North Central Self Study
Appendix B: College and Department Outcomes as a Result of Strategic Planning
College of Fine Arts and Humanities
Strategic Plan: 1995-2005
The College has 12 short-term objectives (which have either been completed or are ongoing) and 10 long-term objectives.
Short-Term Objectives
- Hire one additional faculty member in graphic design, upgrade the computer laboratory, and create a plan to solve the limitations of a small lab facility (Completed 2001). Rationale: Self Study Report, Academic Program Review.
- Increase travel funds for Forensics Team and add one graduate student to assist the director (Completed 2001). Rationale: Self Study Report.
- Develop plans in Translation/Interpretation, Great Platte River Playwrights Festival (GPRPF) and TEXTSHOP for creating a Center of Excellence in each area (completed 2001). Self Study Report, Academic Program Review.
- Expand the Art facility to meet accreditation guidelines. Complete the governance procedures initiated by the theatre faculty (Completed 1998). Rationale: Accreditation Self Study Report, Academic Program Review, Department Strategic Plan, Student Assessment.
- Add faculty in Music and Performing Arts (string position) and English. Enhance theatre production budget. Replace faculty as resignations create needs. New faculty should have first-class academic qualifications, diverse backgrounds, and a strong commitment to teaching (Music completed 1998, English ongoing). Rationale: Accreditation Self Study Report, Academic Program Review, Department Strategic Plan, Enrollment Demographics, Student Assessment.
- Monitor demand for General Studies courses and reallocate faculty positions as needed (ongoing). Rationale; Enrollment Demographics, Student Assessment.
- Support graduate programs in English and Art. Determine whether graduate programs in Modern Languages and Music and Performing Arts should be developed based upon demonstrated need/demand/opportunity (Ongoing-proposed MFA in Creative Writing first of its kind in the state). Rationale: Accreditation Self Study Report, Department Strategic Plan, Student Assessment.
- Update and/or replace laboratories for Journalism and Modern Languages. Pursue external funding for creation of a computer-assisted composition laboratory. Train faculty in new instructional technologies (Completed 1999, 2000 respectively). Rationale: Academic Program Review, Department Strategic Plan, Student Assessment.
- Encourage departments to develop a scholarship (research/creative activity) plan to examine the role that each faculty member will play in the department's long-term agenda. Explore various methods of supporting faculty members' interests in scholarship (Ongoing). Rationale: Department Strategic Plan.
- Examine current reward system to determine how we can give faculty proper recognition for teaching when their students are productive scholars and artists (Ongoing). Rationale: Board of Regents, Coordinating Commission of Post Secondary Education.
- Add positions at the Museum of Nebraska Art (MONA) for Registrar/Collections and Education/Outreach Coordinator. Work with MONA Board to develop outreach programming (Completed 1999). Rationale: Self Study Report, Department Strategic Plan, Patron Assessment.
- Create a public relations campaign to expand awareness of outstanding work in the arts and humanities (Ongoing). Rationale: Enrollment Demographics, Student Assessment.
Long-Range Objectives
- Develop a Center of Excellence in Graphic Design. Rationale: Academic Program Review, Self Study Report, Department Strategic Plan, Enrollment Demographics, Student Assessment.
- Receive accreditation in Art from the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and in Theatre from the National Association of Schools of Theatre. Rationale: Academic Program Review, Department Strategic Plan, Enrollment Demographics.
- Improve already strong undergraduate majors in Art, English, Journalism/Mass Communication, Modern Languages, Music and Performing Arts, and Speech Communication. Rationale: Response to 1994 NCA Report, Board of Regents, Coordinating Commission for Post Secondary Education, Academic Program Reviews, Self Study Reports, Department Strategic Plans.
- Integrate new instructional technologies throughout the College. Rationale: Response to 1994 NCA Report, Academic Program Reviews, Board of Regents, Department Strategic Plans, Commission for Post Secondary Education, Self Study Reports, Student Assessments.
- Increase presentation of faculty and student research/creative work in regional and national venues. Rationale: Response to 1994 NCA Report, Board of Regents, Academic Program Reviews, Department Strategic Plans.
- Develop a plan to deal with severe space problems in the College. Rationale: Response to 1994 NCA Report, Academic Program Reviews, Self Study Reports, Department and College Strategic Plans.
- Create and maintain liaisons in every department with K-12 education. Rationale: Response to NCATE Report and Accreditation, Self Study Reports.
- Provide continuing service to high school teachers and students by hosting and/or directing workshops, clinics, and NSAA events. Rationale: Academic Program Reviews, Self Study Reports, Department Strategic Plans.
- Increase educational and entertainment outreach programming of the campus to the local community by making greater use of the UNK fiber optic system. Rationale: Board of Regents, Academic Program Reviews, Self Study reports, Department Strategic Plans, Student Assessment.
- Explore a community/university partnership for construction of a performance/concert facility (to be completed with renovation of Kearney Performing Arts Center). Rationale: Academic Program Reviews, Department and College Strategic Plans, Self Study Reports, Student Assessment.
Outcomes in the College of Fine Arts and Humanities since 1994:
The following list presents, in priority order (established 1995), outcomes for specific long-range goals and near term initiatives that required state aided budget allocations, as well as status.
| Program | Program Cost | Objective | Status | ||
| 1 | Music String Teacher | 1 FTE | E | Filled 1995, Lost 2001 | |
| 2 | Graphic Design | 1 FTE plus $65,000 in equipment | A | Done | |
| 3 | Increase Staff @ MONA | 1.5 FTE | K | Done | |
| 4 | Replace Modern Language Lab | $130,000 | C & H | Done | |
| 5 | Forensic Funding | $10,000 per year | B | $6,000 | |
| 6 | Update JMC Computer Lab | $25,000 | H | Done | |
| 7 | Enhance Theatre Production Budget | $10,000 per year | D & E | $2,000 | |
| 8 | Enhance funding for GPRPF | $15,000 per year | C | ---- | |
| 9 | English Faculty | 2 FTE | E | Done | |
| 10 | Philosophy, Modern Language Translation Faculty | depends upon need | F | ---- |
Future Plans:
Future plans, at this point in our timetable, are dictated formally by those initiatives from the 1995-2005 Strategic Plan remaining unfulfilled. Strategic plans, however, should be dynamic and not stand still. Such planning cannot occur without the input of the faculty and staff of the college, and until that has occurred, additional initiatives, while obvious to college leadership, cannot be counted as "approved." The following list of outcomes must, therefore, be considered a qualified list.
- Final approval of MFA in Creative Writing.
- Approval of BA in Philosophy.
- Eventual construction of a new Performing Arts Center.
- Development of permanent equipment budgets for each department.
Analysis:
A review of the strategic planning efforts and outcomes since 1994 indicates that the College of Fine Arts and Humanities has made a concentrated effort to implement a strategic planning process that utilized information from the previous NCA (1994) report as well as specific program needs based on demographic information, APRs, and accreditation reviews. Examples of outcomes resulting from strategic planning in each department since 1994 are listed below.
Departmental Outcomes
Department of Art and Art History
- Development and enhancement of Graphic Design and participation in the interdisciplinary Multimedia major. Expansion of computer laboratory.
- Cooperation with the College of Education in Art Education emphasis and maintenance of strong network with Nebraska art educators.
Department of Communication
- Merger of Speech and Journalism & Mass Communication in 1998 and relocation of the department to the Mitchell Center. Creation of the interdisciplinary Multimedia major with Art and Computer Science. The sequence is now a UNK Priority Program.
- Mentoring of student research. Students' scholarly work has been presented at professional conferences, NCUR, and published in the Undergraduate Research Journal.
Department of English
- Recognition of faculty for scholarly teaching and mentoring, including recent recipients of the Leland Holt Award and the Pratt-Heins Award. Faculty members have published books, articles, and chapters, stories, or poems included in collections.
- Celebration of student accomplishment. In 2003 Sigma Tau Delta celebrated its 75th year on campus. The department has sponsored the Student Conference on Language and Literature for ten years.
Department of Modern Languages
- Addition of a specialist in Spanish translation/interpretation.
- Evolution of curriculum to include accurate reflection of courses taken abroad, seminars on Film and Women in Literature. In general, changes have resulted in an improvement of students' language proficiency and knowledge of language, culture, literature and/or translation/interpreting.
Department of Music and Performing Arts
- Presentation of concerts, recitals, musicals, operas, plays, and music for special events for the artistic enrichment of the region. Delivery of quality courses and instruction in the areas of music theory, music history, music education, music business, music technology, music performance, music pedagogy, music theatre, opera, music appreciation, music ensembles, theatre performance and production, and dance.
- Recognition from accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Music and identification as a UNK Priority Program. Increase in faculty with terminal degrees and increase in number of graduate faculty.
Philosophy Program
- The scholarship funding has been greatly expanded permitting the offering of significant scholarships to students obtaining minors in Philosophy. New courses have been added to the curriculum and for inclusion in the General Studies program. Scholarship by faculty is a major area of strength, as has faculty mentoring of student projects.
Analysis:
In most of the programs, there has been a coordinated effort to utilize a variety of sources of evaluative information to enhance program development. In all cases, the academic program changes served to enhance the Mission of the respective department in its goals of better facilitating student learning. At this point in time, it appears that the basis or rationale for change at the Department level is reliant on the APR and accreditation self study process. This strategy is congruent with the assessment, evaluation, and planning strategy that has been used since the previous NCA (1994) report. There has been some use of student assessment data as evidenced by the Modern Languages Department's comments. Use of student assessment data to facilitate the change process should increase as departments more fully develop and use that resource base.
Other sections in this appendix:
