NEW PROGRAM PROPOSAL: OWENSBORO COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE June 14, 2014

Transcription

1 NEW PROGRAM PROPOSAL: ACTION AFA IN THEATRE Agenda Item J-5c OWENSBORO COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE June 14, 2014 Recommendation That the Board of Regents approve an Associate in Fine Arts (AFA) in Theatre for Owensboro Community and Technical College (OCTC) to be implemented in fall Rationale The proposed AFA degree is consistent with the missions of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) and Owensboro Community and Technical College and supports the statewide postsecondary education strategic agenda and the statewide strategic implementation plan. While the focus of this degree is transfer, the Owensboro area is currently experiencing growth in venues, such as the addition of a convention center, which will increase the demand for individuals with production experience and training. On the national level, job listing and opportunities beyond acting are available through sites such as United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT), Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC), and other industry sites. Broadwayworld.com classifieds lists 99 employment opportunities exclusive of acting positions. According to Occupational Employment Statistics (OES), producers and directors earn a mean hourly wage of $44.34 with 83,000 individuals employed in the field. Set designers show 11,700 jobs in 2010 with an anticipated growth of 10 percent and median pay of $22.44 per hour. Similar statistics for broadcast and sound engineers include currently 116,900 jobs with an anticipated growth rate of 10 percent and a $19.17 median hourly pay rate. The AFA in Theatre represents a clearly defined curriculum of study to guide theatre students through the requirements for successful life in the Theatre and successful transfer into four-year institutions. The credit hour Associate in Fine Arts (AFA) in Theatre program is designed for students who plan to transfer to a four-year institution in order to pursue a BFA in the Theatre Arts and/or a career in arts-related areas requiring pre-professional credentials. The program includes general education requirements, theatre foundation courses in acting and stagecraft, and a wide variety of performance and production-related electives. Students will focus on the development of performance skills and a basic knowledge of technical theatre, while participating firsthand in fully realized theatrical productions every semester. Classes will also encourage analytical skills and critical analysis. Students will be encouraged to participate in state and regional theatre auditions and festivals with audition pieces prepared specifically with an eye toward securing professional work. OCTC has the resources to support this program. All funds used for the program will be reallocated from existing budget line items of the OCTC Theatre Department. Any additional courses added will be offset by enrollment. Funding for any additional items or projects will be pursued through grant proposals and donations. Background According to the Kentucky Public Postsecondary Education Diversity Policy and Framework for Institution Diversity Plan Development, Owensboro Community and Technical College has automatic eligibility. An executive summary of the proposal is attached. A copy of the full proposal has been forwarded to each member of the Board s Academic Affairs and Curriculum Committee. 101

2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Associate in Fine Arts in Theatre Owensboro Community and Technical College A Proposal for Initiation of a New Degree Program Centrality to the Institution s Mission and Consistency with State s Goals The objectives of the Associate in Fine Arts in Theatre support the institutional and strategic priorities of the institution in that students are provided with an opportunity to improve the quality of their lives artistically, personally, economically, and professionally. The AFA in Theatre program is consistent with the missions of both the Kentucky Community and Technical Colleges System (KCTCS) and Owensboro Community and Technical College (OCTC). The Owensboro Community and Technical College Mission is to cultivate lifelong learning opportunities through career degree programs, workforce and community development, and transferto-baccalaureate degree programs. The AFA in Theatre program will allow OCTC to offer an additional degree program that will prepare students to acquire the knowledge and skills for new or continued employment or transfer to a four-year institution. The faculty in conjunction with the administration and staff of RiverPark Center will continue to provide supplementary instruction and a venue for students to work with touring companies and other experiential opportunities. The AFA in Theatre is designed to meet the KCTCS strategic objective to increase student access, transfer, and success. It provides a creative, experiential focused degree option that is convenient, economical, and academically sound for students seeking to transfer into a BFA degree or to concentrate their studies toward a specific area of theatrical technology, production, or design. The KCTCS strategic objective to advance excellence and innovation in teaching, learning, and service will be enhanced through the AFA in Theatre based upon its focus on active learning, enhanced student/faculty interaction, and the support for learners which will be provided through our collaborative resources and focus to transfer. The program will provide new options to students wishing to pursue studies leading to additional degrees such as the BFA into the terminal MFA. The AFA in Theatre will open another portal for Kentucky CPE Policy Objective 4.1, maximizing KCTCS s role as a high quality, low-cost provider of postsecondary education and transfer opportunities and encouraging college access and success. Providing a flexible, transferable degree option to encourage students seeking focused theatrical studies will encourage students who otherwise may not feel that college is a viable option to seek and complete a college degree. 102

3 Program Quality and Student Success The Associate in Fine Arts (AFA) in Theatre program is designed for students who plan to transfer to a four-year institution in order to pursue a BFA in the Theatre Arts and/or a career in arts-related areas requiring pre-professional credentials. The program includes general education requirements, theatre foundation courses in acting and stagecraft, and a wide variety of performance and production-related electives. Students will focus on the development of performance skills and a basic knowledge of technical theatre while participating firsthand in fully realized theatrical productions every semester. Classes will also encourage analytical skills and critical analysis. Students will be encouraged to participate in state and regional theatre auditions and festivals with audition pieces prepared specifically with an eye toward securing professional work. Students will be prepared for successful transfer to BFA programs, which can lead to jobs in education, management, and performance-related endeavors. In addition, OCTC can facilitate internships with area Theatre and Arts organizations. Program Demand/Unnecessary Duplication The AFA degree is needed to offer students the opportunity to develop the skills and experiences necessary for transfer at the appropriate level to schools offering the BFA degree with specific application to the design and production elements. Within the field of theatre, demand for qualified personnel in design, technology, production, and management will continue to far exceed the demand for on stage personnel. Support for this program will include, but not be limited to, internships, volunteer opportunities, and potential summer employment. The addition of the AFA program will provide a more attractive and economical opportunity for recent high school students seeking transfer to BFA programs. The applicant pool will be made up of current students interested in a career in theatre or related production, recent high school graduates, and the general public. Potential contact methods will include, but not be limited to, phone calls, s, printed materials, public appearances, newspaper advertisements, and mailings. BFA degrees are available nationally in not only acting but also costume design, directing, lighting design, management, musical theatre, production, production design, sound, design, stage management, and technical direction. While some of these programs are available through Northern Kentucky University and Belmont in Nashville, Tennessee, others are primarily in New York, Chicago, and California. Providing students with the opportunity to begin their post-secondary experience in an economical way, while preparing them for the rigors of the profession, is significant. While the focus of this degree is transfer, the Owensboro area is currently experiencing growth in venues, such as the addition of a convention center, which will increase the demand for individuals with production experience and training. On the national level, job listing and opportunities beyond acting are available through sites such as United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT), Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC), and other industry sites. Today, April 1, Broadwayworld.com classified lists 99 employment opportunities exclusive of acting positions. Of 43 job listings on the Broadway World site on a single day (3/25/13), all are for positions outside of performance. 103

4 According to Occupational Employment Statistics reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, producers and directors earn a mean hourly wage of $44.34 with 83,000 individuals employed in the field. While the field can result in multiple employment opportunities, examples of labor statistics in the Occupational Outlook Handbook for set designers show 11,700 jobs in 2010 with anticipated growth of 10 percent and median pay of $22.44 per hour. Similar statistics for broadcast and sound engineers include 116,900 current jobs with an anticipated growth rate of 10 percent and a $19.17 median hourly pay rate. Specialty areas will result in a wide range of employment opportunities and pay scales. Cost and Funding of the Proposed Program Owensboro Community and Technical College has the facilities, equipment, and faculty available to support the program. All funds used for the program will be reallocated from existing budget line items of the OCTC Theatre Department. Any additional courses added will be offset by enrollment. Funding for any additional items or projects will be pursued through grant proposals and donations. Program Review and Assessment Owensboro Community and Technical College s review and assessment of the AFA in Theatre will include, but not be limited to, the following. The college will annually review the program. The following may be considered: Graduation/completion rate data. Graduate transfer/employment data. Individual class performance testing. Attainment of student learning outcomes. Production/performance/evaluations by a production group, responders, and/or professional staff. Student satisfaction surveys. Advisory board and/or receiving institution feedback. Internal peer review. These data are used to provide an overall view of program effectiveness and attainment of student learning outcomes. Information obtained through the review process is used to close the loop. This leads to program improvement and increased performance and effectiveness. Program faculty members are reviewed by the division associate dean, and teaching effectiveness is evaluated through student evaluation of instruction. Program assessment tools through national organizations and agencies will be explored to add greater recognition to the program. As a new associate degree program, the results of the annual college program review will also be forwarded to the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) staff for review after three years. Upon a successful Council review, the program will be placed on the regular five year CPE institutional program review cycle. 104

5 Conclusion The proposed AFA program is consistent with the missions of KCTCS and OCTC and supports the statewide postsecondary education strategic agenda and the statewide strategic implementation plan. There is an approved curriculum for the program. Local and state needs support the establishment of this program. A program evaluation plan is being developed, and OCTC has resources available to implement this program. 105

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