Bemidji State University
Department of Visual Arts
Report of a consultant visit to Valley City State University
April 17-18, 1997
Consultant: Jauneth Skinner
Associate Professor, Head of Computer Imaging
Department of Visual Arts
Bemidji State University
1500 Birchmont Dr. NE
Bemidji, MN 56601-2699
A PROGRAM REVIEW OF THE DIVISION OF FINE ARTS
INTRODUCTION
This report is based on initial visits with Linda Whitney, the Art Department Chair, Rich
Meredith, and Diana Skrock, Division Chair. Several art students, Rachel Lusso,
Christine Huseby, Brenda Gangl, Cathy Jahn, and Adam Houser, also visited with this
reviewer. Suggestions for future consideration are the result of extended conversations
with the chair and observations made while visiting in April.
The limitations of the review are due, in part, to the short time frame for the visit. The
regular term was in session, and this was helpful, since this reviewer was able to talk to
the students both individually and in small groups. We discussed their current work and
studies in the studio, and talked about the integration of computers into the program.
It is hoped that this review may offer a viewpoint that might stimulate dialogue and
encourage change if the department and the administration work towards the future with
optimism and faith in each other. This reviewer has five years of university teaching
experience, including departmental committee and administrative responsibilities. Prior
to this she has over ten years of practical experience in the field of graphic arts and
computer imaging. These experiences contribute to the reflections of this reviewer.
Visual art education is a key to learning about ourselves and the world. Visual art studies
embrace cross-cultural understanding, gender difference, community interaction, and
psychological implications as well as interdisciplinary connections. Art education also
embodies the attention to craft, with discipline in the studio processes and a
comprehensive understanding of theory and critical review. Our values are established in
what we do, how we do it, and where we do it, while developing judgment towards
quality in product and process as an ever changing but necessary component of
education. The visual arts hold the key to integrative processes of making, learning, and
teaching. Art is not an isolated discipline but embodies everyday experiences as well as
sublime and aesthetic judgments. We design our environment, and this is no small
matter. For art to be taken seriously we must educate the whole person and it is the
responsibility of our universities to set the standards of what it means to be whole.
The reviewer was pleased to see a well thought-out facility, with a department centrally
located on campus, sharing space with Technology in a beautiful old building. It is
noteworthy that the art faculty is small and includes multi-disciplined professors.
Whitney and Meredith share a heavy load of teaching many different mediums and
techniques, and they seem to be managing in spite of several handicaps. Both Whitney
and Meredith are conscientious about their responsibilities as educators, and appear to
share agreement on common issues and goals in their division.
The first impressions of the campus and community suggested a unique quality. The
campus, in relation to the city, is well located. The location and visibility suggests that it
contributes much to the culture of a small rural community. It would be ideal if the
Division of Art could take advantage of the city traffic and route some of the travelers to
the Gallery facilities. Whitney has managed to carve out a small, but highly accessible
space in the hall of the art department. It would be more effective is signage could
indicate the presence of a gallery facility so that interested visitors could engage in the act
of looking. Students could take advantage of this traffic by offering sales and exhibitions
of importance in this small gallery setting. It would be extremely effective to find
another exhibition space on campus, such as making use of the Humanities Room, or
perhaps a space adjacent to the theatre or music performances, so that more visitors could
experience the arts and the university could showcase its talented students and faculty.
Valley City could benefit greatly from this interaction with the university, by bringing in
visually stimulating works in exhibitions that could satisfy the aesthetic needs of the
community.
It is evident that a strong and ongoing review process must be put in place. The kinds of
questions that are formulated by administration must be direct and comprehensive while
guidelines need to be uniform and fitting. Whitney has set goals that cannot be met
unless the Division of Art has a commitment from the administration that reflects the
ever-changing needs of bringing access to new technologies to the students. Flexibility is
a key ingredient for planning while sustainability is a must. For a department to remain
viable is has to know what it is about, how it came to the way it is, and the direction that
it wants to follow.
The Valley City State University Art Department has weathered many serious changes in
the last few years. It continues to be a strong department because there is a quality in its
makeup that is basic and necessary to its instructional mission. Programs cannot continue
unless they are modified for optimum efficiency and there is a willingness to integrate
new technologies into the studio arts. This review can be useful only if the department
remains open-minded and the suggestions are seen as workable.
THE REVIEW
It is the reviewer’s bias that students should graduate with a working knowledge of the
art forms of their time. Art education must give students the aesthetic tools, the language,
the critical options to approach and evaluate art without fear or undisciplined bias. It is
with this mind that the reviewer recommends a greater interaction with the computer.
Integrative programs are the direction of the future with shared course responsibilities
and cross-disciplined curriculums.
One of the fascinating aspects of Valley City State University is its commitment to
providing lap top computers for all the students. This brings the most current technology
into the reach of students regardless of their course of study. What courses would be
necessary to teach the art students how to use both the computers and the complex
imaging software they need to make art? What courses should the student take first?
What courses might be fused together with both drawing and computer use? What would
be excluded in the curriculum to provide a way to do this?
This reviewer’s bias also includes an understanding of the basics of design and drawing
before the students start working on the computer. These are courses that are already part
of the existing foundations program. What is missing, however, is enough hardware and
software for the students to actually make art. This seemed to be a common complaint
from the students themselves. One problem is the constant need for more and more
powerful computers with sufficient RAM to run such memory hungry imaging software
as Photoshop and Corell Draw. This is always expensive and will remain a problem.
Another problem is the output of printed material. The students will need access to a
good color printer, such as a Tektronix Laser printer, and good quality black and white
laser printing. These are also expensive and need to be maintained. It has been this
reviewer’s experience that the administration in a university setting are only too happy to
have grants written to obtain such expensive and necessary hardware, but often do not
understand the commitment of time and maintenance that must be made to keep these
running properly. They get a lot of use and the maintenance of such sophisticated
computer equipment is outside of the realm of already overworked faculty. This requires
an administrative commitment to finding a person who is a computer technician.
It was wonderful to see the students already communicating with one another and the
faculty via e-mail and the Internet. It is exciting for them to continue their education as
they communicate with their peers throughout the world. The opportunity for students
and faculty to research, and access museums and libraries, to activate the Internet and
seek such information is all part of the present and the future. It is especially important
and desirable in such an isolated rural community to have this access to a wider world of
ideas and images. Students nowadays are often computer literate when they enter
universities, and they expect that tool to be available and used within the classrooms.
It could be prudent for the faculty to survey other institutions that are comparable in size
to Valley City State University—to study their programs and delivery systems. Students
continue to select their courses of study by comparing institutions. What makes your
program unique compared to other universities? Are you able to advertise that on a
homepage? Can you envision a five-year plan? Are you encouraged to visit other
universities and attend conferences? Is there money available in the university at large to
fund site visits by the faculty?
All universities have budget problems and when we postpone what is necessary it comes
back to haunt us later. The retention issue is real and we do not always know why a
students leaves. The reasons can be numerous, but if the student comes with expectations
that are not met they probably will leave. One solution might be to improve the advising
and advertising. Parents want success and security for their children. We can give
parents and students indicators but we need to back it up with examples of past student
accomplishments.
The one room school was a fine example of what happened when the teacher became the
facilitator. When we had diverse units within our classrooms we were taught to separate
them. Now we must find a way to use the student’s expertise. Take a survey with a
design class and ask how many can sew, do basic electricity, weld, paint walls, utilize
computer software, run power equipment, etc.
Isn’t there a way to utilize this knowledge and allow the students to work towards a
collaborative effort? Art Education programs offer practicums that are real learning
tools. Could other areas in the B.A. provide some opportunities for mentoring or
internships? A faculty member can then act as a facilitator rather than the sole provider
of information. Students could also build working relationships with each other and the
community while supporting their own discipline.
Another intriguing possibility is for the students to begin dialogues with other art students
at other universities. This is possible with the interaction of e-mail and the World Wide
Web. What is a chat group was set up so students could talk about their art works with
other students from V.C.S.U. as well as other universities?
V.C.S.U. appears to be developing a fine computer studio facility, with unexpected,
continued growth. This is exciting for both the students and faculty. At present,
however, there does not seem to be a working arrangement for the art students to have
access to adequate computers hardware and software, which is a necessity for anyone
majoring in communications, art, graphics, and other design disciplines.
It could be expected that courses in computer imaging, graphic design, film, and
animation would develop into a foundations core. The faculty stated that they did not
have the expertise necessary to offer courses in graphic design, however, the students are
continuing to demand an education in this field which complements the fine art and art
education, as well as commercial applications.
The printmaking area seems to be equipped with adequate equipment, in spite of the
etching press needing major repairs. The program does not reflect a continuity of course
offerings. The students were emphatic in their disappointment that the university has not
seen fit to invest in the necessary repairs to allow them to pursue their studies in intaglio,
relief, and monotype processes. The course descriptions do not really indicate to the
students which techniques and processes will be offered.
Whitney is a nationally recognized printmaker, and it is a shame not to utilize her talents
and abilities as a valuable resource to the students in this discipline. Is the use of nontoxic inks and processes environmentally safe? If not, it is imperative that this switch be
made as soon as possible. The use of toxic materials in printmaking processes and
alternatives to doing so has been widely reported.
The painting area appears to be akin to the printmaking area of course descriptions. They
both lack continuity. When does the student really experience watercolor, oil, acrylic, or
related painting media? Do the courses reflect adequate separation of media? The
difference between media should be observed as well as the obvious similarities. Why is
painting considered core? The space seems to be conducive to both large and small
format painting, and the lighting is good.
The ceramics area looks good. It seems to provide a fine series of experiences to elevate
the student towards independent thinking and design. This space could be better
designed to accommodate a larger variety of student endeavors. It is the understanding of
this reviewer that Meredith is new to the facility, and is in the process of rearranging and
reorganizing the ceramics studio to better facilitate teaching and create an environment
conducive to working with clay. It was evident that a great quantity of work exists. Do
the students lack storage space? Do they have spaces reserved for their work?
POINTS TO CONSIDER
This review, acting as a critical instrument, can be helpful if is asks questions, suggests
solutions and generally indicated where problem areas might still exist. The following
indicates how this department might determine its future through assessment and
planning strategies:
1. To what degree has the department clearly articulated its goals for its programs
and students? Response: Whitney has completed an extensive listing of
requirements and goals for individual courses as well as the B.A. and the Art
Education program. With only two faculty members, an additional study may be
needed to include the anticipated program budget and staff needs, such as
sabbaticals and leaves of absence.
2. What achievements in research, scholarship, or creative activities have the faulty
accomplished? Response: How successful are the faculty? How do they measure
up in the area of professional development? Are they current?
3. What achievements in the area of public service have been accomplished by the
faculty? Response: Does the department interact with the community? How or to
what degree? Is this an important criterion as it relates to the mission of the
university?
4. Does the department’s accreditation status meet the standards for the discipline?
Response: If not, please indicate.
5. What is the general quality of instruction in your department compared to that in
similar universities? Response: Compare your program, staff, and courses to
three other universities similar to yours. Visiting by person would be the best
model to trust.
6. What is the general quality of advising in the department? Response: Is the
timing of registration appropriate or does advising come in close relation to the
time of registration? Does the department have work sheets appropriate for
students to design and track their progress through the program?
7. How could the curriculum of this department be improved over the next five
years? Response: What resources would it take to make the changes you foresee?
How could computer technology and computer resources be added to the existing
curriculum?
8. Do you seek formal evaluations of departmental programs or services from your
students? How do they evaluate their experience? Response: Develop questions
that would be good indicators of experience. Seek evaluations by students, peers,
alumni, and employers. Can you determine quality of experience with current
students?
9. Are you providing your students with professional opportunities? (Exhibits, sales,
gallery and museum experiences) Response: How are students made aware of
there opportunities? Course work or word of mouth?
10. What programs seem to hold the potential for sustainability and growth? What
areas of emphasis could be established to develop a new mission? How does this
relate to integrating computer technologies into the existing program? Response:
You can’t do everything. What is it that you might indicate as areas of emphasis?
The following might be considerations: Art education, painting, drawing,
printmaking, computer imaging, and ceramics.
11. Can you introduce a lab fee requirement in courses to give students access to
basic materials or to materials that they may have trouble getting locally?
Response: What is a reasonable expectation for art supplies as opposed to books?
12. Do you have adequate staff? Response: Evaluate needs including secretarial and
work-study assistants in relationship to your long-range goals.
13. Are you networking with area high schools to identify teachers and students?
Who may take advantage of your program? Response: Work to develop programs
that can service area and regional schools, with exhibitions, or speakers. Perhaps
the programs that can be put on-line with a home page that can be accessed in
remote areas.
14. What impact does the community environment have on your actions as
professors? How does your program utilize the unique environment and the
community at large? Response: Guests need to be adequately directed to your
campus. A gallery adjacent to the music and performance spaces would be
attractive to visitors and provide cultural enrichment to the community. Perhaps
openings could be at the same time as performances. This would need signage to
direct visitors.
15. Does the summer recess break the rhythm of advising and providing information
to prospective students? Response: Do you need someone who can be available
to advise or answer important inquiries? In the summer, is the chairperson
expected to be on duty? Can faculty help assume this responsibility?
16. If your department were allotted extra revenue in the next budget, how would
you spend it? Response: Would you use the extra money for equipment,
including computers, both hardware and software? How would the issues of
maintenance and upgrading software be handled? Your goals and objectives
should indicate needs. These needs should be identified in priority order and
should reflect the needs discussed by the faculty and students.
CONCLUSION
The division of Art at V.C.S.U. is seeking to sustain itself because it is vital to the
wholeness of the individual student; it affects the community at large and finally is
instrumental in shaping the values for the next generation. We must blend what is
valued from the past with the risky elements of the present. This department has the
potential to be a significant force in the region.
To retain a staff of competent professors, the university must offer sabbatical leaves,
adequate travel allowances, and reduced time/load for administrative, research, and
creative work. It is important that computer literacy be brought into line and that the
department consider how the computer will impact its programs.
Resources that are overlooked in most schools are the students themselves. The
students can assume a great deal of responsibility for shaping their education by
becoming involved in department-sponsored programs. Students can be a voice in
curricular changes, and assume responsibility for the general upkeep of the building
and studios.
It is this reviewer’s perception that the faculty at V.C.S.U. is loyal and hard working,
but severely overextended. They have excellent credentials and are highly regarded
as professional artists in the region and nationally. To continue to teach the highest
standards without debilitating burnout, the faculty needs the support of the
administration.
Much of what has been said has already been discussed with Whitney. This reviewer
has honestly attempted to be helpful, while knowing that a certain amount of critical
review needs more time and greater collaboration.
This document is submitted with great respect for the art faculty and the university
they represent.