1
I.
Program Overview
The Department of Theatre and Dance pursues the following mission and vision:
MISSION STATEMENT
The Department of Theatre and Dance is dedicated to fostering its arts by mentoring and educating
students while integrating practical training with academic studies, and by cultivating an audience.
VISION STATEMENT
The Department of Theatre and Dance will exhibit and promote the highest standards of artistry,
professionalism, diversity, and collaboration in arts training, education, and scholarship.
Theatre and Dance’s graduate program addresses the Department’s mission and vision by
offering an MA degree, an MFA degree with four different emphases, and—in conjunction with
the Department of Philosophy and the Schools of Art and Music, a PhD in Fine Arts. The
Department and its programs achieved accreditation by the National Association of Schools of
Theatre in 2004 and will stand for review in 2009.
The Master of Arts curriculum provides a general overview of theatre and dramatic arts. MA
studies culminate in a written thesis. The objective of the MA program is to prepare its
graduates for further graduate studies or to pursue careers in secondary theatre education.
The Master of Fine Arts curricula provide concentrations in Arts Administration, Design,
Performance and Pedagogy, and Playwriting. Depending on the concentration, MFA students
complete their studies with either a written thesis or a project. The objective of the MFA
programs is to prepare the graduates to practice their chosen arts in professional theatre, to
pursue PhD studies, or to secure teaching positions in secondary or higher education.
In addition to a 15-hour fine arts core of courses in Art, Music, and Philosophy, the Fine Arts
Doctoral program permits each student to pursue two Theatre concentrations chosen from the
following five tracks: Acting/Directing, Arts Administration, Design, History/Theory/Criticism,
and Playwriting. PhD studies culminate in a dissertation that may be a traditional historical or
critical study, a professional problem, or an internship. This unique doctoral program combines
a breadth of backgrounds in the Fine Arts and Aesthetics with depth in Theatre. The objective of
the Ph.D. program is to prepare graduates for careers in higher education. Many graduates of the
program have gone on to serve as department chairs or deans.
The Department requires both academic education and practical training in the arts and actively
works to keep these two elements in lively interaction. Along with their academic studies, most
Theatre graduate students obtain teaching experience as Graduate Part Time Instructors and also
participate actively in the Department’s extensive play production program. As a result, they
accumulate substantial experiences and typically have excellent success in finding employment
in their chosen fields.
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II.
Graduate Curricula and Degree Programs
A. Scope of programs within the department
Master of Arts The Master of Arts degree in theatre arts requires a minimum of 30 semester
hours beyond the baccalaureate. The curriculum encompasses a wide variety of theatre classes.
The emphasis is on a breadth of theatre knowledge. Completion of the MA degree requires a
thesis and a final exam.
Master of Fine Arts The Master of Fine Arts degree is a terminal professional degree that
provides for intensive concentration in performance and pedagogy, design, playwriting, or arts
administration. A minimum of 60 hours is required beyond the baccalaureate. Completion of the
MFA degree requires a thesis or a thesis project. In the case of arts administration, performance
and pedagogy, and design candidates, the thesis project is based on a performance or production
project accomplished during their program. In the case of playwriting candidates, the thesis is
based on a script that is produced during their program.
Our MFA Arts Administration program offers a combination of theoretical and practical work in
all aspects of arts management. In addition to completing the course work requirements,
management students assume primary managerial responsibility for a major project and complete
three arts administration practica and one internship. Commingling MFA and PhD in Fine Arts
students in classes creates a stimulating intellectual atmosphere. We base our management
program on the philosophy that artists with training in management make the best fine arts
managers. Because of this philosophy, we admit students who can provide three letters of
recommendation confirming their competence in theatre arts. Our graduates are eminently
employable. They now serve as teachers, theatre managers, promotion directors, college
departmental chairpersons and deans throughout the nation.
The MFA Performance and Pedagogy is a 60 hour program. Course offerings include Period
Styles in Acting, The Teaching of Acting, Seminar in Directing Methods, Studies in the
Production of Pre-Modern Drama, Advanced Directing, Studies in Contemporary Theatre, and
Problems in Directing, as well as numerous electives that enhance students’ potential as theatre
artists. Students are encouraged to participate in the department's production program. The
University Theatre produces four or five Mainstage productions each year, and at least seven
productions are offered in the Lab Theatre. Open auditions are held each semester for these
productions. In addition, MFA students may participate in various performance projects and
scenes that are showcased.
MFA Design students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with all aspects of stage design
(scenery, lighting, costume and sound) in the belief that too much specialization, too early, is
stifling to their growth and development as theatre artists, while a broader exposure teaches
understanding and cooperation among theatre artists. Design students at Texas Tech are
expected to complete production design assignments each term to obtain practice in production
the skills they develop in the classroom. The program in design offers a student the opportunity
to study a variety of courses including the latest computer drafting and drawing techniques.
These courses, in addition to Theatre Planning, Collaboration, and other standard course
Theatre and Dance
3
offerings, provide a selection of study that permits students to design a unique course of study
suited to their career objectives.
PhD in Fine Arts
The department participates with the faculties in art, music, and
philosophy in a multidisciplinary program leading to the PhD degree in Fine Arts. The Theatre
Arts component emphasizes a combination of practical and academic studies. The program
provides theatre artists with a broad arts education that will prepare them for leadership roles in
the fine arts, and particularly in theatre organizations.
Doctoral students whose major area is theatre can choose two of the following tracks of
concentration: acting and directing; design; history/theory/criticism; arts administration; and
playwriting. Work towards the degree is both scholarly and practical, requires a minimum of 60
semester hours at the graduate level beyond the master’s degree, includes a rigorous
comprehensive examination, and culminates in a dissertation requirement that allows a choice of
several avenues of research.
Applicants for the PhD program with the major area of theatre must have completed a master’s
degree or its equivalent in theatre or a related field. Applicants must meet minimum Graduate
School requirements, be recommended by the faculty, and be approved by the Graduate
Committee within the college.
B. Number and types of degrees awarded
Degrees Awarded - Academic Year (THAD)
Source: Institutional Research Services
25
20
15
10
5
0
99/00
00/01
01/02
02/03
03/04
04/05
Bachelor
12
14
17
13
21
16
Masters
3
7
3
8
5
4
Doctorates
0
2
5
4
1
2
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4
Total Degrees Awarded by Year - AY (THAD)
Source: Institutional Research Services
30
1
25
2
5
4
5
2
20
7
15
3
4
8
0
3
21
10
17
5
0
12
14
16
13
99/00
00/01
01/02
02/03
03/04
04/05
Doctorates
0
2
5
4
1
2
Masters
3
7
3
8
5
4
Bachelor
12
14
17
13
21
16
One notable item is the reduced number of PhD graduates in 03/04 and 04/05. This falls into
place with the number of accepted PhD students in 00/01. With the acceptance of more students
in the recent years, we suspect the number will better reflect the acceptance/graduation ratio.
Similarly, we suspect graduation in the master’s program to exceed the previous numbers in the
next few years.
Theatre and Dance
5
Comparison of Degrees
Aw arded - Fall Data
Florida State
Bachelor
Master
Doctoral
University of Texas - Austin
Bachelor
Master
Doctoral
University of Nebraska
Bachelor
Master
Doctoral
Northw estern - Evanston IL
Bachelor
Master
Doctoral
University of Illinois
Bachelor
Master
Doctoral
University of Colorado - Boulder
Bachelor
Master
Doctoral
Texas Tech
Bachelor
Master
Doctoral
99/00
00/01
01/02
02/03
03/04
04/05
72
22
1
66
19
2
84
26
1
72
16
1
91
28
1
85
26
2
18
3
--
13
1
--
information not provided
16
8
--
15
3
--
9
0
--
19
11
--
information not provided
28
19
2
24
16
1
34
14
2
26
14
0
10
11
1
30
2
2
27
4
5
17
4
8
30
6
2
33
2
2
12
3
0
14
7
2
17
3
5
13
8
4
21
5
1
16
4
2
Program Degrees Awarded
Source: Institutional Research Services
Name of Program
Fine Arts – Theatre Arts
Theatre Arts
1999-2000
2000-2001
2001-2002
2002-2003
2003-2004
2004-2005
0
3
3
7
1
3
4
8
1
5
20
4
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6
Texas Tech graduates more Master’s students than University of Colorado. While the numbers of
graduates in the PhD program are similar, Texas Tech is also in line with University of
Nebraska’s numbers. Without a PhD program, it is a bit difficult to tell how these two programs
truly compare. However, in comparing to Florida State, it is clear Tech is graduating more PhD
students in a similar program.
C. Undergraduate and graduate semester credit hours
Semester Credit Hours - Academic Year (THAD)
Source: Institutional Research Services
12,000
10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
0
Undergraduate
Graduate
99/00
8,466
639
00/01
8,778
871
01/02
9,035
761
02/03
9,265
864
03/04
9,579
1042
04/05
10,202
1,112
Theatre and Dance
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AY SCH compared to Budget (THAD)
Source: Institutional Research Services
$200,000
12,000
$180,000
10,000
$160,000
$140,000
8,000
$120,000
$100,000
6,000
$80,000
4,000
$60,000
$40,000
2,000
$20,000
0
Undergraduate
00/01
01/02
02/03
03/04
04/05
8,466
8,778
9,035
9,265
9,579
10,202
639
871
761
864
1042
1,112
$157,263
$155,186
$150,035
$164,044
$184,081
$163,129
Graduate
Operating Cost
$0
99/00
D. Number of majors in the department for the fall semesters
Enrollment by Level - Fall Data (THAD)
Source: Institutional Research Services
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
99/00
00/01
01/02
02/03
03/04
04/05
Bachelor's
106
102
102
114
112
106
Masters
20
25
21
25
30
27
Doctoral
20
25
34
31
31
31
Theatre and Dance
8
Total Enrollment by Year - Fall Data (THAD)
Source: Institutional Research Services
200
180
160
140
120
20
25
34
20
25
21
106
102
102
31
31
25
30
114
112
106
31
27
100
80
60
40
20
0
99/00
00/01
01/02
02/03
03/04
04/05
Doctoral
20
25
34
31
31
31
Masters
20
25
21
25
30
27
106
102
102
114
112
106
Bachelor's
It is clear all enrollments, including undergraduates, have grown steadily in the last five years.
With the jump in numbers in the Master’s program in 00/01, it stands to reason there is a rise in
PhD students the following years. Some of those seeking an MA often stay at Tech to receive
their PhD. Interestingly, Texas Tech is comparable to University of Colorado in enrollment as
well as graduates. Texas Tech does seem to graduate many more Master’s students then
Colorado.
Theatre and Dance
9
Comparison of Enrollment - Fall
Data
Florida State
Bachelor
Master
Doctoral
University of Texas - Austin
Bachelor
Master
Doctoral
University of Nebraska
Bachelor
Master
Doctoral
Northw estern - Evanston IL
Bachelor
Master
Doctoral
University of Illinois
Bachelor
Master
Doctoral
University of Colorado - Boulder
Bachelor
Master
Doctoral
Texas Tech
Bachelor
Master
Doctoral
99/00
00/01
01/02
02/03
03/04
04/05
392
77
13
399
71
10
368
76
6
376
74
10
367
87
14
398
87
17
110
12
--
112
20
--
information not provided
85
11
--
95
15
--
93
16
--
102
18
--
information not provided
131
137
128
134
137
141
57
57
48
56
58
64
183
12
27
195
11
28
167
12
27
184
9
23
191
4
26
194
5
25
106
20
20
102
25
25
102
21
34
114
25
31
112
30
31
106
27
31
Program Enrollment
Source: Institutional Research Services
Name of Program
Fine Arts – Theatre Arts
Theatre Arts
1999-2000
2000-2001
2001-2002
2002-2003
2003-2004
2004-2005
0
40
16
34
34
21
31
25
31
30
31
26
Theatre and Dance
10
E. Course enrollments over the past six years (enrollment trends by course)
a. Figures are totals – classes may be offered more than once per year
Course Enrollments by Academic Year
Source: Institutional Research Services
Department
Subject
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH&D
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
TOTALS
Course
5118
5300
5301
5302
5303
5304
5305
5306
5307
5308
5309
5310
5311
5312
5313
5314
5316
5317
5318
5320
5321
5322
5323
5324
5325
5326
5327
5328
5329
5331
5333
5334
5335
5336
5341
5343
5350
6000
6001
7000
8000
1999-00
0
0
1
0
5
5
5
0
5
5
0
6
0
8
0
0
0
0
5
0
0
0
5
8
5
7
2
5
24
10
0
26
10
0
0
14
11
13
2
18
67
272
2000-01
0
0
6
0
7
4
0
0
7
7
7
7
24
6
0
11
11
8
0
9
0
0
7
0
5
0
4
2
16
5
0
23
11
0
8
8
14
27
1
23
65
333
2001-02
0
0
1
0
5
4
8
0
5
5
0
8
14
0
13
14
5
0
5
0
0
0
0
13
11
0
6
3
10
10
0
14
6
0
0
20
11
22
0
22
66
301
2000-01
0
0
6
0
4
5
4
0
6
6
17
17
20
8
0
7
0
11
0
6
0
0
8
0
0
15
5
1
14
0
13
0
15
0
9
0
12
21
3
22
63
318
2003-04
0
13
3
5
9
0
4
10
8
8
0
12
24
1
20
18
11
0
11
0
7
1
11
16
11
0
5
0
26
0
0
0
0
0
0
21
20
16
1
37
59
388
2004-05
0
8
2
5
6
5
11
9
12
12
0
14
20
10
0
14
0
11
0
9
0
0
12
9
15
14
5
0
20
0
14
32
0
3
8
0
10
24
1
32
60
407
Total
0
21
19
10
36
23
32
19
43
43
24
64
102
33
33
64
27
30
21
24
7
1
43
46
47
36
27
11
110
25
27
95
42
3
25
63
78
123
8
154
380
2019
Theatre and Dance
11
Many of the numbers in the graph reflect the rotation of classes offered. The number of PhD
students is reflected in the enrollment in dissertation hours. This is consistent with thesis hours as
well.
F. List of courses taught simultaneously within the unit.
Department
T&D
T&D
T&D
T&D
Subject
TH A
TH A
TH A
TH A
Graduate Course
5300
5303
5304
5305
Undergraduate Course
3335
4309
4311
4310
Theatre and Dance
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III.
Faculty
A. Number, rank, and demographics of the graduate faculty
This is a small department which has nevertheless grown over the past few years from an
average of 9 graduate faculty to 11. The number of TAs has fallen while the number of GPTIs
has grown considerably. This may be explained by the number of PhDs admitted to the program
who already have more than eighteen hours of graduate work when they arrive at Texas Tech,
after which they then quality for GPTI status as opposed to TA positions. There are twice as
many assistant professors on staff as associate professors. Between the years 1999 and 2005,
there are only two professors in the department and no high professors. The department has
about half of the number of tenure-track faculty as compared to the other major universities
studied. (Theatre and Dance at Tech has 9 as opposed to 21, 15, and 14 over the same period.
They average about the same number of nontenure track faculty.)
Teaching Resources (THAD)
Source: Institutional Research Services
25
20
15
10
5
0
99/00
00/01
01/02
02/03
03/04
04/05
Tenured/Tenure Track faculty
9
8
7
10
9
11
Non-tenure track faculty
2
3
4
1
4
2
GPTI
13
18
16
19
22
23
TA's
9
5
9
6
5
2
Theatre and Dance
13
Tenured and Tenure-Track by Rank - Fall Data (THAD)
Source: Institutional Research Services
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Horn Professor
Professor
Associate Professor
Assistant Professor
99/00
0
2
4
3
00/01
0
2
2
4
01/02
0
2
2
3
02/03
0
2
2
6
03/04
0
1
3
5
04/05
0
1
3
7
Theatre and Dance
14
Comparison of Full-time Faculty
Florida State
Tenured/Tenure Track
Non-tenure track
GPTI's
TA's
University of Texas - Austin
Tenured/Tenure Track
Non-tenure track
GPTI's
TA's
University of Nebraska
Tenured/Tenure Track
Non-tenure track
GPTI's
TA's
Northwestern - Evanston IL
Tenured/Tenure Track
Non-tenure track
GPTI's
TA's
University of Illinois
Tenured/Tenure Track
Non-tenure track
GPTI's
TA's
University of Colorado - Boulder
Professors
Associate Professors
Assistant Professors
Instructors
Texas Tech
Tenured/Tenure Track
Non-tenure track
GPTI's
TA's
99/00
00/01
19
8
18
9
37
38
01/02
02/03
17
21
9
8
category not applicable
46
40
03/04
04/05
21
12
50
information not provided
12
3
12
5
14
0
14
6
14
3
11
7
18
12
17
16
15
11
15
1
13
0
4
4
4
5
5
4
5
6
4
4
4
7
10
1
19
6
9
4
22
5
11
2
23
2
information not provided
10
4
10
4
13
2
14
0
information not provided
information not available
9
2
13
9
8
3
18
5
7
4
16
9
Theatre and Dance
15
B. List of faculty members
5/31/04
Member
of Grad
Faculty?
Y or N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
N
Y
Y
Y
N
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
9/1/01
9/1/71
7/31/00
Y
Y
Visiting Lecturer
9/1/01
7/15/03
N
Person, Lorraine
Assistant Professor
9/1/04
Sol, Diane
Assistant Professor
9/1/04
5/31/05
Y
Stinespring, Louise
Visiting Assistant Prof.
2/15/99
5/31/02
Y
Williams, David
Assistant Professor
9/1/00
5/31/04
Y
Willis-Aarnio, Peggy
Professor
9/1/72
8/31/03
Y
FACULTY NAME
JOB TITLE
HIRE
DATE
Bert, Norman
Bilkey, Andrea
Boersig, Polly
Christoffel, Fred
Cox, Amy
Crew, Scott
Donahue, Linda
Durham, Genevieve
Gelber, Bill
Hasie, Yvonne
Hindman, Kristi
Homan, Elizabeth
Lewis, Terry
Mann, Laurin
Marks, Jonathan
Martwig, Sara
Professor
Assistant Professor
Assistant Professor
Associate Professor
Instructor
Visiting Assistant Prof.
Assistant Professor
Assistant Professor
Assistant Professor
Instructor
Instructor
Assistant Professor
Associate Professor
Assistant Professor
Associate Professor
Visiting Assistant Prof.
9/1/95
9/1/02
9/1/99
7/5/88
9/1/03
9/1/04
7/16/97
9/1/04
9/1/02
9/1/03
9/1/03
9/1/99
9/1/99
9/1/03
9/1/95
1/27/03
Merz, Melissa
Moore, Diana
Assistant Professor
Associate Professor
Panova, Galina
END
DATE
5/8/01
5/31/04
5/31/05
1/15/05
7/15/04
5/31/00
5/31/00
Y
Theatre and Dance
16
C. Summary of the number of refereed publications and creative activities.
The department does a very large number of presentations each year including play productions
(directing, design, acting and dance), workshops, designs and papers presented at theatre and
dance conferences, . Book publications and chapter publications include full-length and one-act
plays respectively from the playwriting department and textbooks from playwriting and dance.
1999
N= 8
Publication Type
F=11
Referred Articles/Abstracts
1
Books/Book Chapters
/16
Other Publications
3
Presentations/Posters
58
N = # of full time faculty contributing
2000
2001
2002
2003
N= 8
N= 8
N= 8
N=8
F=10
F=9
F=11
F=13
3
7
2
4
3/4
2/1
5/20
4/5
2
2
4
4
58
24
60
73
F = # of full time faculty in department
2004
N= 9
F=13
2
2/2
15
56
D. Responsibilities and leadership in professional societies
The PhD faculty for 1999-2004 has been overloaded with dissertation and thesis obligations,
which have begun to lighten through the addition of new PhDs added to the Theatre and Dance
Faculty. The general faculty has membership in many professional Theatre and Dance
committees and offices on the boards of the those committees.
1999
N= 4
F=11
2000
N= 5
F=10
Professional Leadership
Editor/Editorial
Executive Board
1
Officer in National Org.
2
Committees
8
6
<insert extra here>
<insert extra here>
<insert extra here>
N = # of full time faculty contributing
2001
N= 1
F=9
1
2002
N=4
F=11
1
7
2003
N=3
F=13
7
2004
N= 4
F=13
5
F = # of full time faculty in department
Theatre and Dance
17
Committees
Chaired
MA/MFA
PhD
2
16
1
10
17
26
Faculty Name
Bert, Norman
Bilkey, Andrea
Christoffel, Fred
Donahue, Linda
Durham, Genevieve
Gelber, Bill
Homan, Elizabeth
Lewis, Terry
Mann, Laurin
Marks, Jonathan
Merz, Melissa
Moore, Diana
Person, Lorraine
Sol, Diane
Stinespring, Louise
Williams, David
5
4
1
2
2
33
Committees Served
in department
MA/MFA
PhD
2
7
12
21
12
1
5
11
3
2
4
33
2
21
Committees Served
outside department
MA/MFA
PhD
5
1
5
2
1
9
3
3
18
3
2
1
2
1
4
4
1
3
E. Assess average faculty productivity for Fall semesters
The numbers for 2000 and 2004 were higher than the average for the college and university,
especially in 2004, with a disparity of 5.75 percent. In 2001, 2002, and 2003, they were slightly
lower than the average of either the college or university levels of productivity. It is clear that
the current faculty is doing far more in terms of productivity than either the college of the
university.
FACULTY WORKLOAD
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
University
11.61
11.45
11.34
12.24
16.23
College
11.16
10.68
11.96
13.03
16.03
Department
12.21
10.63
11.27
11.45
21.78
Theatre and Dance
18
College SCH/FTE - Fall Data
Source: Institutional Research Services
200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
SCH/FTE for total faculty
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
146
144
156
152
178
166
Department SCH/FTE - Fall Data (THAD)
Source: Institutional Research Services
230
225
220
215
210
205
200
195
190
SCH/FTE for total faculty
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
215
206
202
214
210
226
Theatre and Dance
19
IV.
Graduate Students
Overview
Graduate students may pursue the MA, MFA, or PhD in the Department of Theatre and Dance.
Although each of these degrees allows for some specialization (the MA least of these), all are
generalist in scope and the Ph.D. is a multidisciplinary Fine Arts PhD. Information in the
Graduate Handbook spells out the criteria and process for earning each of the graduate degrees.
Many students finish the MFA within three years of enrolling and many complete the PhD in
four. Summer attendance is possible, depending on funding for course offerings. It is useful to
keep in mind when considering such things as average GRE scores and rates of completing
degrees, that doctoral candidates are not admitted by the Department but by the College of
Visual and Performing Arts, although the Department makes recommendations.
The MA requires a minimum of 24 semester hours of graduate work, plus 6 hours of thesis work.
The Department regards this degree as a stepping-stone to the PhD. The MA also requires a final
examination.
The MFA is a terminal professional degree that requires a minimum of 60 hours of coursework
beyond the baccalaureate degree including at least 6 hours of thesis or thesis project work.
Students may specialize in one of the following four tracks: Arts Administration; Performance
and Pedagogy; Design; and Playwriting.
The PhD requires at least 48 hours of coursework beyond the masters degree, as well as 12 hours
of dissertation work. Each student takes 15 total core hours in art, music, and philosophy to
underpin the multidisciplinary of the degree. Doctoral candidates take two sets of qualifying
exams: one covering the above-mentioned core courses and one covering departmental courses.
The college-wide core exam is oral. The departmental exams have both a general component
required of all PhD candidates and a specialized component. The general component comprises
an oral exam on a list of books central to each of the five tracks in which our department
specializes as well as a list of 125 plays all students are expected to read. The specialized exam
has both a written and an oral part and is tailored to the individual track(s) within which the
student specializes. These tracks are Acting/Directing; Arts Administration; Design;
History/Theory/Criticism; or Playwriting . Each doctoral student chooses two of these tracks.
Graduate students are mentored by the graduate advisor from the moment they enroll and,
beginning fairly early in all the Master’s programs, by their thesis advisor. In the first fall of
enrollment (which may not be the student’s first term on campus if s/he enrolls in the spring or
summer), each student takes a diagnostic examination and is immediately advised as to whether
s/he must make up undergraduate work in a process called “leveling.” In addition, students who
have already completed graduate courses required in the Departmental program (generally at
TTU but sometimes in another program) are excused from taking those particular courses and
may reduce their required hours by up to 6 (that is, to a total of 54 hours to be taken). They are
then invited, if they wish to take a full 60 hours, to take electives. Conversely, students may be
asked to take additional coursework at the graduate level, if they are deemed wanting in certain
areas for their selected tracks. The recent decision to reduce the number of fine arts core courses
Theatre and Dance
20
required of all CVPA doctoral candidates makes it possible for PhD students to take one more
elective. This elective may be taken within or outside of the Department or even the College,
and is to be directly related to research or dissertation topic.
Graduate students may enroll in the program without financial assistance, although most qualify
for and receive funding for at least part of their time at Texas Tech. While funding options are
numerous, they do not match what is available at other universities around the country and we
may be losing students to programs that offer tuition remission and/or a less hefty work load in
exchange for assistanceships.
Although a sufficient number of courses are offered at the moment to enable students to
complete their programs in a very timely manner, there is little room to create new courses, since
faculty are stretched to teach a minimum of 2/2 and many teach more. Also, except for
Acting/Directing, most tracks are handled by a single specialist. Accordingly, completion of the
graduate program depends on a kind of mutual student/faculty understanding that there is very
little “wiggle room” or chance of innovation regarding course choices or offerings.
A. Demographics of applicants and enrolled students
In the six-year period under study, the Department of Theatre and Dance has regularly admitted
between 3/5 and 4/5 of those who apply to its graduate programs (average: 70%); an overall
average of 51% of those admitted have enrolled. The following two charts show two broad
trends within these overall statistics. First, following a spike in 2000 followed by a dip in 2001,
applications have risen in number through 2004. Second, while more students are being
admitted, a smaller percentage of those are choosing to enroll. Here is how it breaks down by
year:
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Percentage of
applicants admitted
Percentage admitted
who enroll
58
54
80
87
83
61
67
47
69
59
47
28
In the past three years, the percentage of those admitted who have enrolled has dropped from
about 3/5 to about ½ to about ¼. Either we are attracting better applicants who are, besides
being accepted at TTU, also being accepted by other programs they perceive as better suiting
their goals (or who can offer them more funding), or we are attracting applicants who may not be
serious about going to graduate school. Either way, the numbers suggest a trend worthy of
scrutiny. Although our funding to graduate students is comparable to that of some other
programs in terms of dollars offered to be a graduate or teaching assistant, many applicants tell
us that the fact that the stipend does not come with a tuition waiver compels them to seek other
graduate programs.
Theatre and Dance
21
The graduation to acceptance rate (i.e., the number of students who completed a degree as a
fraction of the number newly admitted to one of our graduate programs) was 20% in 1999 and
again in the 20-24% range for the past two years. It was roughly double that (47%, 50%, and
44%) in the intervening years. This may simply represent the fact that doctoral students take
longer to finish than MFA students and that a higher number of these were admitted two to four
years ago. If this is the case, however, it has implications with regard to financial aid, as there is
a relatively inelastic number of assistanceships to go around. If graduation rates do not remain
stable in relation to admission rates, the overall number of students in the three degree programs
will far exceed the number of available assistanceships we can offer.
Graduate Student Summary by Category - AY (THAD)
Source: Institutional Research Services
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Total Applicants
Total Admitted
New Grad Students
Students Graduated
1999
26
15
10
3
2000
35
19
9
9
2001
20
16
11
8
2002
31
27
16
12
2003
36
30
14
6
2004
41
25
7
6
Theatre and Dance
22
Graduate Student Summary by Year - AY (THAD)
Source: Institutional Research Services
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Total Applicants
26
35
20
31
36
41
Total Admitted
15
19
16
27
30
25
New Grad Students
10
9
11
16
14
7
Students Graduated
3
9
8
12
6
6
The following table shows that a steadily increasing percentage of graduate student applicants
are coming from outside of Texas with an attendant decrease in applicants from within the state.
Numbers of international applicants seem at this point to be too small to assess in terms of a
trend. A (too?) large number of applicants have not provided information about their region of
origin.
Graduate Applicants by Region - Fall/Summer Data (THAD)
Source: Insti tuti ona l Resea rch Servi ces
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
TX
USA
6
3
2000
4
5
2001
6
4
1
7
2
1999
Blank Code
1
2002
2
5
2003
11
2
2004
6
1
INT'L
1
Theatre and Dance
23
Graduate Applicants - Fall Data
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
F
M
F
M
F
M
F
M
F
M
F
M
Amer Ind
Asian
Black
Hispanic
Non-Resident
Unknown
W hite
0
0
1
0
0
0
10
0
0
1
2
1
2
9
1
0
0
1
2
0
10
0
0
3
1
2
3
12
0
0
1
0
1
0
9
0
0
1
1
0
0
7
1
0
0
1
4
2
7
0
0
1
1
1
4
9
0
0
2
2
1
5
10
0
0
0
0
1
1
14
0
0
3
0
2
6
9
0
0
1
2
2
1
15
Gender Total
11
15
14
21
11
9
15
16
20
16
20
21
Total Applicants
26
35
20
31
36
41
The following tables show healthy gender equity between male and female graduate students
both admitted and enrolling. Just 7% more men than women apply, while 7% more women than
men are admitted, although almost 20% more men than women enroll. Still, when compared
with the percentages among enrolled undergraduates, where women outnumber men nearly 2:1
in most years and nearly 3:1 in 2000, this is heartening. The large numbers of female
undergraduates suggest not feminist empowerment, but usually would-be actresses who will find
fewer canonical roles than their male counterparts. The self-selecting equity at the graduate level
bodes well for the future of the field in which our graduates will be educators and professionals
and can (one hopes) model gender equity for their students, as it will have been a large part of
their own graduate experience.
Parsed by race and ethnicity, the statistics are less encouraging. In the six-year period there have
been two American Indian applicants, one American Indian accepted, and none enrolled. The
tables show 0-0-0 among Asians. In fact, our department has at least four Asian graduate
students on campus as of this writing (ten per cent of the graduate population in residence).
Presumably these students figure in the category of “non-resident,” but, since the latter could
mean all white Anglophones; we believe it is worth pointing out the specific and vibrant
diversity among our graduate student body. Fourteen black students have applied; 8 were
admitted; 5 enrolled, and of these four were men. Since it is unclear whether “black” means
person of African descent or whether it means African American, it may again be worth stating
that our graduate student body includes both African American and African-Caribbean students
and that if the latter is subsumed in the “non-resident” category, we welcome her presence both
as an international and as a person of color. Nonetheless, despite the diversity among our
international students, we may want to consider recruitment at traditionally minority colleges
within the United States. Roughly 2/3 of applicants are white (121 of 189, with the 24
“unknown” students not counted in any category).
Theatre and Dance
24
Admitted Graduate Students - Fall Data
1999
2000 2001
2002
2003
2004
F
M
F
M
F
M
F
M
F
M
F
M
Amer Ind
Asian
Black
Hispanic
Non-Resident
Unknown
W hite
0
0
0
0
0
0
7
0
0
1
0
0
1
6
0
0
0
1
1
0
6
0
0
2
0
0
2
7
0
0
0
0
1
0
7
0
0
1
1
0
0
6
1
0
0
1
4
1
7
0
0
1
1
1
4
6
0
0
1
2
1
3
8
0
0
0
0
1
1
13
0
0
1
0
0
5
5
0
0
1
1
1
1
10
Gender Total
7
8
8
11
8
8
14
13
15
15
11
14
Total Admitted
15
19
16
27
Enrolled New Graduate Students - Fall Data
1999
2000 2001
30
25
2002
2003
2004
F
M
F
M
F
M
F
M
F
M
F
M
Amer Ind
Asian
Black
Hispanic
Non-Resident
Unknown
W hite
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
0
0
1
0
0
1
3
0
0
0
1
0
0
3
0
0
1
0
0
0
4
0
0
0
0
1
0
4
0
0
1
1
0
0
4
0
0
0
1
2
1
3
0
0
1
1
0
2
5
0
0
0
1
0
3
2
0
0
0
0
1
1
6
0
0
1
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
3
Gender Total
5
5
4
5
5
6
7
9
6
8
3
4
Total Enrolled
10
9
11
16
14
7
Demographics of Enrolled Graduate Students - Fall Data
1999
2000 2001
2002
2003
F
M
F
M
F
M
F
M
F
M
2004
F
M
Amer Ind
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
Asian
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Black
0
1
0
4
0
4
0
5
1
5
1
4
0
0
Hispanic
0
2
1
3
2
3
1
2
1
Non-Resident
1
2
2
3
3
2
4
0
4
1
3
0
Unknown
0
2
0
2
0
2
1
4
3
4
5
3
W hite
19
14
19
18
19
21
16
20
18
20
16
22
Gender Total
20
20
22
28
24
31
24
32
29
32
27
31
Graduate
40
1
50
55
56
61
58
Theatre and Dance
25
Demographics of Enrolled Undergraduate Students - Fall Data
1999
2000 2001
2002
2003
2004
F
M
F
M
F
M
F
M
F
M
F
M
Amer Ind
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
Asian
0
0
1
1
0
1
1
0
2
0
1
0
Black
2
1
2
0
2
1
3
1
3
1
3
2
Hispanic
5
2
5
1
4
3
5
4
4
7
9
4
Non-Resident
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Unknown
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
W hite
62
32
66
26
61
30
67
33
66
28
56
31
Gender Total
70
36
74
28
67
35
76
38
75
37
69
37
Undergraduate
106
102
102
114
112
106
B. Test scores (GRE, GMAT and/or TOEFL) of enrolled students
The average Verbal GREs of our students dropped from 1999 to 2002 but has risen dramatically
since then. Quantitative scores have risen, albeit less dramatically. Since success in our program
depends on multiple skills and aptitudes, we assess GREs in the holistic context of portfolios,
auditions, letters of recommendation, prior experience, and GPAs.
Average GRE Scores for Enrolled Graduate Students Fall Data (THAD)
Source: Institutional Research Services
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Verbal
526
499
470
459
514
549
Quantitative
444
482
434
502
492
505
Theatre and Dance
26
C. GPA of new students
Most students admitted to both the Masters and Doctoral programs in Theatre have very high
undergraduate GPAs. This has held steady over the six years under examination, with doctoral
applicants ranking about one per cent higher overall.
New Graduate Students GPA by Level - Fall Data (THAD)
Source: Institutional Research Services
3.95
3.9
3.85
3.8
3.75
3.7
3.65
3.6
3.55
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Masters
3.681
3.679
3.673
3.728
3.702
3.798
Doctoral
3.909
3.853
3.849
3.816
3.8
3.805
Theatre and Dance
27
D. Initial position and place of employment of graduates over the past 6 years
1999-2000
- Jay Michael Sawyer, (MFA., 1999). Assistant Professor and designer and technical
director, Sul Ross State University
- William M. Doll., (PhD., 1999) Theatre Arts Chair, San Angelo State University
- Todd A. Proffitt, Assistant Professor of Lighting and Sound Design SUNY Fredonia
- Kathryn Ann Coleman, Professional Theatre Staff, Baylor University
2000-2001
- Geoffrey F. Howard, Assistant Professor of Theatre, Missouri Valley College
- Kristopher Alan Harrison, Teacher, Theatre, Lubbock High School
2001-2002
- Laurie L. Doyle, Theatre faculty at Lubbock Christian University
- Carmen Gomez, Instructor and Designer at Gulf Coast Community College in St
Petersburg Florida
- Judd Vermillion, Theatre Technical Director, Texas Christian University, Ft. Worth
2002-2003
- James Beekman Bush, Facilities Manager United Sprit Arena, TTU
- Janeve E. West, Director, Omaha Theatre Company for Young People
2003-2004
- Clay Patrick Vaughn, Dean of Arts and Humanities St. Charles Community College,
Cottleville MO.
- Patrick Donnelly, Instructor of Theatre St. Mary’s San Antonio
- Cleo House, Jr., Associate Professor of Theatre, Penn State Berks
2004-2005
- Alex Ross Fleming, Visiting Assistant Professor of Design UTEP
- Mary Housewirth, entered PhD program at TTU
- Shannon Wingate, designer and instructor at Texas A&M Corpus Christi
Theatre and Dance
28
E. Type of financial support available for graduate students
The Department of Theatre and Dance offers teaching and non-teaching Graduate Assistantships
for MA, MFA, and PhD candidates in Theatre Arts. Stipends range for a nine-month term,
depending on the assignment. Full-time assistantships carry an approximate stipend of $5,000
per semester and include an out-of-state tuition adjustment. Out-of-state students who receive
scholarships of $1,000 or more qualify for in-state tuition rates; this reduces, but does not waive
their tuition. Summer assistantships are also available in conjunction with Lubbock Summer
Rep. Departmental scholarships are also available to both entering and enrolled graduate
students. These include the Clifford A. Ashby Endowed Scholarship for graduate students in the
Theatre History Track with an overall minimum 3.0 GPA; the Marie Hermann Endowed
Scholarships in the Fine Arts (open to undergraduates and graduate students and requiring a 3.0
for graduate applicants); the Horizons Endowed Scholarship for students who demonstrate
leadership in theatre design or technology and maintain a 3.0 GPA; the Ann Bradshaw Stokes
Scholarship for students who demonstrate artistic and academic potential in relation to career
goals; and Trouper of the Year, for a graduate or undergraduate student who demonstrates
leadership, a positive attitude, and productivity. This list is partial.
Students who apply to our program regularly tell us that this amount of support is not
competitive nationally, mainly because it never comes with a tuition waiver. Moreover, other
doctoral programs guarantee support over the course of the student’s program (assuming, of
course, that proper progress is made), while our students must reapply for aid every semester.
As the number of applicants and those enrolling rises (although not proportionally in relation to
the number accepted), the amount of money available in the form of aid serves a smaller
percentage of students. See number 4 below.
Notes for Financial Support Available for Graduate Students
1. Through FY03 the department has had enough funds in its “All Other Faculty” state
budgeted funds to support an average of 25 graduate assistants ½ time along with
assistance from work study funds and the support from the Graduate School.
2. To retain the average of 25 each year, starting in FY04 the department had to start
supplementing this funding with local funds generated from our Cinema courses. These
funds were used to help pay the salaries of the teaching assistants assisting with the
Cinema classes. We’ve also had to rely on these funds as well as our theatre and dance
course fees to provide additional funding for teaching assistants salaries for an increase in
the number of classes offered due to the limited number of departmental faculty.
3. In early 2003, the faculty resolved to set aside roughly 30% of the positions to be
contracted for each fall semester for new TA/GPTI’s. This was to help in the recruitment
of new student/instructors. We recognize that this positive outcome brings with it a
negative outcome: it increases the chance that a good, productive, positive, and
experienced GPTI will not be rehired. In the past we have experienced a revolving cycle
of problems: one year there would not be enough new students to fill all the vacancies,
Theatre and Dance
29
and the next year we could make offers to only a couple of new students. The balance we
have struck represents an attempt to even up the influx of new TA/GPTI’s.
4. Forty graduate students applied for assistantships for fall 2005 and 35 for spring
assistantships.
5. Assistantships increased from FY03-FY04 when ½ of the cost of students’ health
insurance was added to their salaries. Students were given this raise funded by the
university to help pay ½ of the health insurance when the state decreased paying 100% of
the students health insurance.
6.
GPTI
TA
TA salaries prior to
FY04:
TA salaries starting FY04
and currently:
$9,000
$8500
$10,350
$ 9,850
Graduate Scholarships Awarded-Number of students
AWARD
Graduate Tuition
Cory Winkle
Linda Speech
Trooper of the Year
George Sorenson
Clifford Ashby
Ann Bradshaw Stokes
Helen Jones Found
CVPA scholarship
Fine Arts Endow
Theatre & Dance Gen.
Total Awards
99/00
7
00/01
3
1
1
1
8
5
01/02
0
1
2
1
2
6
02/03
2
1
1
03/04
4
04/05
3
1
1
1
2
8
1
1
2
2
11
4
1
2
1
2
13
Theatre and Dance
30
Graduate Scholarships Awarded
AWARD
Graduate Tuition
Cory Winkle
Linda Speech
Trooper of the Year
George Sorenson
Clifford Ashby
Ann Bradshaw Stokes
Helen Jones Found
CVPA Scholarship
Fine Arts Endow
Theatre & Dance Gen
Totals
99/00
6,656
00/01
2,545
545
280
500
01/02
0
200
500
500
1500
02/03
2,000
200
500
03/04
3,250
04/05
3,000
500
500
200
1000
200
500
2000
1250
3500
400
1000
1000
2000
7,156
3,370
2,700
4,400
7,700
10,900
Workstudy Assistance
Provost & FADP
Departmental Funding
99/00
00/01
01/02
02/03
32,325 33,600 35,000 55,485
8,500
9,500
9,000
9,000
161,000 170,523 185,450 180,565
03/04
23,000
20,000
231,700
04/05
9,138
6,875
255,187
Total TA Assistantships
Number of TAs
201,825 213,623 229,450 245,050
24
25
25
28
274,700
28
271,200
28
Theatre and Dance
31
F. Number of students who have received national and university fellowships,
scholarships and other awards
AWARD
HAZLEWOOD
SUMMER DISSERTATION
SBC CHANCELLORS
99/00
$4,000
$6,000
00/01
$2,000
$9,000
01/02
$9,000
02/03
03/04
04/05
$2,000
$6,000
$3,000
$2,000
$6,000
$9,000
G. Graduate Student Publications and Creative Activities – Number of publications
and other activities by Master and Doctoral students in the department.
Publication:
Year
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
Referred
Thesis
Diss.
Non-Referred
Thesis
Diss.
3
1
4
2
5
3
4
3
3
5
2
3
5
3
Poster
Presentations
Thesis
Diss.
Creative Activities
Mainstage
Lab
3
15
3
13
2
12
4
19
3
14
3
13
5
18
In the first six of the seven years listed above, graduate students presented seven papers at
conferences (all within Texas and the southwest); led thirteen workshops (all within Texas and
the southwest); participated in eleven performances or productions, meaning that they have
either worked as actors, directors, or designers or that a play one of them wrote was
presented/produced (eight of these have been in Texas or the southwest and three outside the
region); one student has published a paper in an online publication.
Creative activities within the unit include work as production directors for the Mainstage and
Lab Theatres as well as design opportunities for said theatres in the areas of scenery, costuming,
lighting, sound, and makeup. The unit is well known for providing realized production activities,
being one of the only Ph.D. programs to do so.
Graduate students clearly make a very poor showing at national conferences and with regard to
publishing their work. At the same time, they are visible and active within the region, which is
the part of the country where most of them end up working after graduation. Also, publication is
not the benchmark for actors, directors, administrators, or designers (i.e., for most MFAs) that it
is for future scholars or professors in Research I universities. Moreover, our playwriting students
have been particularly active in sending their work out. For a fledgling playwright, recognition
at a competition or a reading off campus may be as significant a first step as a publication.
Besides the presentation summarized above, graduate students received 24 awards within the
region and 4 outside the region between 1999 and 2004. A departmental goal is for our students
Theatre and Dance
32
to continue their visible participation at Texas and regional conferences and their frequent
submission of playscripts to competitions while expanding participation in national conferences
and seeking to increase publication of thesis, dissertation, or other work (such as book or
performance reviews in important journals).
H. Programs for mentoring and professional preparation of graduate students
All graduate students take, in their first fall semester, a course in research methods, in which
publication and conference opportunities are presented and explained to them. All graduate
students are invited to attend sessions of the undergraduate class called Professional Career
Management. Because some graduate programs often involve internships, students who elect to
do these are particularly well equipped, even before graduation, to negotiate the professional
world within their areas. Faculty in the scholarly and literary areas of the curriculum
(history/theory/criticism, playwriting, and dramaturgy) work closely with students on polishing
and submitting individual papers and plays.
I. Department efforts to retain students and graduation rates
Virtually all Master’s candidates complete their degrees and do so in a timely fashion. Doctoral
candidates sometimes leave without completing their dissertations, but the reasons are often
positive, i.e., they find employment. Because much theatre work outside of teaching in the
academy does not require a terminal degree, an opportunity to accept a job related to one’s
graduate work can, for better or for worse, be its own reward.
Theatre and Dance
33
V.
Department
A. Department operating expenses
Department Operating Cost - Academic Year (THAD)
Source: Institutional Research Services
$200,000
$180,000
$160,000
$140,000
$120,000
$100,000
$80,000
$60,000
$40,000
$20,000
$0
Operating Cost
99/00
00/01
01/02
02/03
03/04
04/05
$157,263
$155,186
$150,035
$164,044
$184,081
$163,129
Department Operating Costs as a Fraction of Employees
99/00
00/01
01/02
02/03
03/04
04/05
Dept Operating Cost
$157,263
$155,186
$150,035
$164,044
$184,081
$163,129
Faculty & Staff
Dept Op Cost /FS
15
$10,484
15
$10,346
15
$10,002
16
$10,253
18
$10,227
18
$9,063
Note that although there has been a $6,000 rise in departmental operating costs over the six year
period, the increase in faculty and staff over the same period has resulted in a 13.5% decrease in
costs per employee. One interpretation of these data would be that the department has become
more efficient; a more rational interpretation is that the institution’s support for the department
has lagged.
Theatre and Dance
34
B. Summary of Proposals
Summary of Number of Proposals Written and Accepted
Foundation
D
M
State
D
Federal
M
D
Successfully
funded
Others
M
D
M
D
2005
2
2
4
2004
1
3
4
2003
1
1
2002
1
1
1
5
2001
3
1
M
2000
D = proposals written by CO-PI’s from your department only
M = proposals written by CO-PI’s from multiple departments
We have no data for FY 2000, and we have no data for grants proposed but not funded.
All of these grants were to support programmatic offerings. Three of the grants, totaling
$24,410, supported the department’s academic offerings. Three other grants, totaling $8,685
supported conferences hosted by the department. The remaining nine grants, totaling $30,774,
supported the department’s theatrical production program.
This distribution of grants reflects the priorities of this department, which is heavily committed
to teaching, creative endeavors, and service. The distribution also reflects the nature of theatre
studies, in which traditional research, especially research conducted by individual PIs, is less
likely to find funding than are creative projects pursued by entire producing groups.
C. External Research expenditures
SUMMARY OF FACULTY AWARDS BY HOME DEPARTMENT
Source: Office of Research Services
Year
99/00
00/01
01/02
02/03
03/04
04/05
Totals:
Number of
Awards
FacilitIes &
Administrative
Award Amount
3.00
3.00
1.00
2.00
2.00
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$11,000
$10,074
$4,000
$7,825
$12,500
11.00
$0
$45,399
The department’s data differs from those supplied by ORS. According to departmental data, in
FY 2001, our faculty received 5 external awards totaling $15,774; in FY 2002 we received one
award for $4,000; in FY 2003 we received one award for $5,000; in FY 2004 we received 3
awards totaling $15,325; and in FY2005 we received 4 awards totaling $17,300. Including
Theatre and Dance
35
ORS’s figures for FY 2000, for which the department has no data, external awards over the
review period totaled $68,399.
Research Expenditures (THAD)
Source: Institutional Research Services
$20,000
$18,000
$16,000
$14,000
$12,000
$10,000
$8,000
$6,000
$4,000
$2,000
$0
Sponsored
Comparison of Research
Expenditures
Florida State
University of Texas - Austin
University of Nebraska
Northwestern - Evanston IL
University of Illinois
99/00
00/01
01/02
02/03
03/04
04/05
$11,000
$10,074
$4,000
$7,825
$12,500
$17,300
02/03
03/04
99/00
00/01
01/02
04/05
information not available
information not provided
$101,118
$115,287
$54,169
$85,431
$120,150
$140,552
information not provided
$0
$0
$0
$0
$1,170
Due to lack of compatible software and/or sufficient computer skills, I am unable to manipulate
the above chart; I’ll therefore report additional information in paragraph form. This information
comes from the Higher Education Arts Data Services (HEADS) as provided by our accrediting
agency the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST). These figures apply to
programs in public institutions that serve 1 to 100 theatre majors and are, therefore, in our peer
group.
FY2004:
13 programs received public grants averaging $79,468 per program.
8 programs received foundation support averaging $79,100 per program.
FY2005:
9 programs received public grants averaging $20,209 per program.
13 programs received foundation support averaging $185,212 per program.
Theatre and Dance
36
Unfortunately there is no correlation between these summaries and the tabulated data that
accompanied the summaries, so it is impossible to determine what the figures mean. It is,
further, impossible to tell how TTU’s program compares with institutions in its peer group.
D. Internal funding
Source of Internal Funds (TTU)
Source: Institutional Research Services
99/00
00/01
01/02
02/03
03/04
04/05
Research Enhancement
Research Incentive
$6,410
Line Items
Interdisciplinary Seed Grants
New Faculty Start-ups
$13,125
$15,374
Matching from VPRGSTT
Special needs and opportunities
Research Promotion
Graduate School Fellowships
$10,000
$11,000
$9,000
$8,000
$11,000
HEAF
$14,023
$11,451
$4,422
$11,225
$17,420
$24,023
$22,451
$13,422
$19,225
$28,420
$9,000
03/04
4
04/05
3
TOTALS:
$9,000
No data available on HEAF or New Faculty Start-ups for FY 2005
E. Scholarships and endowments
Graduate Scholarships Awarded-Number of students
AWARD
Graduate Tuition
Cory Winkle
Linda Speech
Trooper of the Year
George Sorenson
Clifford Ashby
Ann Bradshaw Stokes
Helen Jones Found
CVPA scholarship
Fine Arts Endow
Devitt-Jones
Theatre & Dance Gen.
Total Awards
99/00
7
00/01
3
1
1
1
01/02
0
1
2
1
2
02/03
2
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
2
2
4
1
2
1
1
1
9
6
6
8
11
Graduate Scholarships Awarded
Theatre and Dance
2
13
37
AWARD
Graduate Tuition
Cory Winkle
Linda Speech
Trooper of the Year
George Sorenson
Clifford Ashby
Ann Bradshaw Stokes
Helen Jones Found
CVPA scholarship
Fine Arts Endow
Theatre & Dance Gen
Devitt-Jones
Totals
99/00
6,656
00/01
2,545
545
280
500
01/02
0
200
500
500
1500
02/03
2,000
200
500
03/04
3,250
04/05
3,000
500
500
200
1000
3500
400
1000
200
500
2000
1250
1000
2000
5000
12,156
5000
8,370
2,700
4,400
7,700
10,900
1. In 99/00, nine graduate students received $12,156 in scholarship awards. $5,000 of that
amount (a Devitt-Jones scholarship) was awarded to a single graduate student. Since that time,
the department has not had any other graduate students who received this award.
2. We try to set aside $3,000-4,000 of our funds from the graduate tuition budget to award each
fall semester in increments of $1,000 each to graduate students. Specifically, we try to
accommodate our out-of-state graduates with waivers of the out-of-state tuition fees.
3. Most of the scholarships listed above are endowment based. Due to the low interest rates in
the last few years, the amounts awarded have decreased. Some of the scholarships receive less
than $200 in interest for the entire year.
4. The remainder of scholarships are based on donations from individuals or foundations and are
not, therefore, dependable sources of funds. The Helen Jones foundation has helped us out for
the last couple of years with assistance to students from underprivileged groups whether or not
they are graduate students; we have awarded part of these funds to graduate students.
5. In tracking the scholarship applications by graduate students for the last two years, we had 25
apply in Fall 04, 18 apply in Spring 05, 18 apply in Fall 05 and 21 apply for spring 06. It’s
unclear why the number decreased in the spring of 05 and fall of 05.
6. We have only one scholarship (the Clifford Ashby) that is specifically for graduate students.
The rest may be awarded to either undergraduate or graduate students.
7. The department attempts to provide some kind of assistance to all of our graduate students
either by assistantships or some type of scholarship award.
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38
F. Departmental resources for research and teaching (i.e. classroom space, lab facilities)
Type of Space
Number of Rooms
Total Assignable Square Feet
OFFICES:
Faculty & Administration
13
1,575
Clerical
3
329
Graduate Assistant
8
392
Technician
2
149
Emeritus
0
0
Special Instruction Labs
8
4,490
Research Labs
1
118
STORAGE:
7
614
LIBRARY:
CENTERS & OTHER
FACILITIES:
NA
NA
2
184
7
10,719
51
18,570
LABS:
Office
Lab (Instruction &
Research)
TOTAL
The unit is grossly inadequate in terms of space. The scene and costume shops are too small, the
costume shop is located in an inappropriate area, and both shops have severe safety problems.
Although the department serves over 100 undergraduate majors and over 50 graduates, it has
only one classroom in its building. As a result, Theatre and Dance classes are scattered across
campus in the BA building, the English/Education complex, the biology building, the
administration building, etc. Since normal, educationally-appropriate instruction in many of our
courses demands physical movement and loud vocalization, the departments that “own” the
classrooms we use are grossly inhospitable and repeatedly attempt either to limit our modes or
instruction or to bar us from their buildings. Storage space for our equipment- and stockintensive department is insufficient, unsafe, unprotected from the elements and rodents, and
remote from the department. The planned demolition of the Exercise Sport Facility will
eliminate our dance studio and dance faculty offices with the result that the entire dance program
will be eliminated, a situation which the administrative planning entities have refused to
acknowledge.
The administration, which has repeatedly been apprized of these issues, has steadfastly refused to
respond to them even by so much as acknowledging them.
Theatre and Dance
39
G. HEAF expenditures
Classroom
Other
(identify)
TOTAL
2004
17420
15374
32794
2003
6000
18350
24350
4422
4422
4468
11451
Labs
2002
2001
2782
4201
2000
2744
11279
1999
10182
14023
5791
15973
Identification of “Other”: For 2004, new faculty start-up; for 2003: new faculty start-up
($13,125) and departmental computer needs ($5,225); for 2002: departmental computer needs;
for 2001: departmental computer needs; for 1999: departmental computer needs.
Theatre and Dance
40
VI. Conclusions
The Department of Theatre and Dance, accredited by the National Association of Schools of
Theatre (NAST) has an ambitious graduate program in spite of limitations caused by inadequate
facilities, non-competitive funding for graduate students, and the relatively small size of its
graduate faculty.
We are one of only two universities in Texas to offer both the Master of Arts and Master of Fine
Arts, and the only university in the nation to offer a multidisciplinary Ph.D. in Fine Arts.
Enrollment in the various programs remains consistent, with a low at both the Masters and
Doctoral programs of 20 (respectively) to a high of 30 in the Masters and 34 in the Doctoral
programs for the reporting period. In the 2004-2005 academic year, the department’s combined
graduate enrollment of 58 was more than 50% of the current undergraduate enrollment of 106.
Although this can be interpreted as a positive statistics, they also are worrisome in so far as the
heavy graduate population places a heavy burden on the limited graduate faculty’s time and
ability to direct thesis and dissertations, teach class, and do meaningful creative and traditional
research. In addition, the limited number of graduate faculty often affects the regular offering of
courses required by the various degree programs.
The number of recent graduates in our Master and Doctoral programs appears to be on the low
side given the enrollment in the programs. However, when compared to similar universities,
used for this report TTU’s Masters programs were in line with 50% of the programs responding.
The Doctoral program’s number of graduates appears to be commensurate with those universities
responding to the request for data. A critical issues facing the department in terms of enrollment
are not necessarily a lack of enrollees in the various programs; rather a disproportionate number
in specific specializations. At the Master of Fine Arts level, a large number of students are
pursuing the arts administration and performance and pedagogy specializations. A smaller but
appropriate number populate the playwriting program. A low number of students populate the
design area. This is significant because students enrolled in the design program, via course work
and production responsibilities tied to their program provide the support for the production
experiences for those students in the other specializations. While this low enrollment may be
attributed to the trend away from graduate education in design, student follow-up shows that we
lose several top students due to inadequacies in our stage and production facilities, including
classrooms, and non-competitive financial support.
The most critical issue that must be addressed if the department is to grow and operate safely is
that of inadequate and unsafe facilities. In its 2002 report to the Commission on Accreditation,
the accreditation visitation team found none of the department’s production facilities to meet the
minimum standards required by NAST.
The visitation team also noted the absence of rehearsal space, studio space, and traditional
classrooms. When the current theatre plant was built there were no classrooms as part of the
facility. At that time the faculty numbered two, there was no graduate program, and
approximately thirty-five majors. Since that time the faculty has grown to ten fulltime in theatre,
two fulltime in dance, and two with administrative appointments. In addition, we now employ
Theatre and Dance
41
seven professional staff members instead of one. Currently, we have one graduate faculty
member whose office is a converted storage closet and one in a production control booth; one
staff member in a small closet space under a staircase, one in a storage closet whose ceiling
consists of the HVAC trunk line, and one in the projection/spotlight booth. Several years ago we
gained use of the former Speech and Hearing Clinic. We have converted two of the former
observation rooms into faculty offices and the room in which hearing testing was done into
another. All renovations and conversions were funded by local departmental funds. The old
clinic space contained several small (approximately 6’x8’) clinic rooms in which we currently
office three to four TA/GPTIs; this marks an improvement over them all being located in the
faculty office/former production control booth mentioned above. Although there are no formal
graduate dance classes the inclusion of dance in the performance and pedagogy M.F.A. is
critical. Our only dance facility is in the Sports Sciences Center and our two dance faculty have
their offices there. This facility is scheduled for demolition to make way for a parking lot for the
new Rawls College of Business building.
As serious as all of these issues are, none is as serious as the health and safety danger posed in
the production shops. As noted in the 2002 NAST evaluative report, the areas for scenery and
costume construction do not meet current safety codes. This report urged the correction of these
problems in a “very timely manner.” To put a point on it, there is no ventilation for the scene
shop except to open a door and the costume shop, being located in a basement does not even
have that option. Because of limited space construction of scenery, including welding, painting
(spray and brush), and standard wood and nail construction happens on the Mainstage. This
limits the hours during which students can fulfill design requirements which is a critical
component of an M.F.A. in design. In addition, since there is no rehearsal space other then the
stage for all departmental productions; productions which are tied by departmental mission and
practice to all graduate and undergraduate programs. This directly affects graduate students who
are required to design, direct, or act as part of their program.
Furthermore, the costume shop is directly below the stage floor, resulting in dust, dirt, and
fumes, some toxic, from scenic construction filtering through the cracks of the stage floor into
the costume shop adding to their ventilation problems and safety concerns. Additionally,
whenever a stage trap is removed for a production it opens up directly into the costume shop
below adding additional inconvenience and providing a more direct route for toxins and
particulates from the construction of scenery to filter down to the costume shop. As disturbing as
these examples of facility shortcomings are they pale in comparison to the inadequacies in the
stage rigging and the lack of a fall-arrest which contributed in no small part to the tragic death of
a graduate student on the Mainstage of the Maedgen Theatre in the spring of 2001.
Current facilities do not meet the spirit or letter of the law when it comes to the Americans With
Disabilities Act. None of the department’s production labs and only a small percentage of
faculty offices are accessible to students in a wheelchair.
The dance studio is totally inaccessible to a student in a wheelchair. Although reasonable
accommodations have been made for theatre patrons, including recent renovations to the lobby
and restrooms of the Maedgen Mainstage, no such renovations have been made to the production
labs and shops, classrooms, offices, and the Mainstage and Lab stages of the Maedgen theatre.
Theatre and Dance
42
As noted in the review, the Department of Theatre and Dance places its Doctoral and Master
student in faculty and administration positions regionally, nationally, and internationally. It is a
solid program whose growth is only limited by lack of adequate facilities, faculty size and
funding for graduate students. It should be noted that the much discussed Performing Arts
Center will not, as currently conceived, address all of the facility issues in-an-of itself.
Renovations to the current academic facility must be part of the vision, or the addition of
production, performance, rehearsal, and academic spaces added to the proposed center.
Theatre and Dance
43
VII. Appendices
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
Strategic Plan
Graduate Course Offerings
Graduate Student Association(s)
Graduate Student Handbook
Recruiting Materials
Graduate Faculty Information
Theatre and Dance
44
APPENDIX A
Strategic Plan
Theatre and Dance
45
Department of Theatre and Dance Strategic Plan
Department of Theatre and Dance--Mission Statement
The Department of Theatre and Dance fosters the arts of theatre and dance by mentoring,
educating, and training students, and, through these elements, cultivates an audience
Department of Theatre and Dance--Vision Statement
The Department of Theatre and Dance aspires to be a leader in the education and preparation of
its students in the study and production of theatre and dance.
The Department of Theatre and Dance will:
•
develop equally through academic instruction and theatrical productions our students’
knowledge and skill, and instill in our students a commitment to collaboration, ethics,
excellence, scholarship, professionalism and growth,
•
provide cultural leadership to the university, community, state, region and nation,
•
be a strong force for the department and university in local, regional, national and
international organizations,
•
provide a supportive atmosphere in which leaders in their field are developed,
•
make a strong commitment to synthesize new technologies in the art and production
of theatre and dance.
Department of Theatre and Dance--Core Values
•
•
•
•
•
Commitment to excellence in teaching, research/creative activity, and service
Highest standards in performance and academics
Excellence in the advancement of knowledge
Effective communication
Critical thinking
Cultural literacy
Technological literacy
Respect for and responsiveness to the needs of students
Shared governance and academic freedom
Theatre and Dance
46
Goal 1. Access and diversity: Recruit, retain, and graduate a more
diverse group of students.
Critical Success Factors
•
Increase diversity to more closely reflect the population of Texas
•
Increase retention rate
•
Increase graduation rate
Objective 1.1: Develop and implement a plan for recruiting a diverse student body.
Strategies:
•
•
•
•
1.1.a—Immediately, the faculty will sustain and strengthen ties to LISD
theatre and dance programs.
1.1.b—Immediately, the faculty will continue to recruit throughout the state,
region, and nation.
1.1.c—Annually, the chair will track the enrollment of students from
underrepresented groups.
1.1d--- Develop recruitment plan.
Assessment:
•
Develop an enrollment management plan.
Objective 1.2: Develop and implement a plan for increasing retention rates.
Strategies:
•
•
1.2.a—By spring 2003, graduate and undergraduate advisors will investigate
systems for determining the retention rate.
1.2.b—By spring 2003, the advisors will develop a system to monitor
students’ reasons for leaving the program.
Assessment:
•
Retention rate.
Theatre and Dance
47
Objective 1.3: Develop and implement a plan for increasing graduation rates.
Strategies:
•
•
1.3.a—Annually, the chair will track graduation rate.
1.3.b—By spring 2003, the faculty will identify students’ reasons for not
graduating in a timely manner.
Assessment:
•
•
Graduation rate.
Student exit interview.
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48
Goal 2. Academic Excellence: Attain national recognition as an
exemplary theatre and dance unit.
Critical Success Factors
•
Obtain accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Theatre.
•
Recruit, hire and retain highly qualified faculty.
•
Continue to produce a full season of high quality productions.
Objective 2.1: Strengthen undergraduate academics.
Strategies:
•
•
•
•
2.1.a—The chair will work with the Dean to acquire additional faculty to
allow for more consistent and diverse undergraduate offerings.
2.1.b—Annually, through one-on-one contact the faculty will continue to
strengthen mentorship of teaching assistants who are responsible for
undergraduate courses.
2.1.c—By fall 2002, the scholarship and awards committee will institute a
departmental award for undergraduate research writing.
2.1.d—Annually, the faculty will continue to encourage undergraduates to
attend local, state, and national conferences.
Assessment:
•
•
•
NAST Accreditation.
Numbers of student attending conferences.
Undergraduate Research writing award.
Theatre and Dance
49
Objective 2.2: Strengthen graduate and programs.
Strategies:
•
•
•
•
•
2.2.a—By spring 2002, the graduate committee will continually evaluate our
graduate offerings.
2.2.b—By fall 2002, the chair will work with the Dean to acquire additional
faculty to offer more consistent and diverse graduate courses.
2.2.c—By spring 2003, the scholarship and awards committee will institute a
departmental award for graduate research writing.
2.2.d—Annually, the faculty will continue to encourage participation by
graduate students in local, state, and national conferences.
2.2.e—Annually, the faculty will mentor graduate students in professional and
creative development.
Assessment:
•
•
•
•
NAST accreditation.
Numbers of students attending conferences.
Undergraduate Research writing award.
Post mortems following student productions.
Objective 2.3: Improve the library theatre and dance holdings.
Strategies:
•
•
2.3.a—The library liaison will work with the theatre and dance
department to ensure holdings in the theatre and dance library.
2.3b—By fall 2001, the chair will appoint a faculty member as Library
Liaison to ensure the development of holdings.
Assessment:
•
Level of performance in library ranking.
Theatre and Dance
50
Objective 2.4: Recruit, hire and retain nationally recognized faculty.
Strategies:
•
•
•
2.4.a—By fall 2002, the chair will request additional funding for travel,
research, and outside creative endeavors.
2.4.b—By fall 2002, the chair will request additional funding to increase
number of research assistants.
2.4.c—By 2003, the chair, along with the faculty, will develop a plan to
reduce faculty workload to university mean.
Assessment:
•
•
•
Funding for travel.
Teaching load policy and teaching load equity report.
Funding for research.
Objective 2.5: Promote nationally recognized peaks of excellence.
Strategies:
•
•
2.5.a—Identify unique strengths of our programs.
2.5b—Formulate a plan to publicize our departmental strengths.
Assessment:
•
•
List of unique strengths.
Promotion plan.
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51
Goal 3. Engagement: Build community connections that enhance
the quality of life for students and the community.
Critical Success Factors
•
Increase the department’s level of engagement and visibility on campus and in the
community.
•
Participate actively in the Fine Arts Doctoral Program.
•
Through effective participation in planning, ensure that the performing arts center
enhances the education of our students as well as the quality of life for them, the
campus, and the community
Objective 3.1: Enhance community relations and departmental visibility.
Strategies:
•
•
•
•
3.1.a—Annually, the audience relations specialist will establish a plan to
increase community awareness of department events.
3.1.b—Annually, the department will work with the campus UIL and IDEAL
office to increase community awareness of the community awareness
programs.
3.1.c—Annually, the faculty will increase community awareness of, and
participation in the annual trips to New York or London.
3.1.d—By fall 2003, the faculty and chair will investigate the potential of
adding a children’s theatre program.
Assessment:
•
•
Audience development plan.
Number of outreach opportunities.
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52
Objective 3.2: Establish service learning as an academic component.
Strategies:
•
•
•
3.2.a—By fall 2002, the chair will assist the faculty in defining the term
“service learning” as it applies to theatre and dance.
3.2.b—By fall 2003, the chair will articulate clearly to faculty, students, and
upper-level administrators departmental activities that involve service
learning.
3.2.c—Annually, the faculty and chair will document the service learning
components of the department.
Assessment:
•
•
Number of courses featuring service learning.
Number of students participating in service learning.
Objective 3.3: Enhance fine arts and cultural opportunities on campus.
Strategies:
•
•
•
•
3.3.a—Annually, the faculty will continue to provide and improve theatrical
and dance offerings for the campus and community.
3.3.b—Annually, the faculty will support Fine Arts Doctoral Program
offerings to the community.
3.3.c—Annually, the department will continue to interface with other entities
on campus.
3.3.d—Annually, the faculty will document public presentations of artistic
events.
Assessment:
•
•
Number of programs.
Number of partners.
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Objective 3.4: Effectively participate in the planning of the performing arts center.
Strategies:
• 3.4.a—Immediately, the chair will advocate for faculty involvement in every
phase of planning for the center, and participate as fully as allowed.
• 3.4.b--Beginning immediately, the chair will be a strong proponent for making
primary the educational needs of all the component entities in the planning –
and particularly the needs of Theatre and Dance – while taking into account
the entertainment needs of the community.
• 3.4.c—Periodically, the chair will evaluate and circulate his/her assessment of
the suitability of these plans to the educational needs of the department.
Assessment:
•
Facilities plan.
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Goal 4. Technology: Maximize the use of technology.
Critical Success Factors
•
Offer a portion of the total course inventory through distance or web-assisted
learning.
•
Develop and maintain a quality web-site for the Department of Theatre and Dance.
•
Increase availability of technology for students.
•
Conduct most departmental written business through e-mail.
Objective 4.1: Increase access to information technology for student, faculty, and staff.
Strategies:
•
•
•
4.1.a—By fall 2003, the chair will request the hiring of a dedicated computer
and network specialist for the department.
4.1.b—By fall 2001, the chair will appoint a technology “representative” for
the department who will update faculty, staff, and students on technology
classes, opportunities, and pedagogical benefits.
4.1.c—By spring 2003, the department will establish a web page for each
faculty and staff member.
Assessment:
•
•
Funds for technology.
Faculty and staff web pages.
Objective 4.2: Integrate the use of technology in teaching.
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Strategies:
•
•
•
4.2.a--By spring 2003, the technology committee will establish a web-site
template that will be applicable for each course offered by the department.
4.2.b—The chair will continue to encourage faculty members to take
computer courses such as WebCT.
4.2.c--The faculty will continue to increase use of technology in the delivery
of material for selected classes.
Assessment:
•
•
Number of courses utilizing technology.
Number of faculty using technology in the classroom.
Objective 4.3: Pursue state-of-the-art technology.
Strategies:
•
•
4.3.a—The department will acquire, maintain, and continue to explore
appropriate software.
4.4b—by fall 2004, the department will offer on-line ticket options.
Assessment:
•
•
Number of site licenses.
Online ticket offering.
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Goal 5. Partnerships: Build strategic partnerships and alliances.
Critical Success Factors
•
Formalize partnerships that will enhance the educational experiences.
•
Formalize articulation agreements with two-year colleges.
•
Ensure that the work of the Department of Theatre and Dance expands beyond the
boundaries of the campus.
Objective 5.1: Establish strong ties with EC-12 education.
Strategies:
•
•
•
5.1.a—Annually, the faculty will continue to develop and promote strong
relationships with the EC-12 sector of public school education.
5.1.b—By fall 2003, the faculty will expand the department’s presence in
field-based experiences within EC-12 schools to enhance our students’
experiences and provide theatre and dance exposure to a diverse community.
5.1.c—Annually, the department will maintain a partnership with the
University Interscholastic League (UIL) and the IDEAL program.
Assessment:
•
•
Number of EC-12 partnerships.
Number of workshops.
Objective 5.2: Establish a higher education partnership with community colleges.
Strategies:
•
5.2.a—By fall 2003, the department will work with area two-year community
colleges to develop a course of study to better prepare students wishing to
enter the programs in theatre and dance.
Assessment:
•
•
Number of formal partnerships.
Number of articulation assessments with two-year colleges.
Objective 5.3: Increase the number of partnerships with state and federal agencies, and
private entities.
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Strategies:
•
5.3.a—Annually, the Funds Development Committee (FDC) will identify new
public and private funding agencies and share this information with the
faculty.
• 5.3.b—Annually, the FDC will continue to pursue grants and gifts.
Assessment:
•
•
Number of partnerships.
Number of grants.
Objective 5.4: Enhance partnership and cooperation among University areas.
Strategies:
•
•
5.4.a—Annually, the chair will assess our capacity to collaborate with other
areas within the University (e.g., FADC, International Cultural Center,
Schools of Music and Art, etc.)
5.4.b—By fall 2003, the faculty will work with the School of Music in the
development of an interdisciplinary degree in music theatre.
Assessment:
•
Number of partnerships related to instruction.
Objective 5.5: Expand the Department of Theatre and Dance’s presence in the region and
state.
Strategies:
•
•
•
5.5.a—By fall 2002, the faculty will continue to identify and develop
relationships with professional producing organizations to promote
meaningful visits, internships, and dramaturgical work.
5.5.b—By fall 2002, the chair will continue to assess our capacity to offer
courses or workshops at the Junction and Fredricksburg Centers.
5.5.c—Annually, continue to participate as the primary producing organ in the
Angel Fire Mountain Theatre.
Assessment:
•
Number of performance partnerships.
Objective 5.6: Develop partnerships with other universities.
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Strategies:
•
•
5.6.a—Annually, the chair will encourage faculty to participate in such
programs as the Big 12 fellowship.
5.6.b—Annually, the faculty will continue to provide a presence in regional
and national organizations such as: SWTA, TETA, ASTR, ATHE, and
USITT.
•
Number of partnerships with other universities and organizations.
Assessment:
Objective 5.7: Develop a strong partnership between the Department of Theatre and Dance
and the Alumni association.
Strategies:
•
•
5.7.a—Annually, the faculty will work with departmental alumni organization
in developing ways for their participation in the continued support of the
department.
5.7.b—By spring 2002, develop a relationship with alumni who are working
professionals, and promote ways for current students to use them as a
resource.
Assessment:
•
Establish relationships with the alumni organizations.
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Goal 6. Human Resources: Maintain a quality work force and work
environment.
Critical Success Factors
•
Construct and/or renovate modernized space for faculty, staff and student population.
•
Achieve parity in salaries for faculty, staff and administration as benchmarked against
appropriate studies (e.g., HEADS data, etc.)
•
Work to increase diversity of faculty and staff.
•
Play an active role in shaping the purpose and design of TTU’s Performing Arts
Center.
•
Participate in University orientation and customer service programs.
•
Maintain documented, equitable and consistent assessment procedures for annual
reviews and merit increases.
Objective 6.1: Recruit, hire and retain excellent and diverse faculty, academic professionals,
and staff.
Strategies:
•
•
•
6.1.a—By fall 2003, using HEADS and other university data, the chair will
conduct a comparative analysis of faculty and staff salaries, as well as
workload distribution.
6.1.b—Continually, the chair will confer with the Dean to enhance start-up
support for new faculty, and increase research and travel funding for
continuing faculty.
6.1.c—Annually, the department will continue to seek out qualified and
diverse faculty and staff in all new hires.
Assessment:
•
•
•
•
Level of salary equity with peer institutions.
Number of diverse faculty and staff.
Amount of start-up support.
Workload policy.
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Objective 6.2: Reduce employee turnover and increase employee satisfaction.
Strategies:
•
•
•
6.2.a—By fall 2003, the chair will determine a course of action to address
potential equity issues.
6.2.b—The chair will continue to work with the Dean develop a plan to
reduce departmental workloads to the University mean.
6.3.c—During the annual faculty assessment, the chair will evaluate employee
expectations and satisfaction.
Assessment:
•
•
Employee retention.
Employee satisfaction.
Objective 6.3: Support professional development for all employees.
Strategies:
•
•
6.3.a—Annually, the chair will encourage faculty and staff members to
participate in professional development opportunities.
6.3.b—The chair will continually work with the Dean to develop a plan for
increasing travel and research/creative activity funds for continuing faculty
and staff.
Assessment:
•
Number of professional development opportunities pursued.
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Objective 6.4: Provide necessary equipment and technology.
Strategies:
•
6.4.a—Continually, in consultation with the faculty, the chair will develop a
plan for updating current production and instructional equipment.
Assessment:
•
•
Equipment and technology plan.
Acquisition of new equipment and technology.
Objective 6.5: Develop a coordinated system for policies and procedures.
Strategies:
•
•
6.5.a—By fall 2005, a departmental committee along with the chair will
review and assess current operating procedures and policies.
6.5.b—Annually, the chair will document faculty workloads.
Assessment:
•
Annual review of policies.
Objective 6.6: Actively pursue the acquisition of appropriate space.
Strategies:
•
•
•
6.6.a—The chair will investigate the funding necessary to renovate existing
and construct new production facilities for scenery, costume, and prop
construction.
6.6.b—The chair will investigate the funding necessary to renovate the current
theatre annex and expand the space by adding two floors to include dance
studios, rehearsal/performance space, classrooms, and faculty offices.
6.6.c—The chair will establish a plan for bringing all theatre and dance
production, class and rehearsal spaces into total compliance with the
Americans with Disabilities Act.
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•
•
6.6.d—Annually, the chair and faculty will play an active role in the
development of the College of Visual and Performing Arts and all new
performance venues and performing art facilities on campus associated with
the Department of Theatre and Dance or College of Visual and Performing
Arts.
6.6.e. —Annually, the chair, in collaboration with the Department Safety
Coordinator, will monitor safety issues on the main stage and laboratory
theatres.
Assessment:
•
•
•
•
•
Completed needs assessment.
Amount of funding for new and/or renovated facilities.
Facilities and equipment master plan.
Safety plan.
Appropriate facilities and assessment.
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Goal 7. Tradition and Pride: Establish a national image.
Critical Success Factors
•
Increase visibility in national and international theatre and dance organizations.
•
Ensure a continued Department of Theatre and Dance presence in campus events.
•
Continue a relationship with alumni groups.
Objective 7.1: Strengthen the prestige associated with all Department of Theatre and Dance
programs and activities.
Strategies:
•
•
•
7.1.a—Annually, the faculty will continue to present a full season of plays for
the local, regional and national audience.
7.1.b—The chair and faculty will continue to investigate the possibility of
achieving NAST (National Association of Schools of Theatre) accreditation.
7.1.c—Continually, the chair will appoint faculty members to oversee each
theatre conference, encouraging faculty and student presentations and
attendance.
Assessment:
•
•
•
Number of events.
Participation in events.
Marketing of events.
Objective 7.2: Design and implement a strategic and campus-wide integrated marketing
program.
Strategies:
•
7.2.a—Annually, the faculty will network with the School of Music, the
School of Art, and the FADP (Fine Arts Doctoral Program) to establish
common marketing interests.
Assessment:
•
•
Consistent marketing plan.
Survey common marketing interests.
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Objective 7.3: Develop a strong partnership with the Alumni Association.
Strategies:
•
•
•
7.3.a—Annually, the department will publish and distribute an alumni
newsletter.
7.3.b—The department will maintain a strong relationship with recognized
theatre and dance alumni organizations.
7.3.c—The department will annually recognize distinguished alumni.
Assessment:
•
•
•
Publication of alumni newsletter.
Formal relationships with alumni group.
Awards to alumni.
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Goal 8. Institutional Advancement and Accountability: Strengthen
fiscal stability and public accountability.
Critical Success Factors
•
$5 million endowment for the Department of Theatre and Dance.
•
Increase cash gifts for discretionary funding.
•
Maintain strict accountability to TTU OP’s and fiscal guidelines.
Objective 8.1: Increase external funding.
Strategies:
•
•
8.1.a—A Faculty Development Committee will create a development plan.
8.1.b—Continually, the chair will encourage faculty to apply for grants.
Assessment:
•
•
•
Development plan.
Amount of resources dedicated to development.
Funds generated.
Objective 8.2: Ensure fiscal accountability.
Strategies:
•
•
8.2.a—Annually, the chair will assess our adherence to University OP’s, as
well as state and federal operational guidelines.
8.2.b—Monthly, the department will produce and distribute production budget
revenues and expenses to those who oversee each production area.
Assessment:
•
•
Annual report (HEADS).
Accountability system in place.
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APPENDIX B
Graduate Course Offerings
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B. Graduate Course Offerings
5300. Dramatic Analysis (3:3:0). Study of dramatic structures and script analysis methods as a
preparation for writing, directing, designing, performing, and criticizing plays.
5301. Playwriting I (3:3:0). Prerequisite: TH A 5300. Basic graduate-level study in the theory and
practice of playwriting, focusing on crafting the short play.
5302. Playwriting II (3:3:0). Prerequisite: TH A 5301. Instruction and practice in crafting the full-length
play script. May be repeated once for credit.
5303. Theatre Scene Design (3:0:9). Advanced work in the process of designing for the stage. Includes
work on models, sketches, renderings, and theatre drafting. May be repeated for credit.
5304. Theatre Lighting Design (3:0:9). Advanced work in theatrical lighting design with an emphasis on
the use of light as artistic expression. May be repeated for credit.
5305. Theatre Costume Design (3:0:9). Advanced work in the total process of designing costumes for
the stage through design projects for representative plays. May be repeated for credit.
5306. Theatre History Survey (3:3:0). A survey of the major periods and traditions of world theatre and
various approaches to theatre historiography. Required of all theatre arts doctoral students.
5307, 5308. Advanced Practicum in Repertory Theatre I, II (3:0:9 each). Prerequisite: An
undergraduate major in theatre arts, or consent of instructor. Practical work in supervision of the
organization, mounting, and presentation of plays in a repertory situation. May be repeated for credit.
5309. Seminar in Theatre History (3:3:0). Prerequisite: An undergraduate major in theatre arts or
consent of instructor. Consideration of the theatre of a specific historical epoch, or the comparative study
of the theatre of several periods.
5310. Historical and Critical Perspectives in Theatre Arts (3:3:0). Historical and critical overview of
the field including introduction to major theories and methodologies; study of particular artists; works or
movements that provide insight into specific creative techniques; basic media and techniques of the field;
and interdisciplinary relationships with the other arts.
5311. Advanced Directing (3:2:3). Prerequisite: Undergraduate directing course or consent of instructor.
Study of procedures and techniques of directing. Enrollment in noncredit lab is required.
5312. Theatre Management (3:3:0). Study of university, community, and professional theatre
management with special attention to policy making, audience building, play selection, staff organization,
budget preparation, and relationships with governmental and private agencies and foundations.
5313. Dramatic Criticism (3:3:0). Principles of dramatic criticism from Aristotle to the present day.
5314. Theatre Arts in Contemporary Context (3:3:0). Study of contemporary issues in the field: Current
artistic trends, theory and criticism, organization (e.g., funding, administration), and cultural policy (e.g.,
education, assessment, multi-cultural issues, censorship).
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5315. Reading Playscripts (3:3:0). Reading and analysis of numerous playscripts and a study of the
way in which they are produced in performance.
5316. Marketing the Arts (3:3:0). An approach to the field of current theories and practices of arts
marketing.
5317. Funding the Arts (3:3:0). A seminar in locating and arranging funding for arts organizations.
5318. Advocacy for the Arts (3:3:0). Study of the importance and impact of external environments on
the formation, production, and funding of arts activities.
5320. Theatre Planning (3:3:0). A study of the planning and design of theatre facilities.
5321. Playwriting III (3:3:0). Prerequisite: TH A 5301 or consent of instructor. Study of selected topics in
the theory and practice and process of playwriting.
5322. New Script Production (3). Practical work for playwrights participating in the production of their
original full-length scripts.
5323. Problems in Lighting, Costuming, and Scenery (3:3:0). Development of scenery, costume, and
lighting designs for selected plays and theatre buildings from research to presentation.
5324. The Teaching of Acting (3:3:0). Study of modern theories and practices of acting and actor
training. Design of the acting course.
5325. Period Styles in Acting (3:3:3). Prerequisite: TH A 5329. Scene study in various periods ranging
from Ancient Greece through Medieval, Spanish Golden Age, Jacobean, Restoration, and beyond. Two
labs at progressive skill levels.
5326. Seminar in Directing Methods (3:3:0). A study of the methods of selected modern directors and
directing theories.
5327. Special Problems in Directing (3). Individual directing project on or off campus. Project must be
approved by instructor before enrollment.
5328. Special Problems in Playwriting (3). Prerequisite: TH A 5301. Advanced study in developing,
writing, and revising play scripts. May be repeated for credit.
5329. Advanced Scene Study (3:3:3). Scene study in realist and contemporary acting styles. Various
approaches to acting in 20th century drama. Required of all first-year acting and directing MFA students.
5331. Studies in Contemporary Theatre (3:3:0). A seminar in contemporary theatre theories and
practices.
5333. Studies in the Production of Pre-Modern Drama (3:3:0). A study of the problems of producing
classical, Elizabethan, French neo-classic, Restoration, and eighteenth-century drama for present-day
audiences.
5334. Topics in Acting (3:3:3). In-depth workshop in specific acting styles, genres, national and ethnic
theatres, and techniques or training.
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5336. Graphics Presentations for the Theatre: Computer Drafting (3:2:3). Computer-aided drafting
techniques for theatrical presentations.
5337. Graphics Presentations for the Theatre: Computer Rendering (3:2:3). Computer-aided
rendering techniques and portfolio tools for theatrical presentations.
5341. Seminar in Dramatic Theory (3:3:0). Prerequisite: An undergraduate major in theatre arts or
consent of instructor. The consideration of a specific theoretical approach to the theatre or the
comparative study of several theoretical approaches. Repeatable for credit.
5343. Seminar in Voice and Movement (3:3:3). Intensive training in specific voice and movement
techniques and methodologies culminating in a studio performance of improvisations, montages, and solo
performances.
5350. Seminar in Theatre Research Methods (3:3:0). Examination of research and critical processes in
dramatic history, theory, and performance or production through current philosophical orientations,
methodologies, and techniques. Required of all graduate students.
5372. Dramaturgy (3:3:0). Study of the role of the dramaturgy in the theatre with emphasis on research,
artistic collaboration, and the development of new works.
6000 Level Courses
6000. Master's Thesis (V1-6).
6001. Internship (V1-6). Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Service assignment in an arts organization
for students in the graduate theatre and dance program. May be repeated for credit.
7000 Level Courses
7000. Research (V1-12).
8000 Level Courses
8000. Doctor's Dissertation (V1-12).
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APPENDIX C
Graduate Student Association(s)
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C. Description and information about Graduate Student Association(s)
The department does not have any organizations or associations specifically for graduate
students.
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APPENDIX D
Graduate Student Handbook
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APPENDIX E
Recruiting Materials
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APPENDIX F
Graduate Faculty Information
Aaron Adair
Andrea Bilkey
Norman A. Bert
Dorothy Chansky
Frederick B. Christoffel
Linda Donahue
Genevieve Durham
Bill Gelber
Lewis Magruder
Laurin Mann
Jonathan Marks
Melissa L. Merz
Lorraine Person
Jon Whitmore
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