ACADEMIC PROGRAM REVIEW
RESPONSE AND ACTION PLAN FOR DEGREE PROGRAMS REVIEWED IN 2006-08
Report to be presented to the Vice President for Academic Affairs
Program reviewed during 2006-08: A.S in Fine and Performing Arts (FA)
Date of site visit: February 13-15, 2008
QCC Steering Committee:
Professor Bob Rogers, Chairperson, Art and Photography
Dr. Aaron Krac, Chairperson, Health, Physical Education and Dance
Professor Elyn Feldman, Health, Physical Education and Dance
Professor Joseph Nagler, Chairperson, Music
Professor Kip Montgomery, Music
Dr. Thomas Smith, Chairperson, Speech Communication and Theatre Arts
Professor Georgia McGill, Speech Communication and Theatre Arts
Administrative Support:
Dr. Karen Steele, Dean for Academic Affairs
Prof. Michel Cuomo, Faculty Fellow, Academic Affairs, on leave from Department of Speech
Communication and Theatre Arts
Dr. Archie Calise, Director of Institutional Planning and Records
Ms. Anna May Jagoda, Director of Institutional Research and Assessment
External Reviewers:
Jon Esser, Associate Dean, School of the Arts,
Purchase College, SUNY (chair)
Mare Hieronimus, Adjunct Professor, Department of Dance
LIU/Brooklyn Campus
Dr. Wayne Pevey, Professor Emeritus of Theatre Arts,
Suffolk Community College, SUNY
Dr. Edward Smaldone, Director, Aaron Copland School of Music
Queens College, CUNY
RESPONSE REPORT AND ACTION PLAN FOLLOWING ACADEMIC PROGRAM REVIEW
Prepare a separate response for each program reviewed, using the outline below:
Program reviewed: A.S. in Fine and Performing Arts
1. Corrections of any factual errors in reviewers’ reports
2. Major conclusions of self study
While FA1 is a single degree program, the component departments are distinct in their
governance, composition and curriculum. The college has provided a curriculum that is
responsive to the individual needs of the four disciplines. Support services are well integrated
into the students’ learning experiences in the program. The program offers a strong array of
courses that integrate and collaborate with the college’s offerings in the liberal arts and that meet
the general education objectives. Learning objectives for the arts, which were created as part of
the self study, are meant to address the distinct nature of training artists while partnering with the
general education objectives. The curriculum has integrated a number of the college’s learning
initiatives in improving student success. Lower divisional retention is an ongoing challenge, as
is successful exit from remediation.
3. Major conclusions of external reviewers
The external review noted the strength of the faculty and staff and the regard in which they are
held by the students. Faculty members are well credentialed with an impressive record of
creative research. Strong evidence of student learning was exhibited. The instructional and
student support services were observed to be robust. The Humanities Theatre and QCC Art
Gallery were said to be cultural magnets; yet better integration with the curriculum was advised.
Other architectural resources were considered inadequate and in some cases unsafe. A building
dedicated to the program was advised to include more integrated and cross-disciplinary
experiences, which should be a priority for the program. A strategic plan for the program should
be developed, as well as a local advisory board of professional artists. The budget for student
productions was deemed inadequate and should be outside the purview of student affairs.
Faculty course loads were considered burdensome, and there as a need for more faculty release
and development opportunities.
4. Proposed action plan and timetable (next five years)
The creation of the Visual and Performing Arts Academy in Fall 2008 may prove to be an
important mechanism and unified in the advancement of the common goals of the four arts that
comprise the program. The academy will encourage dialogue and collaboration among all
faculty in the arts, as well as active recruitment of academy members. Major curricular changes
have already taken place in the Theatre Arts concentration, and the other three arts are examining
revisions. Cornerstone courses have been identified, and along with Writing Intensive courses,
will be implemented as central high impact strategies. Assessment of courses in each of the
disciplines is underway for the next two years. Architectural issues need to be addressed and
each discipline has prioritized a list of facilities improvement requests.