Program Unit Review Committee
P U R C F I N D I N G S A N D R E C O M M E N D A T I O N S
Program/Unit Reviewed: Visual (Fine) Arts
Self-Study Chair(s): Candace Nicol
Division: Liberal Arts
Year of Review: 2014-2015
Date Submitted to VPAA:
Committee findings of self-study strengths:
Curriculum:
• Addressed recommendations from previous PUR report and explained issues surrounding whether strategies were implemented.
• Faculty and leadership are aware of the inconsistency of updating and assessing courses and are working on plans to update course outcomes and submit CARs.
• Art History courses have updated and approved outcomes as of fall 2014.
• Good description of issues and factors affecting all aspects of the program including staffing, articulation at the university level, student advisement, retention and timing for degree-seeking student registration, as well as a need to standardize content to ensure consistency.
• Multiple methods of instruction provided.
• Graduates have transferred to four-year programs and gained employment using the skills learned in the program.
• Kudos to doing a graduate survey and analyzing the results.
• Outreach efforts to WCSD High Schools take place regularly.
• Aware and in touch with the “STEAM” movement to incorporate art into STEM.
• The program appears to be meeting the four goals stated in the report.
Demographics and Enrollment:
• Attracts students in the 18-24 yr. age group at a significantly higher rate than the TMCC average
• The program appears to attract a diverse student body which very closely mirrors the College demographic. Outreach efforts to underserved and Hispanic populations are impressive.
• Students are enrolled full time in Visual Arts courses at a significantly higher rate than TMCC’s average.
As suggested in the report, this trend could be attributed to successful recruitment efforts at the high school level.
• Retention rate is strong, slightly higher than the College and the Division of Liberal Arts.
• The number of students earning a degree in this program has more than doubled since the last PUR.
This is reflective of the faculty’s ongoing emphasis upon degree completion.
Resources:
• Part-time faculty bring contemporary experiences to the classroom from their own experiences as professional artists. The part-time nature of these positions allows faculty to acquire more experience in the field and time with community outreach. The part-time faculty are exceptionally accomplished in their disciplines.
• A part-time faculty member has co-founded a local gallery, allowing students an opportunity to show their own work and gain valuable real-life gallery experience.
• The established working relationship between the department and the Liberty Fine Art Gallery also allows opportunity for students to get hands-on practical real world experience.
Page 1 of 4; Program Unit Review Committee findings and Recommendations Created: 5/4/2015; Rev: 6/22/2015
TMCC is an EEO/AA institution. See http://eeo.tmcc.edu for more information.

• There are many funding sources for the program including state funds, lab fees, donations and grants.
The amount of grants and donations obtained by Visual Arts is impressive.
Committee findings on self-study weaknesses:
Curriculum:
• Lack of course assessment as indicated by few CARs submitted (self-identified).
• Lack of lead faculty to drive assessment, develop curriculum, and implement best practices in methods of instruction (self-identified).
• Lack of degree offerings for photography (self-described).
• Lack of assistance or staffing in a photography workshop resulted in student frustration
• Perceived need for Certificate in Photography, or a new Photography emphasis for the AA Art degree.
• Comments made by program graduates suggest a need for more current technology and integration of technology into the curriculum.
Demographics and Enrollment:
Note: The Visual Arts PUR data packet was compiled by selecting for “students enrolled in ART courses”. It came to my attention when reading the PUR that the author was referring to “Fine Arts declared majors” of ARTHIST-AA and
FINEARTS-AA. The PUR data I provided was for the Visual Arts program, not the more global Fine Arts Program, of which
Visual Arts is but one area (Art History, and Art Galleries being the other 2). In other words, I provided no information about declared majors, graduation, or transfer. In addition, statements are made throughout the demographics section about “Students in the TMCC Visual Arts Program” when in reality, the data the author is looking at is for “Students enrolled in ART sections” which is a very different thing.
The authors have addressed these changes directly in the PUR self-study or as an addendum where necessary. These recommendations will not go forward on the Annual Progress Report:
Recommendations
1.
Revise the demographics section of the PUR to refer to the characteristics of students enrolled in ART courses, rather than referring to characteristics of Visual Arts declared majors.
2.
Add an addendum to the PUR to describe any significant differences between students enrolled in ART classes (the original data packet) and declared Visual Arts majors (data packet attached: “Visual Arts Data Packet (with
Declared Majors).xls”. Major differences include:
• 66% of Visual Arts declared majors fall into the 18-24 year old category rather than the 59% of ART students
• With respect to gender, Visual Arts declared majors are spilt 60/40 rather than 63/37 for Art Students
• 35% of declared Visual Arts majors are enrolled in 12+ credits vs. 47% of ART students.
• 21% of declared Visual Arts majors earned 12+ credits vs 26% of ART students
3.
Make the following data changes or address the source of these numbers:
• In section 1.1 of the PUR, replace the underlined sentence (see the text in red): The Fine Arts Program serves an average of 1,027 (5 year average) enrolled students per semester.
(The number 1,027 came from page 3.12 where retention is shown. These are enrollments, not students. The correct number of students served – 5 year average – is 913) . There are 252 Fine Arts Majors enrolled (FALL 2014) and 24
(FALL 2014) Art History Emphasis Majors enrolled in the Fine Arts Program.
(In Fall 2014 there were 72
FINEARTS-AA majors enrolled and 8 ARTHIST-AA majors enrolled.)
• In section 3.12 or the PUR, you use the same numbers as above: “Currently there are 252 Fine Arts
Emphasis seekers and 24 Art History Emphasis majors.” Change the numbers as shown in the above bullet or identify the source of these alternate numbers which are too high to be declared majors.
4.
The original data packet did not have graduation and transfer tabs because no degrees were identified or used.
In the attached excel workbook “Visual Arts Data Packet (with Declared Majors)” there are two tabs (grads and transfers) which provide graduation and transfer data that you may want to incorporate into the PUR. (Excel data file provided to Candace Nicol on 4-24-15).
Resources:
• The workload formula may not adequately reflect studio time.
• There are no program coordinators or lead faculty in Visual Arts to assist with assessment and managing part-time faculty in this diverse discipline.
Page 2 of 4; Program Unit Review Committee Findings and Recommendations Rev.: 6/22/2015
TMCC is an EEO/AA institution. See http://eeo.tmcc.edu for more information.

• Some classrooms, such as RDMT 219, are too small to accommodate students and their projects.
• The image database for art history courses is out of date.
• Without an air washing system, the chemicals used in studio art classrooms pose a threat to safety and a legal concern.
• The photography area needs replacement of broken and lost equipment.
• The department as a whole needs another administrative assistant to help with the visual arts program.
• There is a need for full-time lab technician.
• There is a need for another full-time art historian.
• There is no dedicated storage space for photography equipment.
• The current location of the dark rooms is not ideal.
• The lighting in SIER 208 is not ideal for teaching photographic lighting classes.
Committee Strategies and Recommendations:
Curriculum:
• Work with division Dean to evaluate need for a program coordinator or lead faculty to assist with assessment and managing PT faculty, and begin the process for securing the position if necessary.
• Explore need for Photography Certificate or AA Photography emphasis and add to offerings if needed.
• Review UNR’s Silver Core and align courses with UNR and other NSHE institutions.
• Determine technology needs to include future course offerings.
• Explore opening course offerings, as appropriate, to high school students.
• Pursue a full-time Visual Arts instructor with expertise in technology.
• Examine how studio time workload is compensated across the nation.
• Form a community-wide coalition to address the STEAM movement (from discussion at the self-study chair/dean meeting and Candace Nicol’s idea.)
Demographics and Enrollment:
• Continue with outreach and recruiting at the high school level.
• Continue to work closely with advising to assure students are directed to the appropriate advisor in the program.
• Redouble efforts to strengthen the outcomes in core courses to better prepare students for articulation to UNR.
Continue work to improve the TMCC/UNR relationship and to align with UNR, particularly in light of the recent Silver Core.
Resources:
• The Visual Arts Program has many resource needs. Prioritize the following and submit through the RAP process, where appropriate: o
Develop a plan to find funding and acquire a program coordinator or lead faculty member to assist with assessment efforts and management of PT faculty. o
Develop a plan to find funding and secure an administrative assistant for the Visual Arts program. o
Develop a plan to find funding and secure a general lab technician and photography lab technician. o
Develop a plan to get a larger classroom for Sculpture and Foundations and a more suitable classroom for
Art History class (40 seat theatre-style). Work with the Scheduling Office to determine availability of such classrooms, especially the theatre-style VSTA 204 or 205. o
Develop a plan to acquire funding for a dedicated Macintosh lab and other technology including a 3D printer, scanners, color printers, educational videos, cameras, laptops, software, and work tables. o
Develop a plan to acquire new equipment for the photography area, including tripods, large format cameras and a facility to store this equipment. o
Address safety and legal concerns of chemical use in RDMT 218 by securing an air washing system for
RDMT 218. Work with the Phil Povey, TMCC’s Safety Officer. o
Develop a plan to relocate the darkrooms. o
Develop a plan to add proper lighting studios to the photography facility.
Page 3 of 4; Program Unit Review Committee Findings and Recommendations
TMCC is an EEO/AA institution. See http://eeo.tmcc.edu for more information.
Rev.: 6/22/2015

PURC Members
Name Title
Melissa Deadmond Chair, PURC; Associate Dean of Assessment and Planning
Julia Bledsoe
Gabriela Brochu
Program Officer, VPAA’s Office
Instructor, Foreign Languages
Jody Covert
Erin Frock
Meeghan Gray
Julie Muhle
Director, Nursing
Counselor, Counseling
Instructor, Biology
Professor, Dental Assisting
Cheryl Scott
Henry Sotelo
Assistant Director, Institutional Research
Instructor, Paralegal/Law
By signing, the Self-Study Chair(s) and Dean agree to the stated findings and recommendations made by the Program Unit Review Committee and, that following VPAA and President approval, acknowledge that the program must continue to address recommendations until completed through
Annual Progress Reports (APRs).
Self-Study Chair(s): Date:
Dean:
Date:
Date:
Page 4 of 4; Program Unit Review Committee Findings and Recommendations
TMCC is an EEO/AA institution. See http://eeo.tmcc.edu for more information.
Rev.: 6/22/2015