If opportunities for Cooperative Education are seen as essential components of a quality student
experience, then resources must be found to provide them within the limitations of current
fiscal constraints. If additional resources cannot be secured to provide the supplies, equipment
or support services needed to offer a quality program, other options must be considered to bring
resources and enrollment into balance.
2. The ventilation problems and deficiencies of the Applied Arts labs should remain a high
priority of the university. Evaluate Applied Arts’ space allocations and assignments relative to
the size and special needs of each concentration, as well as the appropriateness of room
attributes and the needs of activities in them. Priority should be given to scheduled instruction
to ensure facilities that are adequate for class needs.
3. Establish advisory committees of practicing professionals for each of the four concentrations
who can provide industry contacts and better information and insights about trends,
competencies, career opportunities, and course content needed.
4. Investigate the opportunities for inter-department/inter-school cooperation, particularly in areas
that could give additional dimensions, perspectives or opportunities for application to the Art
program’s concentrations.
5. Develop a plan for informing students of services offered by the university’s Placement Office.
The plan should include ideas for enabling students to be acquainted with the office’s location,
staff and requirements in time for students to benefit from the contacts and services the office
provides. This could perhaps become the next step after the students’ mid-program review
assessment.
6. Provide opportunities for improving the effectiveness of teaching and advisement skills, and
encourage department faculty and staff to participate in university-sponsored development
programs on these topics. Develop a plan by which teaching effectiveness can be evaluated and
staff development opportunities provided even in the absence of additional operating funds.
7. Develop a plan for discussing and addressing issues and concerns identified by key instructors
and students. The plan should include:
(a)
(b)
analysis of course overlap or duplication in the several Art History courses, Evolution of
Design, or the second in such two-part courses as Interior Design II or Graphic Design II;
and
development of standards, criteria and examples of the level of performance that is
expected of students at mid-program review in order to reduce the perceived subjectivity
of evaluation and emotionality of the reviews.
The program director, department chair and dean have addressed several of the issues addressed in
the last review recommendations. Fundraising does not appear to be an issue at this point. A recent
remodel and addition to the Applied Arts building and Micheels Hall has eliminated many of the
facility problems that were experienced.
The program director reports that he is forming advisory committees relative to each concentration.
Likewise interdepartmental collaboration appears to have been fostered with the addition of
computer labs in Micheels Hall. Other collaboration efforts appear to take place in courses such as
Computer Aided Drafting. Sharing of resources and course work, where appropriate, appears to
benefit all involved.
The mid program review evaluation form was developed to address concerns of grading
subjectively. Several issues from the past report appear as potential areas where continued effort
should be directed.
The use of the University Placement Services continues to be rated low by program students.
According to the program director, the generic form of resumes and student presentations used by
Placement Services does not meet the needs of prospective employers who require presentations
and portfolio demonstration of the quality of work including color and uniqueness of design. It was
further stated by the program director that employers prefer to work directly with the art faculty to
recruit.
Advisement was again rated below the all university average and may need attention. Course
overlap appears to continue in areas such as Art History and Graphic Design I and II, based on
student survey responses.
V.
Program Review
Program Strengths:
Students and graduates rate the following program areas highly:
∙ Written communication
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Problem solving
Faculty accessibility for advisement
Instructor accessibility outside of class time
Up-to-date information
Courses achieving objectives
Testing and evaluation procedures appropriately measure learning
Accurate representation in program
Student confidence in preparation
Overall quality of the program
Additionally, most students would choose this major again if they were to do it over again.
Students felt that the program gave them a greater appreciation of ethnic diversity and that course
work effectively discouraged racism.
Students made many comments that reinforced the preceding strengths. A noteworthy observation,
student comments regarding strengths were also stated by others as weaknesses. Additionally,
many student comments appeared to address the shortcomings of being a student during the
building/renovation process. Comments of students post renovations should provide a clearer
picture of the facility issues.
Other program strengths appear to be the well-qualified instructors and the background students
receive in studio art.
Opportunities for Program Enrichment:
Keeping labs current remains a challenge. While the new labs may be appropriate today, the
hardware and software associated with computer technology will need to be replaced.
Establishment of a replacement cycle could assist with continued program development.
Concentration advisement committees can be of continuing help with the content of specific areas,
employment opportunities for students and advice regarding the future direction of the profession.
Students find some courses difficult to access, including courses with prerequisites where the
sequence is difficult to achieve, due to large numbers of students seeking entry into these courses.
Strategies are needed to reduce or eliminate course access problems encountered by students.
VI.
Recommendations:
Dean
1. Investigate the feasibility of separating the program direction of the Bachelor of Fine Arts and
the Art Education programs.
Dean and Department Chair
2. Develop a plan for the renewal of computer lab equipment and software.
3. Identify advisement issues and develop a plan to address concerns where possible. Creative
solutions by other programs include group advisement, four-year program plan sheets, etc.
Dean, Department Chair and Program Director
4. Continue to work with admissions to manage enrollment. Department chair and dean’s office
will need to collaborate to reduce class sizes where most appropriate and increase student
access to courses and course sequences that enhance student movement through the program.
Department Chair
5. Study student and advisor concerns regarding the advisement process. Develop and implement
a plan to improve advisement.
Department Chair and Program Director
6. Identify areas of course overlap and/or redundancy and work with department and faculty to
reduce or eliminate overlap or unnecessary redundancy.
Program Director
7. Seek accreditation for concentrations where appropriate and most useful for students and
graduates.
8. Continue to develop the assessment in the major process.
9. Develop a recruitment plan that targets students interested in underutilized concentrations and
target minorities where possible.
10. In conjunction with the program committee, develop an admission screening tool to be used
with enrollment management.
11. Investigate the need to actively continue all program concentrations.
12. Work with Placement Services to develop a plan to improve the use and services provided by
that office.