How the Arts Administration Program at the University Of
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HOW THE ARTS ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON CAN POSITION ITSELF FOR FUTURE SUCCESS A Thesis Presented to The Graduate Faculty of The University of Akron In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts Sarah Fallon May, 2013 HOW THE ARTS ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON CAN POSITION ITSELF FOR FUTURE SUCCESS Sarah Fallon Thesis Approved: Accepted: ______________________________ _______________________________ Advisor Interim School Director Durand L. Pope Dr.Ann Usher ______________________________ _______________________________ Committee Member Dean of the College Neil Sapienza Dr. Chand Midha ______________________________ _______________________________ Committee Member Dean of the Graduate School Stephen Skiles Dr. George R. Newkome _______________________________ Date ii ABSTRACT Public funding for higher education, like all budget items in the current economic climate, is under review. The newly created University System of Ohio hopes to streamline funding and differentiate the 13 public universities in the state of Ohio so that Ohio citizens get the best results for the fewest public dollars. The Arts Administration program at The University of Akron is not the highest ranked nor a major producer of graduates. Both the University System of Ohio and the Northeast Ohio Universities Collaboration and Innovation Study recommend that universities focus their efforts on a few key “Centers of Excellence.” This will guide all public universities in making crucial funding and planning decisions and help the overall quality of education in Ohio, as well as its economy. In light of this, the program must position itself for future success within the University System of Ohio’s funding priorities. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Endless gratification goes to my parents for giving me a lifelong passion for knowledge, learning and education; to my sisters for their unwavering love and support; to Randy for his eternal patience; to Steve for his keen eye; to Tony for being my partner in all things. Thank you. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES …........................................................................................................vi CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………......1 II. THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF OHIO…………………………………………....5 III. NORTHEAST OHIO UNIVERSITIES COLLABORATION AND INNOVATION STUDYCOMMISSION………………………………………..…..15 IV. THEORIES OF ARTS ADMINISTRATION EDUCATION AND AAAE GUIDELINES…………………………………………………………………..…...22 V. OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS…………………….…………..31 VI. CONCLUSION…………………………………………………….…………....….38 Recommendations for retaining the program…………………………................50 Recommendations for merging the program……………………………….……51 BIBLIOGRAPHY…………………………………………………………….….....…...53 v LIST OF TABLES Table Page 3.1 Fine and Performing Arts Degrees at Northeast Ohio’s Public Universities…………………………………………………………………….20 vi CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION The impact of the arts on a community is a topic of much discussion and in some ways cannot be quantified. The enrichment of individual lives, the inspiration of the next generation, the chronicling of our cultural heritage, and other benefits are too numerous to list. In terms of economics, Americans for the Arts estimate the overall impact of the nonprofit arts industry to be $135.2 billion nationally.1 And yet the training of future arts administrators may be endangered. Researcher Michael Sikes noted that: Several arts administrations programs are in trouble and some may be eliminated entirely … American University is facing closure; the program at the State University of New York at Binghamton is closing down; the University of California at Los Angeles’s program has already been eliminated.2 Several factors are a part of this trend. Anemic recovery from the recent recession, scarce funds stretched ever thinner for arts and education, and the current mood of austerity all culminate in some drastic measures and no organization should consider itself immune to scrutiny. The Master of Arts in Arts Administration at The University of Akron is no exception. The correlation between education level and economic prosperity is the key to future success, and Ohio has steadily been declining in national 1 “Economic Impact of the Nonprofit Arts Industry.” Americans for the Arts. Americans for the arts, 8 Jun. 2012. Web. 14 Feb. 2013. 2 Sikes, Michael. “Higher Education Training in Arts Administration: A Millennial and Metaphoric Reappraisal.” Journal of Arts Management, Law & Society Summer 2000. Web. 5 May 2008. 1 average of the number of residents holding advanced degrees.3 The State of Ohio has been studying how to improve higher education with several initiatives through the Ohio Board of Regents, the controlling agency of higher education in Ohio. The 10 Year Strategic Plan for Higher Education is the culmination of these efforts, and was released simultaneously with the Report on the Condition of Higher Education in Ohio: Meeting the State’s Future Goals. These documents contain the rationale supporting several strategies that have the potential to directly influence the Arts Administration program at The University of Akron. In the current mood of austerity, it is no longer feasible to believe that new goals or programs will come with the requisite funding. As the introduction to the 10 Year Strategic Plan states: Higher Education Leaders have long argued that these undeniable contributions [the benefits of a vibrant system of higher education] to Ohio’s economic future justify additional investments of state dollars. “If you give us more money,” it is said, “we will produce more.” A better approach, and the one embraced in this plan, is that higher education will organize itself to produce more graduates, create more jobs, and produce more tax dollars. This will, in turn, enable state leadership to invest more in higher education.4 The overall goal of the plan is to ensure that the scarce public resources dedicated to higher education are being spent wisely, and with maximum impact on the economy and the future earning potential of Ohio citizens. Placing even more scrutiny on The University of Akron is its location. Northeast Ohio has five public universities in a fourteen county area, but the statistics of the area do not match such a wealth of educational opportunities. These public universities award 3 Ohio Board of Regents. Report on the Condition of Higher Education in Ohio: Meeting the State’s Future Needs. Columbus: 2008. Web. 1 Apr 2008. 4 Fingerhut, Eric D. Strategic Plan for Higher Education, 2008-2017. Ohio Board of Regents. Columbus: 2008. Web. 1 Apr 2008. 2 only 25% of public bachelor’s degrees and 30% of public graduate and professional degrees in Ohio, while containing 35% of its population aged 18-64.5 The region must become more productive if it is to remain competitive in the global economy. The Northeast Ohio Universities Collaboration and Innovation Study Commission has looked into this challenge and reported on its findings. There are several ways to determine the efficacy of a higher education program. The national rank and prestige of the program, the association with professional or educational associations, the direct relationship with the local and regional businesses and industries, the presence of guidelines established by peer review on the content and methods of education, and the success of graduates are all indicators of a successful program. The Association of Arts Administration Educators has addressed some of these factors with its publication of Standards for Arts Administration Graduate Program Curricula. AAAE affirms that “individual programs find this support enormously helpful in making their case within their own colleges and universities, in articulating learning outcomes as they relate to their own curricula and to the professional development of their students.”6 If the Arts Administration program at UA is to remain competitive, it must ensure that its content and methodology is in line with the best practices. This study sets out to define the challenges facing the Arts Administration program at the University of Akron. It will do this in three ways: by examining the impact of the 10 Year Strategic Plan for Higher Education, by looking into the challenges and benefits of its location in Northeast Ohio, and by evaluating the content of the 5 Northeast Ohio Universities Collaboration and Innovation Study Commission. Collaborate Innovate Educate: Report of the Northeast Ohio Universities Collaboration and Innovation Study Commission. Columbus: 2007. Web. 1 Apr 2008. 6 Association of Arts Administration Educators. Standards for Arts Administration Graduate Program Curricula. n.p. 11 Feb 2008. Web. 1 Apr 2008. 3 program within the guidelines of the Association of Arts Administration Educators. It will then give recommendations on how the Arts Administration program can position itself for future success. 4 CHAPTER II THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF OHIO The economy is inextricably linked to education. A well-educated workforce has higher earning potential, and this correlation is likely to increase in the near future. With technology becoming more pervasive, it is expected that four out of five jobs created in the next 20 years will require education beyond a high school diploma.7 Ohio needs to make education a priority to stay competitive in the new global economy. Therefore the three goals of Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents Eric Fingerhut’s 10-year Strategic