VISION STATEMENT

The College of Fine Arts strives to create an urban learning community that supports innovative ideas, teaching strategies, and results that enhance the reputation and visibility of the University, the community, and the State. As the College progresses it will build on past and current strengths while embracing and integrating inevitable change that will occur. It is the vision of the College to graduate not only students that are well trained in their respective disciplines, but to graduate an educated population that has the ability to use its developing skills and talent for personal and universal goals.

At the end of the 5-year planning period, traditional training/education in the programs encompassed by the College should be strengthened to the point that UNLV is truly a major force, nationally, in educating traditional artists. That strong base will enable the College to be, in a parallel sense, a leader in creating programs that break down traditional academic barriers and encourage cross and interdisciplinary training/education that will address economic, technical, environmental, and educational changes that are certain to occur in the next 5 years, and, with increased intensity over the next decade.

The College, over the next five years, will become a leader not only in traditional areas, but in such new areas of opportunity as: Entertainment Engineering and Design; use of traditional and non-traditional arts in working with the rapidly growing and aging population; strategies for artists to enter, and engagement in creative management/business opportunities; and, defining specific areas of excellence within the College that provide services to students, the state, and the nation.

 

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the College of Fine Arts is to provide the highest academic standards and professional training for its undergraduate and graduate students. Located in Las Vegas, the country’s newest dynamic western urban area and center of popular culture, the College of Fine Arts serves as the primary artistic and cultural resource for the citizens of the state of Nevada.

The academic experience provided by the College prepares students for professional employment in the fine and performing arts and design, provides them with the academic background necessary to pursue graduate study, and through involvement in their chosen artistic field, heightens their awareness of the physical, intellectual and cultural world around them.

The College strives to provide an environment that facilitates the humanistic and artistic education of its students and nurtures the creative and professional growth of its faculty and staff.

STAKEHOLDERS AND TARGET GROUPS

Stakeholders are both narrow and broadly defined in the College. Those are:

· Individuals whose interest is primarily one art form in which the College is involved as an educator/trainer (Music, dance, Art, etc.). This group is primarily matriculated students.

· Individuals whose interest is primarily as a recipient/audience member of one or more of the areas represented within the College. These are, for the most part, persons who SELECT to attend offerings. Based on attendance figures that number is near 150,000 individuals.

· Faculty in all College disciplines as well as faculty in adjunct areas such as English, Creative Writing, Television, and various areas within Engineering.

· Families of students enrolled in one of the College’s majors.

· Donors who, through gifts, have demonstrated an interest in supporting the College.

· Businesses and commercial enterprises that have a direct interest in hiring qualified, fully matriculated students.

· Business and commercial enterprises who have need of services the College’s graduates might provide, although not necessarily through direct employment.

· Local providers of resources for the College’s programs. These would include music companies, film and television stock distributors, lighting equipment renters and wholesalers, sound supply firms, etc.

· Local arts groups relying on our expertise and facilities.

· Agencies and individuals working toward sustainable growth goals.

· Professional associations (AIA, ASLA, etc.).

 

Target Groups include the following:

· The most talented and scholastically proficient Nevada High School students.

· Teachers in elementary, middle, and secondary schools in Clark County and other Nevada School Districts.

· The Nevada “entertainment industry” and its separate components.

· National distributors and developers of technology used in the entertainment industry.

· Groups underrepresented in certain industries and disciplines (Minority Architects, female Film Directors/producers, low income persons being introduced to various musical instruments, etc.).

· Groups involved in Land Management and long term environmental planning.

· Senior adults seeking to study and be involved with the Arts.

· Private teachers of various arts residing in Nevada.

· Individuals NOT familiar with the traditional performing arts.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN

Faculty Strengths:

The College is fortunate to have a diverse and professional faculty, most of whom deserve the title Artist/Teacher or Professional/Teacher. The vast majority of the faculty has worked, and continues to work, professionally. In all of the departments, the faculty has been able to capitalize upon the discrete talents and skills of the faculty to the benefit, and accomplishment, of the mission of the individual departments.

This is also a faculty that has proven their ability to adjust to increase in student numbers without comparable increases in faculty numbers, while maintaining and increasing quality instruction. New, needed programs have been developed in several areas due to the faculty’s ability and willingness to work together, sometimes “outside” of the specific areas for which they were hired, to accomplish said programs. The newly conceived and developing Entertainment Engineering (EE) and Design program is an example. Another is the Gerontology Program, which depends on faculty from Colleges other than Fine Arts to teach and work with the program.

Faculty have proven their collective and individual willingness and ability to, overall, work well in the areas of Teaching, Research/Creative Activity, and Service as evidence by Merit Awards presented to faculty in all three of these areas.

The faculty, for the most part, is very up-to date on developments in their respective fields. Faculty in Architecture, for example are involved in research and practical application of passive energy. Others in the same School are involved in dealing with the “real-time” problems of planning for land use in a fragile desert environment. Film faculty are versed in the latest technology. Theatre features faculty involved in professional organizations, which represent the cutting edge.

The College is also fortunate to have formed a pool of talented and dedicated part-time faculty who supplement the full-time faculty. It is safe to state that without the significant contributions of part-time faculty in Architecture, Film, and Music, these programs would not be as successful as they presently are. The Jazz area in Music, for example, enjoys an excellent reputation as an up-and-coming program. However, the Jazz area is composed of only three (3) full-time faculty (as compared to 20 times that in certain other programs). The Jazz area has been fortunate that Las Vegas can count, among its residents, some of the very best jazz artists and teachers who give extensively of their time to the program.

Students Strengths:

A large and growing pool of students for the past eight (8) years has seen an increase in quality of the students at the upper division level.

At the graduate level, those Departments with graduate programs have enjoyed an ever-increasing positive national reputation. Graduates of these programs are working professionally or teaching in all areas.

While the undergraduate programs, overall, are populated primarily by students from Nevada, the graduate programs have attracted mainly out-of-state/international students.

Certain programs have built excellent reputations in specific areas resulting in large numbers of excellent students, resident and non-resident. The Jazz Dance program consistently receives applications from excellent students throughout the nation.

All programs have received national recognition for excellent work presented by students. Architecture students won first place in the NOMA (National Organization of Minority Architects) competition last year. A joint production of Theatre and Dance was one of five (5) productions selected to play at the Kennedy Center’s prestigious “American College Theatre Festival” from a filing of over 1,000 entries. Dance Magazine listed the Department of Dance as one of the top 20 undergraduate programs in the U.S. Music’s “Drumline” took second place in national competition.

BENCHMARKING

The entities within the College of Fine Arts, save Dance, have received positive accreditation reports from their respective agencies. They compete for graduate and undergraduate students at a national level. All entities compete favorably with similarly situated institutions of comparable ranking. And although it is rather straight forward to compare each entity with that of like title of another institution (Dance to Dance, Theatre to Theatre), due to the disparate nature of entities entitled College of Fine Arts, it is much more difficult. The College of Fine Arts at Pennsylvania State University (PSU), however, is very similar to ours at UNLV. We do not have nearly the history and committed benefactors as does PSU, but we are much more nimble in our operations, with more opportunities to exploit our artistic approaches to teaching and performing. We also establish a learning environment that is heavily student centered, with a high-level of diversity.

 

STRATEGIC GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

A. Increased Focus on Students

1. Attract a better quality of students.

2. Further assessment of students’ growth in the major as well as support areas.

3. Success of students upon graduation.

4. Development of external programs, which inform the students.

5. Develop a functional Advising Center.

6. Develop of challenging curricula, which emphasizes the basic and provides stimulus for student research/creative activity.

B. Continued Development of Present Undergraduate programs.

1. Continue to review of all curricula to ensure it is current.

2. Work to exceed accreditation requirements.

3. Connect programs to the community, State, and region.

4. Review of programs in comparison to the best peer institutions.

5. Engage alumni in the programs.

6. Programs must reflect changes in culture, but always provide a historical context.

C. Continued Development and Support of Graduate Programs.

1. Provide graduate instruction that prepares students to enter the profession immediately upon graduation.

2. Continue to find internships for graduate students where appropriate.

3. Prepare graduate students for a changing national and international market.

4. Develop courses that encourage students to explore areas other than their specific discipline.

D. Increased Involvement of the College in the Community.

1. Invite community and regional reviews of the programs.

2. Encourage and require community engagement of students,

3. Respond to needed economic development within the community.

E. Development of New Programs That Address the Future.

1. Break down barriers between Colleges and Departments to allow more interdisciplinary work.

2. Examine economic indicators, which provide information on the changing entertainment market.

3. Upgrade the technology used in teaching.

4. Share new technologies with other disciplines.

5. Examine how present programs can contribute to new programs.

6. Work with peer institutions to develop partnerships and result in synergy.

7. Identify specific problems and issues unique to the Nevada and the southwest.

F. A Faculty That Is Responsive to the Future.

1. Identify ways to involve mature, tenured faculty in new programs.

2. Seek to retrain faculty through faculty internships and residencies.

3. Hire new faculty that brings new challenges to the College.

4. Reward faculty for innovative teaching, research, and creative activity.

5. Encourage faculty to develop new approaches to teaching.

6. Reward faculty involvement in industry and the community.

G. Stronger partnerships, with various arts entities in Southern Nevada.

1. New relationships with such organizations as Nevada Ballet Theatre, Las Vegas Philharmonic, the Guggenheim, etc. need to be examined with an eye to the future and future growth.

2. Create an arts management program.

3. Continue to develop the College’s already strong relationship with Clark County School District through “Introduction to the Arts”, the “Endangered Instrument Program,” and the new “Artsbridge” program.

H. Creation of College Design Center.

1. The School of Architecture would create working partnerships between educational, business, and government entities to explore more efficient design strategies that speak to “users” of design.

2. The Center would meld Architecture, Art, Sociology, Engineering, Construction, and Education (to name a few).

3. The Design Center can provide a central location for research and issues relating to the environment.

I. Development of Entertainment Engineering Program That Speaks to the Future.

1. Continue to build a strong partnership with the College of
Engineering and its discrete programs.

2. Conduct surveys to determine need and areas in which we could specialize.

HOW THE GOALS WERE DEVELOPED

All Chairs and Directors in the College prepared a Strategic Plan for the discrete units. These plans were developed with faculty, staff, and students input (where possible). Where students were not readily available, information from surveys such as “Exit Surveys” were used. The College’s stakeholders outside of the University such as Arts organizations are in constant contact with the College. The PAC is also conducting a demographic survey of the audience that will assist us in the future. The Dean chaired a “Cultural Links” Task Force, which met several times to determine community needs. The “Conversation On Entertainment Engineering” hosted in Spring provided needed industry input.

STRATEGIC PROGRAMMING

A. ACTION ITEMS TO ACCOMPLISH SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES.

1. New Programs

· Entertainment Engineering (Interdisciplinary) Minor, Fall 2004, Major, Fall 2006

· Concentration in Acting for the Camera, Spring 2005

· M.A. in Art History, Implemented, Fall 2004

· Expand DMA to include a concentration in Music Performance, Fall 2005

· MFA/M.E., Entertainment Design and Technology, Fall 2007

· B. A., Gerontology, Fall 2006

· MFA/MBA, Arts Administration, Fall 2007

· Ph.D. in Art History, Fall 2007

· MFA, Dance, 2007

· Creased standards for admission based on audition and portfolio review, Fall 2006

· Establish an Entertainment Engineering NSF Center, Fall 2006

· Establish a UNLV Design Center, 2005/2006

· In Continue to develop the College Advising Center, 2005

· Continued Development of Nevada Conservatory Theatre (ongoing)

· Develop stronger connections to all the “professions” in both Nevada and out-of-state (ongoing)

· Development of a strong support base or endowment for the Performing Arts Center, 2004-2007

· Continued recruitment of a diverse faculty (ongoing)

· Recruitment of a more diverse student body for the College (ongoing)

· Create an Assistant Dean for Research and Grants, Fall 2006

· Create/develop/build a Film Institute that would include space for student and commercial filmmakers, Fall 2007

LONG TERM ASSESSMENT PROCESS

College Performance Indicators to Measure Success

The Departments and Schools within the College have developed solid undergraduate and graduate programs. These programs range from professional undergraduate and graduate degree or concentration programs to undergraduate “liberal arts” programs, which allow students who choose not to, as an undergraduate, pursue a professional concentration, gain an overall appreciation of the subject/art. Music also offers an excellent Music Education degree.

All programs are, presently, rigorous and executed with quality. All of the performance/professional degree programs (B.F.A., M.F.A., D.M.A., M.M., M.Arch, Acting Concentration, etc.) require that all students be evaluated individually – at least annually – to determine skill mastery and the level of talent development. These “jury” requirements ensure a level of quality.

The Departments of Art, Music, and Theatre as well as the School of Architecture are all accredited by national accrediting agencies. Those agencies require specific outcomes in regard to classes, knowledge, and training. Dance has chosen not to seek accreditation but plans such in the near future. These programs, in order to be accredited must meet specific criteria. All meet the criteria.

Film poses a different problem, as no accrediting agency exists nationally. This program offers a Liberal Arts type B.A. degree with students selecting electives to give the degree a more professional slant.

Indicators of Success are:

1. Increased numbers of talented and skilled students upon admission.

2. The students’ ability to accomplish the outcomes for each class and major.

3. Students demonstrate practical application of knowledge and skills.

4. Student success in the marketplace.

5. A faculty capable of meeting the demands of the future.

6. Students’ ability to use current technology in their respective disciplines.

7. A population of faculty, students, and staff sensitive to the needs of diverse cultures.

8. Increased audience numbers.

9. Increases in numbers of CCSD students applying for admission.

10. High quality internships for students working in the entertainment industry.

11. Increases in applications from highly qualified out-of-state students to present programs.

12. New partnerships with the entertainment industry.

13. New relationships with the high tech industry.

14. Additional grants and gifts in all areas.

15. Increased applications and acceptances in present and new graduate programs.

16. Faculty developing new areas for research and creative activity.

17. More partnerships and sharing between all academic units within the College.

All entities evaluate their successes by both short and long time indicators. The short-term evaluations are those noted during the candidates’ degree tenure. Performance related and project based courses terminate with a highly scrutinized jury. The level reflecting the aggregate performance can be documented by a comparative year-to-year analysis.

The long-term evaluations would be those that follow the students’ careers. However, since the Arts are becoming an increasingly competitive field, it is essential to examine each student’s educational experience at UNLV, so that in the event the student may have elected to pursue a career in a field other that his/her major field of study, we may know that the student’s education aided in his/her career. Many members of the faculty maintain substantial contact with their alumni. They follow their careers, artistic or other, and consequently are able to accurately assess each alumnus’ measure of success.

B. Anticipated Extramural Funding

It is difficult, if not impossible, to anticipate extramural funding based on past performance of the faculty’s ability to attract external funding through grants and the serendipitous approach to development and the University’s donors

It would seem that the new programs, when implemented, would have the ability to attract external funds. The proposed Downtown Design Center has tremendous possibilities for external funding and community support. One such Center in Minneapolis was so successful that it actually went private—for profit. One could anticipate that the Center has the potential, within five (5) years after opening to be self-sufficient. The key, however, is the State/University’s ability to invest now.

The Recording Studio as of now is self-sufficient. It is not, however, an efficient operation or optimal pedagogical experience. With the addition of a full-time recording engineer, we can recover costs that we now incur as a College, in having our recordings mixed and edited elsewhere.

If Engineering and Fine Arts are successful in the application to National Science Foundation (NSF) for an Entertainment Engineering Center, funding will assist us in that program’s development. Without an NSF grant, UNLV must be willing to invest rather minimal amounts in order that we can attract additional gifts from private industries. UNLV must have the beginnings of an operation “in place” to demonstrate to industry what sort of partnerships might be developed.

Several programs (Theatre, Architecture, Entertainment Engineering, and Film) stand to benefit from paid internships that have the potential to translate into fully paid, privately supported GAs. The new relationship with Celine Dion Associates (CDA) has already proven successful. Word of that success has brought inquiries not only about potential partnerships with the Arts, but the Business and Hotel Colleges as well. Several large not-for-profit organizations are very interested in the potential of an Arts/Facilities Management Program and seem willing to underwrite various support for students.

Film has a tentative commitment for up to $250,000 in funding for its program from a private source. We hope that gift is in place by late Spring, 2006. If so, it will certainly alleviate severe problems caused by uncontrolled growth.

ACADEMIC MASTER PLAN

NEW PROGRAMS

2005-06

Bachelor of Arts, Acting for the Camera

Bachelor of Arts, Gerontology

2006-07

Bachelor of Arts, Entertainment Engineering and Design

Master of Fine Arts, Entertainment Engineering and Design

Master of Architecture, Planning

2007-08

Bachelor of Arts, Recording Engineering

Master of Fine Arts, Arts Administration

Master of Fine Arts, Dance

Doctor of Philosophy, Art History

2008-09

Doctor of Philosophy, Environmental Design and Planning

2009-10

Master of Fine Arts, Film Production