National Association of Schools of Art and Design SELF-STUDY in Format A Presented for consideration by the NASAD Commission on Accreditation by CHAMPLAIN COLLEGE 163 SOUTH WILLARD STREET, BURLINGTON, VT 05401 (802) 865-5429 HTTPS://WWW.CHAMPLAIN.EDU/ACADEMICS/ACADEMIC-DIVISIONS/DIVISION-OF- COMMUNICATION-AND-CREATIVE-MEDIA
FOR INSTITUTIONS WITH MEMBERSHIP
Degree for which renewal of Plan Approval and Final Approval for Listing are sought: Visual Communication Design, BFA
Degrees for which Plan Approval and Final Approval for Listing are sought at the same time: Creative Media, BFA; Game Art, BS; Game Design, BS; Filmmaking, BFA
The data submitted herewith are certified correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.
January 17, 2020 Paula Willoquet-Maricondi Dean, Division of Communication and Creative Media (Name and Title of Reporting Officer)
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Table of Contents
GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS 4
HISTORICAL TIMELINE 6
PREFACE 11
SECTION I. PURPOSES AND OPERATIONS A. Purposes of the Institution and Art/Design 14 B. Size and Scope 25 C. Finances 28 D. Governance and Administration 42 E. Faculty and Staff 49 F. Facilities, Equipment, Health, and Safety 57 G. Library and Learning Resources 73 H. Recruitment, Admission-Retention, Record Keeping, Advisement, 80 and Student Complaints I. Published Materials and Websites 87 J. Community Involvement 90 K. Articulation with Other Institutions 94 L. Non-Degree-Granting Programs for the Community 96 M. Operational Standards for All Institutions for which NASAD Is the Designated Institutional Accreditor 96 N. Operational Standards and Procedures for Proprietary Institutions 96 O. Operational Standards for Branch Campuses and External Programs 96
SECTION II. INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS PORTFOLIO A. Certain Curriculum Categories 97 B. Specific Curricula 104 Creative Media 104 Filmmaking 124 Game Art 133 Game Design 144 Visual Communication Design 154 C. Programmatic Areas 165 Visual Arts Studies in General Education 165 Exhibitions 170 Other Programmatic Activities 184
SECTION III. EVALUATION, PLANNING, PROJECTIONS 190
SECTION IV. MANAGEMENT DOCUMENTS PORTFOLIO (MDP) 195 MDP I—Purposes and Operations 195 A. Purposes 195
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B. Size and Scope 195 C. Finances 195 D. Governance and Administration 195 E. Faculty and Staff 197 F. Facilities, Equipment, Health, and Safety 198 G. Library and Learning Resources 199 H. Recruitment, Admission-Retention, Record Keeping, Advisement, 200 and Student Complaints I. Published Materials and Websites 201 J. Community Involvement 201 K. Articulation with Other Institutions 201 L. Non-Degree-Granting Programs for the Community 202 M. Operational Standards for All Institutions for which NASAD Is the Designated Institutional Accreditor 202 N. Operational Standards and Procedures for Proprietary Institutions 202 O. Branch Campuses and External Programs 202
MDP II—Instructional Programs 202 A. Credit and Time Requirements 202 B. Evaluation of the Development of Competencies 203 C. Distance Learning Programs 203 D. Teacher Preparation (Art/Design Education) Programs 204 E. Graduate Programs 204 F. Art and Design Studies in General Education 204
MDP III—Evaluation, Planning, Projections 205
Table of Contents for Electronic Documentation 206
SECTION V. APPENDICES 210
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Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations
AAB Champlain College Alumni Advisory Board AACRAO American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers AIGA American Institute of Graphic Arts, Vermont Chapter AVIC Association of Vermont Independent Colleges BCA Burlington City Arts Board Board of Trustees BYOBiz® Build Your Own Business CCM Division of Communication and Creative Media CCM Center Center for Communication and Creative Media CCO Champlain College Online CCV Community College of Vermont CFP Center for Publishing CGPA Cumulative Grade Point Average CLT Center for Learning and Teaching CPS Campus Public Safety D&I Diversity and Inclusion EHS Division of Education and Human Studies EMC Emergent Media Center® FDSA Faculty Development Spending Accounts FERPA Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act FLC Faculty Load Credits FTE Full-Time Equivalent GDC Game Developers Conference GMHEC Green Mountain Higher Education Consortium GPA Grade Point Average HSR Habits, Skills, and Resources Group IDEA Individual Development and Educational Assessment ILL Interlibrary Loan IS Information System ITS Division of Information Technology and Sciences Lakeside Miller Center at Lakeside Campus Leahy Center The Senator Patrick Leahy Center for Digital Forensics & Cybersecurity LEAD Life Experience and Action Dimension (renamed InSight) LMS Learning Management System MIC Robert E. and Holly D. Miller Information Commons MSDS Material Safety Data Sheets NEASC New England Association of Schools and Colleges
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NECHE New England Commission of Higher Education OIE Office of International Education PAP Program Assessment Plan PLO Program Learning Outcome RETN Regional Educational Television Network SBP Strategic Budget Planning SCART Student Care and Response Team SEABA South End Arts and Business Association SEIU Service Employees International Union SGA Student Government Association SSB Robert P. Stiller School of Business UVM University of Vermont VCAM Vermont Community Access Media VTIFF Vermont International Film Foundation
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Historical Timeline
1878 G.W. Thompson establishes Burlington Collegiate Institute in downtown Burlington. 1884 E. George Evans acquires the College and renames it Burlington Business College. 1956 C. Bader Brouilette and partner Albert Jensen acquire the College. Brouilette becomes President. 1957 The College is renamed Champlain College of Commerce. 1958 The College moves to the Hill Section of Burlington and becomes Champlain College. Several buildings are purchased as the two-year institution grows. 1964 Hamrick Hall—the College’s first construction project—opens as the dining hall. 1965 Champlain residential students move into the College’s first dormitories. 1968 College attains nonprofit status from the federal government and is a candidate for New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) accreditation. 1970s New programs are initiated in the social services. 1972 The Joyce Learning Center (Joyce Hall) is built to house a computer center, library, and classrooms. Commission on Institutions of Higher Education accredits Champlain for three years. 1977 Brouilette retires and Dr. Robert Skiff is inaugurated as President. 1980s Building purchases include Winterbotham, Durick, Coolidge, Aiken, and Wick. 1980 Champlain is accredited by NEASC for 10 years with the 1985 progress review. 1982 Foster Hall is built to house the Engineering Technology program. 1989 The Hauke family pledges the first million-dollar gift in the College’s history, and a new campus center is named in their honor. The 10,000th graduate crosses the stage at Commencement. 1990s Newly acquired buildings include Summit, Bankus, 4 Cedar Lane, East Hall, and South Hall. 1992 Champlain offers bachelor’s degree programs and NEASC accreditation extends to bachelor’s degrees. 1992 Dr. Roger H. Perry is inaugurated into presidency as Dr. Robert Skiff steps down. 1993 SuccessNet, the predecessor to Champlain College Online, is established as Vermont’s first computer-based, online distance-learning program. A fiber optic cable system provides high-speed connections. 1993 The graduating class includes the first Bachelor of Science graduates. 1995 The College debuts on the World Wide Web. Champlain offers programs at satellite campuses in Israel. NEASC reaccredits the College. 1998 The Robert E. and Holly D. Miller Information Commons, the College’s state-of-the- art library, welcomes its first students. The College begins a satellite program in the United Arab Emirates. 2000 NEASC accepts the fifth-year report. Champlain acquires Ward Hall. A satellite program begins in Mumbai, India. Kaplan/Newsweek college guide acknowledges Champlain College for excellent career services. The College acquires Cannon House and institutes an honors program. 2002 Champlain begins its first Master of Science program in Managing Innovation and Information Technology (MIIT). The master’s in MIIT is accredited. Champlain College Online offers its 11th full degree program online. The first of three new buildings opens to students: Main Street Suites and Conference Center.
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2003 Champlain celebrates 125 years. A Provost and an Associate Provost for Assessment are added to the administration, replacing the position of Vice President for Academic Affairs. 2004 The College completes the S.D. Ireland Family Center for Global Business and Technology and the first phase of the Student Life Complex in Fall 2004. Champlain’s campus comprises nearly 40 buildings. The first Master of Science degrees are granted. The College acquires 304 Maple Street. All-campus conversion to Datatel software begins. The Board of Trustees accepts the College’s first formal Strategic Plan. 2005 Phase Two of the Student Life Complex opens. President Roger Perry retires. Dr. David Finney becomes the seventh president of Champlain College. The first MBA program begins. 2006 The academic structure of the College changes, resulting in the establishment of six academic Divisions: Business (now the Stiller School of Business), Communication and Creative Media, Core (General Studies), Education and Human Studies, Information Technology Services (now Information Technology and Sciences), and Continuing Professional Development (now Champlain College Online). President Finney charges the College to devise a distinctive interdisciplinary liberal arts curriculum, to be of approximately equal credit value to that of the disciplinary majors. He also initiates a study-abroad program with the eventual goal that most students will have an embedded cultural experience while at Champlain College. 2007 A common core of liberal arts study for every traditional undergraduate student is initiated in the Fall semester. The Champlain College Montreal Academic Center opens its doors. 2008 The Champlain College Dublin Academic Center opens its doors. The College purchases Cannon property on South Willard Street. 2009 The College is awarded the 2009 IIE Andrew Heiskell Award for Innovation in International Education at the United Nations in New York City. The Lola P. Aiken Hall is reopened and rededicated as a residence hall. The building receives the College’s first LEED Gold Rating. The College hosts a national symposium celebrating the quadricentennial anniversary of Samuel de Champlain’s European discovery of the region. The College unveils its new statue of Samuel de Champlain. The College celebrates the grand opening of the Emergent Media Center® (EMC) at the Champlain Mill in Winooski, Vermont. The College is ranked in the top three national Continuing Professional Studies (CPS) online degree programs according to the Online Education Database (OEDb). The College is recognized as one of America’s “Top Up-and-Coming Schools” in U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges.” The College is recognized as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education by the U.S. National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. The Division of Communication and Creative Media launches the Champlain College Publishing Initiative (CCPI) (now Center for Publishing). 2010 Opening of Roger H. Perry Hall, home to Admissions, Financial Aid, and other student support offices. Opening of the Metz Studio Barn, a historical structure renovated and retrofitted as a high-end design studio. Champlain introduces its new Center for Financial Literacy. The EMC, along with the help of soccer star Samuel
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Eto’o, releases a soccer game called BREAKAWAY, tailored to educate youth on a global level. The College launches its Master of Fine Arts in Emergent Media. The College receives an Exemplary Program Award for Improvement in General Education from the Association for General and Liberal Studies (AGLS). 2011 The College hosts its dedication ceremony of The Leahy Center for Digital Forensics & Cybersecurity. The College is named one of the Top 10 places to study game design by GamePro magazine and is ranked 13th in the “Best Regional Colleges in the North,” 17th in the “Best Classroom Experience,” and third in the “Class Discussions Are Encouraged” by The Princeton Review as part of The Best 376 Colleges. Champlain opens The Miller Center at Lakeside Campus. The College has its first graduates who experienced four years of the Core Curriculum. 2012 The EMC wins the Ambassador Award from the 6th annual Vermont Tech Jam for being a leader in technology and blending business and learning. The College receives a $10 million gift from the Stiller Family Foundation and renames its Business Division the Robert P. Stiller School of Business. The College is ranked in the top 15 Regional Colleges in the North in “America’s Best Colleges” released by U.S. News & World Report. The College is featured in The Princeton Review’s “The Best 376 Colleges.” Champlain is also ranked second in the “Best Classroom Experience” category and eighth in the “Got Game?” category. The College opens Juniper Hall, a LEED-certified residence hall. The College acquires 371 Main Street, a former UVM fraternity now converted into a first-year residence hall. The College renovates Bader Hall into an energy-efficient undergraduate residence hall. The College launches its six-day summer immersion program, Imagine College. The College is redesignated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education. 2013 Champlain College is named a National Center of Excellence for Digital Forensics by the Defense Cyber Crime Center (DC3). Champlain College Game Studio teams win top awards for their game “Quibly Ball” at Ubisoft’s North American Academia Game Lab competition. The Atlantic releases an article about Champlain, “What Would an Ideal College Look Like? A Lot Like This,” as part of the American Futures project. Champlain is named the Top “Up-and-Comer” regional college in the North by U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges.” Champlain College is featured in The Princeton Review’s “Best 378 Colleges.” Champlain is awarded the 2013 SC Magazine award for having the “Best Cyber Security Higher Education Program” in the United States. Champlain College’s online degree program is among the top-ranked colleges in the nation according to the “Best Online Bachelor’s Education Program” released by U.S. News and World Report. Champlain College’s Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program receives accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education. Vermont Teacher Apprenticeship Program (TAP) joins Champlain College’s Online and Continuing Education Division. President David F. Finney announces plans to retire in June 2014. A presidential search committee is formed. Champlain College is named one of the “Top 322 Most Environmentally Responsible Colleges” by The Princeton Review. Construction begins on two new residence halls, Butler and Valcour, to complete the Res-Tri Project. Expected completion is summer 2014. The Champlain College Student Government reorganizes and expands its structure, adding additional student
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representatives from each Division. Champlain College, Saint Michael’s College, and Middlebury College form the Green Mountain Higher Education Consortium to help reduce costs by pooling their purchasing power and working to eliminate duplication of services. Champlain College is the first Vermont institution to be part of the CFA Institute University Recognition Program and qualifies to receive five scholarships for finance and accounting students in the Stiller School of Business. Champlain College establishes the truED® alliance. 2014 Opening of the David L. Cooperrider Center for Appreciative Inquiry (AI), the first academic center exclusively dedicated to advancing the theory and practice of AI. President Donald J. Laackman is inaugurated and begins his tenure as the eighth president at Champlain College. Champlain College MakerLab opens in the EMC. Champlain College’s Teacher Apprenticeship Program receives the 2014 Knowles Science Teaching Foundation Teaching Fellowship. The Stiller Family Foundation makes a $1 million gift to the College’s Single Parents Program. The College names Dr. Laurie Quinn as Provost and Chief Academic Officer. Champlain’s Leahy Center wins the Top US Ignite Award at the 2014 US Ignite Application Summit for its “Cyber Security Service Center Plan.” Champlain College’s Graphic Design and Digital Media BFA (now Visual Communication Design) program receives NASAD accreditation. Champlain College is featured in The Princeton Review’s “Guide to 332 Green Colleges.” Construction of the Center for Communications and Creative Media building begins. Champlain College ranks 16th in The Princeton Review’s “Best Undergraduate Schools to Study Video Game Design.” Ten Champlain College Stiller School of Business students complete an international summer internship program in Shanghai, China, funded by the Freeman Foundation. U.S. News and World Report ranks Champlain College’s online degree programs in its “Best Online Bachelor’s Education Programs Report.” 2015 Opening of the Center for Communication and Creative Media, which houses the Division of Communication and Creative Media and the Champlain College Art Gallery. Champlain is featured in The Princeton Review’s “Best 379 Colleges.” Champlain is among U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Regional Colleges” in the North. Champlain College is named a finalist in SC Magazine’s awards for exemplary professional leadership in information technology security. The illustrated Saint John’s Bible begins its yearlong residency at Champlain College. Champlain College is featured in The Princeton Review’s “Guide to 353 Green Colleges.” Champlain College ranks #14 in U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges.” Champlain receives a grant from The Freeman Foundation, allowing 25 Stiller School of Business students to complete international summer internships in Shanghai. 2016 Champlain is named #1 “Most Innovative School” in North by U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges.” Champlain College is featured in the Fiske Guide to Colleges as one of the “best and most interesting schools” in the United States, Canada and Great Britain. Champlain College is named in The Princeton Review’s “Best 380 Colleges” and listed in its “Top 50 Green Colleges.” Champlain is named a College of Distinction for excellence in undergraduate education, according to Colleges of Distinction. Champlain College is ranked in the top tier of U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Regional Colleges” in the North in “America’s Best Colleges.” Champlain is named in the top 10 of the “Best Colleges for Veterans”
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as well as one of the top five “A-Plus Schools for B Students” by U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges.” The Center for Civic Engagement evolves to the Center for Service & Sustainability. Champlain establishes the Women’s and Gender Center in November. 2017 For the second year in a row, Champlain retains its title as “Most Innovative School” by U.S. News and World Report in its “America’s Best Colleges” rankings of regional universities in the North. Champlain is ranked #12 in the country for percentage of students studying abroad by the Institute of International Education. Champlain receives STARS Silver rating for sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). Champlain is featured in The Princeton Review’s “Best 381 Colleges,” included as one of the “Top 50 Green Colleges,” named a “Top School for Video Game Design,” and considered among the “Best Northeastern” colleges. Champlain College is featured in the Fiske Guide to Colleges as one of the “best and most interesting schools” in the United States, Canada and Great Britain. Champlain is named a College of Distinction. Champlain College Publishing Initiative (CCPI) becomes Champlain’s Center for Publishing (CFP). 2018 Champlain opens the doors on 194 Saint Paul Street, a modern condo-style residence hall in downtown Burlington. For the third year in a row, Champlain retains its title as “Most Innovative School” by U.S. News and World Report in its “America’s Best Colleges” rankings of regional universities in the North. Champlain College is featured in the Fiske Guide to Colleges as one of the “best and most interesting schools” in the United States, Canada and Great Britain. Champlain is named a College of Distinction. Champlain is featured in The Princeton Review’s “Best 382 Colleges,” in which the College is included in the top 100 “Regional Universities in the North,” is considered one of the “Best Value Schools” in the United States, and a “Top School for Game Design,” and it is named among the “Best Northeastern” colleges. 2019 Champlain is featured in The Princeton Review’s “Best 384 Colleges” and listed among its “Best Northeastern” colleges. Champlain College is recognized as a College of Distinction. Fiske Guide to Colleges selects Champlain as one of the “best and most interesting schools” in the United States, Canada and Great Britain. For the fourth year in a row, Champlain is named a “Most Innovative School” in the North by U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges.”
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PREFACE
A Brief History of Champlain College
Since Champlain College was founded in 1878, its mission has been to prepare students for successful careers. The College began as a for-profit, two-year school founded by G.W. Thompson to develop young men for “the business cares and responsibilities of life.” The College admitted women for the first time in 1884 and moved to its current location in 1958. During a 10-year span, from 1965–1975, the College became a not-for-profit corporation and grew substantially, adding programs in social service areas and renovating buildings in Burlington’s Hill Section to serve as dormitories for residential students.
The early 1990s brought a series of changes to the College that were the catalyst for rapid growth over the past two decades. First, in 1992, Champlain began to offer bachelor’s degrees to students who had completed associate degrees. Also in 1992, Champlain established Vermont’s first computer-based distance-learning program. It quickly offered entire degrees online and launched its first online graduate degree program in 2002. As the graduate program portfolio grew, the College sought and received recognition to offer master’s degrees from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), now the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), in 2010. Over the decade, the College expanded its four-year offerings and diminished its two-year portfolio as students were admitted directly into bachelor’s degree programs. In 2000 the College made the bold decision to eliminate intercollegiate sports in favor of a more robust student activities program for its undergraduates.
Today, the faculty, staff, students, and alumni reflect the spirit of the College’s radically pragmatic motto Audeamus (Let Us Dare), the same spirit that has guided the innovative education at Champlain since 1878. Champlain now offers innovative, career-oriented programs to almost 2,100 traditional undergraduate, 1,700 online adult undergraduate, and over 600 graduate students.
Under President David Finney, in 2007 the College developed the Core Division, which offers a four-year series of interdisciplinary liberal arts courses. In 2008 the Life Experience and Action Dimension (LEAD) program was created (recently redefined as the InSight Program) to offer students a comprehensive career and personal finance education through career signature events and professional workshops, company visits, and employer information sessions, as well as access to internships and field experiences. https://www.champlain.edu/academics/undergraduate-academics/insight-program Our historically strong professional education is now a three-dimensional approach designed to enable students to fully achieve our mission to be “skilled practitioners, effective professionals, and engaged global citizens.”
Our online and graduate programs face an increasingly competitive marketplace as well. Here we have built upon our historically strong connections with the professions to develop more direct and robust partnerships with employers that are positively impacting our enrollments and broadening the geographic reach of the College.
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Champlain began offering master’s degree and graduate certificate programs in 2002, and it currently awards master’s degrees through Champlain College Online in Business Administration, Digital Forensic Science, Executive Leadership, Health Care Administration, Human Relations and Organizational Development, Information Security Operations, and Early Childhood Education.
The College opened study-abroad academic centers in Montreal, Canada, in 2007 and in Dublin, Ireland, in 2008 to meet the increasing global perspective demanded by employers. Additional partnerships were developed with international schools in New Zealand, Scotland, France, the Netherlands, and Morocco to prepare students to be globally engaged citizens.
In 2013 the College launched the truED® Alliance, a business partnership program that provides online bachelor’s, master’s, and certificate programs to employees of select partner businesses. In 2014 Champlain joined forces with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management to provide federal employees, spouses, and eligible adult dependents access to affordable online education in mission-critical and highly competitive fields. Today, nearly 60 organizations have joined the truED® Alliance with Champlain College. For a list of industries represented in the Alliance, see the following link: https://www.champlain.edu/truedalliances/trued-information/trued/partner-organizations.
While Champlain’s student body has expanded significantly over time, the College has continued its strong tradition of serving nontraditional student populations, including first- generation college students, veterans, students of limited economic means, and single parents. In the 1980s the College established its Support-A-Student Campaign and its Single Parents Program, a joint venture with the State of Vermont. In 2006 Champlain added scholarship programs for New Americans and first-generation college students from Vermont.
Over the past decade, the College has continued to modernize and expand its facilities thanks to strong philanthropic support from the community and friends of the College. The Robert E. and Holly D. Miller Information Center (1998) contains a state-of-the-art library facility. The S.D. Ireland Family Center (2004) and IDX Student Life Center (2005) provide classrooms and expanded student services. The Vision, Innovation, Passion Campaign raised $34 million, including a transformational $10 million gift from the Stiller Family Foundation that established the Robert P. Stiller School of Business. The College earned LEED Platinum certification for its 2010 restoration and expansion of a historical 1859 house on South Willard Street as the Admissions Center at Roger H. Perry Hall. As additional space was needed for administrative offices and our Centers of Experience (see page 18), Champlain built the Miller Center at Lakeside Campus in Burlington’s Lakeside neighborhood in 2011. In the fall of 2015, Champlain opened its Center for Communication and Creative Media, which houses the campus store, mail services, conference center and dining facilities, and is the home of the Division of Communication and Creative Media, including faculty offices, instructional spaces, and the Champlain College Art Gallery. A long-standing goal to house more students on campus was aided when the Res-Tri residence halls complex and Finney
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Quad on Maple Street were completed in 2014. In 2018 Champlain opened the doors on 194 Saint Paul Street, a modern condo-style residence hall in downtown Burlington.
Champlain’s eighth president, Donald J. Laackman, served the College from 2014 to 2019. During his tenure President Laackman made significant contributions to building the College’s financial strength and sustainability and raising graduation rates. The College increased diversity and inclusion, tripled enrollment for Champlain College Online, maintained traditional student enrollment, increased the endowment 70%, restructured debt, and instilled fiscal discipline.
President Laackman launched the Champlain Futures Initiative, a collaborative, campus-wide effort to deepen the College’s culture of innovation, which will propel the College forward. Informed by the College’s David L. Cooperrider Center for Appreciative Inquiry, the Futures Initiative built on the College’s central strengths in furthering our 2020 Strategic Plan vision of “becoming the finest small, professionally and globally focused college in the United States.” Building on this initiative, in 2018 the College launched the New Vision for Champlain College Community Conversations, a collaborative process that established the foundation for the drafting of the 2025 Strategic Framework by gathering input from across the whole campus community about Champlain’s future as a thriving organization.
In July 2019 Dr. Laurie Quinn, Champlain’s Provost and Senior Vice President for Academics, was appointed Interim President, and the College launched a search for our next President. The Search Committee membership is broadly representative of the campus’s diverse community and includes six on-campus representatives (faculty, staff, and students), six trustees, and one community member. The Presidential Prospectus is included in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
In October 2013 writer John Tierney of The Atlantic magazine described Champlain as the “Ideal College” in an article for the American Futures project. After visiting campus, Tierney concluded that “... American higher education would be better off if more colleges tried to replicate what’s going on here.” Such accolades continue to raise the reputation of the College. Champlain College’s scope and stature have grown significantly since it opened in 1878, but our central mission of educating students to become skilled practitioners, innovators, effective professionals, and engaged global citizens has remained remarkably consistent.
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SECTION I. PURPOSES AND OPERATIONS
A. Purposes of the Institution and Art/Design Unit (refer to NASAD Handbook, Standards for Accreditation II. A.)
Champlain College: Purpose, Vision, Mission, and Values
Throughout its evolution, Champlain College has retained a distinct mission consistent with its historic roots: to prepare students for successful careers. In the 21st century, this preparation is coupled with an educational philosophy that embraces the importance of liberal learning, real-world experiences, and global understanding. Guided by our 2020 Strategic Plan, which was approved by the Board of Trustees in October of 2010 and updated for the first time in October 2012, Champlain College’s well-articulated vision, purpose, and mission have provided a holistic and comprehensive approach to guiding and influencing decision-making, analysis, and planning with regard to curricular offerings, operational matters, and resources. The current 2020 Vision and Mission statements have guided the College’s programmatic offerings, how we consider teaching and learning, the ways we recruit and retain students and faculty, and the prioritization of goals embedded within our Strategic Plan. Champlain College is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). The 2020 Strategic Plan is included in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
2020 Vision Driven by our 2020 Vision to be “the finest small, professional and globally focused college in the United States,” Champlain has operated successfully in the crowded and competitive New England private college market. We believe that our undergraduate educational model has allowed us to maintain strong enrollments despite significant changes in regional demographics and national economics. Our model blends professionally focused programs in each of our professional academic divisions with the strong liberal arts general education curriculum of the Core Division, the life skills education offered by our Career Collaborative’s InSight multidimensional career-focused program, and our semester-long and short-term international education opportunities offered by the Office of International Education (OIE).
2020 Mission “Champlain College endeavors to be a leader in educating today’s students to become skilled practitioners, effective professionals, and engaged global citizens. Champlain’s agile and entrepreneurial approach to higher education uniquely blends technology leadership, market savvy, innovation, and fiscal responsibility with a commitment to liberal learning, community involvement, and ‘the human touch.’ This distinctive approach permeates the delivery of relevant, rigorous student-centered programs in business, arts, applied technology, and public service.”
Our Mission statement has served as the underlying philosophy for Champlain’s approach to delivering a relevant educational experience to three populations of students: traditional undergraduates, adult online learners, and graduate students. It provided the foundation for
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the 2020 Strategic Plan and the five strategic goals identified as the key to our institutional success. For each of these goals, a series of specific commitments were developed to guide the essential work of the institution.
1) Achieve distinctive academic excellence 2) Enrich student life and career opportunities 3) Enhance financial stability 4) Excite, engage, and empower faculty and staff 5) Foster an inclusive and diverse community
In Summer 2016 the College conducted an analysis of its 10-year Strategic Plan, specifically to assess how it was doing in achieving the goals that were written in 2010. The analysis found that the College had achieved 86% of the measurable metrics detailed in the 2020 plan. The analysis also offered an opportunity for the College to revisit and update specific areas of the plan. Using the President’s Futures Initiative’s framework of cross-unit collaboration, flexible structures for managing work, and clear communication, during the 2016–2017 academic year the College engaged in efforts to update the 2020 plan. In June of 2017, the updates were presented to the Board of Trustees and were approved. See Strategic Plan 2020 Updates Document in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
With the near conclusion of the College’s 2020 Strategic Plan, the President extended an invitation in October 2018 to the Champlain community to help shape the College’s next plan. The outcomes of these conversations are documented in the 2025 Plan Community Conversation Report, which can be found in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
In October of 2019, the Board of Trustees approved the Champlain 2025 Strategic Framework, which provides the College clarity of direction for the next five years, including a new Mission statement and five new Value statements. The College intentionally chose to use the framework model rather than a conventional plan to guide us during a year of transition in the leadership of the College. The 2025 Strategic Framework reflects the work the College has done throughout the past year as part of the Community Conversations noted above, while at the same time giving us enough flexibility for a permanent President to define and shape the Vision for the College and create a detailed plan for Champlain’s future.
2025 Mission “Champlain College educates adaptable thinkers, daring change-makers, and inclusive innovators who shape professions and inspire communities.”
2025 Values 1) Innovation: We anticipate the future and thrive in dynamic conditions 2) Engaged Learning: We commit to learning so everyone does meaningful work 3) Inclusivity: We practice inclusive teamwork and value diverse individual strengths 4) Practicality: We provide experiential professional educatio 5) Interconnectedness: We connect with people and places, from the local to the global
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The College has also begun work on four near-term “Areas for Early Action” priorities that are critical to our ongoing vitality:
1) Dynamic Academic Portfolio via continuous innovation 2) Professional Opportunities Program 3) Well-Being for our students and our flourishing community 4) A Career-Long Learning Model
The Champlain 2025 Strategic Framework document is included in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
Champlain College currently offers 29 traditional undergraduate majors, 33 minors, and 40 specializations (optional or required), situated within four professional degree divisions or schools: Robert P. Stiller School of Business (SSB Division), Division of Communication and Creative Media (CCM Division), Division of Education and Human Studies (EHS Division), and Division of Information Technology and Sciences (ITS Division). The CCM Division also offered master’s degrees in Emergent Media (MFA and MS) that were discontinued as of Spring 2019. Details about the discontinuance of the MFA and MS programs and student completion plans are outlined below.
Champlain College has maintained a commitment to adult learners since the 1990s. Champlain College Online (CCO) offers over 3,500 adult learners and working professionals across the nation, including our truEd® Alliance partners, more than 60 degrees and certificates that are 100% online—four associate degrees, 11 bachelor’s degrees, 31 undergraduate certificates, six master’s degrees, and 11 graduate certificate programs. For details see https://www.champlain.edu/online/degrees-and-certificates.
Complementing the traditional undergraduate professional degree programs is the Core Division, which is responsible for the liberal arts general education component of Champlain’s undergraduate education, beginning in the student’s first year. The intent is to integrate professional learning with liberal arts learning to create synergies between the two with the goal to develop the “holistic” graduate. By design, the Core has provided a clear curricular map of traditional undergraduate liberal learning and a central place for the assessment of general education and College-wide competencies. Collaborative efforts with faculty librarians resulted in an embedded information literacy program that has received national recognition. The Core’s focus on inquiry-based pedagogical practices increased Champlain’s commitment to integrative learning. In these ways, the Core curriculum has served as an example for assessment practices and the development of new approaches to student learning.
The traditional undergraduate curriculum is structured in an “upside-down” fashion that allows students to gain exposure to and experience in their major fields of study during their first year of college, while simultaneously working through the common interdisciplinary general education Core. The bachelor’s degree consists of 120 credit hours distributed across Core courses, program requirements, general electives, one math course, and one four-credit lab science course. Core requirements consist of 41 credit hours, including the Senior
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Capstone course. At least 24 credits must come from the same subject area to provide an appropriate level of depth in the major.
Consistent with the College’s mission, the faculty possess both traditional academic and professional expertise. Champlain faculty are teaching-focused, providing hands-on learning experiences in class. Applied and service learning as well as community engagement are promoted, and internships are expected in many majors. Faculty scholarship, public and professional service, and research complement the teaching focus and programmatic offerings and fit within the unique academic culture of the College.
Champlain’s mission provides direction regarding the 10 essential competencies that all undergraduate and adult online students are expected to acquire as a result of their Champlain education:
1) Technology and Information Literacy 2) Science and Quantitative Literacy 3) Inquiry 4) Analysis 5) Integration 6) Creativity 7) Communication 8) Collaboration 9) Global and Cultural Understanding 10) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
These competencies (developed in Spring 2013, approved by faculty in Spring 2014, and amended in September 2018) undergird students’ educational matriculation from their first year to graduation, across all majors. They inform curriculum development and delivery across every program, representing the essential skills needed by graduates to be successful in both their personal and professional lives.
Each program is expected to design courses with these competencies in mind and to incorporate appropriate instructional and developmental activities in these areas wherever consistent with the goals of the course, program, division, and institution. At its initial stage, course design and approval require a process of curriculum mapping, which involves the alignment of student learning objectives to any relevant College competencies associated with the course. As courses are considered for approval, faculty determine the degree of development a student is expected to make in the competencies appropriate to that course. Curriculum mapping for each program ensures developmentally appropriate and sequenced instruction, practice of the skills and competencies articulated in the program, and student learning outcome statements. The mapping of the course competencies is then reviewed and approved by the appropriate academic division, the College’s Director of Learning Assessment, the Curriculum Committee, and the Faculty Senate. New programs and program eliminations must also be approved by the President.
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Developing these competencies supports Champlain graduates’ continued growth and develop after college by giving them the tools to take charge of their own learning and by identifying what they need to learn and how to do it. This self-directed learning is combined with the ability to examine one’s own assumptions and obligations to others and to act accordingly with autonomy, integrity, and intention. Each of the competencies is best developed through consistent practice, application, and instruction. The College’s Competencies are published on the institution’s website. https://www.champlain.edu/faculty-and-staff/academic-affairs/teaching-and-support- resources/college-competencies
InSight Program All undergraduate students at Champlain participate in the InSight program offered through the Career Collaborative office, which works together with their major and our general education Core curriculum to give students a multidimensional career-focused education (see https://www.champlain.edu/about-champlain/our-strengths). InSight is designed to help students articulate their personal values and develop essential skills in personal finance that prepare them to transition successfully from college to their future careers.
For additional details about the role of the Career Collaborative, see Section I. H. Recruitment, Admission-Retention, Record Keeping, Advisement, and Student Complaints (page 83).
Centers of Experience Champlain College also provides studio-like environments where students work on professional projects that turn theory into practice. These include the Leahy Center for Digital Forensics & Cybersecurity (Leahy Center), the Emergent Media Center®(EMC), the Center for Publishing (CFP), and Build Your Own Business (BYOBiz®) program.
Information about the Centers of Experience that directly support art and design programs is included in Section II. C. Programmatic Areas: Other Programmatic Activities (page 186).
International Education Champlain College also recognizes the importance of preparing students to participate in a global society. The Office of International Education (OIE) supports the College’s goal to ensure that our students graduate prepared to be globally engaged citizens with international experiences and global perspectives. Our philosophy is to integrate global citizenship into the student experience through the curriculum, study-abroad opportunities, campus and community programming, as well as internships and service learning experiences. Through our third-party programs and exchange programs with partner institutions in other countries, students can spend a semester, or even a full year, studying nearly anywhere in the world. Our Service-in-Action trips give students the opportunity to explore different cultures and perform volunteer work. Champlain’s academic centers in Montreal, Canada, and Dublin, Ireland, give students the chance to live and learn abroad as a seamless part of their Champlain experience. Additional information about our Montreal and Dublin facilities are included in Section I. F. Facilities, Equipment, Health, and Safety (page 70) and in
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Section II. C. Programmatic Areas: Other Programmatic Activities (page 184).
Division of Communication and Creative Media: Purpose, Vision, Mission, and Values The art and design units at Champlain College are represented by the academic Division of Communication and Creative Media, the portion of the College that includes undergraduate art and design majors in Creative Media, Filmmaking, Game Art, Game Design, and Visual Communication Design, as well as majors in Broadcast Media Production, Communication, and Professional Writing. The CCM Division is located in the Center for Communication and Creative Media, which houses faculty and administrative offices, as well as classrooms, computer labs, the Drawing Studio, the Broadcast and Filmmaking Production Stage, the Sound Studio, and the Champlain College Art Gallery. Details about these facilities are discussed in Section I. F. Facilities, Equipment, Health, and Safety (pages 55-67).
As noted above, the CCM Division has offered an MFA in Emergent Media (60 credits) and an MS in Emergent Media (30 credits). The MFA was first launched in 2011 and the MS in 2014. Together these two programs are the only fully residential graduate programs at Champlain. The programs have enrolled both part-time and full-time students, attracting traditional adult graduate students, Champlain undergraduate students, Champlain alumni, as well as a fair number of Champlain faculty and staff. The MFA and MS are interdisciplinary in nature, welcoming students from diverse backgrounds who work together to consider the intersections among media, technology, art, and design, both through individual work and collaborative projects. The first year of the MFA consists of foundational studio courses and seminars examining various topics in this broad field (including participatory culture, interactive design, design thinking, and digital storytelling), whereas the second year of the MFA focuses on synthesis and reflection through a studio-focused thesis process and elective courses.
In Spring 2019 the decision was made to discontinue both degrees. Students are no longer being admitted into these programs as they are currently in teach-out mode, with the current students scheduled to complete the program in Spring 2021. There are several interconnected reasons for the decision and the timing of the decision to discontinue the Emergent Media graduate programs. These programs have struggled to find a market, attracting on average five new full-time or part-time students a year. We recognize this is not a sustainable model. Our self-study process in preparation for seeking institutional NASAD accreditation provided the opportunity to address the challenges facing these programs. Discontinuing the two programs now allows us to reimagine and rebuild a new set of programs, designed from the ground up, to meet the College’s mission and NASAD’s standards for accreditation. We will be exploring other models of content delivery, including low residency, hybrid and online classes. Additionally, we will reexamine the admissions, recruitment, marketing, and student support structures for the master’s program to ensure viability and long-term sustainability at Champlain College.
In addition to the majors listed above, the CCM Division offers a number of courses in fine arts that support many of the art and design majors and are available to the general undergraduate student population, including in our Montreal and Dublin Academic Centers. The CCM Division does not offer a specific major or minor in fine arts. Courses in French,
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Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese, as well as a minor in Foreign Languages (recently discontinued), are part of the CCM Division’s portfolio of courses and programs. In addition, the CCM Division offers minors in Communication, Event Management, Public Relations, and a new Interactive Narrative minor that introduces students to nonlinear storytelling. The Interactive Narrative minor was approved to be offered starting Fall 2019. A number of optional areas of specialization are also available to students, including in Motion Graphics, Publishing, Sonic Arts, and Screenwriting. See CCM Division web page: https://www.champlain.edu/academics/academic-divisions/division-of-communication-and- creative-media.
The Vision, Mission, and Values of the CCM Division are purposefully aligned with those of the College and guide our policies, practices, resources, and academic programs in order to achieve the stated purposes and goals for the art and design unit. The CCM Division’s vision, mission, and values are reflected in the CCM 2020 Strategic Plan and influence our decision- making, analysis, and planning with regard to curricular offerings, operational matters, and resources specific to the art and design units.
Mission The Division of Communication and Creative Media guides aspiring communication and creative media professionals in developing academic and professional proficiency and helps foster a lifelong practice of innovation, creativity, craftsmanship, technological expertise, critical reflection, global engagement, and social responsibility.
Vision To unite a community of students, faculty, staff, and industry partners in the study and practice of communication, creative media, arts, and emerging media fields. To mentor and support students to find their voice as practitioners, develop their vision, and thrive as communicators, creators, innovators, and empowered citizens in a media-engaged and interconnected world. Building on Champlain’s entrepreneurial spirit and tradition, we will anticipate and respond to developments in today’s dynamic technological and professional landscape.
Values 1) Foster creativity, imagination, and critical reflection 2) Encourage artistic exploration and self-expression 3) Promote professional skills for career readiness and lifelong learning 4) Support professional development 5) Nurture cultural and intellectual diversity 6) Uphold integrity and ethical practices 7) Promote collaboration and mutual respect
In 2016 the CCM Division undertook a much-needed revision of its original strategic plan from 2009, crafting a three-year strategic plan in alignment with the College’s Strategic Plan and five Strategic Goals, to articulate the Division’s vision, long-term goals, specific objectives, and action plans. The CCM Division’s Strategic Plan serves as a blueprint for
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developing and implementing policies, practices, resources, and other curricular program components that work together to achieve stated purposes for the art and design programs and the Division as a whole. The 2020 CCM Strategic Plan is included in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
The CCM Division developed targeted organizational objectives all in alignment with each of the College’s five strategic goals. These actionable organizational objectives are designed to support and influence decision-making, analysis, and planning for curricular offerings, operational and administrative matters, and resources.
Specific to the College’s strategic goal to “achieve distinctive academic excellence,” the CCM Division strives to ensure relevant, challenging, and innovative undergraduate programs. Faculty are engaged in the development of proposals for new courses, majors, minors, and specializations, and in the expansion of opportunities for integrative learning and programmatic and professional collaborations. The CCM Division faculty routinely identify, engage with, and track the engagement of industry contacts to serve as consultants, provide guidance on industry trends, and support curriculum revisions across CCM majors.
Specific to the College’s strategic goal to “enrich student life and career opportunities,” the CCM Division is addressing this goal from several student-centric fronts. As a result of intentional initiatives, we have seen an increase in student participation in preprofessional development experiences, such as internships, professional/industry workshops, seminars, festivals, and conferences. We have embedded more experiential learning as a signature feature of CCM courses. We are also seeing improvement in student retention through our CCM Student Success Taskforce and related initiatives, as well as greater student engagement with and investment in the CCM Division through the creation of the CCM Dean’s Student Advisory Group. This group is comprised of students from across CCM majors and years, including Student Government Association (SGA) representatives, who meet with the Dean several times a year to voice their views and receive updates on division matters. The CCM Division offers several modest Dean’s Scholarships to which students can apply to support projects, entry fees to festival and industry competitions, registration fees for industry-related training and professional development, as well as tuition.
The College’s strategic goal of “financial stability” is supported by CCM Division objectives. Of note is our collaboration with the Office of Advancement, specifically with respect to donor cultivation and invitations to donors and potential donors to CCM major-specific year- end showcases. An additional initiative that has proven very successful in attracting, enrolling, and retaining highly qualified students is the development in 2016 of the Pre- College Art and Design Portfolio Building Summer Program. Other well-established pre- college summer programs that support the College’s and CCM’s enrollment and retention goals include the Young Writer’s Conference and the Champlain Game Academy. In Summer 2020, we will be offering a new Pre-College Summer Academy in Media Production. Further details about our Pre-College Summer Programs can be found on the College’s website.
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“Engaging and empowering faculty and staff” is another College strategic goal that the CCM Division supports with a comprehensive mix of objectives. We promote cross-programmatic faculty and staff engagement, knowledge sharing, and collaboration. We also encourage and support the building of leadership capacity among the faculty at both the institutional and industry levels through conferences, discussion groups, and relevant reading materials.
The CCM Division has directed significant attention toward the College’s fifth goal to “create an inclusive and diverse community.” Several efforts are underway to enhance students’ exposure to and appreciation of cultural, ethnic, racial, sexual, gender, and socioeconomic diversity. We have also established a CCM Diversity and Inclusion Taskforce to help cultivate a faculty environment that fosters knowledge, self-awareness, inclusivity, and equity.
In addition, in concert with the College’s Office of International Education, we offer unique guided immersion opportunities, such as international internships, service learning, and volunteering. For example, in December 2018 two Filmmaking faculty organized and led a service learning trip to The Gambia during which students produced eight short films addressing a variety of topics, from music and the arts to women’s rights, journalism, and the history of the transatlantic slave trade through the history of the River Gambia. These experiences provide students with study-abroad opportunities that enhance their programmatic experience and their exposure to diverse peoples and perspectives.
Division of Communication and Creative Media Operational Goals
At the end of each academic year, the CCM Division Dean compiles the annual report for submission to the Office of the Provost. This is done in collaboration with Program Directors, who themselves compile program-specific reports in consultation with faculty. The annual report reflects on the year’s accomplishments, focusing on both strengths, weaknesses, and areas of opportunity, and provides specific operational goals for the following one to two years. Along with the CCM Strategic Plan, the operational goals that are set forth in the annual report provide a common conceptual framework for each individual program action plan. In preparing the report, the Program Director and the Dean jointly analyze data relating to admission, retention, persistence to graduation, transfer across program, career outcomes, class size, and student/faculty ratios, among others
Briefly highlighted below are outcomes to several goals identified for the 2018–2019 academic year, with a high priority focused on the following goals: development of the NASAD accreditation self-study; expansion of academic offerings; strengthening of student success and retention efforts; expansion of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives; and technology upgrades and expansion.
In preparation for seeking institutional NASAD accreditation, a high-priority operational goal for the 2018–2019 academic year and Fall 2019 was the drafting of the self-study in preparation for the NASAD review visit in March 2020. Full-time faculty from across the CCM Division as well as other institutional stakeholders were actively engaged in the process.
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The CCM Division faculty continually reviews, revises, and expands the academic offerings in industry-relevant areas so as to attract qualified students, and support student success and job placement opportunities and outcomes. Over the 2018–19 academic year, 15 new courses were created and 17 were revised; new minors and specializations were created and existing ones revised. A complete list of curriculum changes can be found in the 2018–2019 CCM Division Annual Report included in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
Through the CCM Student Taskforce and the Habits, Skills, and Resources Group (HSR) that supports students placed on Conditional Probation, the CCM Division continues to work on student success and retention. This work also engages Program Directors and faculty in a close examination of courses where there is a high rate of D and F grades and Withdrawals, the stories behind those results, and possible ways to respond to the questions the data raises.
The CCM Division’s Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) initiatives enhance students’ exposure to and appreciation of cultural, ethnic, racial, sexual, gender, and socioeconomic diversity. Over the last academic year, Champlain College became an institutional partner with the Clemmons Family Farm (in Charlotte, VT) on a grant awarded by ArtPlace America to support the farm’s transition to a multicultural heritage center. As a grant partner, the CCM Division’s Associate Dean for Administration provides communication strategy expertise and oversees a student internship that is a paid position. The grant has enabled the CCM Division to offer the internship to four students to date, three of whom are African American. The two-and-a-half-year grant period runs from January 2018 until June 2020. See Section I. J. Community Involvement for additional information about Champlain’s partnership with the Clemmons Family Farm (page 93).
With the support of a $5,000 competitive grant from Champlain College’s John W. Heisse Jr., M.D. Endowment Fund, a series of multicultural events were organized to expose Champlain College female students of color to notable people of African descent and their extraordinary contributions to various genres of African diaspora literary, performing, and visual arts. As a result of the grant support, the students were fortunate to meet a New York Times best-selling African American female author, a world-renowned African American female architect, and an award-winning African American female choreographer. The series culminated in a trip to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. Most of the 15 students involved in the project were associated with Champlain College’s Shades of Me affinity group, whose members self-identify as female students of color.
The CCM Division Dean continues to work closely with the Vice President for Technology and Chief Information Officer to establish short-term and long-term plans for production equipment replacement and new acquisitions in support of all programs that rely heavily on production technology, including the Sound Studio and the WAVE radio station. This is a critical area of planning and support in order to maintain the competitiveness of our programs and properly support students in their skills acquisition and training in preparation for industry success. As a result of this collaboration, substantial investments were made in equipment holdings in support of the Filmmaking, Visual Communication Design, Creative
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Media, Game Art, and Game Design programs. Further details are discussed in Section I. F. Facilities, Equipment, Health, and Safety (page 67).
The 2020 CCM Strategic Plan has successfully defined a clear purpose and vision for the CCM Division that is consistent and well aligned with those of the institution. It has guided decision-making, analysis, and future planning, and has provided the means for assuring a clear and coherent relationship among curricular offerings, structure and operations, and resource allocation. Planning and acting from year to year has been consistently informed by sound analysis of data and by attention to the important synergies among the CCM Division, other units at the College (such as our Centers of Experience, career preparation programs, and study-abroad opportunities), and our industry partners.
In 2020–2021 the CCM Division will undertake the revision of its own strategic plan to ensure that our purpose and mission remain aligned with those of the institution as a whole as reflected in the College’s 2025 Strategic Framework.
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B. Size and Scope (refer to NASAD Handbook, Standards for Accreditation II. B.)
The size and scope of the Division of Communication and Creative Media meets the mission, goals, and objectives of the CCM Division and of the College, and is appropriate to the stated goals of supporting competitive, relevant, and professionally focused undergraduate programs in art and design. The CCM Division has both sufficient enrollment and an appropriate number of faculty and resources to cover the size and scope of the programs offered in art and design today. With the observed growth in the number of students in certain programs, the need for additional faculty, space, and other resources is being felt and will be discussed in other parts of this narrative.
As of Fall 2019, there are 799 majors in the CCM Division, with 587 students enrolled in art and design programs specifically. Working closely with the Office of Admissions, the Dean and Program Directors regularly review and update admissions targets and future enrollment projections.
As of Fall 2019, 20 full-time faculty teach in art and design programs; the overall number of full-time faculty in the CCM Division is 30. All faculty either have a terminal degree in a relevant area or extensive professional industry experience. There are approximately 65 part- time adjunct faculty who teach in the CCM Division every semester. The art and design full- time faculty are complemented by approximately 37 part-time adjunct faculty who are also industry professionals, thus ensuring that programs and courses remain industry relevant and up-to-date.
As part of the annual divisional report, program viability is assessed and budget allocation requests are made in support of new faculty lines, equipment, and other programmatic needs. For example, as a result of enrollment growth in Game Art, an additional game lab was added effective Spring 2020, and a search for an Assistant Professor of Game Art was launched in Fall 2019 for a start date of Fall 2020. As a result of enrollment growth and improved retention in Filmmaking, additional resources were dedicated in the 2020 budget cycle for the acquisition of production equipment.
First-year enrollment by program as of the Fall census for the years 2013–2019 and CCM Division overall enrollment as of Fall 2019 are noted in the table below.
Total as of Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall 2019 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 Broadcast Media Production 40 6 7 9 8 7 13 14 Communication 51 12 10 14 11 8 10 12 Creative Media 81 15 12 18 19 10 14 11 Filmmaking 91 33 29 26 27 17 30 11
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Game Art 145 57 39 30 29 22 38 29 Game Design 167 57 41 43 47 41 37 31 Professional Writing 90 22 19 23 22 28 22 17 Visual Communication Design 103 24 25 15 23 19 25 17 Undeclared 31 23 20 17 23 38 36 46 CCM Total 799 Art and Design Total 587
The CCM Division offers a sufficient number and range of advanced courses in art and design that are appropriately aligned with each of our programs’ stated levels of achievement for students. A program-by-program summary of advanced art and design course offerings is outlined below.
The Creative Media program offers an advanced multidisciplinary studio course (CRE 350 Projects II) and one required seminar (ART 310 Art and Global Perspectives). Additionally, given the nature of this degree, advanced level coursework is met through courses offered by other majors in the CCM Division, such as Filmmaking, Visual Communication Design, Game Art, Game Design, and Professional Writing, or through areas that are not associated with a specific degree program, such as Art, Sonic Arts, and Interaction Design. These classes are taken as part of the requirements in the students’ two declared areas of specialization, and through an additional requirement of two upper-level studio electives that specifically emphasize interdisciplinarity, media hybridity, or experimental traditions.
The Filmmaking program offers a wide range of advanced courses in several areas that correspond to students’ interests, ranging from screenwriting and cinematography to post- production, producing, and cinema/media studies. Over the past year, three new advanced courses were added: Screenwriting, Color Grading, and Production Management. Students are required to take advanced level production and cinema/media studies courses. Students interested in pursuing an optional specialization in Motion Graphics or Sonic Arts take additional advanced level courses in these areas.
The Game Design program offers a series of advanced courses in which students are challenged to build a number of game prototypes, with each game meant to elicit a different response from players based on physical, emotional, cultural, and analytical factors. Students also craft a cohesive single-player experience using systems, narrative, pacing, lighting, sounds, and challenges.
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Game Art students take advanced game art courses that focus on fine-tuning artistic and technical skills, and in which they are expected to create portfolio-quality work. Game Art students can take GAA 380 Advanced Seminar up to three times for credit on a different topic, such as Game Environments and Game Visual Effects. Other advanced seminars allow students to develop projects based on the area of game art they intend to pursue as a career. In GAA 415 Senior Portfolio, students compile their best work into a professional-quality portfolio and demo reel.
The Visual Communication Design program offers advanced courses in Typography, 3-D for Motion Graphics, and Art History. In 2016 the optional Motion Graphics specialization was introduced, giving interested students advanced training in an area that is in much demand. The program plans to continue expanding advanced offerings by introducing three- dimensional design and graphic design production courses, and areas of optional specialization. In response to the increased opportunities of self-employment expected in the next 10 years, the program introduced a sequence of three one-credit courses (VCD 250 Professional Communication Practices, VCD 450 Portfolio I, and VCD 450 Portfolio II), and implemented revisions to VCD 440 Graphic Design Business Practices. VCD 440 Graphic Design Business Practices offers students a holistic approach to business-focused topics, such as business contracts, professional media presence, financial literacy, tax forms, soft skills, cultural competency, health insurance, and wellness. These are timely, proactive, and ethical responses to the upcoming shifts in employment for freelance designers.
Art and design programs within the CCM Division also regularly offer and encourage opportunities for students and faculty to have meaningful interactions with other art and design students and professionals in a variety of ways, in and out of the classroom. These include: attendance at conferences and festivals; visits to companies relevant to our programs that are organized and led by faculty and by our Career Collaborative coaches; visits to museums and other art venues; and visits to campus by industry professionals, artists, and alumni who meet with students and provide workshop opportunities and critiques. Student work is also regularly exhibited publicly on campus and at local venues. Additional details are discussed in each of the program-specific narratives in Section II. B. Specific Curricula. Exhibition opportunities are discussed in Section II. C. Programmatic Areas: Exhibition (page 170).
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C. Finances (refer to NASAD Handbook, Standards for Accreditation II. C.)
Sources and Reliability of Operating Income
Champlain College operates as a primarily tuition-driven institution, with almost all revenue generated by student tuition (traditional undergraduate, graduate, and Champlain Online undergraduate and graduate), some generated by auxiliary services (housing, dining, facilities rental, etc.), and some generated by endowment income and restricted giving. Champlain College has an established history of operating with balanced budgets and generating operating surpluses consistently across several years. The College’s Board of Directors takes an active interest in the sound fiscal management of the institution, as carried out by its President and Chief Financial Officer. Operating surplus funds are allocated by the Board to long-term sustainability of the College, including its facilities and reserve funds.
The CCM Division was established in 2006 as an amalgamation of programs and courses that previously resided in other divisions (primarily Business, and Arts and Sciences). Since the time of its establishment, the undergraduate full-time enrollment in the CCM Division has grown from approximately 450 students to 800. Selectivity and admission profiles of students have increased across the CCM Division during this time period, with entrance portfolio requirements instituted for Creative Media, Filmmaking, Game Art, Game Design, and
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Visual Communication Design, further refining the admissions process for incoming undergraduate students in these areas and assuring proper preparedness and fit.
Over the past five academic years (2014–2019), enrollment of full-time undergraduates across the CCM Division has ranged between 784 and 890 students. Enrollment trends for Creative Media, Filmmaking, Game Art, Game Design, and Visual Communication Design during this five-year period are illustrated in the graph below, as well as overall Division enrollment inclusive of those programs that are not art and design (Professional Writing, Communication, and Broadcast Media Production). Overall, enrollment in art and design programs has been stable, with an upward trajectory since 2014 in most cases.
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The enrollment and retention trends across all academic divisions for 2016–2019 are illustrated below.
Balance of Revenue to Expenses
Program budgets are centralized within the CCM Division, with salary, professional development, office supplies, travel, contractual services, and many other budget lines sitting in the CCM Division general budget. Each CCM academic program has specific lines and budget allocations to cover operating expenses and supplies. The College centralizes all technology and facilities budgeting at the institutional level, as well as photocopying and postage/mailing. Given the way budget is allocated and centralized, it is difficult to calculate revenue to expenses for each academic program. The goal of our fiscal practices has been to ensure that annual budgeting reflects updated data on student and faculty needs, and that the mix of programs within the CCM Division is well supported through dynamic divisional spending on priorities through the budget year. Revenues for the CCM Division during the past five years are shown below.
The CCM Division has been a particular strength of the College’s overall revenue picture, during a period of declining net tuition revenues College-wide, and programs in CCM have been competitive in the aid/tuition balance, performing better against trends both at Champlain and across higher education. Billed tuition revenue has also seen growth in the division. Our enrollment team and Provost’s Office are working in close partnership, particularly this year during program review, with the Dean of CCM and with program administrators to analyze the specific net tuition trends in each program, as well as applications, yield, and retention to graduation. Queries we are pursuing include areas of potential growth that warrant increased resources, programs that need reimagining or sunsetting, with resources reduced over time accordingly, and faculty and academic staff hiring patterns to ensure robust student experiences.
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Expenses in support of the CCM Division can be broken down into the following types:
1) Division-level budgeted expenses: These include all full-time and part-time faculty and staff; student wages funds to support work-study and non-work-study positions; office supplies; travel and training; contractual services, professional dues; events (such as Honors Night and special events), professional development; and Dean’s discretionary funds.
2) Program-level budgeted expenses: Each academic program within the CCM Division has a budget for supplies and, in some cases, contractual services. Program Directors are responsible for managing their respective budgets and accountable to the Division Dean, who works with the Provost and the Finance team to project an appropriate budget, reallocate funds as needed, and manage expenditures responsibly.
3) College-level budgeted expenses: Expenses associated with course development, technology acquisition (hardware and software), facilities, utilities, auxiliary services, copying, and postage are centralized at the College level and not reflected in the CCM Division’s budget.
4) Full-time faculty: In the 2018–2019 academic year, there were 32 full-time positions in the CCM Division. Of these, 23 are devoted to the art and design programs specifically. Excluded from this count are full-time faculty who teach exclusively in non-art and design programs (Professional Writing, Communication, and Broadcast Media Production). The total salary budget for full-time faculty teaching positions in the CCM Division for academic year 2018–2019 was approximately $2,518,000. The College hires ranked faculty at market- competitive salaries, according to regional data from the College and University Personnel
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Association, and annual salary review and promotion in rank provide salary advancement in keeping with our Faculty Handbook and established commitments. As a result of the College’s Voluntary Retirement Plan (Spring 2019) and a modest decline in total enrollment across the division as larger classes graduate, in the current academic year 2019–2020, there are 30 full-time positions in CCM, including two newly hired Assistant Professors in Visual Communication Design, two one-year Instructors in Game Design, and one Visiting Assistant Professor in Professional Writing. In the fiscal year 2021, new hires include a Game Art Assistant Professor line and a Professional Writing Assistant Professor line. Of the current 30 full-time faculty, 20 teach in art and design programs.
5) Part-time faculty: Approximately 47.8% of CCM Division course sections were taught by part-time faculty in 2018–2019. The total salary budget for part-time positions in the CCM Division for that year was approximately $700,000. A five-year agreement with the union representing campus-based adjunct faculty went into effect in Fall 2019 and provides annual increases to per-course rates as well as professional development allocations for part-time faculty members.
6) Administrative positions (staff and faculty): The CCM Operations Manager position, responsible for the main administrative functions of the division, is funded out of the CCM central budget. Support staff in information systems, media services, career services, student affairs, etc., are funded out of separate unit budgets, and job responsibilities are shared across a variety of units.
In addition to the Operations Manager, the CCM Division employs a number of staff who serve as Language Coordinator, Photo Lab Manager, and support staff for the Emergent Media Center, one of our Centers of Experience. Faculty with administrative duties who serve as Program Directors, Assistant Deans, and Associate Deans receive additional compensation and course load reductions. The total compensation budget in 2018–2019 for administrative staff, faculty with administrative appointments, and the Dean was approximately $825,000.
7) Student employee positions: The CCM Division is committed to employing students in meaningful ways in positions that, to the extent possible, align with their academic interests and career goals. Examples of such positions include lab/studio tutors and monitors, production assistants, student technicians, life-drawing and design tutors. In 2018–2019 the total funds allocated to support student employment in the CCM Division, inclusive of the Emergent Media Center where many are employed, was approximately $176.000.
The table below reflects budget allocations for 2018–2019 (fiscal year 2019), broken down by specific art and design programs, and for the CCM Division as a whole in support of all programs and operations. While budget allocations for personnel, space, equipment, and materials have been sufficient to sustain the art and design programs, growth in programs such as Game Art, Filmmaking, and Creative Media have recently necessitated the allocation of additional studio and lab spaces, as well as equipment. Details regarding facilities and equipment allocation are included in Section I. F. Facilities, Equipment, Health, and Safety (pages 55-70).
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Art and design undergraduate program-specific budget allocations for 2018–2019, exclusive of payroll budgets noted above.
Budget Enrollment Spring 2019
Creative Media: supplies, contractual, Senior Show $2,300 77
Game Art and Game Design: supplies, activities, travel, Senior $26,000 270 Show
Filmmaking: supplies, contractual, Senior Show $6,000 94
Visual Communication Design: supplies, contractual, Senior $10,000 116 Show
CCM Division budget allocations for 2018–2019, exclusive of payroll budgets noted above.
Other undergraduate academic programs: supplies, contractual, Senior Shows $8,800 (Broadcast Media Production, Communication, Foreign Languages, and Professional Writing)
Masters in Emergent Media: supplies, travel, contractual, MFA Show $8,000
Center for Publishing: supplies, contractual $4,000
Emergent Media Center: supplies, travel, discretionary $10,000
CCM Division centralized allocations
Course development $5,000
Supplies $13,000
Travel/training (Dean, administrative staff) $5,000
Faculty professional development $33,000
Contractual services $2,150
Professional dues $1,250
Honors Night $6,300
Discretionary $3,000
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Undergraduate Policies Related to Tuition and Fees Policies pertaining to undergraduate tuition and fees are published in the College’s Undergraduate Catalog online. Tuition and payment is managed by the College’s Compass Student Services.
Tuition Overload Fees Students enrolled in more than 33 credit hours during the fall and spring semesters will be charged for each additional credit at the current per-credit-hour rate. Courses dropped after the add/drop period are calculated in total billable credit hours. Students enrolled in more than 17 credit hours during the summer term will be charged for each additional credit at the current per-credit-hour rate.
Refund Policy Tuition: In case of voluntary withdrawal or dismissal from the College, a portion of the tuition may be credited. Traditional, full-time students must notify the Registrar in writing of their intent to withdraw from the College. The date this written withdrawal notification is received by the Registrar, or the effective date, whichever is later, becomes the official withdrawal date and the basis for withdrawal calculation.
Fall Semester 2018 15-Week Courses
Tuition Withdrawal Tuition Residence Hall & Residence Hall & Meal Period Credited Meal Plan Withdrawal Plan Charge Credited Period
Aug. 27–Sept. 5, 90% Aug. 27–Sept. 5, 2018 90% 2018
Sept. 6–Sept. 21, 50% Sept. 6–Sept. 20, 2018 50% 2018
Sept. 22–Oct. 20, 25% Sept. 21–Sept. 29, 25% 2018 2018
After Oct. 20, 2018 No refund After Sept. 29 No refund
Spring Semester 15-Week 2019 Courses
Tuition Withdrawal Tuition Residence Hall & Residence Hall & Meal Period Credited Meal Plan Withdrawal Plan Charge Credited Period
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Jan. 14–Jan. 23, 2019 90% Jan. 14–Jan. 23, 2019 90%
Jan. 24–Feb. 8, 2019 50% Jan. 24–Feb. 7, 2019 50%
Feb. 9–March 9, 25% Feb. 9–Feb. 15, 2019 25% 2019
After March 9, 2019 No refund After Feb. 15, 2019 No refund
Summer Semester 12-Week 2019 Courses
Tuition Withdrawal Tuition Residence Hall & Residence Hall & Meal Period Credited Meal Plan Withdrawal Plan Charge Credited Period
May 20–May 29, 90% N/A N/A 2019
May 30–June 11, 50% N/A N/A 2019
June 12–July 6, 2019 25% N/A N/A
After July 6, 2019 No refund N/A N/A
Federal Financial Aid: The responsibility for returning unearned Title IV aid is shared between Champlain College and the student. Champlain College will distribute unearned aid back to the Title IV programs, as specified by law. Students are billed for the amount that they owe to the Title IV programs, as well as for any amount due to the College as a result of Title IV aid that was returned and would have been used to cover College charges.
Any refund due as a result of withdrawal from the College must first be applied to repayment of unearned federal loans and grants. Any remaining credit is then refundable to the student. In compliance with these regulations, refunds would be applied in the following order:
William D. Ford Direct Unsubsidized Loans Direct Subsidized Loans Direct Parent PLUS Loans Federal Perkins Loan Federal Pell Grant Federal SEOG Grant State Grant The student
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Dining Hall: Charges for unused full weeks are credited to students withdrawing from the College upon receipt of proper written notification by the Student Affairs Office and the surrender of the ID card to the Office of Student Accounts. Commuter Meal Plans and Flex dining dollars are not refundable if unused during a semester.
Residence Halls: Charges are incurred upon enrollment for the entire semester and create a personal liability to the College. A student is responsible for full payment of the residence hall charge for the semester, with no refunds or adjustments available if the student chooses to move off campus. In the case of complete academic and residential withdrawal from the College, the student will be credited residence hall charges based upon the residence hall refund schedule.
Course Audits: A student may change a course from “credit” to “audit” only during the first 10 days of a semester. Such a change will not result in an adjustment in tuition or fees. However, students changing from audit to credit during the 10-day change period will be billed at the full tuition rate.
Health Insurance: The student health insurance fee is credited only upon presentation of written evidence on or before August 1 that the student is already covered by other insurance carriers. As evidence, the name of the insuring company, the policy or certificate number, and the name of the insured must be furnished through the College online insurance cancellation system. Information on cancellation is included in the June bill and the cancellation must be completed before a credit is made.
General: A student who withdraws at any point during the year is subject to a reduction in financial aid in accordance with the governing policies of the individual aid program. A scholarship or aid student who withdraws from the College before the scholarship or aid can be fully credited incurs personal liability for unpaid tuition, room, and other related charges.
For full-time students, changes to part-time status (fewer than 12 credits) during the semester after the add/drop period will not result in a reduction of the semester’s tuition and fees. Full- time students who are considering changing to part-time status are encouraged to consult with the Financial Aid Office to determine the effect on their financial aid awards, and with the Student Accounts Office to determine the effect on their financial status at the College.
Procedures for Budget Development
Budget development happens in the spring semester, with the Dean and Program Directors developing a Strategic Budget Plan that the Dean submits to the Provost for review and approval by the President’s Cabinet, Finance Department, and, ultimately, the College’s Board of Trustees. Balanced budget figures are a requirement of the process, and the Dean and Provost review together the best allocation to ensure priorities are clear and support is sufficient for their success.
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Program-level and division-level budgets are directly connected to each other; program- specific needs are addressed by a combination of program-centered and division-centered resources, as well as resources managed by other units at the College (such as Information Technology and Physical Plant). Shortfalls in one program area can be covered by surpluses in others, and operating funds can be shifted across budget lines within the division by the Dean, and in some special cases only with approval from the Provost and Finance Department. Once estimates for the fall semester undergraduate enrollment are in hand, resource allocations are finalized and a budget is voted upon and approved by the Board of Trustees for the July 1–June 30 fiscal year. Quarterly projections track progress of revenue and expenses, and the College has sustained surpluses for more than five consecutive years.
Until recently, Champlain College used a historical incremental budgeting process through which resource allocations for the fiscal year were based on the previous budget period and adjusted to reflect strategic requests. Under this process, budget planning began with the CCM Division’s historical budget, to which were added budget increases in contractual commitments. The College then reviewed expected revenues based on enrollment, gifts, and auxiliary operations, and compared expected revenues to adjusted expenses and priorities. The President’s Cabinet then determined reallocations to fund any new priorities or deficits, the balanced budget was approved by the Board of Trustees, and the approved CCM Division budget was communicated to the Dean, who then communicated it to the Program Directors and other appropriate faculty and staff. While this budgeting model was simple and functional, it lacked flexibility and relied on an additive practice.
During the 2017–2018 academic year, the College adopted a new Strategic Budget Planning (SBP) process that took effect for the 2019 fiscal year corresponding to the 2018–2019 academic year. The SBP model is anchored in a zero-based budgeting model and is built based on necessary activities that align with the College’s Strategic Plan. Each unit of the College identifies, quantifies, prioritizes, and justifies each budget request and submits their Strategic Budget Plan to the President’s Cabinet for review and approval by the Cabinet and the Board of Trustees.
While it is a more complex process and entails a greater investment of time in the development and approval processes, the SBP standardizes the process and creates a more level playing field for units across the College. The SBP process allows for a thorough review of needs and aligns allocations with the College’s Strategic Plan and resource availability. Overall, the SBP model creates more equity and accountability, provides an institutional lens on budget development across the College, and ensures that requests reflect true needs projected for the coming fiscal year.
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Development Methods, Including Fundraising Procedures and Results
Fundraising at Champlain College is done centrally through the Office of Institutional Advancement. Fundraised dollars can be restricted by division or by program, so any dollars given specifically to the CCM Division or any of its individual programs must be spent directly on those areas. The primary source of gift revenue is raised through the College’s alumni, parents, corporations, foundations, friends, and government grants. Gift revenue is solicited throughout the year from our various constituent groups using a variety of methods, including direct asks of major donors, mailings, and other communications. The Office of Institutional Advancement works throughout the year to verify and maintain donor data in the Advancement database so that the database has current addresses, phone numbers, emails, etc., for past, current, and prospective donors.
In 2017 the College restructured its fundraising strategy and resource allocation by creating the Champlain Fund as one of the cornerstones of our philanthropy efforts to maintain a sustainable and dependable source of non-tuition revenue. Other advancement initiatives put in place include building a comprehensive Donor Relations Program, as well as establishing a disciplined Prospect Moves Management Program and a Principal and Major Gift Portfolio.
The College’s fundraising priorities supported by the Champlain Fund allow the College and the CCM Division to provide merit- and need-based scholarships, as well as support study- abroad programs, service learning opportunities, hands-on work experiences, and innovative programs/resources for students. Philanthropy can also contribute to the ongoing professional development of the faculty or to facilities and infrastructure quality. Other fundraising initiatives include planned gifts, and gifts of stock and appreciated securities.
Restricted funds raised for the CCM Division support CCM students’ academic and professional growth in a variety of ways, including through project funding and travel to professional conferences, exhibitions, and festivals. The CCM Division offers the following competitive scholarships and fellowships that support art and design students: CCM Dean’s
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Scholarship; Game Developers Conference Scholarship; Vermont Association of Broadcasters Endowed Scholarship; and the Stowe Story Labs Fellowship. Details about each can be found on the CCM Division Scholarships and Honors web page.
The Vermont Association of Broadcasters Endowed Scholarship Fund is currently valued at $132,424.54. The total amount of funds raised in the last four fiscal years that are restricted to the CCM Division are as follows:
FY19: $22,323.43 FY18: $18,018.84 FY17: $25,202.86 FY16: $5,751.45
Long-Range Financial Planning and Results
As noted in the above sections, the College has undergone a restructuring of both our budgeting process and fundraising strategies in order to improve how we steward our students’ tuition dollars and enhance student experience. As noted in other sections of this document, over the course of the 2018–2019 academic year, the College undertook the drafting of a five-year College Strategic Framework, approved by the Board of Trustees in October 2019 and in effect beginning in 2020. The Strategic Budgeting Planning process, now entering its third year, will continue to link budgeting priorities to the recently adopted 2025 Strategic Framework, which will inform the development of the new CCM Division Strategic Plan. The adoption of the Strategic Budgeting Planning is a tangible demonstration of the College’s commitment to enhancing our long-term financial stability.
In alignment, these initiatives will help the College continue to be forward-thinking in our allocation of resources to areas that advance the College’s future. They also provide us with the flexibility to shift resources to match changing needs and priorities in the higher education landscape, enabling us to remain innovative, agile, and responsive to emerging opportunities.
In 2013 the Green Mountain Higher Education Consortium (GMHEC) was established as a collaborative endeavor between Champlain College, Middlebury College, and Saint Michael’s College with the goal of creating and fostering collaborative endeavors and to serving as an agent for economic and educational initiatives that bring value to all. This partnership aims to reduce administrative costs in various domains, improve services common to all three institutions, create greater efficiencies, and help reduce costs over the long term that will benefit our higher education community. In 2015 GMHEC named its first executive director to oversee this collaborative venture and realize financial benefits. The establishment of GMHEC is one mechanism used by the College to plan for its long-range financial sustainability.
Among GMHEC’s initiatives are the purchasing of cost-effective health benefits across the institutions and the implementation of technologies that bring modernization to our
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information systems, enabling revisions to our business practices to increase usability, functionality, and efficiency, and improving our reporting capabilities. From 2017 to 2019 Champlain has realized significant benefits cost savings under the consortium model. In Spring 2019 Champlain College started the implementation of “Project Ensemble,” a series of new technological platforms to better serve the institution’s information system for advancement, human resources, and finance.
Additionally, by bringing the purchasing power of the three colleges together, GMHEC is able to enter into favorable contracts, allowing Champlain College and partner institutions to save money on their purchases while receiving superior services. A third area impacted by the creation of GMHEC is the strengthening of an inclusive, engaging, and positive culture of health and well-being, one that educates and empowers employees effectively to manage and utilize the health care system.
The College’s 2020 fiscal year budget was guided by our work in creating the new Champlain 2025 Strategic Framework, while fiscal year 2021 provides an opportunity to be even more specific in supporting strategy areas. Our budgets set the stage for future growth in the foundation areas defined in the plan, positioning the College to succeed in the face of competitive pressures within our higher education landscape. We continue to reallocate operating budgets to support strategic initiatives. For example, as a result of recommendations by the ad-hoc Student Success Advisory Committee, formed by the President in Spring 2019, the College made funding allocations to support student retention and success a priority within our 2020 budget. These allocations include funding for a new full-time position piloted in the 2019–2020 academic year that has been focused on academic and student well-being and support. We have also enhanced funding for SMART Space initiatives (academic coaching, workshops, tutoring labs, etc.) and other student support services, such as the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
As a tuition-dependent institution, our academic and student support initiatives to improve retention and persistence to graduation are critical to our success. Our six-year graduation rate has improved significantly, 57% to 64% from the class entering in 2008 to the class entering in 2012. The four-year graduation rate also improved from 53% to 58% over the same period. Fall 2019 retention from first- to second-year traditional students gained five points and reached a decade-long high. We remain committed to maintaining this positive trajectory.
Other opportunities identified by the College that will contribute positively to our financial sustainability goals and to Champlain’s success include aggressive goals for our Office of Institutional Advancement; continued enrollment growth in Champlain College Online, particularly through an expansion of our truED Alliance Program and corporate partnerships; a renewed focus on the value of our traditional undergraduate programs to attract students and protect our net tuition revenue; and continued commitment to recruitment, retention, and graduation.
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Enrollment Management Plans
The College’s enrollment management team revises and remodels funnel development at each enrollment cycle. Data analysis is an important part of ensuring enrollment stability in the years to come. In addition to internal modeling, the enrollment team uses data sources in higher education to analyze demographic trends, allowing us to open new and emerging markets in order to mitigate the decline in demographics in New England. In addition to emerging geographic markets, emerging trends in student generational demographics and interests are factored into the planning for recruitment. Demographic factors include the ability to pay and financial aid strategies. The goal of enrollment management for the traditional campus is to continue to stabilize first-year enrollment despite a declining demographic.
Recent closures of colleges in New England, coupled with some press coverage regarding the challenges colleges face with a declining high-school population in the region, have prompted questions about the way Champlain College is positioned. The College has positioned itself with strength and sustainability.
Champlain College’s robust career program has consistently led to the strong career success of our graduates (94% for 2019). This has positioned the College to maintain stable enrollments while many institutions struggle to articulate a compelling value proposition to prospective students, families, and donors. In addition, the College has aggressively grown nonresidential student enrollment, more than tripling online enrollment in the past four years.
The College’s Board of Trustees mandates a built-in reserve in our budget, which provides the College with a buffering fund. This budget strategy allows the College to weather enrollment changes despite being largely tuition dependent.
The College endowment and investments have increased 53%, to $52 million, in the past five years. Champlain College is rated BBB by Standard & Poor’s, and the financial status of the College is reviewed externally each year. This independent evaluation gives us confidence in our financial stability and sustainability. The College also reports annually on key metrics to its accreditor, the New England Commission of Higher Education, and is assessed every five and 10 years for more comprehensive fiscal resilience as part of the reaccreditation process.
Champlain has a long history of innovation and reinvention. From our beginnings as a local two-year business college to a competitively ranked, well-respected four-year institution, with excellent campus-based programs in art and design and a robust adult/online division, we have continuously adapted to meet the needs of the market. We are confident that this proven ability to be nimble and change in response to market changes and trends will enable us to be successful both in the higher education landscape today and into the future.
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D. Governance and Administration (refer to NASAD Handbook, Standards for Accreditation II. D.)
College Governance, Administrative Structure, and Activities Over the past 10 years, the College has grown its programmatic offerings, full-time faculty members, and physical resources. These changes brought about an evolution of the structures associated with organization and governance of the institution. In 2011 Champlain identified shared governance as an institutional priority, and this set in motion a series of changes affecting different areas of the College, ranging from the Faculty Senate to the composition of the Board of Trustees. The governing body of the College is the Board of Trustees, which has full authority over the operation and financial affairs of the College. The Board of Trustees also appoints all officers of the College. The Board delegates executive authority to the President to manage the educational and administrative affairs of the institution. The Board’s fiduciary responsibilities include setting tuition, approving the annual operating budget, reviewing and approving investment policies, and authorizing all borrowing. The Board is charged with ensuring academic quality and approves the formation, modification, and discontinuation of academic programs, rank and promotion decisions, and related policies. The Board’s other duties include establishing and ensuring a focus on the College’s mission, selecting and routinely assessing the performance of the President, participating in the development of a strategic plan, and monitoring management’s progress against stated goals. The Board of Trustees consists of no more than 34 members, four of whom are alumni of the College. Each elected Trustee serves an initial term of one year and then is eligible to serve no more than three consecutive three-year terms. The President of the Faculty Senate is a standing guest of the Board and participates in the Student Experience Committee and attends full Board meetings. Champlain College Leadership web page: https://www.champlain.edu/about-champlain/leadership
Current committees of the Board are: Executive, Compensation, Audit, Compliance and Risk Management, Financial Sustainability, Student Experience, Engagement and Outreach, and the Committee on Trusteeship. Each committee includes one or more Cabinet members who brief the Trustees on work in their areas and bring forward strategic questions for Board input. The full Board meets quarterly and committees meet throughout the year. The Board also comes together for two retreats and four Board dinners each year, which provide the opportunity for deeper engagement on strategic issues and collaboration with students and faculty. Examples of these sessions include a presentation on academic innovation and a session on the faculty experience. Trustees are active in campus life and are invited to student events, including Capstone presentations, classes, gallery openings, and performances.
The President’s Cabinet serves the College by providing advisory support to the President and Board of Trustees, and is specifically charged with oversight of different functional areas of the College. The President’s Cabinet consists of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Vice President of Finance and Treasurer, Vice President of Student Affairs and Institutional Diversity and Inclusion, Vice President for Technology and Chief
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Information Officer, Vice President of Enrollment Management, Vice President for Human Capital, and Chief of Staff. See President Organizational Chart in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
In addition to overseeing designated areas of the College, each member of the President’s Cabinet works in a consultative role with the President regarding resource allocation. Each Vice President develops a strategy for specific area needs in alignment with the College’s strategic goals. Upon sustained deliberation by the President’s Cabinet, annual budgeting priorities are set. While the President, on behalf of the Board of Trustees, makes the final decision about these priorities, Vice Presidents base their requests on reports and recommendations compiled by a wide range of faculty and staff, including Deans, Directors, and Associate Vice Presidents.
The College recognizes the importance of effective communication among various constituencies across institutional lines. The President shares a summary of Board of Trustees’ meetings with faculty and staff, the Faculty Senate makes its meeting agendas available to the Board of Trustees via the Provost, and the President of the Faculty Senate attends quarterly Board meetings as an invited guest. In Spring 2019 the Leadership Collective comprised of Cabinet members and a group of their direct reports was formed to encourage institutional cross-functional dialogue, planning, and problem-solving. The Leadership Collective meets monthly, and outcomes of these conversations are brought back by managers to their individual teams.
The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs oversees the quality of all academic offerings, including traditional undergraduate, online adult learning, graduate, and international education. The five traditional, residential academic divisions are led by academic Deans and organized based on affiliated majors serving traditional students. Champlain College Online focuses on fully online adult learners who are pursuing either undergraduate or graduate programs and is led by the Assistant Provost for Online Education.
The Provost’s budgetary priorities are informed by senior academic leaders, including academic Deans, administrators responsible for other academic support departments, and the Library Director. Faculty members regularly review and are guided by their Division’s Strategic Plan, which aligns with the College’s. In addition to overseeing and advocating for their academic division, Deans, in collaboration with their leadership team (which may include Program and Center Directors, Chairs, Assistant Deans, and/or Associate Deans), are responsible for program and curriculum development and improvement, the hiring and supervision of full-time and part-time faculty and academic staff, the preparation and allocation of divisional and programmatic budgets, and the completion of divisional reports. The Provost meets with the group of academic Deans weekly and with each Dean and other direct reports regularly, and as needed, to formulate and execute plans, and to advance operational goals in accordance with the College’s academic mission.
The Faculty Senate conducts its business at monthly meetings, and it consists of all full-time faculty, including academic Deans and administrative faculty, as well as a part-time faculty representative from each academic division. The work of the Senate in the context of shared
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governance was identified as an institutional priority by the faculty and the administration. Our rapid institutional growth and change resulted in some structural changes to the Senate, including the addition of adjunct representatives in 2011; the creation of the Academic Affairs Committee in 2014, to ensure a more formalized line of communication between faculty members and the Provost; and, also in 2014, the restructuring of the Executive Committee to an Executive Cabinet to foster improved communication among subcommittees. In addition, a comprehensive revision of the Faculty Handbook was undertaken (initially approved by the Board of Trustees in January 2012) to clarify governance structures, faculty responsibilities, the delegation of responsibility across the College, and to explain the mechanisms in place for changing relevant policy, among other reasons.
The current work of the Faculty Senate is carried out primarily through nine committees: Executive Cabinet, Curriculum, Welfare, Academic Affairs, Professional Development, Promotions and Sabbatical, Bylaws, Multicultural Affairs, and Faculty Evaluations. Other committee appointments include the College Competencies Committee and the College Council. https://sites.google.com/a/champlain.edu/facultysenate/home
The President, Vice President, and Secretary of the Faculty Senate are elected by the group as a whole, while the chairs of each committee are appointed by the Faculty Senate President. The Provost meets regularly with Senate leadership to address issues regarding the academic business of the College, including curricular offerings, college competencies, and issues of faculty concern. The Provost facilitates opportunities for faculty leadership to meet with the President, the President’s Cabinet, and the Board of Trustees.
The faculty has primary responsibility for curricular oversight, promotion and sabbatical guidelines, graduation requirements, and degree offerings, as well as a substantive voice in all other academic matters. The faculty provides recommendations to the Provost and/or President, who ultimately have decision-making authority on all academic and nonacademic matters. The administrative structure of the institution also includes the Staff Council, whose purpose is to “advocate for the interests of staff members, foster an environment of respect and fairness, and help build a sense of community by facilitating effective communication among staff, administration, faculty, and students.”https://www.champlain.edu/faculty-and- staff/staff-council
The Staff Council consists of an Executive Community and three Standing Committees, and it also includes representation on the College Council. The Executive Committee’s function is to formulate issues and propose directions for the Staff Council. The Communications and Engagement committee welcomes new staff to Champlain, educates them about the Staff Council, and informs them of opportunities to get more involved. The Networking and Recreation Committee is responsible for bringing staff together as a community through various networking opportunities. The Staff Welfare and Advocacy Committee works collaboratively with our human resources office (People Center) to review College policies, benefits, salary, insurance, and retirement matters that affect staff personnel.
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The College Council is a collaborative body through which students, faculty, and staff meet to discuss matters of the College and make recommendations to the President on issues that shape the institutional lives of all constituencies and address issues of campus climate. The group is comprised of seven members of the Staff Council, seven student members chosen by the Student Government Association, seven members of the Faculty Senate, and seven administrators, including the President, Provost, and Deans. https://www.champlain.edu/faculty-and-staff/college-council
While students are represented on the College Council, the primary governing body for students is the Student Government Association (SGA). The SGA advocates on behalf of the student body and oversees a budget funded by student activity fees. The SGA is composed of the Cabinet and the House of Representatives. The House of Representatives financially supports students and clubs through the allocation of grants and is responsible for facilitating events to further engage with the student body. The Cabinet oversees student activities, operations, finances, and communications, and launches diversity initiatives. All members of the SGA serve on various committees. https://www.champlain.edu/student-life/campus- life/activities-and-clubs/student-government-association
The Champlain College Alumni Advisory Board (AAB) supports Alumni Relations and Advancement efforts and works to better engage alumni with the institution. Their stated mission is to “facilitate mutually beneficial relationships between current and future alumni, work to ensure the College’s success, and contribute to the institution’s philanthropic growth by promoting an active, passionate, and engaged alumni body.” The AAB is comprised of 22 alumni volunteers from around the country and it includes representatives from each academic division, as well as graduate and undergraduate degree recipients. The AAB meets quarterly and connects on campus with senior administration members, the Career Collaborative, Student Life, the Office of Admissions, and faculty. https://www.champlain.edu/alumni/alumni-advisory-board
Institutionally, communication is also facilitated by a variety of forums for all members. Town Hall meetings are regularly held, where the President, President’s Cabinet, staff, and faculty provide updates on campus goals, operations, and events. The Provost holds open forums three times a semester to provide strategic updates and encourage open dialogue, where faculty can ask questions and discuss current campus issues. The President meets with faculty each semester and provides quarterly written updates following Board of Trustee meetings.
The Board of Trustees, senior leadership, Faculty Senate, Student Government Association, Staff Council, and College Council work within their appropriate areas of expertise to ensure collaboration across institutional lines as well as transparency, priorities to which the College is committed in order to continue strengthening processes and strategies that allow for broad- based input on important initiatives. For example, efforts to improve governance and communication have included frequent meetings with Faculty Senate Leadership, working sessions convening the Faculty Senate Academic Affairs Committee with the academic Deans, and a volunteer faculty task force in response to the Faculty Senate’s Resolution on
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Faculty-Board of Trustees Interactions. Successful examples of shared governance are also evidenced by a series of changes to the Faculty Handbook around issues such as grievance procedures, changes in evaluation criteria, and the development of a comprehensive faculty workload policy. Ongoing evaluation of the effectiveness of the College’s organization and governance structures is ensured through surveys, internal structural reviews, and attention to best institutional practices across higher education.
CCM Division Governance, Administrative Structure, Responsibilities, and Lines of Supervision
The CCM Dean is responsible for directing the CCM Division and its Centers of Experience, and reports to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Duties include oversight of academic programs, implementation of the division’s strategic plan, budget preparation, planning, and fiscal management of resources, as well as personnel appointment, supervision, development, evaluation, and dismissal. The Dean is responsible for full-time faculty performance reviews, according to the faculty evaluation protocol and as described in Section I. E. Faculty and Staff (page 52). In the CCM Division specifically, part-time faculty are generally overseen and evaluated by the Program Director of the program in which they teach, in consultation with the Dean, who also approves the hiring of the part-time faculty. The evaluation of the part-time adjunct faculty is coordinated by the Associate Dean for Administration.
The CCM Dean works collaboratively with faculty and staff to create a strategic vision for the CCM Division and oversees its implementation through the CCM Strategic Plan, establishing and managing a collegial environment. The Dean oversees and assists the faculty in the development and modification of curriculum, and in the management of assessment activities, working closely with faculty to strengthen student academic support programs that contribute to the College’s retention initiatives. The Dean consults with faculty on matters of curriculum and academic policy, conveys recommendations to the Provost for consideration and approval, and communicates administrative information to the faculty in person at Division and Leadership Team meetings or via electronic communication. The Dean participates with Advancement in soliciting and stewarding donor support for the CCM Division and the College.
While the role of the Dean is relatively consistent across all academic divisions, each division’s administrative and governing structure is slightly different. The CCM Division, as the largest and in some respects the more complex of the academic divisions at Champlain College, has an administrative structure that reflects its particular needs and goals, including the oversight of full-time and part-time faculty, the management and support of studio and lab spaces and technology, and various other program-specific requirements, such as entrance portfolio reviews and Senior Shows and Exhibitions.
The administrative team of the CCM Division is the Leadership Team, which works collaboratively with the Dean and the Operations Manager to advance the goals of the CCM
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Division. The Leadership Team is comprised of the Associate Dean for Administration, Assistant Dean for Academics, Assistant Dean for Game Development, and eight Program Directors, who each oversee majors, minors, and specializations. Faculty with administrative appointments teach a reduced course load and receive an additional stipend for their seven weeks of work in the summer. The Director of the Emergent Media Center (EMC) and the Managing Editor of the Center for Publishing (CFP) are also part of the CCM Leadership Team.
The Operations Manager provides a range of office support to the Dean as well as to all full- time and part-time faculty, and students, including preparing part-time faculty contracts, monitoring course enrollment, scheduling division meetings and meetings with administrative faculty, issuing official divisional communication to students (such as Dean’s list and probationary letters), processing payments, ordering supplies, and updating the budget, as well as assisting with various programming and events.
Other staff members include the Photo Lab Manager, who oversees and maintains the darkroom and photo lab, monitoring its use, safety, and proper operation; scheduling and monitoring photo lab student assistants; and ordering supplies. The Foreign Languages Coordinator schedules the foreign language courses offered through the CCM Division, manages the language placement exam, and assists the Dean in hiring part-time faculty.
As a result of the College’s partnership with the Burlington Generator Makerspace since Fall 2018, a part-time Flex Space Manager position was added in Fall 2019. This position currently reports to the CCM Dean but serves all members of the College interested in using the facilities, tools, and equipment at Generator. A description of the Flex Space Manager’s role and responsibilities can be found in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio. See Champlain College and Generator Partnership.
The EMC is overseen by the Director, who is supported by a part-time Senior Operations Coordinator, a Creative and Communications Manager, and a Senior Project Manager. Together, the EMC staff manage the facilities, projects, and the students who work on their various projects. The Center for Publishing (CFP) is overseen by the Managing Editor, who oversees the students working on various CFP projects. Additional information about the EMC and the CFP can be found in Section II. C. Programmatic Areas: Other Programmatic Activities (page 186).
Program Directors are responsible for the day-to-day administrative management and operations of academic programs, and participate in a collaborative process with the Dean and the program faculty to create, implement, and update a competitive vision and action plan for their programs. They support the Dean in the development of program strategic budgeting priorities; collaborate with the Assistant Dean for Academics and program faculty on curriculum development; direct the student learning outcomes assessment process and complete yearly the program assessment report as well as the program year-end report; coordinate with the Associate Dean for Administration on matters relating to the scheduling of classes and use of classrooms; and provide part-time faculty oversight and support. A full
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description of Program Director duties and the CCM Program Director Handbook can be found in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
The Associate Dean for Academics oversees the academic dismissal and probation process in collaboration with the Dean; assists Program Directors with course and curriculum development and updates; manages resolution of student academic issues, in coordination with Program Directors, faculty, and other campus groups and offices (e.g. student support services, classroom and course behavior issues, student dissatisfaction, course/credit); coordinates faculty advising assignments for each academic year to ensure equity in the number of advisees; and supports faculty with CCM-specific advising guidance and training. A full description of the Assistant Dean for Academics duties can be found in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
The Assistant Dean for Game Development participates in a collaborative process with the Deans and faculty of the three academic divisions that house the four degrees that comprise the Game Studio (Game Art and Game Design in CCM, Game Programming in ITS, and Game Production Management in SSB) to maintain a competitive vision and action plan for the Game Studio, and to manage program enrollment, recruiting, advising, and retention. The Assistant Dean for Game Development coordinates the scheduling of courses and lab use, is responsible for producing the Game Studio year-end report, manages game curriculum implementation and updates at the Burlington campus and at the Montreal Academic Center, oversees and evaluates the Game Studio technical and facilities requirements, and presents recommendations and requests to the CCM Dean. A full description of the Assistant Dean for Game Development duties can be found in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
The Associate Dean for Administration oversees the execution of a number of critical events and activities, including Admissions open houses and new student orientations, the scheduling of classes and assignment of classrooms, and the CCM Honors Night. The Associate Dean also provides support to Program Directors in the orientation, oversight, and evaluation of part-time faculty and serves as the CCM Division’s liaison on matters relating to the part-time faculty Service Employees International Union (SEIU) bargaining agreement. The Associate Dean also coordinates the hiring of student employees and the management of the student employee budget. A full description of the Associate Dean for Administration duties can be found in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
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E. Faculty and Staff (refer to NASAD Handbook, Standards for Accreditation II. E.)
Faculty Qualifications, Numbers, and Distribution
The College’s faculty is first and foremost a teaching faculty whose connections to their disciplinary communities of practice encompass practitioner, consulting, and research roles. Champlain is a non-tenure institution with a full-time faculty of 118 members as of Fall 2019. Part-time adjunct faculty members also provide instruction to our residential and online student populations, with 136 on-campus adjunct faculty and 186 online adjunct faculty as of Fall 2019. Our on-campus adjuncts are members of a collective bargaining unit, first ratified in September 2016 and again in September 2019, that is represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). Our students are supported by 247 full-time staff members.
As of Fall 2019, the total number of CCM faculty, inclusive of those not teaching in art and design programs, is 30 full-time and 65 part-time adjuncts. The art and design programs in the CCM Division are supported by 20 full-time faculty and 37 part-time adjunct faculty. Since some of the full-time faculty have administrative appointments, not all of them teach a full course load, which at Champlain College is 12 credits a semester.
Faculty within academic programs have diverse backgrounds, experiences, and expertise appropriate to the curriculum of each of the programs in which they teach. Some full-time as well as part-time faculty teach across academic programs and divisions, which contributes to greater synergies and integration across disciplines.
A list of selected faculty exhibitions is included in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio and available through the following document link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tOYH0W2g-QXWjmpkbMTOxeCD5tRK9iLxeKt- qw8LxiU/edit.
The chart below reflects all full-time faculty in the CCM Division as of Fall 2019, noting rank and full-time to part-time ratio. A list of all full-time and part-time faculty teaching art and design-oriented courses in Burlington, Montreal, and Dublin, including courses offered through the Core Division, noting faculty rank, year hired, link to credentials, and areas taught is included in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio and available through the following document link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BoYXeSShpvUJhXHpav8mj98ESaUlo0FCbF4ExQ1L D-4/edit.
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Art and Design Programs in the CCM Division
# of FT and rank # of Ratio PT FT/PT
Creative Media 2 Associate 4 1:1.33 Profs 1 Assistant Prof
Filmmaking 2 Assistant Profs 4 1:2
Game Art 1 Professor 3 1:.75 1 Associate Prof 1 Assistant Prof 1 Instructor
Game Design 1 Professor 12 1:1.7 1 Associate Prof 4 Assistant Profs 1 Instructor
Visual Communication 1 Associate Prof 16 1:4 Design (and Art courses) 3 Assistant Profs
Non-Art and Design Programs in the CCM Division
# of FT and rank # of Ratio PT FT/PT
Broadcast Media 2 Associate Profs 4 1:2 Production
Communication 2 Professors 10 1:2.5 2 Associate Profs
Professional Writing 1 Professor 9 1:3 1 Associate Prof 1 Visiting Assistant Prof
Sonic Arts 1 Professor 3 1:3
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Champlain College is a non-tenure teaching-focused institution, which recognizes that institutional service, professional development, and administration are vital components of faculty work. The Faculty Handbook establishes a framework for each of these categories, across which an individual faculty member’s proportion of engagement may vary. The workload of individual faculty members is determined in consultation with their academic Dean and should balance the strengths and interests of the faculty member with the goal of meeting the needs of the academic units and of the College.
In 2012–2013 the College undertook an extensive review of workload policies and practices. As a result of this review, a Workload Policy document was developed and implemented in Fall 2013 and is described in the College’s Faculty Handbook, Section 4.6 Faculty Workload (http://catalog.champlain.edu/content.php?catoid=40&navoid=1070&hl=%22faculty+load% 22&returnto=search#4.6%20Faculty%20Workload). This document is currently under review for possible revisions and updates.
The normal teaching load is 12 Faculty Load Credits (FLC) per semester for full-time faculty and not more than nine FLCs for part-time faculty per semester. Faculty who teach studio courses in the CCM Division are awarded 4 FLCs for studio classes that meet five hours per week (three contact hours plus two hours of direct student supervision). Supervision of a two- hour studio course without the regular course is awarded one FLC. The number of different course preparations during the academic semester is normally not more than three, and the maximum number of new course preparations is typically two per year and one per semester. When a faculty member teaches more than the maximum number of different courses and/or the maximum number of new class preparations, expectations in other areas of workload are adjusted.
Class sizes in the CCM Division and the College as a whole do not exceed 25 students. Class sizes are determined at the time of course approval and guided by pedagogical considerations, including whether the course is lecture or studio based. Studio-based courses generally range between 12–20 students.
Full-time faculty in art and design programs are expected to participate in the review of admission portfolios for their program and in the review of students’ progress at about the halfway point of their four years at the College. As part of their faculty load, full-time faculty are also expected to hold a minimum of four in-person office hours per week. Academic advising is an important and integral part of the Champlain College student experience, and faculty are expected to advise students in the program where they teach. The number of advisees assigned to a faculty member generally should not exceed 40 students. The Faculty Handbook provides several avenues to help manage advising loads. For example, Core faculty who choose to assist with the advising of students may do so as part of their institutional service, adjunct faculty may be employed to advise students, and advising loads in excess of 40 students can be compensated with reduced workload expectations in other areas. Advising loads are regularly monitored by the CCM Dean and the CCM Assistant Dean for Academics. In 2014–2015 the CCM Dean undertook a comprehensive evaluation of advising loads across all CCM programs and, as a result, created a half-time Faculty Advisor
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position to help bring the advising load to below 40 students for each faculty member. Faculty in art and design advise an average of 30 students. The following are trends for the past several years for advising numbers, broken down by each art and design program:
• Creative Media: The average advising load is 22–25 students per faculty member. • Filmmaking: The average advising load is 30–32 students per faculty member. • Game Art: The average advising load is 35–40 per faculty member, with the Program Director advising nearly 45 students; these are among the highest advising numbers in the CCM Division. • Game Design: The average advising load is 25 students per faculty member. • Visual Communication Design: The average advising load is 25–30 students per faculty member. Champlain College and the CCM Division recognize the importance of faculty participation in service to the College and to the division. Service includes endeavors like College governance, student recruitment, and community outreach. Faculty are encouraged to participate in areas that capitalize on their individual strengths and interests. In collaboration with the Dean, faculty develop a plan for service equivalent to three service Faculty Load Credits (three FLCs) per academic semester that combine the needs of the institution, divisions, and programs with the interests of the individual faculty member. Some service- oriented duties are inherent to the role of faculty, and all faculty are expected to perform them contractually. These include attending division and Faculty Senate meetings, College ceremonies (such as Commencement), and being available for scheduled events and meetings during the week preceding the start of the fall semester. Some service is compensated with a reduced teaching load. Faculty with administrative duties generally receive a reduced teaching load and/or a stipend negotiated by the Dean and commensurate with the nature of their administrative duties. The roles of Assistant and Associate Deans, Program Directors, and other faculty administrative positions within the CCM Division are discussed in Section I. D. Governance and Administration (page 46).
Full-time Faculty Appointment, Evaluation, and Advancement
Following a national search process, the appointment of new full-time faculty at Champlain College is approved by the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs and by the President, on the recommendation of the Dean who oversees the program in which the faculty will teach. The search for a new full-time faculty member is assisted by a Faculty Search Committee that collaborates with the Dean and the People Center to help develop a faculty search strategy and establish candidate selection criteria. The Dean appoints a Search Committee of at least four and not more than seven members, comprised of a Committee Chair, at least two faculty members from the home division, and a faculty member from another division or a member of the staff. The Search Committee is responsible for reviewing applicants’ qualifications, conducting phone interviews, and organizing campus interviews for finalists. Once the Search Committee has completed its review of the candidates, the committee recommends two to four finalists to the Dean.
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All full-time faculty, including those with administrative appointments, are supervised by and report to the Dean of their respective academic divisions. Faculty are evaluated by the Dean at the end of their appointment term, which varies depending on rank. Newly hired Assistant Professors are evaluated at the end of their first one-year academic appointment and subsequently every two years; Associate Professors are evaluated every four years and Professors every six years. For faculty with a one-year appointment, such as Instructors, this evaluation process is completed annually.
When completing the summative evaluation, the Dean considers a number of data points, including goals from the prior year, the faculty’s self-evaluation, instructional load and types of courses taught, student reactions to instruction and courses (such as IDEA diagnostic survey results), class observations by the Dean or designee, and syllabi. As part of the evaluation process, the Dean assigns one of the following overall evaluative rankings: Needs Improvement, Successful, or Exemplary. This evaluative ranking applies throughout the faculty member’s appointment term. In the event that the performance of a faculty member with a multiyear appointment is determined to be below acceptable standards (Needs Improvement), a performance improvement plan is developed, and the faculty reverts to a one-year appointment. At the end of that academic year, the faculty undergoes a full evaluation in light of the performance improvement plan. In years when a summative evaluation is not required, the faculty member meets with the Dean to review and update progress on goals outlined in the last summative evaluation. These goals may be longer term in scope, so discussion may be focused around progress toward, not completion of, such goals. These goals may also be modified at any time by mutual agreement of the faculty member and Dean.
Faculty are evaluated on how successfully they have met the outlined expectations in the areas of teaching, service, and professional development and achievement over the length of their appointment. Typically, faculty are evaluated according to a weighting schema of 75% for teaching, 15% for service, and 10% for professional development and achievement. However, faculty may adjust these typical weightings by joint agreement with the Dean. Faculty with administrative responsibilities are evaluated in the area of administrative duties, in addition to the other three noted above, and have a weighting schema commensurate with the distribution of their responsibilities in each of the four areas. The summative evaluation includes a rationale for the rating the faculty received and, when appropriate, recommendations for improvement. The Dean also meets with the faculty member as part of the evaluation process to discuss the evaluation, provide mentorship, and address any questions.
See Faculty Handbook Section 6.3 for Faculty Evaluation policies. http://catalog.champlain.edu/content.php?catoid=40&navoid=1072&hl=%22summative%22 &returnto=search#6.4%20Faculty%20Evaluations Promotion at Champlain College recognizes professional and personal achievements that have benefited students, the faculty member, and the division and College as a whole. The two ranks to which faculty at Champlain College may be promoted are Associate Professor
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and Professor. The Promotions and Sabbatical Leave Committee reviews applications for promotion and expects candidates for these ranks to provide clear evidence of participation, accomplishment, and distinction across all relevant criteria. To be considered for promotion in rank, a faculty member must have met the minimum time-in-rank requirement and have the academic credentials and other qualifications identified in the faculty promotion policies. Promotion in rank is not automatic simply because the minimum requirements have been met. All applicants must meet or exceed the “Threshold Experience, Education, and Performance Minimums” for the rank as identified in the Faculty Handbook. See Faculty Handbook Section 7.3 for additional information regarding academic rank and promotion criteria. http://catalog.champlain.edu/content.php?catoid=40&navoid=1073#7.1%20Appointment%2 0Letters%20&%20Appointment%20Terms
In the CCM Division, adjunct faculty are overseen directly by the Program Director of the program in which they teach. Program Directors are generally responsible for the hiring process in consultation with the Dean, provide support pertinent to the courses, review syllabi, visit classes, review student course evaluations and offer other feedback, and ensure contract fulfillment, such as electronic syllabi submittals, text adoptions, attendance verification, student evaluation implementation, and grade submittals. The formal evaluation of campus-based adjunct faculty represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is guided by the SEIU Adjunct Faculty Collective Bargaining Agreement. The CCM Associate Dean for Administration oversees the evaluation process of campus-based adjunct faculty, ensures compliance with the SEIU Adjunct Faculty Collective Bargaining Agreement, and helps address any concerns, such as those involving the adjunct faculty and students, for example. If a concern cannot be addressed by the Program Director or Associate Dean, it is referred to the Dean.
Newly hired CCM full-time faculty are invited to participate in the CCM New Faculty Mentoring Program, where new faculty are paired with at least one more senior faculty for the length of an academic year. The primary goal of the program is to assist new faculty in adjusting to their new environment with the support of experienced faculty. The particular level of engagement and outcomes of the mentoring relationship are left to the individuals involved, but guidelines and recommendations are provided to the mentor-mentee team in the CCM New Full-Time Faculty Mentoring Guide, included in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
Faculty members are expected to engage in appropriate professional development activities that enhance their teaching skills, maintain currency in their fields of expertise, and contribute to their discipline. Faculty participate in conferences, exhibitions, and publications. The College supports these activities through an infrastructure dedicated to helping faculty develop as professionals, scholars, artists, and teachers, including by offering professional development opportunities and funds to enhance teaching practices, creative endeavors, and scholarship.
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Given the College’s focus on teaching and professional preparation, it is important for faculty to stay abreast of developments in their professional or disciplinary field as a facet of teaching preparation, to bring to their classrooms diverse perspectives from the world outside Champlain’s campus, and to model enthusiasm for inquiry-based learning and the cultivation of a professional identity. The nature of professional development activities varies by academic discipline and by a faculty member’s years of experience. The College recognizes a range of activities that contribute to personal and professional enhancement, including:
● work on scholarly and creative projects; ● participation in courses, workshops, seminars, and meetings to improve teaching skills and practices; ● formal or informal study to maintain currency in one’s field; ● participation in conferences or events that develop skills in areas such as grant writing, publishing, creative endeavors, curriculum design, assessment, and administration; ● developing new areas of scholarship; ● active membership in professional organizations (officer, conference committee, editorial board, etc.); ● participating in interpersonal skills conferences and workshops, such as improving work relationships, gender politics, diversity, etc.; ● incorporating new instructional techniques and strategies; and ● presenting the results of scholarship and creative activities.
Faculty Development Spending Accounts (FDSAs) are provided to support full-time faculty professional development opportunities approved by the Faculty Handbook in Section 5.5. The current FDSA amount allocated to each full-time faculty is $1,500 for the fiscal year. Use of these funds is at the discretion of the faculty, with the Dean’s approval. See College Handbook Section 5.5 Professional Faculty Development http://catalog.champlain.edu/content.php?catoid=40&navoid=1071.
The Professional Development Committee of the Senate at Champlain College supports the teaching practices, creative endeavors, scholarship, and academic freedom of faculty to foster their growth as individuals, teachers, practitioners, and community members. The Committee fosters opportunities that enhance teaching skills, currency in fields of study, and conversations across the disciplines, and provides forums for sharing faculty achievements, such as the Faculty Showcase. This annual event was developed as a venue for faculty to showcase current professional and academic pursuits and come together for discussion and exploration. See Faculty Handbook Section 5.1–5.7 Professional Development Resources http://catalog.champlain.edu/content.php?catoid=40&navoid=1071.
Under the SEIU Adjunct Faculty Collective Bargaining Agreement, part-time faculty are eligible to apply to the Provost for funds in support of professional development activities. See Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio for the current SEIU Adjunct Faculty Collective Bargaining Agreement.
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Center for Learning and Teaching The College’s Center for Learning and Teaching (CLT) furthers the academic mission of Champlain College and enhances the quality of its professionally and globally focused education by cultivating excellence and innovation in teaching and learning. CLT is guided by four core values: hospitality, intentionality, quality, and innovation.
CLT supports faculty members in all aspects of their teaching, scholarship, and sense of belonging within the culture of higher education. It aims to foster a true teaching praxis that welcomes and encourages the sharing of ideas and models lifelong learning. It draws upon teaching and learning scholarship, instructional design expertise, and practical experience to construct transformative faculty development opportunities, foster faculty learning and collaboration, and offer workshops on a range of topics pertaining to teaching, course development, student support, etc.
Located in the Robert E. and Holly D. Miller Information Commons (MIC), the Center for Learning and Teaching provides faculty with a space to reflect, collaborate, envision, and innovate, and offers individualized coaching, small-group training, learning communities, and workshops. CLT curates resources that provide timely, practical teaching tips and trusted information about higher education pedagogy and academic technology.
Support Staff
As noted above, the CCM Division is supported by a full-time Operations Manager and two part-time positions, a Photo Lab Manager and a Foreign Languages Coordinator, who all report to the Dean. The EMC is supported by the Interim Director, Creative and Communication Manager, Senior Project Manager, and Senior Operations Coordinator. The CFP is supported by a Managing Editor. As a result of the partnership between Champlain College and the Burlington Generator Makerspace, in Fall 2019, a part-time Manager position that reports to the CCM Dean was added to coordinate and manage faculty and student use of the Champlain facilities at Generator.
In addition, the CCM Division supports a number of paid, supervised student positions to assist with operations, monitor labs and studios, and assist faculty in various capacities. See Section I. D. Governance and Administration for details regarding faculty administrative roles and support staff duties (pages 45-47). See Section I. F. Facilities, Equipment, Health, and Safety for a description of the Burlington Generator Makerspace (page 91).
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F. Facilities, Equipment, Health, and Safety (refer to NASAD Handbook, Standards for Accreditation II. F.)
Champlain College’s Master Plan, created in 2007, identifies classroom, office, lab, housing, and other physical plant capacities necessary to support on-campus enrollments. Created with community involvement, it includes a comprehensive Landscape Master Plan and a set of Development Guidelines. Construction and renovations over the past 10–12 years have centered on improving facilities across the board, including classrooms and other teaching facilities, dining and student life facilities, admissions space, and a number of residence halls.
Champlain College’s main Burlington campus currently spans 22 acres. The College also has a 36,000-square-foot auxiliary site, the Miller Center at Lakeside Campus, where many of the College’s administrative offices and additional academic spaces reside, including the administrative office for Champlain College Online, EMC, and The Leahy Center.
Champlain’s Main Campus includes 49 buildings with a total of 329,388 square feet of assignable space. Of those buildings, there are 13 primarily used for academic purposes, 24 for housing, five for offices, plus seven others, including the IDX Student Life Complex, the President’s House, three residential homes, and some mixed-use spaces. Our library is 29,860 square feet and includes some classrooms and offices in addition to stacks, computers, reading areas, group study rooms, and the Center for Learning and Teaching. For residential students, there are a total of 1,426 beds that are part of Champlain housing, and in Fall 2018 the College opened a new apartment-style residence hall with 312 beds at 194 St. Paul Street for upper class students. See also: https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/downtown-digs- 194-st-paul-street-scores-big-with-champlain-college-students/Content?oid=26371818.
The Main Campus dining hall, located in the IDX Student Life Complex, is 6,740 square feet and seats 345 people. Food service is provided through Sodexo in the dining hall as well as in our retail dining facility, EATS, in the Center for Communication and Creative Media. The IDX Complex also houses a fitness center, a gymnasium, additional recreational facilities, meeting space, the Student Government Association office, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and a student lounge. The Alumni Auditorium theater space has a 225-person seating capacity and is used for performances, meetings, and other campus events. A full list of additional meeting spaces can be found on the College’s website: https://www.champlain.edu/about-champlain/professional-services/champlain-conference- and-event-center/conferences-and-meetings/venue-information/meeting-space-details.
Over the past 10 years, new classrooms and computer labs have been added by repurposing existing space, while other classrooms have been converted to specialized computer labs to meet the growing needs of art and design programs. The Perry Hall Carriage Barn was converted into the Metz Studio Barn to accommodate studio needs of the Visual Communication Design program, for example. Most recently, one of the classrooms in the Center for Communication and Creative Media was converted into a game lab to support the growth in enrollment in the Game Art program. Classrooms and labs are typically equipped with multimedia equipment, LCD projectors and screens, whiteboards, and classroom-style
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tables and chairs, tablet chairs, or fixed seating. The Media Services staff installs, maintains, and supports audio-visual equipment across the Champlain campus.
In 2015 Champlain College opened the $24.5 million Center for Communication and Creative Media (CCM Center), which included a 42,000-square-foot addition and alterations to the existing Hauke Center and Alumni Auditorium. This expanded and renovated structure has a combined gross floor area of approximately 75,000 square feet and provides students and faculty with state-of-the-art facilities, including instructional and collaborative spaces, and faculty and administrative offices that function cohesively and effectively.
All CCM faculty have offices on the second and fourth floors of the CCM Center. Most offices are single occupancy, but there are three large shared offices. An effort was made to locate faculty who teach in the same program near each other. This close proximity has greatly enhanced faculty and student interaction, engagement, and collaboration, and has contributed to an enhanced sense of identity for the CCM Division. The CCM Dean and the Operations Manager have offices on the fourth floor, alongside faculty.
The CCM Center houses multipurpose classrooms, art and design studios and labs, as well as the Drawing Studio, the Filmmaking and Broadcast Media Production Stage, and the Sound Studio, all supporting art and design programs. As noted above, in Fall 2019 one of the large multipurpose classrooms in the CCM Center was converted into a game lab to accommodate the growth in enrollment in the Game Art program. The CCM Center also houses Champlain College’s Art Gallery and adjacent Gallery Lounge, which support the art and design programs, as well as a student-run gallery, the Stair Nook Gallery.
In addition to housing the CCM Division, the CCM Center provides dining and event facilities, and a transportation hub. The Champlain Room, and adjacent Rooftop Terrace, is a large events hall with a combined capacity to accommodate between 350 and 600 guests, depending on the layout of the room. This space is used for a wide range of campus events, such as Admissions open houses, faculty meetings, and student events, and in the summer it is available for rent by external groups. All new construction meets Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards, and the College continues work to improve accessibility in older structures. The College has a comprehensive preventative maintenance plan, a capital maintenance assessment, and a deferred maintenance assessment for all (residential and nonresidential) buildings, as well as an extensive annual project list.
More information about the CCM Center can be found on the College’s website: https://www.champlain.edu/academics/academic-divisions/division-of-communication-and- creative-media/center-for-communication-and-creative-media. See also the Center for Communication and Creative Media Grand Opening.
Champlain College takes great pride in the quality of its instructional spaces, with a great deal of institutional energy and attention given to the design, construction, monitoring, safety, and ongoing maintenance of instructional facilities. Concomitant with the evaluation and replacement of classroom furniture, the maximum seating capacity of classrooms is evaluated and adjusted using industry standards. Classroom planning occurs collaboratively
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between the Registrar’s office, Deans, Program Directors, and the Provost. A capacity report for classroom utilization is generated annually by the Provost’s Office to help inform future planning, scheduling, and space needs. The allocation of campus space is conducted in a consistent manner designed to optimize use and advance the mission and strategic priorities of the College. The Campus Space Advisory Committee reviews all campus space requests, including reevaluation of how space is utilized. Faculty requests are first vetted by the appropriate division Dean before being submitted to the Committee. Student requests for space are vetted by the Student Affairs office. See the following link for space request procedures and request form: https://www.champlain.edu/faculty-and-staff/campus-information/campus-planning-and- auxiliary-services/campus-space.
Art and design-specific instructional needs are supported largely by facilities at seven locations on the Burlington Main Campus, as well as at the Miller Center at Lakeside Campus and at the Burlington Generator Makerspace:
1. Center for Communication and Creative Media (CCM Center) 2. S.D. Ireland Family Center for Global Business and Technology (GBT) 3. Foster Hall (Foster) 4. Joyce Learning Center (Joyce) 5. Metz Studio Barn (Barn) 6. Miller Center at Lakeside Campus (Lakeside) 7. Burlington Generator Makerspace (Generator)
See also the Arts and Media Resources on the College’s website: https://www.champlain.edu/academics/academic-divisions/division-of-communication-and- creative-media/art-and-media-resources.
1. Center for Communication and Creative Media (CCM Center)
Game Design and Game Art classrooms/labs: Four dedicated classrooms/labs support game courses and open studio hours: CCM 001, CCM 222, CCM 224, and CCM 232, which was recently added as noted above to respond to the growth in enrollment in the Game Art program. Rooms are equipped with dual monitor PC computers, overhead projectors, flat panel displays, specialized equipment that supports specific courses, and secure storage spaces for instructional equipment. Students in these programs are given card swipe access to these spaces for after-hours use when classes are not in session.
CCM 001 is a Game Art-dedicated teaching lab and studio that includes: ● 24 PC computers with dual monitors ● 1 PC podium system that broadcasts to the overhead projector and to the flat panel displays ● 1 overhead projector system ● 5 flat panel displays ● 24 digital drawing tablets
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● Storage cabinets
CCM 222 supports both Game Art and Game Design courses and studio hours, and includes: ● 30 PC computers with single monitors ● 1 PC podium system that broadcasts to the overhead projector and to the flat panel displays ● 1 overhead projector system ● 6 flat panel displays ● Various archival game systems ● Storage cabinets
CCM 224 supports both Game Art and Game Design courses and studio hours, and includes: ● 24 PC computers with single monitors ● 1 PC podium system that broadcasts to the overhead projector and to the flat panel displays ● 1 overhead projector system ● 6 flat panel displays ● Various VR hardware systems ● Various peripherals ● Storage cabinets
CCM 232 supports both Game Art and Game Design courses and studio hours, and includes: ● 28 PC computers with dual monitors ● 1 PC podium system that broadcasts to the flat panel displays ● 5 flat panel displays ● Storage cabinets
CCM 434 Drawing Studio: The Drawing Studio contains 24 drafting tables, 24 portable easels, an instructional computer with overhead projector, storage shelves, sink, and readily available eye protection for all students engaged in any activity that poses the risk of eye injury, as well as Material Safety Data Sheets (M.S.D.S). Spray capture booths are not available at this time, so the use of spray adhesive and fixatives are not allowed so as to ensure the health and safety of students and faculty. Appropriate mentoring of students in the proper and safe use of tools and materials is emphasized. New instructors scheduled to teach classes involving procedures with potential health risks are briefed on the following: ● Locations of first aid kit, gloves, safety glasses, sink, eye-wash sink, and phone ● Procedures anticipated during class that involve potential risk, including the use X- acto blades, and the cutting and manipulation of wire ● Procedures to call for rapid assistance in the case of a medical emergency
CCM 426 Graphic Design Lab: The Graphic Design Lab is a Mac computer lab and classroom dedicated to design courses in the Visual Communication Design program. It seats 24 students. The lab includes a scanner and two printers, a large central table, overhead projector, and flap panels. One of the printers is a large-format inkjet, and the other is a laser printer. Drawing and cutting are the only
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manual activities done in the lab. The proper use of X-acto blades is covered prior to required manual design courses and is reinforced during instruction time in the lab. There is no storage space needed.
CCM 101 Filmmaking and Broadcast Media Production Stage (Production Stage): The Production Stage serves as both a classroom for video production classes and as a studio space for students outside class hours to work on their projects. It contains a projection system and computer for instruction, and dedicated equipment that requires special training and permission for access. The Production Stage includes two secure equipment storage areas that can only be accessed by students and faculty with a valid swipe card (either a temporary card issued by the Rental House or a Champlain ID card activated by permission). One of the storage spaces is a grip closet that contains lighting, dolly, and grip equipment. Beyond that space is another card-accessed closet that stores equipment, such as cameras, that is specifically requested by faculty for instructional use and delivered to the closet by Rental House staff. Only faculty and authorized staff have access to this space.
The Production Stage is jointly maintained by the Rental House and the CCM Division faculty who use the space. Students and faculty using this facility are required to inform the Rental House if anything is broken or missing. In addition, a system has been implemented to allow users to see how equipment should be stored and organized, and to alert the Rental House if anything is out of place or missing. Rental House staff regularly inspect the space to ensure it is clean and well maintained. Staff also regularly inspect the equipment housed in the Production Stage and repair or replace any broken or missing equipment. In collaboration with the faculty, the Rental House provides proper safety training for different aspects of the Production Stage and equipment, including the proper use of ladders and of the lighting grid. Students are not given card swipe access to the Production Stage outside of class time until they have completed the proper training, either in-class with their instructor or with a Rental House staff member. The Rental House facilities and policies are discussed below. The Production Stage Policy included in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio outlines all health and safety regulations and use policies.
Champlain Art Gallery, Gallery Lounge, and Stair Nook Gallery: The primary exhibition facilities for students, faculty, and guest artists are the Champlain Art Gallery and adjacent Gallery Lounge, located on the second floor of the CCM Center. The Art Gallery is a 700-square-foot space complemented by an 800-square-foot Gallery Lounge, which serves as an additional exhibition area and reception space during art show openings. The ample exhibition space is supported by a modest 200-square-foot storage closet, located in the back of the Art Gallery. The Art Gallery features a roll-down gate that is securely locked after hours to safeguard exhibits.
The Stair Nook Gallery is a smaller 375-square-foot exhibition space dedicated to student- curated shows. It is an oblong/circular-shaped space located on the lower level of the CCM Center, under the glass staircase, which provides a unique curatorial experience.
The Art Gallery Director, whose office is located across the hall from the Art Gallery, oversees the use of these exhibition spaces, including ensuring that health and safety
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protocols are followed. The Director is supported by a team of student staff and interns who receive safety training in the use of ladders, power tools, safety glasses, and the handling of painting materials. Students hang their work under the guidance of the Director and with the support of the trained Art Gallery staff. With the growth of our schedule of exhibitions, the need for additional exhibition spaces and gallery staff has been noted by the Art Gallery Director.
Only acrylic paint is used in the Art Gallery, specifically low volatile organic compound (VOC) paint. The Art Gallery is not an enclosed space and allows for open air and ventilation. Students and staff are not allowed to use aerosol sprays because the space lacks a designated spray booth (an isolated room with no air leaks that vents outward). The Art Gallery has proper ventilation for maintenance painting but needs a slop sink for paintbrushes and rollers, and for washing hands and general cleanup. Currently, Art Gallery staff use the sink in the Drawing Studio on the fourth floor of the CCM Center. The Art Gallery Director is exploring the possibility of installing a slop sink in the kitchenette on the second floor near the Art Gallery and/or adding a slop sink into one of the one-stall bathrooms on the second floor.
Additional information about the Art Gallery is included in Section II. C. Programmatic Areas: Exhibition (page 175).
2. S.D. Ireland Family Center for Global Business and Technology (GBT)
Filmmaking, Creative Media, and Visual Communication Design courses have access to two classrooms/labs in this building. GBT 012 and GBT 014 classrooms/labs are equipped with 24 Mac single-monitor computers, flap panels, and an additional station with one scanner; GBT 014 also has one color laser printer. Both rooms contain a central table for class discussion and critiques, and a teaching podium with a full Mac desktop, projection controls, audio controls, laptop hookup, overhead projection system, and student computer access. GBT 015 is an open working studio with 16 Mac single-monitor computers with scanners, one grayscale laser printer, and one color laser printer, as well as four editing suites suitable for small groups.
3. Foster Hall (Foster)
Foster 101 classroom/lab supports filmmaking courses and is equipped with 20 Mac single- monitor computers and a central meeting table for class discussions and critiques.
Foster 104 classroom/lab supports game courses and includes: ● 24 PC computers with single monitors ● 1 PC podium system that broadcasts to the overhead projector and to the flat panel displays ● 1 overhead projector system ● 2 flat panel displays ● Storage closet
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4. Joyce Learning Center (Joyce)
Joyce 101 supports game courses and includes: ● 24 PC computers with single monitors ● 1 PC podium system that broadcasts to the overhead projector and to the flat panel displays ● 1 overhead projector system ● 6 flat panel displays ● Storage closet
Joyce 106 Darkroom/Photo Lab: Traditional photography courses are supported by this facility, which includes classroom space for 15 students, a darkroom and photo lab. The Photo Lab Manager oversees the use and maintenance of the darkroom and photo lab. The darkroom and photo lab are available to any student with the proper training, and it is ADA accessible. It is monitored by trained student staff who have card swipe access.
The facility includes one print darkroom (with 11 enlarger stations, a large printing sink, a washing sink, an eye wash station, three sodium vapor safelights, photo paper drawers, and locking cabinets for student use), one film loading room (with a shelf and a small counter), and a vestibule with a film development sink, three metal OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)-approved and locked cabinets for chemistry and supplies, and a bulletin board for information.
Vestibule ● (1) film drying cabinet (with heater and fan) ● (1) 12x16" light table ● (1) 11x14" dry mount press ● (1) 10x12" paper cutter ● (1) mat-cutting board with 2 cutters ● (1) tacking iron, for dry mounting ● (1) iMac, with keyboard and mouse ● (1) Epson V600 photo/film scanner, for 35mm and 120 negatives
Stainless Steel Development Tanks ● (2) 8-reel ● (5) 4-reel ● (6) 2-reel ● (2) 1-reel
Stainless Steel Reels ● (4) 120 ● (20) 35mm
A variety of plastic graduated cylinders
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Print Darkroom Enlargers ● 1 Beseler 45 condenser ● 5 Beseler 23C III ● 6 Beseler 23C II Enlarger Lenses ● 1 Vivitar 135mm ● 1 Rodenstock El-Omegar 75mm ● 1 Fujinon 75mm ● 2 Beseler 75mm ● 8 Beseler 50mm
Timers ● 9 GraLab 450 ● 3 GraLab 300
Easels ● 9 Beseler 11x14", 4-blade ● 4 Omega 11x14", 4-blade ● 2 Saunders 11x14", 4-blade ● A variety of 8x10" speed and bladed
An 11x14" archival print washer 13 rain focusers (12) 10x12" sanded glass sheets for contact printing 12 Ilford multigrade contrast filter sets 1 roll track paper cutter 2 light-tight paper safes A variety of 8x10", 11x14", and 16x20" printing and chemistry trays 16 bamboo tongs 2 wooden print drying racks, each with 12 screened trays
Cameras Equipment (for student use) ● Nikon N90S 35mm film camera, with motor drive ● Nikkormat FT 35mm film camera, with strap and body case ● Nikkormat FTN 35mm film camera ● Nikon FG 35mm film camera ● Nikon EM 35mm film camera ● Pentax K-1000 35mm film camera, with 28–80mm zoom lens and zipped bag ● Minolta SRT 35mm film camera, with 50mm lens and strap ● Bronica medium format camera, with 80mm lens, several film backs, filters, and hard case ● 6 plastic Holga 120 cameras ● 2 Nikkor 50mm lens, f1.4 with cap ● Nikkor 28mm lens, f3.5, in case ● Nikon 50mm lens, f1.8, with cap
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● Vivitar 135mm lens f2.8, with cap and bag ● Vivitar 28–85mm zoom lens, f2.8 ● Vivitar 75–260mm zoom lens f4.5, in hard case ● Tamron 70–210mm zoom lens, f3.8, with cap ● Nikon SB-E electronic flash, in case ● 2 shutter cable releases ● 1 handheld flash mount ● 1 leather camera strap ● 1 plastic lens shade ● 1 large leather camera bag ● 1 adjustable tripod
5. Metz Studio Barn (Barn)
Opened in 2010 to support the Visual Design Communication program, the Metz Studio Barn is a 3,400-square-foot, 24-hour-access student work studio. Equipped with 45 computer workstations (22 Mac and 10 PC), 10 laptop stations, cutting and mounting facilities, scanners, printers, a meeting room, and a lounge area, the Barn serves as the home of the supervised studio sessions for the Visual Communication Design and Creative Media courses and as open workspace for Game Art students. Students have round-the-clock access to the building through a card swipe system.
The Barn houses a significant portion of the supervised studio work in the Visual Communication Design program. Students taking studio courses are required to attend two hours per week per studio course in the Barn. The facility accommodates up to 60 students working simultaneously and provides space devoted to digital design, cutting and mounting, and collaborative work.
6. Miller Center at Lakeside Campus (Lakeside)
The Lakeside 105 classroom and studio facility were added in Fall 2018 to support growth in the Creative Media program and to provide the program with a much needed, dedicated instructional space and studio.
Lakeside 105 consists of two connected rooms, 105A and 105B. Lakeside 105A features moveable tables and a projector with sound. It is suitable for a lecture or discussion class of about 12 students. It also features electronics lab supplies in support of Interaction Design classes, a soldering iron, fan, magnifying lamp, and supplies of components. The Lakeside 105B space features worktables, a utility sink for washing out brushes, and other traditional art materials, as well as five Mac workstations with Adobe Creative Suite, Logic Pro X audio software, and other programs, and a scanner. Both rooms have cabinets and shelves for storing art supplies and student projects. Only trained students and faculty have access to the soldering station, and safety glasses are required when soldering. The soldering station includes a small air-filtering fan and only lead-free solder can be used. Solder flux is labelled and a reminder to turn off the soldering iron is posted. Faculty take note of potential hazardous art supplies and label them and their use accordingly.
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Emergent Media Center (EMC) space includes formal and informal meeting and working spaces: a 12-person conference room, four-person meeting room, lounge space with couches, two open flexible spaces with tables and chairs that can be arranged to suit the nature of the work or meeting, 25 dedicated PC and Mac workstations, a virtual reality lab, staff and faculty workstations, studio spaces for students, a closet for various technology and equipment, a dedicated lab space for physical computing projects, and movable whiteboards for easy collaboration. Students and faculty also have the ability to reserve lockers for storing personal projects. Large screens and interactive exhibits demonstrating EMC student work are located in the EMC lobby.
The EMC supports an inventory of technology and equipment for student use on EMC projects, including: ● Artist tablets ● DSLR cameras, lenses, and equipment ● Video game systems ● Virtual reality systems ● Sensors ● Tablets ● Mobile phones ● Laptops (PC and Mac) ● Audio recorders ● Projectors (short and long throw) ● External hard drives ● Assorted peripherals, cables, and chargers
Through the EMC’s orientation process and Student Employee Handbook, all students become familiar with EMC policies and procedures related to codes of conduct, performance, publicity, confidentiality, and safety and security protocols. The Student Employee Handbook is included in Section VI. Management Documents Portfolio.
7. Burlington Generator Makerspace (Generator)
Across the parking lot from Lakeside is Burlington’s Generator Makerspace, a community makerspace with which the College has a partnership. Generator provides Champlain College students faculty access to tools and spaces that are used in support of art and design courses. Generator facilities include laser cutters, 3-D printers, an electronics lab, a woodshop, and a metal shop, all of which require training and certification. Generator houses the Flex Space, a large, open area that can be reserved for events, including exhibitions of student work. For example, in Spring 2019 the IXD 350 Interaction Design Production course held its final student showcase there, which was open to the public. The Flex Space also houses a smaller makerspace, the Maker Zone, with use dedicated to Champlain College students and faculty only. The Maker Zone features a large-format printer, a 3-D printer, a sewing machine, and a variety of hand tools. Champlain staff and student employees are on hand to orient students to the equipment. The part-time position of Flex Space Manager, who reports to the CCM
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Dean, was added in Fall 2019 to oversee the use and maintenance of the Flex Space facilities and equipment, and coordinate Champlain student and faculty access.
Additional information about use policies, including safety policies and regulations for Generator, the Flex Space, and Maker Zone, can be found in Section I. J. Community Involvement in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio, and on the College’s website at https://www.champlain.edu/centers-of-experience/makerlab.
Technological Infrastructure and Resources
The Champlain 2020 Strategic Plan articulates a technology vision for the institution that includes adopting innovative uses of technology to enrich the Champlain educational experience. As part of this vision, the College has been committed to providing access to technology resources that keep pace with user requirements and promote effective communication for all members of the Champlain community.
In the academic year 2013–2014, the College adopted Canvas as our Learning Management System (LMS). It is currently used as a fully online platform and as an online space available to all classes, and it is an integral component of our academic continuity plan in case of an extended campus closure. Champlain also recently upgraded its primary campus file server. Faculty and staff are provided with a 5GB data allocation and students receive a 2GB data allocation. This is supplemented by the unlimited cloud storage that all faculty, staff, and students receive as part of Google Drive. Google G Suite accounts, including Gmail, Calendar, Docs (word processing, spreadsheets, forms, and presentations), are provided automatically to all enrolled Champlain College students and to faculty and staff.
Champlain College buildings are networked together with a 10GB fiber backbone. Internet access is provided through two connections with different service providers. Connections are monitored daily for uptime and utilization, and bandwidth is upgraded as needed. Champlain has implemented a campus-wide, enterprise-grade Wi-Fi system that covers all campus buildings, including residence halls.
All workstations include the current Adobe Creative Suite and Final Cut Pro. All computer technology is upgraded every three to four years, and all software used in our academic programs is kept up to date with current versions being installed/upgraded each semester. Service, maintenance, and general troubleshooting are provided by the Help Desk and Media Services under the Information Systems unit, which oversees the PC computer facilities, including servers and campus-wide networks, and the Mac computer facilities and Mac network. Students can get basic assistance with both school and private computers; in the case of the latter, assistance is provided short of replacing parts, for which students are responsible. Upon student request, recommendations can be obtained for local service providers for both PC and Mac computers.
Many of the courses in the art and design majors are computing intensive and require the use of highly specialized software. Specific hardware and software needs vary by course and program, and it can be costly and difficult for students to keep their computers as up-to-date
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and fully equipped as their academic programs require. This is one of the reasons why we continue to maintain and expand our computer labs and classrooms. For art and design students who wish to have their own computers, we make program-specific recommendations. Some programs strongly recommend a laptop beginning junior year, and Faculty Advisors can help students access the specific hardware and software recommendations for the various majors and specializations. For instance, Macs are favored by many in the creative industries, but students interested in game art and design find a Windows-based PC more useful. Students in the Filmmaking program are encouraged to acquire two 1TB or greater hard drives, one for storage and one to back up work. Additional specific information regarding computer and software needs by major is available on the College’s website and is updated yearly. https://www.champlain.edu/admitted-fall-undergraduate-students/your-questions/computer- requirements
The College utilizes antivirus protection and monitoring software, including a program that prevents sending social security numbers by email, and it has a series of policies, procedures, and technical protocols related to technology, security, privacy, acceptable use, and data disposal.
The College’s Information System (IS) department is charged with monitoring and reviewing which employees have access to personally identifiable information. Champlain uses a variety of specialized software systems that contribute to educational delivery, student services, and the everyday operations of the College.
The IS team meets at least annually with College leadership to examine and review technology needs, and with academic leadership, including Deans, to identify any gaps in systems or facilities; priorities are captured and addressed through an issues list and project plan. The CCM Dean consults regularly with art and design Program Directors and faculty to capture the particular technology needs of art and design programs. Specifically, as part of the Strategic Budget planning process for the new fiscal year, the CCM Dean in collaboration with faculty develops and submits requests for art and design equipment, computers, and software. The President’s Cabinet, which includes the Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer, is responsible for approving major technology purchases, significant customizations and upgrades, hardware replacements, lab/AV upgrades, and so forth.
For example, during the fiscal year 2020 budgeting process, the President’s Cabinet reviewed and approved substantial requests for upgrades to production equipment, hardware, and software in support of art and design programs. Approved requests for the academic year 2019–20 included approximately $160,000 for the conversion of a classroom into a game lab to meet enrollment growth in this area, and the funding of new production equipment, totaling approximately $150,000.
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The Rental House
The Rental House serves the Champlain educational community and mission by renting media production equipment to students, faculty and staff free of charge. It is located on campus and managed by the Rental House Sr. Coordinator, who reports to the Information Systems unit under the Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer. Art and design courses specifically supported by the Rental House include Filmmaking, Visual Communication Design, Art, and Creative Media. Equipment supporting Game Art and Game Design, such as game controllers, are stored in the game labs in secured cabinets, which are managed by the Program Directors.
The Rental House is a critical resource for students in the art and design majors as it offers a wide range of cameras, lenses, audio, lighting, and grip equipment. In addition to giving students access to professional equipment, it provides integrated curricular support and technical guidance, including training on specialized equipment and proper maintenance of gear. It features a dedicated customer area, a large loading door, and an area where students can fully test all equipment used for large film productions.
The Rental House is staffed by knowledgeable student employees through paid positions. The staff provides the support that students and faculty need in order to access and use the equipment while also fostering a professional environment. The Rental House checkout process was developed with input from professional rental houses (such as AbelCine in New York and CineGround in Montreal), other filmmaking programs across the country, and Champlain faculty and students. Students can reserve equipment online, over the phone, or in person. Equipment orders are staged by the Rental House staff, and students are responsible for inspecting the gear before checking out. Upon return of equipment, a Rental House staff member inspects the gear thoroughly. For more details on Rental House policies and procedure, see Equipment Rental Policy in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
Yearly, in consultation with faculty, the Rental House assesses the equipment for maintenance, replacement, and new acquisitions. As a result, students have access to equipment that reflects the current technology and supports their production needs in a variety of courses. For a full list of equipment inventory, including equipment housed in the Production Stage, refer to Rental House Equipment List in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
Requests for new equipment acquisition are developed collaboratively among the Rental House Sr. Coordinator, the faculty in the art and design programs, and the CCM Dean. Proposals for new acquisitions are submitted to the Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer and reviewed by the President’s Cabinet in preparation for the following year’s budget development. When year-end funds permit, the CCM Division may apply those funds toward the acquisition of new equipment. On occasion, when extraordinary opportunities present themselves, the Provost can release additional funds mid-year for the acquisition of equipment. This was the case, for example, when
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Burlington College closed in 2016 and Champlain College made a substantial investment in the acquisition of filmmaking equipment being auctioned by Burlington College.
Other documents pertaining to Rental House policies and inventory of equipment are included in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
Robert E. and Holly D. Miller Information Commons (MIC)
The Miller Information Commons (MIC) is located in the heart of the academic campus. The building’s interior echoes the cherry paneling, comfortable chairs, and small, quiet spaces for reading and studying that were features of the libraries in old private homes of the neighborhood. Designers Truex, Cullins and Partners Architects won the Hertzel Pasackow Award for significant contributions to the physical or architectural quality of downtown Burlington for their design. The building was completed on April 30, 1998. In addition to print and online library resources, MIC includes wireless networking, computer clusters, film viewing equipment, and electronic classrooms. The MIC houses the Center for Learning and Teaching (CLT), which provides curriculum design and instructional support services for faculty. See Section I. E. Faculty and Staff for additional information about the Center for Learning and Teaching (page 55) and the following link: https://clt.champlain.edu/.
Dublin and Montreal Academic Centers
In addition to our Burlington campus, Champlain College has academic facilities in Montreal, Canada, and Dublin, Ireland. Facilities in these locations are currently leased by the College.
The Montreal Academic Center is a four-story Victorian-era building in the heart of the city’s “Plateau Mont-Royal” borough. While the exterior reflects a historical aesthetic, the inside has been completely updated to meet the needs of Champlain students. On the ground floor is a sizable lounge space with kitchenette, game room, and the Student Life Manager’s office. The second floor houses a 24-seat classroom, a small three-station computer lab, and a “black box” production room, where students can realize Virtual Reality (VR) and film projects using in-house VR development kits and camera equipment. The third floor is the “lab floor,” where two mixed-use computer labs include powerful gaming and video editing PCs. Lab 201 contains 15 student PCs that are used mainly by Filmmaking, Game Art, and Game Design students, while the Game Programming-focused Lab 203 has 13 student PCs. Both labs are used as classrooms as well as student studio work spaces. The top floor includes the offices of the Campus Director and Assistant Director, as well as an eight-seat conference room and 14-seat classroom. All labs and classrooms are outfitted with AV equipment, such as large screens, speakers, teacher podiums, and webcams, to facilitate multimedia presentations and remote instruction.
The Dublin Academic Center is a five-story, 4,818-square-foot historic city center Georgian building that contains four classrooms, a computer lab with 15 PCs and three Macs, office space, a student lounge, wireless internet, and ample space for study and academic work, all
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for the exclusive use of Champlain students, faculty, and staff. All teaching spaces are outfitted with AV equipment, such as large screens, speakers, and teacher podiums to facilitate instruction. Professionally managed apartment housing is rented on an ongoing basis to accommodate student residence needs. The student residence is composed of four- bed or eight-bed self-catering apartments. Bedrooms within each apartment are single occupancy and en suite, with a full desk, bed, and storage. Students in each apartment share a common space and well-equipped kitchen with other Champlain students. The apartment complex also houses students attending other Irish institutions and has a gym, a study room, social space, free Wi-Fi, and 24-hour security.
The Office of International Education makes a significant effort to ensure student safety while avoiding unnecessary restrictions on student exposure to the culture in which they are studying and living. An experienced International Task Force is ready to address emergencies and has action plans in place for crisis situations. On-site Resident Directors are in regular communication with students and the Burlington staff. Students receive detailed health and safety information during the on-site orientation, the pre-departure orientation in Burlington, and in information packets sent to them by mail. Specific student Google sites have been developed for both the Dublin and Montreal locations, containing information regarding staff and faculty, available services, important contact information, safety and health considerations, and codes of conduct: Montreal Site; Dublin Site. Additional information about the Montreal and Dublin Academic Center facilities and operations is included in Section II. C. Programmatic Areas: Other Programmatic Activities (page 184). https://sites.google.com/champlain.edu/champlainmtlspring19/home?authuser=1&pli=1 https://sites.google.com/champlain.edu/dublin
Safety Protocols and Emergency Response
Provisions are made for art and design students to gain access to the lab and studio facilities outside scheduled class times and after hours. Area Access Manager (BASIS) software is used by the CCM Operations Manager to provide swipe card access to students who request and demonstrate the need for such access. These permissions are then added to the students’ key cards. At the start of each academic year, the CCM Operations Manager provides Program Directors with a list of students who are eligible to receive swipe card access to classrooms, labs, and studios for the entire academic year. Students receive access to a group of facilities according to their major. If a student is taking a course outside their major and needs access to a particular facility, the student makes a request to the CCM Operations Manager. If students transfer to another program, their access level is adjusted accordingly.
The College has Comprehensive Emergency Response Plans for its Burlington Campus as well as for its Montreal and Dublin facilities. Specific comprehensive protocols exist for a wide range of crisis management situations, including an Emergency Response Plan, an Emergency Campus Closure Protocol, and a mass notification Campus Alert System. In addition to emergency notifications, if circumstances warrant, special printed security alerts and advisories are prepared by the Director of Campus Public Safety (CPS) and the Residential Life Office. Annual Campus Public Safety and Fire Safety Reports are published
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and used to enhance safety and security across the campus. Recent physical plant improvements have been made to allow for better telephone access and power supply during emergencies.
In keeping with federal requirements, a daily crime log is maintained on the College’s Campus Public Safety website and is available for review. The College is committed to creating a safe and supportive environment for all members of the community, and our conduct policies apply to students, faculty, staff, and vendors who are part of the Champlain community. See the Campus Public Safety website: https://www.champlain.edu/current-students/campus-services/campus-safety.
Every room is equipped with smoke detection, a sprinkler system, and a fire egress diagram. Only specific rooms have fire extinguishers, but there are fire extinguishers on each hall and floor. Campus Public Safety conducts fire drills annually at each residence hall and is doing the same for academic buildings in the 2019-2020 academic year.
Each classroom has an emergency response poster that includes “active shooter” information. The Director of Campus Public Safety provides Active Shooter Response training to all academic divisions, new students, and Resident Assistants. In 2018–2019, three campus community open forums were held for all who wished to participate. CPS will continue to give Active Shooter Presentations every year, as well as safety presentations to the campus community. The Director works closely with the Burlington Police Department to ensure that officers are familiar with the Champlain campus. CPS has acquired state Channel 2 on its radios, allowing campus security staff to communicate directly with Burlington police in the event of an emergency. CPS also offers an escort for any student on campus who calls with safety concerns.
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G. Library and Learning Resources (refer to NASAD Handbook, Standards for Accreditation II. G.)
The Champlain College library provides strong library resources and overall support for the College’s academic programs, including art and design, through print and online resources and comprehensive services. All physical collections and library services are housed in the Robert E. and Holly D. Miller Information Commons (MIC), an award-winning facility at the heart of Main Campus. All online holdings are available to students and faculty both on and off campus, including in our Montreal and Dublin Academic Centers.
The library offers a mix of electronic and print resources to support the academic and research needs of students, faculty, and staff. The collections include print books and periodicals, electronic books, microfilm, videotape and DVD collection, and access to an extensive collection of full-text electronic journals. MIC integrates the resources of a traditional library with a wide range of advanced technologies, including multimedia labs, wireless networking, and electronic classrooms. When MIC opened in 1998, the library invested heavily in online resources, including databases, full-text journals, and online books. Indeed, the very structure of the MIC shapes the collection itself, since shelf space for print books is limited by design. Thus, the importance of assessing and maintaining the print collection is heightened, since every volume must earn its space. Both print and online resources are evaluated for cost-effectiveness as well. The current collection exhibits several particular strengths. A very strong collection of online periodicals and databases, including thousands of full-text journals, provide detailed primary source material that is easily accessible by both on-campus and off-campus students and faculty. The children’s collection is reputed to be one of the largest collections of its kind in the region. A modest, strong collection of print periodicals geared toward a range of academic programs invites browsing by on-campus students and faculty.
The library collects materials to support the academic and research needs of Champlain students, faculty, and staff. The primary criterion for acquiring materials is their relevance to Champlain’s teaching and learning mission. The library collects materials to support all academic programs offered by the College. Because Champlain College is a dynamic, changing educational institution with programs that evolve over time, the collection itself must be dynamic and responsive to the changing needs of the College. Generally, Champlain collects at the Study level (as defined by the American Library Association) to support coursework primarily at the undergraduate level and at the graduate level in some fields. Professional and research materials are included as needed.
The art and design resources collection is integrated into the general collection and readily accessible to students as well as the entire College community. The Collections section below describes the online and physical holdings in detail. The College places tremendous importance on the development of library and information resources to support all programs, including the art and design programs. The library, its resources, and its staff are well regarded on campus. Details about the library, its policies, resources, facilities, and services are below.
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Governance and Administration
In keeping with its character as a small college, all aspects of the library’s collections and services are managed as a whole. The Director of Academic Resources and Library is a degreed librarian who reports directly to the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academics. This unified approach ensures that resources and services are centralized and well integrated in the academic system so that students may make best use of them. The library itself is governed and administered in accordance with standard campus-wide human resources and finance policies.
The library’s facilities, resources, and services are for the use of Champlain students, faculty, and staff members. Others may use the facility in conjunction with official College events and programs. Use of computers and other technology is specifically restricted to current affiliates of the College. These policies are designed to maximize the availability and use of the library in support of the academic mission of the College and are necessary to remain in compliance with licensed products.
See Library Policies and Guidelines on the College’s website: https://www.champlain.edu/academics/library/about-the-library/policies-and-guidelines.
The library is a partner in supporting student learning and success. Library staff will join classes and deliver tailored research instruction. Faculty may arrange for a librarian to meet with their class to provide an instruction session on how to find and use resources that will be useful for projects in the course. This type of “course-integrated” instruction is typically quite useful because the instruction occurs at the time that students need it and relates that instruction to projects or assignments in the course.
Faculty members are encouraged to suggest books or other resources that support their curriculum and teaching. The library also offer the option of putting items on reserve so all students have access to the same materials. Materials on course reserve are limited to in- library use only, with a three-hour checkout period. Faculty members who wish to put personal copies of materials on course reserve may also do so by bringing them to the circulation desk and filling out a reserve request form. Items are typically on course reserve for one semester, but faculty can indicate when placing a reserve request if a different reserve period is needed.
Collections
Champlain College maintains subscriptions to over 130 electronic databases, providing online full-text access to over 65,000 e-books and over 45,000 unique journal titles. Our resources include strong support in general studies, as well as art and design disciplines. In addition to strong general scholarly databases, such as EBSCO’s Academic Search Complete, Gale’s Academic Onefile, and ProQuest Central, the College also licenses subject-specific resources that include JSTOR, Project Muse, ARTstor, Game Developers Conference Vault, The Underground & Independent Comics, and Kanopy.
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As a result, Champlain students have access to a broad collection of full-text online journals and media in their field. JSTOR and Project Muse include substantive full-text holdings in art and art history. The Underground & Independent Comics is the first scholarly, primary- source database focused on adult comic books and graphic novels. It includes comics as well as interviews, criticism, and journal articles that document the growth and evolution of this art form. Like all online resources supported by the library, full off-campus access to these resources is supported via EZproxy authentication.
Using the library website (https://www.champlain.edu/academics/library), students find starting points for identifying databases in their field and for searching specific databases, or they can search multiple databases at once using a federated search engine. An A–Z, journal list service from Serials Solutions is also available to identify journals by title, keyword, or subject. This list gives a good idea of the range of online full-text journal titles available to students and faculty. Although Champlain relies primarily on online full-text journals, the library also provides several key journals in print format, including Animation Magazine, Artforum, Artists Magazine, Communication Arts, Computer Graphics World, Director’s Guild Association Quarterly, Film Comment, Juxtapoz, and Metropolis.
The library houses a small but well-maintained print monograph collection that focuses on relevant fields and participates in consortia efforts, including interlibrary loan and statewide collaborative programs. The print collection totals over 50,000 volumes and has been developed specifically to support the College’s academic programs. To augment the print monograph collection, the library subscribes to online full-text e-book collections. Like the online journal collections, full off-campus access to e-books is supported via EZproxy authentication.
The Library maintains a modest video and DVD collection of about 600 titles, in addition to the approximately 1,800 DVD titles held in the CCM Division collection and housed in the Center for Communication and Creative Media. As with books, the video and DVD collection is developed in response to faculty needs. For example, the library acquired Kanopy, a streaming film service that allows students access to films outside of class. Kanopy’s collection of videos are sourced from leading producers around the world, including BBC, PBS, A&E, and the Criterion Collection. Filmmaking faculty use Kanopy for screenings of classic films, such as Battleship Potemkin, 8 ½, and Rashomon. Game Art faculty use a series of videos on drawing the human anatomy in the GAA 125 Drawing for Realism class. The library subscribes to the GDC Vault, with over 12,000 videos, audio files, and presentations from 20 years of the worldwide Game Developers Conference (GDC). Faculty encourage students to access the GDC Vault to learn about emerging technology and trends related to the game industry.
For visual images, the College relies primarily on ARTstor, an online resource of more than 2 million images in the arts, architecture, humanities, and sciences. A Shared Shelf allows individuals to edit, store, view, present, and manage images for research and pedagogical purposes. Specific collections within ARTstor include African American Studies, American Studies, Anthropology, Architecture and Architectural History, Asian Studies, Classical
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Studies, Design and Decorative Studies, History (including primary source material), Literary Studies (including portraits and primary documents), maps and charts, Medieval Studies, Middle East Studies, Music History and Iconography, Native American Studies, Photography, Religious Studies and Iconography, Renaissance Studies, Theatre and Dance, and Women’s Studies. Faculty use the library collection extensively to support their art history classes.
The print and electronic information resources provided by the library are a strong academic asset of the College. To ensure that the academic resources continue to grow appropriately in depth and breadth, the Collection Development librarian works collaboratively with faculty in all academic programs, including art and design. Print book recommendations are encouraged and play a vital role in the library’s successful collection development process. The collection development librarian regularly solicits faculty input into the acquisitions and collection development process. The librarian uses the online selection tool Choice Current Reviews for Academic Libraries and other selection tools to forward reviews of current academic books to all faculty on a regular basis to ensure that the library is purchasing the best titles to support classroom instruction. Current art and design faculty interest and responsiveness to this outreach is high.
Working collaboratively with faculty, first and foremost, helps to ensure that the library continues to develop a strong and relevant book collection. Given that financial resources and physical space are limited, making good selections is essential. Second, it gives faculty an opportunity to provide direct input into building the collection, thereby providing art and design students with print books and other materials that enhance classroom instruction and support research needs. And third, it functions as a current awareness service, helping faculty to keep abreast of the new books in their disciplines. As part of all curriculum approval, librarians review the resources to meet the academic needs of proposed courses or areas of study and recommend new acquisitions as needed.
Ongoing assessment and maintenance is an important component of collection management. Upon arrival of new editions, the reference staff will withdraw outdated ones. The reference collection is continually evaluated for outdated material, which is replaced and withdrawn if necessary. Individual sections of the circulating collection are assessed initially and updated as necessary, then periodically reviewed and updated. Materials that have become irrelevant, outdated, unused, in poor physical condition, or superseded by new editions are removed from the collection. Academic units are encouraged to participate in assessment of their collections.
Filmmaking faculty use e-books as required course textbooks. These include Screenwriting for Neurotics, The Digital Filmmaking Handbook, The Visual Story: Creating the Visual Structure of Film, TV and Digital Media, and Blueprint for Screenwriting: A Complete Writer’s Guide to Story Structure and Character Development.
Visual Communication Design faculty have established a successful collaboration with the University of Vermont’s Howe Library Special Collections, which is a short walk away from the Champlain campus. Through this collaboration, students taking design history classes
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may visit Special Collections to examine incunabula as well as Victorian and Arts & Crafts design books, including Kelmscott editions. This firsthand experience with materials broadens students’ perspectives and makes good use of nearby resources. Students taking ART 380 Advanced Art History: Book Art, for example, have access to the large and eclectic collection of artists’ books at the University of Vermont, a collection that includes handmade books, fine printing, illustrated books, and selected bodies of work produced by individual artists. Students physically interact with the collection to research and inspire the creation of their own books.
Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio contains documents listing books in the collection in art and design subject areas and full-text journals identified by SerialsSolutions as being in the “Visual Arts” subject category, as well as the list of CCM Division DVD holdings.
Library Staff
As of Spring 2019, the College’s library staff includes seven full-time librarians holding Master of Library Science or equivalent degrees from ALA-accredited programs. The library staff also includes 3.5 FTE (full-time equivalent) paraprofessionals for extended evening and weekend coverage. As the College does not use a subject liaison model, all library staff members serve all disciplines within the institution.
Faculty librarians hold American Library Association (ALA)-accredited Master of Library Science degrees (the terminal degree in librarianship). All paraprofessional library staff are hired with demonstrable experience in relevant areas. As a team, the librarians place importance on ongoing development as teachers. The teaching librarians hold weekly meetings that focus on the design of, preparation for, and debriefing of instructional sessions, assessment of information literacy, and reflection on common readings and pedagogy. In addition, they attend a variety of professional events and association meetings. See Library Faculty and Staff web page for current list: https://www.champlain.edu/academics/library/about-the-library/library-faculty-and-staff- x38608.
Library Services
The library is open 100.5 hours per week during the academic semesters, with slightly longer hours during exam periods. The hours the library is open include late night and weekend coverage. Champlain’s online catalog is accessible through the library’s website. The platform supporting the catalog is Innovative Interfaces, Inc.’s Millennium system. The online catalog includes records for print books as well as e-books, which are accessed directly through the catalog. Audiovisual media holdings are also included in the online catalog. Access to online journals and databases is via the library website as well.
Interlibrary Loan (ILL) allows Champlain College students, faculty, and staff to borrow materials that are not available in the Champlain College Library. ILL requests go through a librarian and normally take one to two weeks to fulfill. Materials available for interlibrary
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loan borrowing most frequently include books not held by the Champlain College Library and photocopies of articles from periodicals not subscribed to locally. Documents that are received electronically are delivered to the requestor electronically. Patrons do not pay fees for ILL materials.
To broaden the availability of library resources, Champlain College, Saint Michael’s College, Middlebury College, and a number of the Vermont State Colleges have entered into a collaborative agreement to allow reciprocal borrowing privileges for the students, faculty, and staff of participating colleges. This service is available as a supplement to the borrower’s home library collection. In particular, Champlain provides direct reciprocal borrowing with the University of Vermont and Saint Michael’s College, allowing students to borrow books from these institutions using their Champlain College ID. For more details, see https://www.champlain.edu/academics/library/services/borrow-from-other-libraries.
Library instruction is a key component of the College’s Core general education curriculum. Via Core courses, librarians provide direct instruction to every student at least once each semester, for all four years. For example, in first-year Core courses, students are introduced to the ARTstor collection. Librarians also provide instruction in specific art and design courses at the request of the instructor. The overall number of librarian instruction sessions continues to increase over time as librarians provide individual information literacy sessions to courses in collaboration with faculty.
For example, students studying the history of games learn to evaluate information by working in groups to develop evaluative criteria they believe can be used to determine the validity of a piece of information. They then use this framework to evaluate information they find while researching for their weekly discussion post about game history. Students are introduced to resources that help them provide social and historical contexts for the games they are looking at so they can account for considerations beyond the games’ technical and gameplay aspects. Filmmaking and other students taking screenwriting courses work with their faculty and librarians to identify historical documents for the development of dialogue and action authentic to different time periods and cultures. Students taking the Senior Filmmaking Capstone course access industry trade periodicals in order to create up-to-date grids of vertical integration in film and television production supply pipelines.
The library also provides asynchronous research support via our subject-specific research guides, Art and Design, Filmmaking, and Game Development, accessible through the library’s website. These guides are available to faculty and students both on and off campus, including in our Montreal and Dublin Academic Centers.
Finances
Over the past 15 years, the total library budget has increased by 160%, including a 148% increase in materials budgets. These steady budgetary increases reflect support for the College’s changing curriculum and student populations. The library’s operating budget over the last three years is as follows.
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2018–19 2017–18 2016–17
TOTAL Library $1,526,033 $1,482,780 $1,469,503
Materials Only $557,144 $523,633 $502,682
Budgetary support for the library is adequate to provide appropriate services and resources to support the academic programs of the College, including those in art and design disciplines. The fiscal policies of the library do not provide separate allocations for individual academic programs. This policy is particularly important given the interdisciplinary synergies among programs and courses at the College. As described above, the collection development librarian regularly solicits faculty input for the acquisitions of resources and collection development. Art and design faculty have been very responsive and have been actively involved in advising the library of their short- and long-term needs. Acquisitions requests from art and design faculty members are generally met, and art and design programs also benefit from interdisciplinary purchases that support the Core general education curriculum and include substantive resources in the arts and aesthetics.
The library’s annual reports are available through its website: https://www.champlain.edu/academics/library/about-the-library/annual-reports-and-data.
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H. Recruitment, Admission-Retention, Record Keeping, Advisement, and Student Complaints (refer to NASAD Handbook, Standards for Accreditation II. H. and II. I. 1.b.(13))
Recruitment, Admission-Retention
The CCM Division works closely with the College’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions and the Marketing Department in the recruitment and admission of students for each of the division’s programs. The Office of Admissions sends a mailer to 500 faculty and staff contacts at high schools that have a curriculum that aligns with our art and design programs. The mailings include printed copies of the Juried Student Art Show Catalogue, a poster, and a letter from the Director of Admissions.
The CCM Associate Dean for Administration and Program Directors collaborate with both offices in reviewing and approving recruitment collaterals, including division and program one-sheets and web pages that provide prospective students and families with an overview of the majors, career and employment data, admissions requirements and deadlines, a sampling of courses first through fourth year, as well as contact information.
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions invites prospective high school students to several on-campus functions, including a Winter, Summer, and two Fall Open Houses; two Admitted Student Day events and a Game Career Exploration Day for students interested in our Game Studio majors. Bus trips to campus and to our Montreal Academic Center are also available. The Open Houses feature programming for all academic divisions tailored by academic interest, an Information and Student Engagement Fair, and opportunities to visit Champlain’s Centers of Experience. Open Houses allow time for campus tours, application and financial aid questions, interviews, portfolio reviews, and interactions with faculty, staff, and students.
The submission of a portfolio of sample work via Slideroom (an online platform) is required for the Creative Media, Filmmaking, Game Art, Game Design, and Visual Communication Design majors. The review of portfolios of prospective students begins in November and continues through March. Portfolio reviews for transfer students are ongoing. Each program has its own assessment criteria for determining the potential of each applicant to be successful in meeting the program’s learning outcomes.
Requirements for the portfolio are distinctive for each major and can be found here: https://www.champlain.edu/admissions/undergraduate-admissions/apply/portfolio- requirements.
The application process for prospective students, including admission criteria, is outlined here: https://www.champlain.edu/admissions/undergraduate-admissions/how-to-apply/first- year-applicants.
Sample Admissions materials for prospective and admitted students are included in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
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https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1hV5k09Xl0JhGocNBzlrQyxqSm3C647nb?usp=shari ng
College policies regarding student retention are clearly defined in the College Handbook, and their rigorous and fair application is strictly followed through a well-articulated and holistic process. The College will place on probation any matriculated student who, after attempting 12 or more credits, fails to achieve either a cumulative GPA (CGPA) of 2.0 or a term GPA of 2.0. Students who fail to achieve a CGPA of 1.80 after attempting 12 credits or who fail to achieve a CGPA of 2.0 after attempting 30 credits will be subject to dismissal. A student who is eligible for dismissal will receive a dismissal letter from his or her program Dean. Students are permitted to appeal the dismissal in writing within the time limit stated in the letter. Academically dismissed students wishing to take courses as nondegree students may do so only with permission from the Dean.
See the College Catalog policy regarding probation and dismissal: http://catalog.champlain.edu/content.php?catoid=37&navoid=977#Academic_Probation_and _Academic_Dismissal.
At midterm all students who are struggling academically and receive one or more Failing (F) or Unsatisfactory (U) grades (C or below) receive a variety of intervention communications by the Registrar, their Advisor, and the Dean’s office. In the CCM Division, the Assistant Dean for Academics reviews the grades of students who, at midterm, received one or more F or U grades and alerts the students’ Program Directors and Faculty Advisors. Students are encouraged to consult with their Advisor about any academic support they might need. First- year students are invited to participate in a weekly meeting of the Habits, Skills, and Resources (HSR) group, an academic support group established by the CCM Division and organized by faculty. Students and parents who have FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) authorization forms on file also receive a notification from the Dean’s office, reminding them of the resources available at the College to support their success.
At the end of each semester, students’ grades are reviewed in light of the College’s probation and dismissal policy. Students who are eligible for dismissal are evaluated by the Dean and the Assistant Dean for Academics in consultation with the Program Directors, Faculty Advisors and, when appropriate, members of the Student Affairs team. Students who receive a dismissal letter have the right to appeal the decision. The appeals are evaluated by the Dean and Assistant Dean. If the appeal is denied, the student is dismissed. If the appeal is accepted, the student is placed on “academic recovery” status with a recovery plan and a set of conditions the student must meet. Students who do not meet the conditions of their recovery plan by the end of the following semester are dismissed with no option to appeal. Students who have been dismissed can reapply to the College after a year away and must demonstrate in their application that they are academically and otherwise ready to return.
A student who is eligible for dismissal may be placed directly on academic recovery if, after a full evaluation as described above, the Dean determines this is the appropriate course of action for that student. This might be the case, for example, for a student who is doing poorly in their chosen major but well in other classes, and who makes the decision to change majors.
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The College has many academic support resources available to students, including the Counseling Center, Academic Coaching, which offers workshops ranging from time management to test-taking techniques; the Writing Center; and various tutoring labs. In addition, the majority of CCM students on academic recovery are required to participate in the CCM Habits, Skills, and Resource Group (HSR).
For more details on the College’s student support services, see the following link: https://www.champlain.edu/current-students/academic-information/academic-support- programs_current-students and https://www.champlain.edu/current-students/campus- services/student-health-and-wellness/counseling.
Record Keeping
The Registrar’s Office maintains all student records in Colleague, our Student Information System. The student’s educational progress, including all registration activity, grades, credits earned, and courses taken, is tracked within Colleague. Additionally, student transcripts are produced through Colleague and can be issued electronically or on paper. Students are able to track their own education progress through the Self-Service Student Planning platform. Students can plan their courses, register for classes, view grades, and see their progress toward degree completion.
Advisement
Student advising is a key strength of the College. Each student works with three different advisors. The Faculty Advisor in the student’s program advises on and oversees the selection of specific courses each semester, including the elective classes that might lead the student to a particular area of specialization or to a minor. The Academic Specialists in the Registrar’s Office oversee students’ overall credit obligations and path to graduation, and support faculty in the advising process. This collaboration improves the students’ experience by leveraging the Specialists’ expertise in the transactional aspects of navigating the degree requirements. Academic Specialists assist students with transcript requests, enrollment verification, class registration, forms for switching majors, and more. The Career Coaches in our Career Collaborative office help students with preparation for seeking internships and with transition to their professional life after school. The College’s Academic Records and Registration web page provides students easy access to useful resources. See: https://www.champlain.edu/compass/academic-records-and-registration.
Advising begins with the First-Year Student Orientation session, generally held the Saturday before the first day of Fall classes. All first-year students meet as a group with their Faculty Advisor and familiarize themselves with points around campus germane to their art and design studies and activities (such as classrooms, labs, studios, and faculty offices).
Students next contact with their Advisor happens generally midway through the fall semester, during the pre-registration period. Students meet individually face-to-face with their Advisor to review their progress and determine the courses to be taken in the spring semester. Such
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meetings are the best means of detecting early warning signs of potential concern, avoiding scheduling errors, and developing within students the healthy habit of discussing topics of importance to them with someone who can offer valuable guidance. All students in the CCM Division with fewer than 100 credits completed, or who are on an academic recovery plan, must have their course selection approved by their Advisor in order to register for classes. This practice encourages greater advising consistency across programs and more robust discussions about students’ areas of interest, possible specializations or minors, and study-abroad plans, for example. It also helps ensure that students remain on track for timely degree completion.
Greater consistency in advising across programs was aided by the development of year- specific advising checklists and advising shells on Canvas, our course management system. These individualized, password-protected online pages allow each Faculty Advisor to communicate with all of their advisees, schedule appointments, make announcements, and receive emails from students. In addition, each advising shell contains useful resources to support student success, such as information regarding academic coaching, counseling, the registration processes, and various policies students should be aware of. Examples of Advising Checklists are included in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BtM9Kpsic_guyDlQjj1EihjSjgaBD4E-?usp=sharing
Consistent with the nature and purpose of each art and design program, student advising and support is tailored to suit the particular needs of each program. For example, the Creative Media program responded to the complexity of the options available to students in this major by developing a mechanism for tracking students’ focus areas and the way many students are expected to take certain required courses in upcoming semesters. Through this process, the Program Director also notes a selection of elective classes of particular interest to Creative Media students so that Advisors are aware of these and discuss them during advising sessions. The Game Art and Game Design programs staff the game labs nearly every day with student tutors who have specific skills to meet the needs of students in these programs. On-campus student-to-student mentoring, as well as mentoring by alumni who regularly visit campus, provides additional support and guidance. The Filmmaking program embeds teaching assistants into certain courses to create peer-to-peer advising and mentoring opportunities. In the Visual Communication Design program, the Sophomore Review process serves as an extension of faculty advising and has become an intrinsic aspect of the program’s culture. Full-time faculty meet for 30 minutes with each sophomore student to review their work and discuss potential future career opportunities and the academic pathways that will lead them there.
The College’s Career Collaborative office offers a comprehensive approach to career readiness, leveraging our professionally focused academic programs and connecting students with practical, hands-on, and relevant experiential learning opportunities. The Career Collaborative is uniquely positioned to provide expert industry information to current students and alumni via a holistic career education process and a dedicated career coaching team. Career Coaches are assigned by academic division, each responsible for helping students define and refine their future aspirations, performing lead generation and
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relationship management that build and maintain a strong employer partner base, networking with alumni and recruiters, providing in-classroom and out-of-classroom career education content, and surveying graduates on their status six months after graduation. https://www.champlain.edu/career-success/career-collaborative
Unique to the CCM Division is the allocation of two Career Collaborative Assistant Directors: one dedicated to the Visual Communication Design, Filmmaking, and Creative Media majors, and the other dedicated to the Game Art and Game Design majors. The Assistant Directors create new employer pipelines, communicate with faculty about any employer feedback on our curriculum, and stay aligned with the career trends in each of these majors.
Supporting the College’s career focus, the Career Collaborative office actively partners and collaborates with faculty to integrate and promote the best career outcomes for our graduates. This collaboration starts in a student’s first year and continues throughout a graduate’s career life, as needed. This also supports Champlain’s retention and persistence efforts, and first- destination outcomes. Career Collaborative initiatives are outlined below.
Integration of Career Collaborative content into the academic curriculum: Faculty require students to meet with Career Coaches to work on job search skills, mock interviews, and other related needs, and invite Career Coaches to present on topics such as job search and professional networking, résumé building, cover letter writing, and salary negotiation. Career Coaches provide career education seminars in the Senior Portfolio classes and teach a Professional Practices course in the Visual Communication Design program.
Specialized Career Coaching: Career Coaches prepare students to attend professional conferences, such as the Game Developers Conference, and to network with high-profile employers and corporate partners. Often, faculty also attend these networking meetings. Career Coaches assist undeclared students and students who wish to change majors, as well as students who wish to pursue graduate school by offering graduate school-specific resources.
Employer Engagement: Career Coaches inform faculty of current skills and technologies requested by employers, invite faculty to meet and network with employers who recruit on campus, and develop professional mentorships between industry professionals and students.
International Experiential Learning: Career Coaches partner with the Office of International Education and our Montreal and Dublin Academic Centers to make international experiential learning options viable and successful.
First Destination Survey: Results from the First Destination Survey are used to gather feedback on the levels of student readiness and attainment of employment or pursuit of advanced degrees after graduation. A pre-graduation survey is conducted yearly in March/April and again six months after
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graduation. The First Destination Survey is approved by the academic and administrative leadership of the College in alignment with Institutional Research officers. It is recognized as the main survey tool to ascertain undergraduate career and educational outcomes of its graduates.
InSight Program: The Career Collaborative InSight Program offers a unique model for career education and personal finance skills through yearly required milestones. All traditional undergraduate students complete this program and are required to have key touchpoints with their Career Coach throughout their time at the College. Faculty also often participate in various programming efforts that are part of InSight. https://www.champlain.edu/academics/undergraduate-academics/insight-program
Student Complaint Policies and Processes
Champlain College offers students several internal channels through which to file a complaint, including alleged discrimination or harassment violations, bias incidents, hate crimes, and sexual misconduct. The College’s Discrimination and Harassment Policy directs students who wish to file a complaint or make a report to contact the Academic Affairs, Student Life, or the Associate Vice President for Human Capital, depending on the nature of the complaint. Complaints or concerns can be submitted via the Bias Incident Reporting Form, Incident Report Form, the Student of Concern Form, or the Sexual Misconduct and Title IX Report Form, depending on the nature of the concern. The Student Care and Response Team (SCART) meets regularly to review and evaluate complaints and concerns filed through the forms listed above, as well as behaviors by students that are perceived to be threatening, harming, or disruptive to themselves, others, or both. SCART is also responsible for coordinating an appropriate response.
Discrimination and harassment complaints by a student against another student are handled by the Dean of Students and Director of Residential Life (or Designee). In cases of a bias incident or hate crime, students can make a report to the Office of Campus Public Safety. In cases of student affairs complaints, students can make a report to the Vice President of Student Affairs and Diversity and Inclusion. In cases of academic complaints, students can make a report to the Provost’s Office. In cases of residential life complaints, students can make a report to the Dean of Students and Director of Residential Life.
If a complaint is found valid, the offender may be subject to a range of disciplinary sanctions as outlined under the College’s Discrimination and Harassment Policy, up to and including termination of employment or dismissal. If the charge is not substantiated, the case is closed. The complainant and respondent receive a written summary of the investigation, which includes the conclusions of the investigation. The respondent may invoke the appropriate grievance procedure or appeal process in response to the action taken on the findings of the complaint. In cases involving discrimination on the basis of sex that fall under this policy, the complainant as well as the respondent have an opportunity to appeal. Additional information about the Discrimination and Harassment Policy can be found in the College Catalog. See:
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http://catalog.champlain.edu/content.php?catoid=37&navoid=986#Discrimination_and_Hara ssment.
Students can also file a complaint with external entities, including the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), the Vermont Department of Education, the Vermont Human Rights Commission, and the Vermont Attorney General’s Office. Contact information for each entity is available on the College’s website: https://www.champlain.edu/about-champlain/consumer-information-and- disclosures/complaints-to-state-agencies. The Academic Grievance Policy provides students who feel that a specific academic decision has violated published policies or procedures the opportunity for additional review of the facts pertaining to the academic decision affecting them. Procedures are designed to provide objective and fair treatment of both students and faculty, and to resolve disputes in a timely manner. The full Academic Grievance Policy and Procedure can be found in the College Catalog: http://catalog.champlain.edu/content.php?catoid=37&navoid=977#Academic_Grievance_Pol icy___Procedure.
In February 2018 a group of students of color and their white allies assembled on the College campus in the form of a protest to voice their concerns and complaints about their perceived lack of significant and substantial diversity and inclusion efforts at the College. The student group presented a list of demands that included: 1) providing diversity professional development training for all faculty; 2) the administration holding students accountable for unacceptable and inappropriate social media posts; 3) revisions to the IDEA diagnostic surveys, to include a category of questions specific to the students’ evaluation of how course instructors address and manage topics relating to diversity and inclusion (particular impacting minority groups); 4) diversity training for student leaders and other interested student groups; and 5) providing more transparency to the campus community of incidents of injustice.
The College created a Diversity Communications and Updates web page with the intention of publicly providing responses to the students’ demands, detailing specific actions taken to date and outlining proposed future actions by the College as discussed with the student leaders. The CCM Division has its own Diversity and Inclusion Taskforce that supports efforts in this area for CCM faculty and students specifically. Additional information about the student complaints can be found here: https://www.champlain.edu/about-champlain/diversity-and-inclusion/diversity- communications-and-updates.
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I. Published Materials and Websites (refer to NASAD Handbook, Standards for Accreditation II. I.)
Clarity, Accuracy, and Availability
Over the last 10 years, the College has made a substantial investment to improve our communication channels, greatly enhancing the clarity, accuracy, and availability of information about our academic programs and the College as a whole. These efforts have centered primarily on our website and online College catalogs. To meet the needs of internal and external audiences who now rely almost exclusively on digital communication, the College’s Marketing and Communications teams were restructured. This has helped ensure continuity between digital and print materials, making them easily accessible and legible to both internal constituencies and the general public, most notably potential students and their parents. The College has also adapted its forms of public disclosure to account for the changing communication mediums accessed by all College constituents. Consumer information and disclosures required by the Higher Education Act can be found here: https://www.champlain.edu/about-champlain/consumer-information-and-disclosures.
Comprehensiveness
To ensure comprehensiveness of policies and practices regarding published materials and websites, each academic division works closely with the College’s Marketing Department staff. The Marketing Department, which consists of Client Services, Videography, Creative Services, and Web Services, coordinates the production of published printed materials and digital content for the divisions’ websites. The liaison with Marketing for the CCM Division is the Associate Dean for Administration, who reviews and submits new content and updates via Workfront, a web-based work and project management software.
Champlain has a number of checkpoints and processes to ensure that print and electronic publications are complete, accurate, available, and current. Both print and digital pieces are evaluated on an annual basis to ensure the accuracy and consistency of the information presented publicly. The Marketing Department works closely with the academic units on an annual basis to review print and web materials for all divisions and programs, including one- sheets, web pages, and the College catalog. In 2013–2014, the Marketing team implemented a comprehensive editorial calendar to ensure that the right information is provided at the appropriate times and updated consistently. The College also publishes an institutional Fact Book that discloses essential data to both internal and external stakeholders in a user-friendly format. See Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio for examples of the various marketing materials mentioned here.
College and CCM Division Websites
The Champlain College website, redesigned in 2013 and again in 2019, serves as the primary portal for the public to seek information about the College. Information on the College’s website is available through a number of access points. Visitors to the site can access academic information, engage in interactive tours of the campus, and see examples of student
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work, for instance. There are multiple points at which the public is provided contact information, including an “Institutional Information Page” that offers guidance on how to find desired information and detailed sections for admission applications, registration, and degree requirements. All academic divisions and other departments are accessible via links from the College’s main web page, www.champlain.edu. Information regarding Champlain’s demographics, class size, a description of the student body, the availability of academic and student support, and the range of academic and cocurricular learning opportunities are accessible and presented through an easily navigable system.
Champlain’s mission, competencies, cost, and accreditation status appear accurately and explicitly on the website. The College presents the goals for students’ education through a display of its mission and vision, as well as the overarching College competencies and specific program competencies. The College’s NECHE accreditation status is visibly presented, along with program-specific accreditation status information.
College Catalog The College maintains a robust catalog, which is accessible online. Beginning in 2012–2013, the College merged all student information (academic policies, curricular guidelines, campus resources, etc.) into one document for each of the three student populations the College serves. See the College Catalog: https://www.champlain.edu/academics/college-catalog.
The Academic Affairs office takes the lead role in ensuring that the catalog is updated annually and, in collaboration with the Registrar’s and Student Affairs offices, manages the process for updating programs of study, course descriptions, policies, etc. Other key collaborators include Institutional Research, Enrollment Management, and Finance. Academic Affairs and the Marketing Department work with specific units across the institution to establish and maintain a formal process for documenting the required data in support of accreditation and other higher education agencies’ public disclosure requirements. The College has a process in place to provide updated information on an ongoing basis.
Programmatic requirements for matriculation, academic progress, and dismissal, as determined by the appropriate academic division, are communicated to students through Advisors and the College Catalog. Transfer applicants are required to submit official transcripts of their high school and college records. Transfer of credit policies are publicly disclosed and criteria regarding the transfer of credits earned at another institution of higher education are clearly outlined.
Additional information regarding transfer of credits is found through the following links: https://www.champlain.edu/online/admissions/transfer-credit https://www.champlain.edu/online/blog/how-to-maximize-transfer-credits https://www.champlain.edu/admissions/undergraduate-admissions/transfer-students
The College embraces new media outlets in order to inform the public of notable achievements by students and faculty, campus events, hiring decisions, building projects, etc.
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In addition to traditional media releases, the College, academic divisions and programs, student clubs, and others maintain an array of social media accounts (such as Facebook and Instagram).
Claims regarding College, faculty, and student achievements, as well as recognition from external reviewers (such as The Princeton Review), are published on the College’s website (About Champlain) and updated yearly and as needed. College news and achievements are also published in the College’s electronic news source, The View. The CCM Division maintains the CCM NewsHub, a blog-based site designed to highlight various initiatives, celebrate student and faculty achievements, and serve as a portal for information about the division’s academic and other programs.
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J. Community Involvement (refer to NASAD Handbook, Standards for Accreditation II. J.)
Champlain College has formal and informal partnerships with a number of local arts and media organizations. Students have access to a variety of curricular and extracurricular opportunities to engage with arts and cultural events and activities, and take part in professionally focused experiences.
American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) Vermont Chapter AIGA Vermont Chapter brings together design professionals dedicated to engaging, educating, and facilitating responsible design. Through events and professional development, AIGA Vermont encourages participation, collaboration, mentorship, and an active exchange of ideas. The Champlain AIGA student group was established in 2009 and remains active through faculty and student involvement. For more details about student and faculty engagement with the AIGA Vermont Chapter, see Section II. B. Specific Curricula: Visual Communication Design (pages 157 and 162).
University of Vermont’s Fleming Museum Through a partnership with the University of Vermont (UVM), Champlain faculty and students are granted free admission to galleries and exhibitions at the Fleming Museum on the UVM campus. The Fleming Museum opened in 1931 and today houses Vermont’s most comprehensive collection of art and anthropological artifacts. It presents innovative exhibitions of contemporary and historic art from around the world, complemented by year- round programming for all ages.
Flynn Center for the Performing Arts The Flynn Center is a not-for-profit full-service home for the performing arts that offers a wide range of cultural and educational experiences and nurtures the creative development of performing artists. The Flynn Center provides a performance venue for the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, the Vermont Youth Orchestra, the UVM Lane Series, and many local and touring groups. The Flynn Center houses a 1,411-seat proscenium auditorium, 180-seat cabaret space, a gallery with rotating exhibits by area artists, and two education studios. See: Flynn Center Venues. Through a partnership with the Flynn Center, individual Champlain College students and entire classes can attend Flynn Center-presented shows at a much- reduced cost or at no cost. Details about the partnership are promoted on the Flynn’s website: Champlain-Flynn Partnership. Additionally, the Flynn Center offers internships and opportunities for employment. Currently, one of our Creative Media alumnae serves as Artist Services Coordinator at the Flynn Center.
Burlington City Arts (BCA) Burlington City Arts is a nonprofit arts organization whose gallery and main office are located in downtown Burlington and studios in the South End district whose mission is to support Vermont artists through exhibitions and events that promote critical dialogue and encourage local participation. BCA houses the BCA Studios, which offer a wide range of arts classes and workshops. It also includes the BCA Center in downtown Burlington, an art gallery dedicated to showcasing contemporary art and bringing unique arts experiences to the
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public. BCA exhibits national-level artists from Vermont and elsewhere, and offers numerous public programming and events throughout the year, including music, film, and performance. Champlain College has had a long-standing relationship with BCA. Prior to the existence of the building that today houses the Drawing Studio, certain art courses were offered at the BCA Studios. Faculty in art and design and in the Core Division regularly integrate BCA exhibits into their courses and host class visits by artists.
Burlington Generator Makerspace The Generator is an 11,500-square-foot membership-based community makerspace located at 40 Sears Lane, across the parking lot from Champlain’s Miller Center on Lakeside Campus. Generator was founded in 2013 to serve the broader community as a combination of artist studio, classroom, and business incubator at the intersection of art, science, and technology. Since its inception, Generator has offered Champlain faculty, staff, and students access to a variety of hand, power, and electronic tools, including 3-D printers, a 3-D scanner, laser cutter, vinyl cutter, large-format photo printer, and a high-end sewing machine, as well as a woodshop and metal shop for use after fee-based training. In Fall 2019, the College and Generator expanded this partnership to increase the scope of maker experiences for the Champlain community. Through the partnership, the College added a 3,000-plus-square-foot mixed-use experiential space, the Flex Space, comprised of four quadrants:
Maker Zone: A dedicated makerspace for Champlain students, faculty, and staff projects and classes that complements Generator resources. Membership to Generator is required to use the Maker Zone.
VR/AR Studio: A quadrant dedicated to VR/AR equipment provided by Generator. Membership to Generator and VR/AR Studio certification are required.
Two open quadrants that can be reserved individually or together for a variety of uses, such as lectures, classes, productions, art projects, exhibitions, and gatherings.
Champlain students, faculty, and staff benefit from free membership to Generator, giving the Champlain community access to the required orientation and certain workshops, tools, and equipment, as well as a 20% discount on specialized tool training, required for the woodshop, metal shop, and electronics. In addition, faculty and students can also attend Generator’s speaker series Reckless Ideas, which features a diverse mix of Burlington’s top thinkers and innovators at the intersection of design and science. See also Champlain and Generator Partnership on the Centers of Experience website: https://www.champlain.edu/centers-of-experience/makerlab.
South End Arts and Business Association (SEABA) The South End Arts and Business Association was founded in 1986 by a group of artists and business owners to promote the community and the economic vitality of the South End district in Burlington. SEABA promotes the fusion of culture and commerce, which is best embodied by the annual South End Art Hop, now in its 18th year. SEABA’s partnership with the College has given faculty and students the opportunity to participate in the South End Art Hop, a three-day celebration of the arts that attracts over 30,000 visitors from across the
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Northeast and Canada to view hundreds of exhibits, sculpture, fashion shows, music, live demos, artist markets, juried shows, and more. Champlain students’ involvement includes exhibition of artwork from the Juried Student Art Show, Senior Game Show, and other exhibits, as well as interactive displays from the EMC, and live-streaming of the event by production faculty and students.
Vermont International Film Foundation (VTIFF) The Vermont International Film Foundation is a not-for-profit organization established over 30 years ago in Burlington. Its mission is to enrich the community through hosting and sponsoring film screenings, film festivals, and other film-related events and activities, and by partnering with other organizations and institutions, such as Champlain College. Through this partnership, Filmmaking students and others have access to discounted tickets to screenings and free passes to the Vermont International Film Festival in October. Some Filmmaking courses require students to attend at least one screening during the festival. Students also benefit from internship opportunities at VTIFF, and Champlain faculty serve on VTIFF’s Board of Directors and on the festival’s programming committee.
The Media Factory The Media Factory is a public media space and community of media makers working in film, television, and radio. It provides tools, training, production space, and access to distribution. It is home to Vermont Community Access Media (VCAM), the Regional Educational Television Network (RETN), and the community radio station 99.3 WBTV-LP. Media Factory staff work with faculty and students on documentary production and Senior Capstone projects; students also complete internships where they gain professional studio production and live-streaming experiences.
GameTheory Game Theory is a Burlington-based game design and development collective. Founded and run by a Champlain College Game Art alumna and former Trustee, Game Theory partners with different organizations to design games that empower, inspire, and build perseverance, providing innovative approaches to learning, research, and wellness. Drawing from experiences in behavioral principles, user engagement theories, and respectful design, Game Theory promotes diversity in games and the use of technology as a positive force in the world. Game Theory hires Champlain alumni and involves Champlain students in project development.
Sundae Month Sundae Month is an interactive production studio founded in 2014 by three Champlain College game alumni. The studio creates interactive games and art for a variety of clients. In addition to providing mentorship and networking opportunities to our students, Sundae Month periodically employs students on projects.
Rad Magpie Rad Magpie is an interactive media studio in Burlington that seeks to disrupt the video game industry by breaking the mold of content produced by and for cis white men. The studio was founded by a Game Design faculty member to provide mentorship and serve as a sustainable
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contract-house that hires almost exclusively diverse candidates. Rad Magpie includes the Rad Studio, a summer incubator; Rad Jams and Camps, a series of “game jams” for diverse Burlington youth and military veterans; and Rad Media, the in-house game studio currently developing Sigiriya, a heart-centered, role-playing mobile video game that takes place in ancient Sri Lanka. The development team is comprised primarily of diverse Champlain students and graduates.
Hour of Code at St. Albans City Elementary School Each year our local primary schools participate in the “hour of code” events that are held nationwide. For several years, Game Design faculty have provided game design sessions at the St. Albans City School in St. Albans, Vermont, teaching students to create game design levels using blocks. This engagement provides students with an introductory exposure to game design as a future possible area of study.
Clemmons Family Farm Champlain College is an institutional partner with the Clemmons Family Farm on a grant award by ArtPlace America. Through the partnership, the CCM Division provides communication strategy expertise and a paid social media internship for Champlain students. The Clemmons Family Farm, located in Charlotte, Vermont, was chosen from nearly a thousand applications to receive the 2017 National Creative Placemaking Fund grant award of $350,000 to support its “A Sense of Place” project. “A Sense of Place” supports the farm’s transition into an African American Heritage and Multicultural Center, with the goal of improving community mental health, physical health, and social well-being through African American and African arts and culture programming. Running from January 2018 to June 2020, the project hosts artists of the African and African American diaspora and presents performing, culinary, and visual arts on the farm during scheduled programs and activities. The “A Sense of Place” project is a catalyst for community conversations about history, heritage, and identity; it fosters a strong and supportive multicultural community in Vermont and rural New England.
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K. Articulation with Other Institutions (refer to NASAD Handbook, Standards for Accreditation II. K.)
Champlain College has partnerships, articulation agreements, and cross-registration agreements with several institutions: Community College of Vermont, the University of Vermont College of Arts and Sciences, Saint Michael’s College, New York Law School, Vermont Law School, and the New York University School of Continuing Professional Studies. We also offer dual-enrollment and nondegree student registration opportunities.
In establishing such agreements, Champlain College is guided by the “Guide to Best Practices Articulation Agreements” published by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) to ensure a seamless transfer pathway for students. The College also recognizes the importance of revisiting and revising these agreements regularly to ensure the pathways remain seamless as curricula from the sending and receiving institutions evolve. Details about each can be found at: https://www.champlain.edu/compass/academic-records- and-registration/registration/articulation-and-admissions-agreements https://www.champlain.edu/compass/academic-records-and-registration/registration/cross- registration-dual-enrollment-and-non-degree-student-registration.
The Community College of Vermont (CCV) and Champlain College have established a transfer agreement that allows CCV students to apply credits from a specific completed associate degree program (AA or AS) toward the completion of specific bachelor’s degree programs at Champlain. Because it is a relatively new articulation agreement, CCV graduates are just now beginning to matriculate into Champlain College through our offered pathways, as outlined in the agreement. While the numbers have been low, we have seen an increase in Fall 2019: One CCV student entered the Visual Communication Design program and six CCV students entered programs across other academic divisions. A copy of the CCV/Champlain transfer agreement can be found in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio. The Transferring from CCV web page provides complete information about this agreement. https://www.champlain.edu/admissions/undergraduate-admissions/transfer- students/transferring-from-ccv
CCV students who complete the Associate of Arts (AA) degree in Design and Media Studies may choose to apply to the following CCM Division programs: Broadcast Media Production (BS) Communication: Communication Studies Specialization (BS) Communication: Media Production Specialization* (BS) Communication: Media Writing Specialization (BS) Communication: Public Relations/Strategic Communication Specialization* (BS) Creative Media with a Primary Specialization in Visual Art and Design (BFA) Filmmaking* (BFA) Visual Communication Design* (BFA) *Program requires more than 60 credits to be completed at Champlain.
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Champlain College and Saint Michael’s College have an agreement that allows students to take classes at either campus during the academic year as part of their regular course load. Our entire catalog of courses is available to Saint Michael’s students and their full catalog is available to our students. The agreement does not apply to summer session or online courses. Over the past four semesters, about seven students from Saint Michael’s have availed themselves of the agreement, but no Champlain College students have requested to take courses at Saint Michael’s.
Additional information and the Cross-Registration Form can be found at: https://www.champlain.edu/compass/academic-records-and-registration/registration/cross- registration-dual-enrollment-and-non-degree-student-registration.
The Division of Communication and Creative Media established a cross-registration agreement with the University of Vermont’s College of Arts and Sciences to enable students at each institution to take a select number of courses in art and design, as well as languages. An average of three students per semester from each institution have enrolled in courses at the other institution, making for a well-balanced exchange. A copy of this cross-registration agreement is included in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio. The agreement stays in effect until either institution declares in writing its intention to end the agreement.
Champlain College offers dual enrollment opportunities through a range of course offerings to Vermont high school students. An average of about four students per semester avail themselves of this opportunity, with generally one student taking courses offered through the CCM Division.
The Art and Design Portfolio Building course offered as part of our Pre-College Summer Program opportunities is credit bearing, and students are registered as nondegree. More details are available on the website at: https://www.champlain.edu/art-and-design-portfolio- summer-course
Full-time Champlain College students also have unique access to 11 private undergraduate institutions in Vermont through a semester exchange program spearheaded by the Association of Vermont Independent Colleges (AVIC). AVIC is a member-driven organization devoted to serving the interests of higher education, shaping public policy, and supporting the work of campus leaders throughout Vermont. See AVIC’s Semester Exchange Program for more information.
Additional information is available on the College’s website at: https://www.champlain.edu/compass/academic-records-and- registration/registration/semester-exchange.
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L. Non-Degree-Granting Programs for the Community (refer to NASAD Handbook, Standards for Accreditation III. K.)
N/A
M. Operational Standards for All Institutions for which NASAD Is the Designated Institutional Accreditor (refer to NASAD Handbook, Standards for Accreditation II. M. and XXI.)
N/A
N. Operational Standards and Procedures for Proprietary Institutions (refer to NASAD Handbook, Standards for Accreditation II. N. and XXII.)
N/A
O. Operational Standards for Branch Campuses and External Programs (refer to NASM Handbook, Standards for Accreditation II. O. and Appendix I. A.)
N/A
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SECTION II. INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS PORTFOLIO
Section II. A. Certain Curriculum Categories
Credit and Time Requirements (refer to NASAD Handbook, Standards for Accreditation III. A. 2., 3., 4., and 6.)
The Curriculum Committee of the Faculty Senate approves all curricula and reviews and approves all programs for appropriateness, consistency, and rigor. All courses taught by the College go through the same process of approval. In conjunction with the Provost’s Office and the Registrar, the Curriculum Committee also reviews new programs for compliance with credit-hour requirements. An explanation regarding federal regulations related to credit hours for traditional undergraduate courses appears in the College’s Faculty Handbook and Adjunct Faculty Resource Manual. See the Faculty Handbook: http://catalog.champlain.edu/content.php?catoid=40&navoid=1072&hl=%22credit+hour%22 &returnto=search#6.19%20Course%20Credits.
Federal regulation defines a credit hour as an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalence that reasonably approximates not less than:
One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours out- of-class student work each week for approximately 15 weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit, or 10 to 12 weeks for one quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or
At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph one of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution, including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.
Our current curriculum requires 120 semester hours to be completed in four years, consecutively preferably, or within a maximum of 10 years from the date of matriculation to completion of degree. To be considered full time, a student must enroll in courses totaling at least 12 credit hours per 15-week semester and may take as many as 18 credits in any one semester without special permission and extra charge (the flat tuition fee applies to a maximum of 33 credit hours in a given academic year). One unit of credit is based on 15 hours of classroom instruction and 30 hours of homework per semester. The majority of non- studio courses offered at Champlain College are three-credit courses. For Champlain College Online undergraduate courses, the expectation is 10 to 12 hours of student work per week for a three-credit class. The credit given in graduate courses is based on the Carnegie system of 135 hours for a three-credit course.
Transfer applicants are required to submit official transcripts of their high school and college records. Decisions regarding credits awarded are made by the Registrar and guided by criteria provided by specific programs, as well as by comparing criteria to the description of
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the corresponding course from the previous college. Our transfer specialists reference transfer course databases to increase standardization and consistency, and consult closely with Program Directors and Assistant Deans. Close communication with Admissions Counselors is maintained throughout the transfer process, from decision to enrollment, and a projected graduation timeline is created. Credit hours for transferred courses are given full value, but grades are not transferred to a student’s Champlain College permanent record and do not become part of a student’s cumulative grade point average. In order to be considered for transfer credit, a course must be completed with a grade of C or higher. Traditional undergraduate students can transfer up to 75 credits and must complete a minimum of 45 credits at Champlain to earn a degree.
The transfer credit policy can be found at: http://catalog.champlain.edu/content.php?catoid=34&navoid=897#Transfer_Advanced_Stan ding.
All Professional Baccalaureate Degrees in Art and Design—Common Body of Knowledge and Skills (refer to NASAD Handbook, Standards for Accreditation VIII.)
What follows provides a summary of our art and design programs’ objectives, practices, and expectations regarding the common body of knowledge and skills required of our professional degree students. Additional program-specific details, including levels of competency required, are discussed in Section II. B. Specific Curricula for each of the art and design majors.
Studio The excellence of the creative work by students in the art and design programs reflects our commitment to the studio aspect of art and design education at Champlain College. The College’s Upside-Down Curriculum makes it possible for students to take major-specific classes from the start of their first semester. Students in art and design programs take at least one studio course in their first semester and continue taking at least two studio courses each semester thereafter. All studio courses require students to engage in conceptualization of one or more creative projects, follow through with an iterative process to create the work, and, finally, produce the deliverables for presentation to the class, accompanied by a class critique.
Studio courses are an integral part of each art and design program curricula. In the foundational 100- and 200-level studio courses, students typically learn the foundation principles of creating in their medium. In the 300 and 400 advanced-level studio courses, students apply the principles learned in earlier courses and practice more advanced techniques in order to create professional-quality work. Students in the Creative Media program who are pursuing a specialization that does not have dedicated studio sections attached to specific courses are still required to follow an intensive process of conceptualizing, iterating, producing, and critiquing, and to demonstrate time on task. Students in studio classes are afforded ample opportunity to exhibit their work and to
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experience and participate in critical discussions of their work and the work of others. Typically, they present their projects to the class for critique on the day the project is due. All students must present their work, and all students are encouraged to engage in the critique of their peers’ work.
Critique is a central component of the teaching pedagogy in all studio courses. Critique sessions serve as a formative assessment of students’ work while also giving them the opportunity to practice the communication skills that are critical to their future professions. The critique process serves to define relevant criteria, provide necessary vocabulary, and guide students to offer appropriate and meaningful feedback to peers. Critiques also help students learn how to assess the successes and failures of their own art and design work.
For studio courses, one unit of credit is based on 22.5 hours of classroom contact instruction and a recommended 45 hours of out-of-class work, or four and a half hours rather than three contact hours per week. Some of the art and design courses achieve this within the program’s scheduling matrix, with students enrolling in one three-hour session and an additional one- and-a-half-hour session, during which they work under the mentorship of an instructor. For those studio courses that do not have an additional one-and-a-half-hour session embedded in the scheduling matrix, such as in the Game Art and Game Design programs, students are expected to do equivalent hours of work in campus labs, where tutors are available for support. The out-of-class minimum hours of work are met and documented in a variety of ways. For example, Game Art and Game Design students are required to post their work in progress or account for their production work through weekly milestone discussion modules in the Canvas course management system. Students are accountable for meeting each weekly milestone with at least 10 hours per week of studio work outside of class time. Students in Filmmaking production courses that do not have additional studio hours built into the course matrix document their out-of-class work hours through logs and call sheets, typically logging an average of 20 hours of out-of-class studio work.
Art and Design History, Theory, and Criticism All art and design students acquire knowledge in the history, theory, and criticism of art and design through courses in their major and related fields, as well as through our Core general education curriculum. See Section II. C. Programmatic Areas for a description of Champlain College’s Core curriculum (page 165).
Students learn to analyze works of art and design perceptively and to evaluate them critically. They are required to take at least 12 credits of art and design-relevant history courses or 10% of their coursework. Filmmaking students take 15 credits in this area. All art and design programs require that students take a course on the history of the discipline. For example, Filmmaking students take two film history courses and Creative Media students take the history course that is required in a student’s primary area of focus. Students develop an understanding of the common elements and vocabulary of art and design, the significant historical developments and contexts, the theoretical frameworks and concepts, and the interactions and intersections among these elements.
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In addition to courses on the specific history of the discipline, the following courses offer students additional theoretical, critical, and art historical perspectives:
ART 120 Art History Survey of Western and Non-Western Art provides a survey of Western and Non-Western art, architecture, and other forms of visual expression. Students examine and critically engage with artifacts and consider the formal, conceptual, spiritual, social, political, economic, and cultural influences in the development of art.
COR 220 Aesthetic Expressions explores cultural themes in historical and geographical contexts from the Renaissance onward. It is an interdisciplinary exploration of art and art making in cultural context, casting its net wider over a broad expanse of artistic endeavors, including literature and music, in addition to the visual arts.
COR 270 Heroines and Heroes offers a study of narrative, character archetypes, and “worlds” or environments, and is a foundational component of the Game Art and Game Design curriculum. For this reason, COR 270 Heroines and Heroes is a required course for game students, providing critical exposure to art and design history and theory. The course traces the development of the “heroic” from ancient epics through contemporary media, including in games. Among the course’s learning outcomes is the ability to situate the heroine and hero in multiple cultural and aesthetic contexts, and to analyze the representation of heroic powers in relation to race, class, and gender diversity.
The Core curriculum makes use of local arts events and venues to create engaging learning experiences that support students’ exposure to art and design concepts and practices. Faculty teaching COR 110 Concepts of the Self, COR 120 Concepts of Community, COR 220 Aesthetic Expressions, COR 240 Bodies, and COR 270 Heroines and Heroes often avail themselves of the College’s partnership with the University of Vermont, through which Champlain faculty and students are granted free admission to galleries and exhibitions at the Fleming Museum. Complimentary tickets are also provided for classes to attend performances at the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, enriching the course curriculum with an experiential component. Core and discipline-specific courses also integrate student engagement with and attendance at the annual Burlington South End Art Hop and the Vermont International Film Festival. Additionally, the Jack and Shirley Silver Special Collections Library at the University of Vermont focuses on the history of the book as a form of humanistic expression and offers an exceptional collection of rare books and artists’ books. The Fleming Museum actively collects and displays works of interest in art and design, along with hosting artists’ openings, receptions and talks, tours, films, and colloquia that are available to the general public. Art and design history is supported through the local institutions noted above as well as through AIGA Vermont Chapter and field trips to institutions and museums outside the Vermont region, such as the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (Mass MoCA) and the American Classic Arcade Museum (ACAM) in New Hampshire.
See Section I. J. Community Involvement and Section II. C. Programmatic Areas for further details about partnerships with local institutions and organizations.
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In addition to a solid grounding in the historical and cultural contexts of art and design fields, our programs provide students with a variety of theoretical models with which to analyze media works, including their own, from their first year through their senior year. For example, Filmmaking students are exposed to discipline-specific theories, including feminist film theory, Soviet Montage, auteur theory, and structuralist film theory. Similarly, Visual Communication Design students are exposed to theoretical models that include color theory, typophoto, gestalt theory, constructivism, and grid and design philosophy. Creative Media students are exposed to formalist, instrumentalist, mimetic, and emotionalist traditions of interpretation, and to appropriation, cultural exchange, and transculturation theories for understanding the global flow of media and aesthetics. Game Design and Game Art students are likewise provided with theoretical frameworks and analytical tools to help them understand and assess what constitutes “good” art and design for games, and the impact of these on players’ experiences and perceptions.
Technology As already noted, Champlain’s Upside-Down Curriculum enables students to engage with all foundational aspects of their chosen discipline from their first semester onward, including the technology applicable to their majors. Technology is an integral part of all art and design majors and considered foundational in its own right. Students are not required to have digital art and design experience or technical experience in video or audio production prior to starting their studies at Champlain College. All art and design students start working with technology in their first year and continue through senior year, attaining proficiency in the use of technology appropriate to their disciplines.
For example, students in 100- and 200-level film production courses learn camera operation and the use of lenses and lighting equipment. They are introduced to DSLR cameras, like the Canon 60D, in the first and second years. In the third and fourth years, students become proficient in the use of film cameras, like the Canon C200, the Black Magic, and the RED Gemini camera. Students are also introduced to sound equipment, including microphones, mixers, and industry-standard audio editing software. Students interested in producing film scores learn to use Logic Pro and Pro Tools. Students in Interaction Design courses learn basic computer programming concepts that allow them to program visual designs and implement interactive projects with simple screen interfaces. Technical concepts learned include variables, data types, program flow, control structures, functions, and libraries. Depending on their interests, students may also develop skills in web design, using HTML and CSS, and the use of software for interactive narrative.
Current software and technology taught in our art and design programs include:
• Visual Communication Design: The most recent version of Adobe’s Creative Cloud suite— Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver, Lightroom, and After Effects. • Game Art: Maya, 3DS Max, ZBrush, Substance Painter, Substance Designer, Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, Lazy Nezumi, Unity, and Unreal Engine 4. • Game Design: PhotoShop, Illustrator, Excel, Word, Unity, Maya, LucidCharts, Powerpoint, Git, Visual Studio, and Unreal Engine 4.
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• Filmmaking: Adobe Premiere Pro, Celtx, After Effects, Movie Magic, and DaVinci Resolve. • Creative Media: Students develop a working knowledge of technologies and tools relevant to their areas of specialization (see listings above).
Students are encouraged to work in the appropriate labs, studios, and production stage as much as possible, particularly during the first two years. Students who work in the labs tend to perform better than those who work in their dorm room because they have access to faculty and other students, including tutors, who can help them with technical problems and provide feedback on their work in progress.
Consistent with our mission to prepare students for professional practice, we consider it part of our pedagogy to train students on actual equipment that they will employ as working professionals. In the first two years, students learn how to use the various tools and software appropriate to their discipline, as well as strategies for quickly adapting to new tools and techniques as technology is constantly changing. During their junior and senior years, students are encouraged to procure a professional-level Mac or PC computer (depending on program), relevant software, and a basic font list (if appropriate).
Additionally, through Senior Portfolio review feedback, internship sites, the alumni network, and external advisory groups, local and regional art and design professionals advise and inform our programs of industry shifts and skill needs that involve technology. This allows our programs to stay current and meet the industry needs of a profession.
Synthesis While synthesis is a lifelong process, by the end of their undergraduate studies students are expected to be able to work independently on a variety of art and design solutions and projects by combining their capabilities in studio, analysis, history, and technology.
Synthesis in art and design programs begins in the second year. In their 200-level courses, students use principles of art and design theory and composition, knowledge of historical developments and cultural contexts, and technical expertise to create original works in their medium. In the third and fourth years, this creative work is expected to become more personally expressive, more technically polished, and more aesthetically and culturally sophisticated. In all of our programs, synthesis and its assessment culminates in the CCC 410 Senior Capstone course for each discipline, where students bring together their discipline- specific and general education learning, and integrate a required ethical component that guides the overall effort. The Senior Capstone is by design a team-taught course with a faculty member from the major discipline as well as the Core. Additionally, as a professionally focused college, we consider the integration of a career-focused curriculum as part of the synthesis component of students’ education. Each art and design program offers a “professional practices” or “portfolio preparation” course that students are required to take prior to their senior year. These courses help students develop a professional mind-set and integrate a focus on career and professionalism into their creative work.
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Students in the Visual Communication Design program develop a personal thesis and a design project in the CCC 410 Senior Capstone course, in conference with the team of two faculty, one from the discipline and one from the Core. The synthesis process engages technical, visual, intellectual, emotional, and ethical components. By design, competency areas that are both College-wide and discipline-specific are assessed. At the senior level, this synthesis is assessed as “Expected,” which is defined as “integrating influences and approaches from multiple disciplines and perspectives into a coherent and consistent approach to a design problem.”
Students in the Game Art and Game Design programs take a sequence of two advanced courses required of all students in the Game Studio cohort (which also includes Game Programming and Game Production Management), CCC 410 Senior Capstone in the fall semester and EGD 420 Senior Production in the spring semester. Game design and art students must draw from all aspects of their education as they work as art directors or lead designers on small, multidisciplinary teams, rapidly prototyping game concepts and collaborating in the creation of games. All aspects of the art, design, technology, and target market must be clearly defined and validated through a rigorous, iterative process. Students research, collect references, and justify their artistic and design choices, and write reflectively about their process and work.
Filmmaking students also take a sequence of two senior-level courses, FLM 415 Filmmaking III in the fall semester and CCC 410 Senior Capstone in the spring semester, synthesizing the technical and critical components of their studies. Seniors are required to demonstrate technical proficiency in their filmmaking craft by completing an individual project, which can include a short narrative or documentary film, a screenplay, or a cinematography or editing reel, depending on a student’s area of interest. In the spring semester, students reflect on and justify their artistic and technical choices for the Capstone project. They must produce written reflections that demonstrate their ability to integrate theoretical concepts, knowledge of historical trends, and the practical application of industry tools and technologies to generate a unique filmmaking vision.
Creative Media students are required to produce an ambitious, integrative creative project in the CCC 410 Senior Capstone course, as well as a written document in which they describe their intentions, situate the work in relation to genre and historical art movements, and frame the work in terms of how it responds to or is a product of its historical/political/cultural context. The Capstone project must also demonstrate the student’s ability to integrate their Primary and Complementary Focus Areas. This process culminates with a public exhibition of the work in the Champlain College Art Gallery.
Teacher Preparation (Art/Design Education) Programs (refer to NASAD Handbook, Standards for Accreditation XII.) N/A
Graduate Programs (refer to NASAD Handbook, Standards for Accreditation XIV.) N/A
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Section II. B. Specific Curricula—Text Outline (refer to NASAD Handbook, Standards for Accreditation and Appendices regarding curricular programs)
1. Program Title and Description
Creative Media
The Creative Media BFA is a media art program that offers students an intensive experience in the production of expressive, aesthetic works in and across multiple media, and a strong foundational understanding of aesthetics, media literacy, and the role of artists in 21st- century society. The program’s mission is to develop well-rounded creative practitioners who are adept at combining and moving between various mediums, grounded in traditions of experimentation and innovation in fine arts and popular media, and able to manifest their values in their creative works and for various public contexts. The program attracts students who are creative thinkers and want to explore various mediums with the intention of working in the creative industries, pursuing careers in fine arts, and/or applying their creative abilities to addressing or responding to social issues.
2. Curricular Table
Number of Years to Complete the Program: Four years
Program Submitted for (check one below): Select One: ◻ Renewal of Plan Approval and Final Approval for Listing ◻ Renewal of Plan Approval ◻ Plan Approval ◻ Final Approval for Listing X Plan Approval and Final Approval for Listing
Current Semester’s Enrollment in Majors: 81
Name of Program Supervisor(s): Al Larsen
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Studio or Art/Design General Total Related Electives History Studies Number of Units Areas
A+B+C+D A = 62 B = 12 C = 40 D = 6 = 120 units
A+B+C+D A = 52% B = 10% C = 33% D = 5% = 100%
*Baccalaureate degrees with semester hour units should use 120 as the denominator. *Baccalaureate degrees with quarter hour units should use 180 as the denominator.
List course numbers, titles, and unit allotments under each applicable category.
Studio or Related Areas Required Studio: 19 units CRE 100 w/lab Making Art 3 units CRE 125 w/lab Integrated Studio Foundations 3 units CRE 225 w/lab Art and Social Engagement 3 units CRE 250 w/lab Portfolio I 3 units CRE 350 w/lab Portfolio II 3 units CCC 410 College Capstone 4 units
Total Primary and Complementary Focus Areas (see details below) 27 units Primary Focus Area: 15 units Complementary Focus Area: 12 units
Foundation Studio: 3 units Choose one: ART 110 Introduction to Drawing ART 115 Introduction to Photography BRD 110 Video Storytelling BRD 130 Audio Production CSI 140 Introduction to Programming CSI 160 Python Programming CSI 100 The Joy of Computing FLM 110 Introduction to Filmmaking FLM 128 Screenwriting I GAA 125 Drawing for Realism GMD 110 Introduction to Game Design GMD 230 Interactive Narrative I
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IXD 100 Introduction to Interaction Design SON 101 Sound Studio Production SON 120 Fundamentals of Digital Music VCD 115 The Digital Image VCD 100 Form and Color VCD 111 Visual and Digital Fundamentals WRT 120 Introduction to Creative Writing
Advanced Studio: 6 units Choose two: ART 330 Ceol Na Heireann: Cultural Immersion Through Irish Music ART 339 Painting Other Worlds ART 351 Public Art, Private Practices ART 380 Advanced Art History: Special Topics COM 405 Performance, Protest, and Terror GMD 350 Interactive Narrative II IXD 350 Interaction Design Production IXD 399 Sonic Circuits FLM 360 Documentary Filmmaking II FLM 383 Experimental Moving Image PSY 360 Media Psychology WRT 347 Transmedia Storytelling
Professional Practices: 4 units CRE 240 Professional Practices I 1 unit CRE 400 Professional Practices II 3 unit
Choose one: 3 units BUS 110 Business and the Entrepreneurial Mindset COM 110 Public Speaking SON 165 The Business of Music FLM 320 The Business of Film FLM 310 Production Management MKT 110 Introduction to Marketing MGT 270 Business of Entrepreneurship THE 140 Fundamentals of Acting WRT 231 Technical Writing WRT 310 Grant Writing WRT 346 Publishing in the 21st Century Total Studio or Related Areas 62 units = A
Art/Design History Required: 9 units CRE 180 Making Culture: Seminar in Art and Popular Culture 3 units
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CRE 310 Art and Global Perspectives 3 units COR 220 Aesthetic Expressions 3 units
Choose one course from below corresponding to a Primary Focus Area: 3 units Creative Writing Focus Area: ENG 335 Writing the City: Dublin ENG 361 Reviving Shakespeare or any 200- or 300-level ENG course An additional COR 330 may also be taken by permission.
Moving Image Focus Area: BRD 450 Media History: Cultural Impact of TV FLM 210 Film History I FLM 311 Film Theory
Visual Art and Design Focus Area: ART 120 Art History: Survey of Western and Non-Western Art
Game Media Focus Area: CRE 110 Critical History of Play
Sonic Arts Focus Area: SON 131 History of Musical Innovation Total Art/Design History 12 units = B
General Studies 40 units COR 110 Concepts of the Self 3 units COR 115 The Rhetoric of Self 3 units COR 120 Concepts of Community 3 units COR 125 The Rhetoric of Community 3 units COR 200 level* 3 units COR 200 level* 3 units COR 200 level* 3 units COR 310 The Global Condition 3 units COR 320 Human Rights and Responsibility 3 units COR 330 Local Contexts, Global Connections 3 units COR 330 Local Contexts, Global Connections 3 units Math 3 units Science w/lab 4 units
Total General Studies 40 units = C
*COR 200-level courses COR 210 Scientific Revolutions COR 220 Aesthetic Expressions
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COR 230 Ethics and the Environment COR 240 Bodies COR 250 The Secular and the Sacred COR 260 Democracies COR 280 Colonialism and Western Identity
Electives General Elective 6 units Total Electives 6 units = D
Primary and Complementary Focus Areas
Choose one Primary Focus Area 15 units Choose one Complementary Focus Area 12 units Total Primary and Complementary Focus Areas 27 units
Primary Focus Area: Creative Writing 15 units WRT 120 Introduction to Creative Writing 3 units
Choose one: 3 units WRT 220 Intermediate Creative Writing WRT 226 Intermediate Fiction WRT 237 Intermediate Creative Nonfiction WRT 221 Intermediate Poetry
Choose one: 3 units WRT 327 Seminar in Playwriting WRT 325 Advanced Fiction WRT 324 Advanced Poetry WRT 337 Advanced Creative Nonfiction
Choose two from the following or from Writing courses listed above: 6 units FLM 128 Screenwriting I FLM 328 Screenwriting II FLM 428 Screenwriting III WRT 200 Fundamentals of Journalism WRT 235 Writing Children’s Literature WRT 236 Writing About Food WRT 280 Reading and Writing in the Wilderness WRT 346 Publishing in the 21st Century WRT 347 Transmedia Storytelling WRT 350 Reading and Writing in Genre
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Primary Area: Moving Image 15 Units Choose one: 3 units BRD 110 Video Storytelling FLM 110 Introduction to Filmmaking
Choose four: (at least one at the 300 level or above): 12 credits BRD 230 Production of Social Media BRD 245 Video Field Production BRD 250 Show Producing I BRD 330 Advanced Audio Production and Sound Design BRD 345 Multi-Camera Production BRD 350 Show Producing II BRD 445 Client-Based Production BRD 450 Media History: Cultural Impact of TV FLM 125 Audio Production for Film FLM 225 Cinematography and Lighting FLM 230 Audio and Video Editing FLM 128 Screenwriting I FLM 328 Screenwriting II FLM 428 Screenwriting III FLM 210 Film History I FLM 211 Film History II FLM 250 Introduction to Stop Motion Animation FLM 260 Documentary Filmmaking FLM 285 Directing and Acting for the Screen FLM 310 Production Management FLM 311 Film Theory FLM 325 Advanced Cinematography FLM 330 OR Video Compositing and Special Effects VCD 280 Form in Motion FLM 320 The Business of Film FLM 430 Color Grading GAA 175 Introduction to Animation for Games GAA 275 3-D Animation I GAA 375 3-D Animation II VCD 280 3-D Motion VCD 307 Form in Motion II
Primary Area: Sonic Arts 15 units Choose one: 3 units BRD 130 Audio Production SON 101 Sound Studio Production SON 120 Fundamentals of Digital Music
Choose two: 6 units BRD 330 Advanced Audio Production and Sound Design
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IXD 399 Sonic Circuits SON 340 Film Scoring SON 350 Sound Design for Interactivity and Games SON 440 Advanced Projects in Sonic Arts
Choose two from the following or from Primary Area: Sonic Arts above: 6 units BRD 140 Radio Production I BRD 240 Radio Production II FLM 125 Audio Production for Film WRT 180 Introduction to Songwriting SON 165 The Business of Music SON 282 Synthesis and Sound Design
Primary Area: Visual Art and Design 15 units Choose one: 3 units ART 110 Introduction to Drawing ART 115 Introduction to Photography GAA 125 Drawing for Realism I GAA 105 Game Art Fundamentals GAA 135 Introduction to 3-D Modeling and Texturing
VCD 100 Form and Color VCD 111 Visual and Digital Fundamentals VCD 115 The Digital Image
Choose one: 3 units ART 215 Intermediate Photography ART 235 Introduction to Painting ART 250 Women and the Arts ART 282 Sequential Art COM 206 Photojournalism GAA 225 Drawing for Realism II GAA 205 2-D Game Art GAA 235 3-D Modeling GAA 245 Foundations of Concept Painting GAA 255 3-D Modeling II VCD 201 Introduction to Typography VCD 203 Form in Motion VCD 205 Publication Design I VCD 206 Web Design I VCD 270 Intermediate Typography VCD 280 3-D Motion
Choose one: 3 units ART 312 Printmaking ART 339 Painting Other Worlds
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ART 351 Public Art, Private Practices ART 380 Advanced Art History: Special Topics VCD 303 Illustration VCD 305 Publication Design II VCD 306 Web Design II VCD 307 Form in Motion II VCD 310 Graphic Print Production VCD 302 Graphic Design for Objects and Spaces
Choose four additional courses from Primary Area: Visual Art and Design: 12 units
Primary Focus Area: Game Media 15 units Required: GMD 110 Introduction to Game Design 3 units GMD 200 Game Technology I 3 units VCD 111 Visual and Digital Fundamentals 3 units
Choose one: 3 units IXD 100 Interaction Design I CSI 100 Joy of Computing CSI 140 Introduction to Programming CSI 160 Python Programming
Choose one: 3 units GMD 210 Principles of Game Design GMD 230 Interactive Narrative I GMD 240 Level Design GMD 320 Game Systems and Experience Design GMD 300 Game Technology II GMD 310 Applied Ludology GMD 340 Level Design II
Complementary Focus Area: Interaction Design 12 units IXD 100 Interaction Design I 3 units
Choose three: (at least one at the 300 level) 9 units CSI 140 Introduction to Programming CSI 160 Python Programming GMD 200 Game Technology I GMD 230 Interactive Narrative I GMD 350 Interactive Narrative II IXD 200 Aesthetic Interactions IXD 350 Interaction Design Production IXD 399 Sonic Circuits PSY 210 Cognitive Psychology VCD 206 Web Design I
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VCD 306 Web Design II
Complementary Area: Sonic Arts 12 units Choose one: 3 units BRD 130 Audio Production SON 101 Sound Studio Production SON 120 Fundamentals of Digital Music
Choose three from the following or from the above: 9 units BRD 140 Radio Production I BRD 240 Radio Production II BRD 330 Advanced Audio Production and Sound Design IXD 399 Sonic Circuits FLM 125 Audio Production for Film SON 131 History of Musical Innovation SON 165 The Business of Music SON 282 Synthesis and Sound Design SON 340 Film Scoring SON 350 Sound Design for Interactivity and Games
SON 440 Advanced Projects in Sonic Arts WRT 180 Introduction to Songwriting
Complementary Area: Creative Writing 12 units WRT 120 Introduction to Creative Writing 3 units
Choose one: 3 units WRT 226 Intermediate Fiction WRT 237 Intermediate Creative Nonfiction WRT 221 Intermediate Poetry
Choose two from below or from 200-level Writing courses listed above: 6 credits FLM 128 Screenwriting I FLM 328 Screenwriting II FLM 428 Screenwriting III WRT 200 Fundamentals of Journalism WRT 235 Writing Children’s Literature WRT 280 Reading and Writing in the Wilderness WRT 324 Advanced Poetry WRT 325 Advanced Fiction WRT 327 Seminar in Playwriting WRT 337 Advanced Creative Nonfiction WRT 347 Transmedia Storytelling WRT 350 Reading and Writing in Genre WRT 346 Publishing in the 21st Century
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Complementary Area: Moving Image 12 units Choose one: 3 units BRD 110 Video Storytelling FLM 110 Introduction to Filmmaking
Choose three: (at least one at the 200 level or above) 9 units BRD 230 Production of Social Media BRD 245 Video Field Production BRD 250 Show Producing I BRD 330 Advanced Audio Production and Sound Design BRD 350 Show Producing II BRD 345 Multi-Camera Production BRD 445 Client-Based Production BRD 450 Media History: Cultural Impact of TV FLM 125 Audio Production for Film FLM 128 Screenwriting I FLM 210 Film History I FLM 211 Film History II FLM 225 Cinematography and Lighting FLM 230 Audio and Video Editing FLM 250 Introduction to Stop Motion Animation FLM 260 Documentary Filmmaking FLM 285 Directing and Acting for the Screen FLM 310 Production Management FLM 320 The Business of Film FLM 325 Advanced Cinematography FLM 328 Screenwriting II FLM 311 Film Theory FLM 330 OR Video Compositing and Special Effects VCD 203 Form in Motion FLM 428 Screenwriting III FLM 430 Color Grading GAA 175 Introduction to Animation for Games GAA 275 3-D Animation I GAA 375 3-D Animation II VCD 280 3-D Motion VCD 307 Form in Motion II
Complementary Area: Visual Art and Design 12 units Choose one: 3 units ART 110 Introduction to Drawing ART 115 Introduction to Photography GAA 105 Game Art Fundamentals GAA 125 Drawing for Realism I GAA 135 Introduction to 3-D Modeling and Texturing
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VCD 100 Form and Color VCD 111 Visual and Digital Fundamentals VCD 115 The Digital Image
Choose one: ART 215 Intermediate Photography ART 235 Introduction to Painting ART 250 Women and the Arts ART 282 Sequential Art COM 206 Photojournalism GAA 205 2-D Game Art GAA 225 Drawing for Realism II GAA 235 3-D Modeling GAA 245 Foundations of Concept Painting GAA 255 3-D Modeling II VCD 201 Introduction to Typography VCD 203 Form in Motion VCD 205 Publication Design I VCD 206 Web Design I VCD 270 Intermediate Typography VCD 280 3-D Motion
Choose two from the following or the above: 6 units
ART 120 Survey of Western and Non-Western Art ART 312 Printmaking ART 339 Painting Other Worlds ART 351 Public Art, Private Practices ART 380 Advanced Art History (Special Topics) VCD 303 Illustration VCD 305 Publication Design II VCD 306 Web Design II VCD 307 Form in Motion II VCD 310 Graphic Print Production VCD 302 Graphic Design for Objects and Spaces
Complementary Area: Game Media 12 units GMD 110 Introduction to Game Design 3 units CRE 110 Critical History of Play 3 units
Choose one: 3 units CSI 100 Joy of Computing CSI 140 Introduction to Programming CSI 160 Python Programming IXD 100 Interaction Design I
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Choose one: 3 units GMD 200 Game Technology I GMD 230 Interactive Narrative I VCD 111 Visual and Digital Fundamentals Total Primary and Complementary Focus Areas 27 units
3. Assessment of Compliance with NASAD Standards for the Program
Applicants to the program must submit a written statement and a portfolio of creative work in at least two media to be reviewed by Creative Media faculty. The written statement and portfolio are assessed on the basis of technique, thematic development, process, personal voice, and alignment of the student’s interests with program outcomes.
Creative Media students must meet with their Faculty Advisor every semester to select courses for the following semester. While every student declares a primary and a complementary focus area, the curriculum is designed to allow students the freedom to explore different areas in the initial semesters. Advising meetings allow faculty to update a student’s degree plan, discuss upcoming opportunities, and establish a supportive mentoring relationship.
The program sequence described below and reflected in the curricular table provides a common scaffolded experience, ensuring that program learning outcomes are addressed in a pedagogically sound manner based on a progression of student experiences across the four years. Students gain specific technical skills, learn design principles, and practice conceptual skills through coursework in two focus areas of their choice, rather than through the program- specific requirements. Focus area courses are mostly offered through other Champlain College programs within the CCM Division. For example, students pursuing a specialization in Moving Image take filmmaking classes alongside Filmmaking students. Students pursuing a specialization in Game Media take game design courses alongside Game Design students.
The following outlines how the program’s nine learning outcomes are addressed within the curriculum. Creative Media Program Learning Outcomes (PLO) are listed on the program’s web page at: https://www.champlain.edu/academics/undergraduate-academics/majors-and- specializations/creative-media/learning-outcomes-creative-media.
The program supports progress in meeting the learning outcomes through an intentional, thematic scaffolding of student experiences throughout the four years: Year 1: the self and the cohort Year 2: connections and the local community Year 3: bridges and global awareness Year 4: trajectory and artistic practice after graduation
In the first year, the curriculum emphasizes skills development, the broadening of horizons, and creative exploration. Common required courses provide entering students with a strong sense of cohort community. In the fall semester, students take CRE 125 Integrated Studio
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Foundations. Students are led through a sequence of individual and group projects that introduce them to a variety of tools and procedures in multiple media and productive work habits and ask them to demonstrate a process of cross-media hybridity. For example, an introductory project might have students learn sculpture techniques as they design and build masks, which then become the basis for a writing project. This project then becomes the material for a video project, where students are introduced to cameras, light kits, and audio recording techniques. The PLOs of Proficiency and Hybridity are thus introduced in an integrated manner. Proficiency is addressed at a basic level across a range of materials and tools. The aim of this course is to encourage confidence and a sense of agency in relation to approaching different media, and the common experience of the entering cohort is emphasized. Later, students will have the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and skills in production areas of their choice by taking up to two medium-specific studio elective courses in the same semester. The PLO Expression is specifically not emphasized in this first course, but is introduced in the following semester, when students enroll in CRE 100 Making Art.
In the spring semester, CRE 100 Making Art builds on the CRE 125 Integrated Studio Foundations experience through an emphasis on artistic process and exploration of students’ personal voice. Project prompts are given that require a high degree of creative interpretation, and an iterative, exploratory approach to production is introduced. The relevant PLOs are Expression (through their own creative work) and Analysis (through critique and self- reflection).
Concurrent with CRE 100 in the spring, students take CRE 180 Making Culture: Seminar in Art and Popular Culture, an introduction to aesthetic practices with particular emphasis on cultural effects and social engagement. Taking a wide view of the arts as encompassing popular culture, online media practices, and social movements, the course considers the role of the artist in critical cultural discourse. The PLOs of Context and Engagement are emphasized, and Experimentalism is introduced as students explore experimental approaches to creating art within this course.
In the second year, the emphasis on personal expression expands to encompass making connections with the broader local community. In the fall semester, students take CRE 225 Art and Social Engagement, a course in which they work with a partner organization to conceptualize and execute creative works in response to community issues or concerns. Students apply models of socially engaged art practices studied in the previous semester in CRE 180 Making Culture. A structured process is introduced that emphasizes observation, listening, stakeholder perspective, and an iterative, collaborative process. The relevant PLOs for this course are Engagement and Process.
Community connections are also achieved in the spring semester through the lens of professionalism when students enroll in CRE 240 Professional Practices I, a course in which they begin to explore internships and other professional opportunities. The relevant PLO is Professionalization. Offered concurrently with this class is CRE 250 Creative Media Projects I, a course that provides space for students to strengthen their skills and develop their creative direction, whether in response to their personal artistic voice or to a community issue or concern. The relevant PLOs are Context, Proficiency, Expression, and Process.
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During the spring semester of their second year, concurrent with their enrollment in CRE 250 Creative Media Projects I, students meet with a panel of program faculty for a Mid-Program Review of their work. Prior to the review, students submit work samples and a statement of artistic and professional aspirations. During the review, faculty ask questions and provide feedback on the work, including suggestions on themes and techniques, and make recommendations on future courses to take and on production habits to further develop. The importance of integrative thinking in meeting the program’s competencies is addressed through a focus on art historical references and on how the students’ personal values as developing artists figure into their creative process and direction. Mid-Program Review is also a valuable opportunity for faculty to hear from students about their experiences in the program.
Alongside these program-specific courses, students take courses that fulfill requirements in their chosen specialization areas. Students are also required to take a history course within the discipline of their primary focus area, though not necessarily in their second year. During the second year, students also begin to plan for study-abroad opportunities during their junior year.
In the third year, Creative Media courses support the global focus of the Core curriculum through the required seminar CRE 310 Art and Global Perspectives, the multidisciplinary studio course CRE 350 Creative Media Projects II, and opportunities for study abroad. In the fall semester, CRE 310 Art and Global Perspectives focuses on how the flow of ideas, information, and people across borders impact aesthetic forms; how artists represent or negotiate cultural identity in a globalizing world; and how artists respond to issues (social, political, cultural, environmental) of global significance. Relevant PLOs are Context, Analysis, and Engagement. In the spring semester, students in Creative Media Projects II advance their creative work through production and critique while they consider the role of the artist in a variety of Western and non-Western cultures, as well as the artist’s responsibility to society.
In their senior year, students’ professional and artistic trajectory beyond graduation is emphasized in CRE 400 Professional Practices II, a course that addresses professional and exhibition opportunities. Self-branding, self-marketing, and professional presentation techniques are introduced and applied through activities such as creating a portfolio website, cover letter, LinkedIn profile (or other professional social media presence), résumé, business card, and a succinct “artist pitch.” Guest artists and creative professionals from the community provide experienced-based insights, demonstrating diverse avenues for success. Students are also tasked with organizing and promoting a small off-campus pop-up show of their work, which serves as an experiential exercise in self-reliance and participation in the cultural life of a community outside of the campus environment.
In the spring semester, CCC 410 Senior Capstone is the culminating integrative experience of the major, bringing together the liberal arts learning of Core courses with the professional skills and knowledge of the program courses. The course is co-taught by a program faculty member and a Core faculty member. Students produce a significant body of creative work for
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the end-of-year Capstone Show in the Champlain College Art Gallery, as well as an essay in which they contextualize their work in relation to art historical movements and significant artworks, and reflect on their learning and future professional directions. Students demonstrate technical skills and professional competence by documenting their Capstone work for public audiences in their online portfolio, thus connecting this culminating work with their potential future trajectories. Historically a five-credit course, the Senior Capstone was revised effective Fall 2019 to be a four-credit course attached to the one-credit CRE 240 Professional Practices course, which students take in the spring of their sophomore year. Professional practices content previously covered in the Senior Capstone is now addressed in CRE 240, in order better to prepare students for internships and other professional opportunities earlier in their college experience.
4. N/A
5. Results of the Program
In collaboration with faculty, the Program Director oversees the assessment of student progress on Program Learning Outcomes (PLO) in accordance with a multiyear assessment plan. The results of this assessment are reviewed by the faculty and guide changes and updates to the curriculum. The most recent PLO assessment was completed at the end of the 2017–2018 academic year and has informed a series of program modifications implemented this academic year. See Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio for the 2017–2018 Creative Media Assessment Report.
As a result of these yearly assessments, as well as a comprehensive program review conducted over the last academic year, the Creative Media PLOs were revised, the number of required focus areas was changed from three to two, and new courses were introduced. Among the issues identified through both processes and addressed in the revisions were: a lack of clarity in the naming of courses, challenges integrating one- and two-credit courses into the curricular flow, and weak outcomes in the areas of art history, technical proficiency, and ability to integrate multiple media.
The lack of clarity in the naming of some courses resulted in a false expectation of course outcomes. For example, the previously titled Creative Media Portfolio I and Creative Media Portfolio II suggested that students taking these courses would have, by the end of this sequence of courses, a finished portfolio of work such as might be shown to a potential employer. However, the focus of these courses in accordance with their learning outcomes was on the exploratory process of producing creative work. Students’ production of a public- facing portfolio of creative work is achieved in their senior year Professional Practices courses. To provide greater clarity, these courses were renamed Creative Media Projects I and Creative Media Projects II.
Outcomes assessments conducted in academic years 2016–2019 showed that more than half of seniors consistently placed at below the practitioner level for PLO 1, Context. Revisions made to address this weakness included: increasing the number of credits required in aesthetic history and analysis, demonstrating the importance and relevance of PLO 1 through
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program-specific courses that encompass a range of media and traditions, introducing this content earlier in the program, and expanding on this content in later courses. The credit requirement for art history, theory, and criticism was increased from nine credits to 12 credits, and two new Creative Media program-specific courses, CRE 180 Making Culture: Seminar in Art and Popular Culture and CRE 310 Art and Global Perspectives, were developed. CRE 310 Art and Global Perspectives was offered for the first time in Fall 2018 and CRE 180 Making Culture: Seminar in Art and Popular Culture will be offered for the first time in Spring 2021.
These two new three-credit courses replace the one-credit CRE 200 Salon I (focused on Western aesthetic traditions) and the two-credit CRE 300 Salon II (focused on non-Western aesthetic traditions), and also address the challenge of integrating one- and two-credit courses into the curriculum, particularly for students who transfer into program.
The new CRE 180 Making Culture: Seminar in Art and Popular Culture course will provide Creative Media students with a common grounding in art and media analysis in their first year, which they will apply and build on throughout their education. Key innovations and experimental approaches in aesthetic production are framed historically in relation to their contributions to sociopolitical discourses. By the end of this course, students will be able to identify ways in which artists and media producers have and continue to engage with social discourse at a local, national, and global scale. Students will encounter key theoretical, critical, ethical, and historical approaches to art and aesthetics, and they will practice analyzing the ways that meaning is generated through combinations of aesthetic and material choices, content, and the context in which works of art are produced and presented. The art and media projects students will produce must draw from their focus areas and include examples from fine art and popular media.
As discussed above, CRE 310 Art and Global Perspectives focuses on the study of aesthetics in a globally connected world. Relationships between Western and non-Western traditions are explored through a consideration of global flows of hybridization, appropriation, and recontextualization. The content draws from multiple media areas and is inclusive of fine art and popular media. In addition, these changes will help strengthen students’ competencies in the areas of art history and analysis.
Assessment of students’ technical proficiency across the three focus areas previously required in this major, and their ability to synthesize multiple media, revealed that students were not placing at the practitioner or advanced levels in their senior year. As a result of these consistent results, the number of required focus areas was changed from three to two, a primary and a complementary focus area. Additionally, more structure was introduced in the students’ first year with the addition of the required CRE 125 Integrated Studio Foundations course. This course specifically exposes students to methods of synthesizing multiple media. Students further practice the synthesis of media in CRE 225 Art and Community Engagement and have the opportunity to deepen this exploration of synthesis in the two Advanced Studio electives, and in CRE 250 Creative Media Projects I and CRE 350 Creative Media Projects II. The Foundation Studio elective requirement now allows students latitude to explore a medium before committing to it as a required focus area. The six credits of electives in
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Advanced Studio provide students with flexibility in deepening their studies in a focus area or widening their scope of study.
These changes afford the program the opportunity to build a distinctive experience for students, one that differentiates the Creative Media program from other art and design programs in the CCM Division and better supports the eight Program Learning Outcomes. Program faculty are in the process of developing a new Program Assessment Plan that will reflect the new courses and revised PLOs. The new assessment plan will include a more systematic and consistent Mid-Program Review to coincide with students’ enrollment in CRE 250 Creative Media Projects I, typically taken in the spring of their sophomore year. Mandatory academic advising meetings; small class sizes, generally capped at 16 for production courses; and the Mid-Program Review will continue to provide regular opportunities for faculty to assess students’ progress, provide feedback on their performance, and discuss alternative academic paths when appropriate.
6. Assessment of Strengths, Areas for Improvement, Challenges and Opportunities
Graduates of the Creative Media program are employed in a variety of positions and fields, and pursue fellowships and graduate studies. Recent positions include motion designer for MTV studios, administrative positions at Burlington City Arts and the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, data visualization fellowship for a historical museum, graduate studies in Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California (and recipient of the George Lucas Foundation Scholarship), and graduate studies in educational administration. Creative Media students in the 2018 cohort who were surveyed six months after graduation reported achieving a 93% career success rate, with 71% reporting employment in relevant fields. This data is based on an 88% knowledge rate. Career placement outcomes for 2018, 2017, and 2016 can be found in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
A distinguishing strength of the program is its focus on offering an integrated multimedia approach to learning the skills, contexts, and habits of mind that will benefit creative producers over the span of their careers, further strengthened by the program modifications described above. The program allows students latitude to determine what media, form, and genre they will work in, and what themes or topics they will address in their work. As a result, in their culminating Senior Capstone projects, students deploy a range of media and approaches, including digital animation, textiles and soft sculpture, physical computing and kinetic sculpture, game design, oral history, and digital illustration. Senior Capstone projects have addressed a wide range of themes and topics, such as personal mental health, body image, and stigma around mental health issues among people of color.
The ethos of the program is one of inclusion of differences, whether in relation to identity, cognitive diversity, or artistic/professional path. Many of the Senior Capstone projects of the last two graduating classes indicate success in this aim, with student work demonstrating a combination of experimentation, personal expression, and a considered response to social issues or situations. The program also offers a distinctive and unique niche by fostering the integration of personal purpose with artistic production practice. Examples of past projects included: Into Their Mind, a series of 52 playing cards that introduce an invented world of
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complex character relationships; and Enough, a series of watercolor paintings updating art nouveau approaches to explore feminine body types through the lenses of body positivity and empowerment.
Students’ path to the integrative Capstone course has been strengthened by the creation of new courses and the redesign of the program’s structure. This process led to the revisions reflected in the curricular table, including providing students with a common foundational skills course in the first year. Hybridity and experimentation, as well as making connections between conceptual and thematic development and artistic execution, were identified as essential and distinguishing features of the program that needed to be further strengthened. By embracing the rubric of purpose, the program also has the opportunity to bring together the common threads of artistic exploration, entrepreneurship, and social engagement, thus creating a major that is distinctive in the regional higher education landscape as well as within Champlain College’s offerings. This approach aligns the artistic orientation of the Creative Media program with the College’s commitment to cross-disciplinary integrative learning and a pragmatic education. It opens the opportunity to leverage existing institutional strengths and messaging. The new curriculum scaffolds the social engagement outcome by building it into specific courses and offers opportunities to further develop community partnerships that contribute to impactful experiential learning experiences. CRE 225 Art and Social Engagement will bring students into public venues with public partners, fostering high-impact practices such as community-based learning through collaborative public projects. The revisions also aim to build into the program’s structure more intentionality in how students learn and practice the creative process. This is achieved not only through the deliberate scaffolding of courses from year to year, but also through more self-directed application of an iterative process of exploration, execution, and revision, one in which students have multiple opportunities to create and revise work for public audiences. Students will further develop their ability to synthesize and integrate, and become more adept at contextualizing their work in relation to issues in aesthetics and politics, and in relation to art history across multiple media. Students have historically been able to demonstrate confidence and engagement in the applied work they do, but assessment of their Capstone papers revealed an ongoing struggle in their ability to provide coherent and thoughtful historical integration and social context.
The recruitment of first-year students who are well positioned to thrive has been a challenge the program has faced since its inception. Additionally, the program has historically been a popular destination for students in other programs within the CCM Division who find themselves unable to continue in their original major, for a variety of reasons. The transfer of students into the program in their second or third year has challenged the program’s ability to create a strong sense of cohort and program identity. The revisions of program outcomes, creation of new courses, and better communication about its goals in our marketing materials and at admissions events aim to respond to recruitment and program identity challenges. Both recruitment and retention will benefit from clearer communication about the program’s mission and goals to prospective students.
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Given the range of courses students can choose from to complete their primary and complementary focus areas, advising is critical to providing students with the appropriate level of guidance in navigating the many options available to them. Students and Advisors can benefit from access to advising materials that make requirements and curricular flow clearer, as well as from improving the Mid-Program Review process by clarifying the goals for the review and the effectiveness of the feedback students receive.
The Creative Media program was launched in 2012 with only one full-time faculty dedicated to the program. As a result of the steady growth in the number of students entering the program and the resulting heavy advising load facing the faculty, in 2015 a part-time Advisor position was introduced to provide relief in the advising workload. Over the last three years, the program has maintained a growth trajectory, reaching about 80 majors. A new full-time faculty line was added in 2018. The program is also supported by two full-time faculty who teach in other art and design programs; these faculty teach and advise Creative Media students and participate in the Mid-Program Review.
While the program is now well supported by its dedicated full-time and part-time faculty, an additional challenge the program faces due to its growth is the lack of a dedicated space for Creative Media students, particularly a physical space that allows students to work on large- scale projects. The absence of a dedicated space has also had some impact on the program’s ability to build as strong a sense of identity among its students as is desirable. Fortunately, the opening of the Champlain College Art Gallery and, more recently, the addition of the Stair Nook Gallery, which is dedicated to student-curated shows, has helped foster a stronger sense of program identify among students.
7. N/A
8. Plans for Addressing Weaknesses and Improving Results
To address the lack of studio space specific to Creative Media, in Spring 2019 the program piloted the use of a dedicated Creative Media studio comprised of two adjoining rooms located at the Lakeside Campus (Lakeside 105 A and 105 B). The new space has been used for class meetings and studio time. Students also have 24-hour card swipe access and the option of claiming a cupboard for storing projects or personal supplies. To further encourage use outside of class time, student monitors are assigned during designated hours to provide support.
While Lakeside 105 is not on the Main Campus, it is accessible by a campus shuttle that runs continually into the evening. Lakeside’s remoteness from campus can, at times, pose a challenge to quick access during the day, as students have a limited amount of time between classes. It is a space with a lot of potential and advantageously close to Generator which offers a robust community of artists and makers.
Lakeside 105 will continue to be used as a teaching and studio space through Spring 2020, while plans are underway to coordinate with the Visual Communication Design program to establish shared spaces on the Main Campus. As a first step, starting in Spring 2020, we will
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expand the use of the Metz Studio Barn. This space is accessible to students 24 hours a day by card swipe, and presently features two computer labs and a conference room. Ways to reorganize this space are being explored in order to create more flexibility of use and to accommodate a mix of computer work, hands-on manual work, and critique sessions.
For additional information about Generator, see Section I. J. Community Involvement. For a description of the Lakeside Campus facilities, see Section I. F. Facilities, Equipment, Health, and Safety.
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1. Program Title and Description
Filmmaking
The BFA in Filmmaking offers students an intensive experience in film production coupled with a strong foundational understanding of media industries, aesthetics, theory, analysis, and criticism. The program’s mission is to develop well-rounded filmmakers versed in all aspects of film production and theoretical inquiry grounded in the intersection of culture, technology, and industry. Through conceptual engagement, artistic experimentation, and the development of technical skills, students are guided to explore their personal voice and unique style in the production of narrative, documentary, corporate, and experimental work.
2. Curricular Table
Number of Years to Complete the Program: four years
Program Submitted for (check one below): Select One: ◻ Renewal of Plan Approval and Final Approval for Listing ◻ Renewal of Plan Approval ◻ Plan Approval ◻ Final Approval for Listing X Plan Approval and Final Approval for Listing
Current Semester Enrollment in Majors: 90
Name of Program Supervisor(s): Van Dora Williams
Studio or Art/Design General Total Related History Electives Studies Number of Units Areas
A+B+C+D A = 56 B = 15 C = 40 D = 9 = 120 units
A+B+C+D A = 46% B = 13% C = 33% D = 8% = 100%
*Baccalaureate degrees with semester hour units should use 120 as the denominator. *Baccalaureate degrees with quarter hour units should use 180 as the denominator.
List course numbers, titles, and unit allotments under each applicable category
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Studio or Related Areas Required: FLM 110 w/lab Introduction to Filmmaking 3 units FLM 125 Audio Production for Film 3 units FLM 128 Screenwriting I 3 units FLM 225 w/lab Cinematography and Lighting 3 units FLM 230 w/lab Audio/Video Editing 3 units FLM 215 Filmmaking I 3 units FLM 260 Documentary Filmmaking 3 units FLM 285 Directing and Acting for the Screen 3 units FLM 315 Filmmaking II 3 units FLM 415 Filmmaking III 3 units FLM 310 OR Production Management 3 units FLM 320 Business of Film FLM 330 Video and Compositing Effects 3 units CCC 310 Integrative Film Practices 1 units CCC 410 College Capstone 4 units
Studio or Related Areas Electives: Production: Choose two 6 units
FLM 250 Introduction to Stop Motion Animation FLM 325 Advanced Cinematography FLM 328 Screenwriting II FLM 360 Documentary Filmmaking II FLM 383 Experimental Moving Image FLM 389 Urban Indie Filmmaking FLM 428 Screenwriting III FLM 430 Color Grading BRD 130 Audio Production BRD 330 Advanced Audio and Sound Design BRD 345 Multi-Camera Production SON 282 Sound and Synthesis Design SON 340 Film Scoring
Film/Media Studies: Choose two 6 units FLM 301* Topics in Cinema FLM 311 Film Theory COM 406 Race, Culture, and Communication COM 405 Performance, Protest, and Terror COM 310 Persuasion COM 315 Contemporary Media Issues COM 365 Legal Issues in Communication
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ART 120 Art History: A Survey of Western and Non-Western Art ART 250 Women and The Arts ART 351 Public Art, Private Practices *May be taken twice under a different topic. Total Studio or Related Areas 56 units = A
Art/Design History COR 220** Aesthetic Expressions 3 units FLM 100 *** Film Studies: Screening 3 units FLM 210 Film History I 3 units FLM 211 Film History II 3 units FLM 301* Topics in Cinema 3 units **May be taken twice under a different topic. ***This is a one-credit course students are required to take three times. Total Art/Design History 15 units = B
General Studies COR 110 Concepts of the Self 3 units COR 115 Rhetoric of Self 3 units COR 120 Concepts of Community 3 units COR 125 Rhetoric of Community 3 units COR 200 level** 3 units COR 200 level** 3 units COR 200 level** 3 units COR 310 The Global Condition 3 units COR 320 Human Rights and Responsibility 3 units COR 330 Local Contexts, Global Perspectives 3 units COR 330 Local Contexts, Global Perspectives 3 units Math 3 units Science w/lab 4 units Total General Studies 40 units = C
** COR 200-level courses COR 210 Scientific Revolutions COR 230 Ethics and the Environment COR 240 Bodies COR 250 The Secular and the Sacred COR 260 Democracies COR 270 Heroines and Heroes COR 280 Colonialism and Western Identity
Electives CCM Elective 3 units General Elective 6 units Total Electives 9 units = D
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3. Assessment of Compliance with NASAD Standards for the Program
Prospective students applying to the Filmmaking program must submit a portfolio that is reviewed by the Filmmaking faculty. The portfolio requirement consists of a short narrative or documentary film, a short screenplay, or five photographs or drawings that demonstrate visual acuity. The admission portfolio must demonstrate the prospective student’s ability to tell a story visually and in writing. Applicants must have a basic level of understanding of visual composition (photos/drawings) that includes lighting and shot composition or of visual storytelling (film) that reflects a coherent narrative. Applicants submitting a short screenplay must show a foundational understanding of story structure and character development. In addition, all applicants must submit a narrative addressing how they approach the creative process.
The following outlines how the program’s 10 learning outcomes are addressed within the curriculum. Filmmaking Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) are listed on the program’s web page at: https://www.champlain.edu/academics/undergraduate-academics/majors-and- specializations/filmmaking/learning-outcomes-filmmaking.
The Filmmaking curriculum is structured as a progression leading from foundational knowledge to mastery of skills and integration. The first component of the curriculum provides students with foundational skills and competence in the basic concepts, tools, techniques, and procedures related to all areas of the filmmaking process. In their first semester, students are introduced to and gain functional competence in cinematography, screenwriting, sound design, editing, producing, and directing in FLM 110 Introduction to Filmmaking. In their second semester, students take FLM 125 Audio Production for Film, FLM 128 Screenwriting I, FLM 225 Cinematography and Lighting, and FLM 100 Film Studies: Screenings. These five courses provide students with a grounding in film aesthetics, film language, story structure, process, and production technique.
The second component of students’ progression through the degree focuses on the acquisition of historical and critical knowledge of the aesthetic values and forms of filmmaking. Students also gain familiarity with technological advances in the film industry and film’s role and impact as a cultural institution, including how it communicates and constructs identities. Students are required to take two film history courses, FLM 210 Film History I and FLM 211 Film History II, and FLM 100 Film Studies: Screening three times. These courses address the historical and theoretical foundations of film, the relationship between film and other art forms, and the ethical implications of filmmaking choices. Students also gain competence in the conceptualization, production, and critique of their films through production projects and in-class critiques in FLM 215 Filmmaking I and in FLM 260 Documentary Filmmaking. At this point, students also may choose to focus on one of six areas: motion graphics, sonic arts, producing, directing, cinematography, or screenwriting.
The junior year is dedicated to students refining their production procedures and deepening their learning through advanced courses in cinematography, sound, producing, writing, and
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editing, depending on their area of interest. This refining process occurs in FLM 315 Filmmaking II, where they create an eight-minute short film. Students may also choose one of the five optional specializations noted above, which are designed to deepen their learning in an area of their choice. In addition to production courses, students take courses designed to refine their theoretical and analytical skills. In FLM 301 Topics in Cinema, students analyze various film genres, film movements, and the work of particular filmmakers; in FLM 311 Film Theory, students examine films through various theoretical frameworks. Integration and synthesis is woven throughout the third-year courses as a necessary step in preparation for the senior year. In the spring semester, juniors are required to take CCC 310 Integrative Film Practices, where they apply integrative thinking to filmmaking in general and create a preliminary proposal for their senior film that demonstrates their ability to synthesize and integrate their learning. During their junior year, students also have the opportunity to study abroad and extend their learning to different cultural filmmaking experiences.
As students enter their senior year, the focus is squarely placed on integration and synthesis, culminating with the Senior Capstone course. In the final year, students produce professional-level portfolio work and engage in a yearlong process of integrating the tools, techniques, and procedures learned with the historical and theoretical concepts acquired through both discipline-specific courses and courses in the Core general education curriculum. This process begins in FLM 415 Filmmaking III, where students demonstrate marked progression in screenwriting, cinematography, producing, directing, and sound design by beginning principal photography on their Senior Capstone project. In the spring semester, CCC 410 Capstone encourages students to develop their unique style and filmmaker’s voice as they continue to create their culminating project, which includes a film, artistic statement, distribution plan, and a professional career plan. They are required to produce work that meets the standards of an entry-level professional filmmaking position. Several Capstone films have been accepted into local, regional, and national film festivals, where they have earned recognition and awards by prestigious organizations, such as the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
4. N/A
5. Results of the Program
Assessment of requisite competencies and student achievement is conducted yearly and documented in a program assessment report. A four-year assessment plan outlines which learning outcomes are assessed each year. All program learning outcomes are assessed at least once every four years. Full-time faculty review the results and discuss ways to address areas of need. The 2018–2019 Filmmaking Assessment Report is included in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
In 2017–2018 the program assessment plan was revised to introduce a trilateral approach to assessing the program’s 10 learning outcomes. This approach includes a course level assessment, an external review, and a Sophomore Review. Currently, the course level assessment and external reviews (film festivals, national competitions, media partners) have
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been implemented. The Sophomore Review is being developed by the faculty for implementation in the 2019–2020 academic year.
The program’s learning outcomes are assessed through internal and external means. Four courses within the program are identified for assessment of how well they help students work toward and meet the program’s learning outcomes (noted above). Common rubrics measure the progression of student achievement in each learning outcome. The results are evaluated by the Filmmaking faculty and appropriate curriculum revisions and other adjustments are made in response to the results. The measure of success is based on students achieving a 70% rating in first-year courses assessed, a 74% rating in second-year courses, and an 80% rating in third- and fourth-year courses. Film festivals and competitions, along with critiques by industry professionals, make up the external component of the review of student work. Students are consistently selected for and earn recognition at regional film festivals and student competitions. For the past three years, filmmaking students have earned local, regional, and national awards for their films.
Examples include: ● First Place, Long Form Narrative Film, National Academy of Arts and Sciences New England Chapter, Student Production Awards (2017, 2018, 2019) ● Freedom and Unity Film Festival (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019) ● Made Here, a Vermont PBS series broadcasted statewide (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
In 2016 the Filmmaking program established a partnership with Vermont PBS to showcase student films in their Made Here series. This partnership has deepened to include a review by station producers of films by sophomore, junior, and senior students, providing feedback on technical merit, production quality, sound quality, and narrative structure. This feedback is considered in the annual assessment report and is reviewed by program faculty.
In 2014 an external review panel examined the work of the 2014 cohort and pointed out two major areas of concern that have also been identified in the outcomes assessment conducted by the faculty: sound design and story structure. In response, two new courses were introduced to address weaknesses in these areas, FLM 125 Audio Production for Film and FLM 428 Screenwriting III.
In 2011 when the Filmmaking program was changed from a Bachelor of Science to a Bachelor of Fine Arts, lab components were introduced to two foundational courses, FLM 225 Cinematography and Lighting and FLM 230 Audio/Video Editing. In 2017 in response to assessment results and student input, other program revisions were implemented, including the addition of a lab component to FLM 110 Introduction to Filmmaking. Additional labs are projected to be added in an incremental way as the College continues to respond to the need for additional classrooms and lab spaces. The goal for the next three years is to introduce lab components to FLM 125 Audio Production for Film and FLM 215 Filmmaking I.
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6. Assessment of Strengths, Areas for Improvement, Challenges and Opportunities
Among the strengths of the Filmmaking program is its professionally focused faculty, who reflect the career-focused mission of the College. Filmmaking faculty are practicing professionals who remain current in industry practices and technology, and bring this expertise and knowledge into the classroom, updating and creating new curriculum to reflect the trends in the field.
Career placement surveys consistently show that a high percentage of Filmmaking graduates are employed. Filmmaking students in the 2018 cohort surveyed six months after graduation reported achieving a 100% career success rate, with 91% employed, 9% continuing their education, and 62% reporting employment in fields relevant to their career goals. This data is based on an 89% knowledge rate. Over the last three years, graduates held positions in educational institutions teaching film/TV production, at television stations, and at production houses as video editors, motion graphics artists, cinematographers, and commercial producers. Two 2018 graduates of the program are pursuing graduate studies in filmmaking at the University of Southern California. Career placement outcomes for 2016, 2017, and 2018 can be found in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
Champlain College’s Rental House Coordinator works closely with the faculty to assess the equipment needs of the program. The Coordinator attends national industry conventions to stay abreast of trends and changes in technology. As noted in Section I. F. Facilities, Equipment, Health, and Safety, the Coordinator and faculty work closely together to identify needs and to make recommendations regarding new equipment purchases.
Our professionally focused faculty, strong curricular offerings, student career outcomes, and attention to technological currency have resulted in a program with a consistently strong enrollment trend, which ranges from 20–30 incoming first-year students. The small class sizes, generally no larger than 16 students, ensure that the quality of instruction and access to faculty remain strong and consistent.
Student collaboration among cohorts is another strength of the program. Every year, seniors recruit first- and second-year students to work on their Senior Capstone projects. This practice, under the supervision of faculty, has been successful in supporting retention of students in the program. Seniors are required to “pitch” their Capstone projects to first-years and sophomore students, and to recruit production crew from this student pool. This practice meets two of the goals of the program: to provide opportunities for students to work collaboratively with each other across learning levels and to maintain a sense of community among the students through a mentorship model. The personal and professional connections created by this model of collaboration last long after graduation. The alumni network is quite strong and a key factor in many of our graduates gaining their first positions in the industry. The screening of student work for the campus community has also proven to be an asset by fostering a strong sense of community within the program, among other majors across campus, and with alumni of the program. For example, in 2019 a small group of alumni helped fund the booking of a local theater for the screening of the Capstone films to parents and friends during graduation week. The opportunity to freelance within the Burlington area
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is another key strength of the program. Our students have a great reputation among the local media community and are often sought after for freelance work.
While students are earning regional and national awards for the quality of the editing, writing, and cinematography in the works produced, sound design is an identified area for improvement. Since the program’s inception, this has been an ongoing weakness in the work produced by students. The creation of the Sound Studio when the Center for Communication and Creative Media was built has helped bring a greater focus to the importance of sound in film. Until 2018, when FLM 125 Audio Production for Film was created, there were no audio courses specifically for film. This new course is now required for all Filmmaking students. To further address the quality of audio in student films, the College recently purchased new microphones and mixers that meet industry standards. The faculty expect to see marked improvements in the quality of sound in student films and will continue to assess and monitor needs in this area.
A challenge the Filmmaking program faces is in the recruitment and retention of female students and students of color, not an unusual challenge for a traditionally male- and white- dominated industry. A focus on recruiting minorities to the program is ongoing and, as a result, we have seen an increase in enrollment of female students. In 2017 23% of students enrolled identified as female, and in 2018 that number rose to 37%. The recruitment of students of color remains a challenge for a College located in Vermont. Efforts to recruit diverse students from regions beyond the Northeast are ongoing. For example, efforts to recruit more minorities to the Montreal Filmmaking Summer Program were successful over the past two years. The faculty continue to collaborate with the Admissions team and the Office of International Education on this effort.
As the program stabilizes at a healthy incoming class of about 30 students, as retention continues to improve, and as new courses and labs are introduced, classroom and lab space may become a challenge. The program also faces challenges in regard to expanding film production spaces. The Filmmaking and Media Production Stage, while ample and well equipped, is shared by students across programs. Since courses are held in this space, open hours, during which students can build sets or use the space to work on projects, can be limited. The College’s partnership with Generator provides an avenue to alleviate this need, as Generator has a large, open multiuse space that allows for the building of sets, for example.
As a technology-intensive degree in an industry where technology is continuously changing and improving, the Filmmaking program faces the challenge of remaining current in its production equipment. While students can begin their studies using DSLR cameras, as they advance to higher levels of proficiency, they benefit from experience using more sophisticated and advanced cinema cameras. This past year, the College purchased one high- end cinema camera. Over the next two to four years, additional cinema cameras should be added to the equipment inventory. Additionally, the inventory includes cameras that are 10 years old and will need to be replaced. Special attention will continue to be given to updating and acquiring industry-standard cameras, audio equipment, and lighting gear so that students remain competitive as they graduate and enter the professional world.
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Developments in technology have made it possible for the filmmaking process to be integrated into the game industry to create interactive films based on a game technology infrastructure. Given the strengths of our game and filmmaking curriculum, an area of opportunity and synergy lies in the creation of a robust offering of courses in virtual/augmented reality and interactive narrative. These developments are underway with the recently approved Interactive Narrative minor and the creation of an introductory course focusing on virtual and augmented reality, being offered in Spring 2020, and a second course under development for Spring 2021.
7. N/A
8. Plans for Addressing Weaknesses and Improving Results
The Filmmaking program has taken several steps to address weaknesses in the curriculum. In 2017–2018 all courses were reviewed and updated to reflect current industry practices, and four new courses were introduced. As noted earlier, the creation of FLM 125 Audio Production for Film addressed the need for an entry-level sound course specifically for filmmaking. FLM 428 Screenwriting III, FLM 360 Documentary Filmmaking II, FLM 430 Color Grading and Correction, and FLM 310 Production Management have expanded opportunities for students to gain advanced training in areas that reflect their interests and also support the recently created optional specializations in Motion Graphics, Cinematography, Screenwriting, Directing, and Producing.
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1. Program Title and Description
Game Art
The BS in Game Art is a visual arts program focused on the creation of 2-D and 3-D art and animation for real-time, interactive game media. Through project-based coursework, students hone the artistic, technical, and collaborative skills needed to develop the professional portfolio required to pursue careers as production artists in a team-based studio environment. The program offers students a blend of liberal arts studies, fundamental art and design principles, active practice in 2-D and 3-D art and animation for games, and collaborative game production. In the third and fourth years, students create professional-quality portfolio work in their area of interest. Areas of interest include game environments, 3-D prop modeling and texturing, 3-D character modeling and texturing, technical art, 3-D animation for games, 2-D game art, 2-D animation for games, concept art, game user interface design, and game visual effects.
2. Curricular Table
Number of Years to Complete the Program: four years
Program Submitted for (check one below): Select One: ◻ Renewal of Plan Approval and Final Approval for Listing ◻ Renewal of Plan Approval ◻ Plan Approval ◻ Final Approval for Listing X Plan Approval and Final Approval for Listing
Current Semester’s Enrollment in Majors: 140
Name of Program Supervisor(s): JoAnn Patel
Studio or Art/Design General Total Related Electives History Studies Number of Units Areas
A+B+C+D A = 65 B = 12 C = 37 D = 6 = 120 units
A+B+C+D A = 54% B = 10% C = 31% D = 5% = 100%
*Baccalaureate degrees with semester hour units should use 120 as the denominator. *Baccalaureate degrees with quarter hour units should use 180 as the denominator.
List course numbers, titles, and unit allotments under each applicable category.
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Studio or Related Areas GAA 105 Game Art Fundamentals 3 units GAA 125 Drawing for Realism I 3 units GAA 205 2-D Game Art 3 units GAA 225 Drawing for Realism II 3 units GAA 235 3-D Modeling I 3 units GAA 245 Foundations of Concept Painting 3 units EGD 101 Introduction to Game Development 3 units EGD 220 Game Production I 3 units EGD 320 Game Production II 3 units CCC 410 College Capstone 5 units EGD 420 Senior Production 5 units
Choose one: 3 units GAA 255 3-D Modeling II* GAA 275 3-D Animation I* IXD 200 Aesthetic Interactions*
Related Areas Required: GAA 135 Intro. to 3-D Modeling & Texturing 3 units GAA 175 Introduction to Animation for Games 3 units GAA 415 Senior Portfolio: Art and Animation 3 units EGD 240 Creative Portfolio Tools 1 unit
Related Areas Electives: Choose five: 15 units GAA 255 3-D Modeling II* GAA 275 3-D Animation I* GAA 345 3-D Character Development GAA 350 Procedural Material Development GAA 355 Game Environments GAA 365 Technical Art GAA 375 3-D Animation II GAA 380 Advanced Seminar: Art and Animation VCD 203 Form in Motion VCD 307 Form in Motion II IXD 200 Aesthetic Interactions* ART 282 Sequential Art ART 339 Painting Other Worlds CSI 140 Introduction to Programming CSI 160 Python Programming CSI 240 Advanced Programming COM 230 Small Group Communication *May be taken to fulfill Related Areas Electives, if not taken to fulfill Studio requirements. Total Studio or Related Areas 65 units = A
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Art/Design History COR 220 Aesthetic Expressions 3 units COR 270 Heroines and Heroes 3 units EGD 102 Game History 3 units ART 120 Art History: Survey of Western and Non-Western Art 3 units Total Art/Design History 12 units = B
General Studies COR 110 Concepts of the Self 3 units COR 115 The Rhetoric of Self 3 units COR 120 Concepts of Community 3 units COR 125 The Rhetoric of Community 3 units COR 200 level** 3 units COR 200 level** 3 units COR 310 The Global Condition 3 units COR 320 Human Rights and Responsibility 3 units COR 330 Local Contexts, Global Connections 3 units COR 330 Local Contexts, Global Connections 3 units Math 3 units Science w/lab 4 units Total General Studies 37 units = C
**COR 200-level courses COR 210 Scientific Revolutions COR 230 Ethics and the Environment COR 240 Bodies COR 250 The Secular and the Sacred COR 260 Democracies COR 280 Colonialism and Western Identity
Electives General Elective 6 units Total Electives 6 units = D
3. Assessment of Compliance with NASAD Standards for the Program
Prospective students applying to the Game Art program must submit a portfolio to be reviewed by Game Art faculty. The portfolio is assessed on skill, visual aesthetics, artistic practice and study, subject matter, and art appreciation. The portfolio requirements have been refined over the past eight years, since they were first established. The current requirements, adopted three years ago, have proven to be a good indicator for success in the major by assessing students’ observational skills and aesthetic ability. The three required portfolio pieces include a still life, use of perspective, and a portrait created using traditional media. Additional work submitted can demonstrate any combination of traditional and/or digital art
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skills. Students applying to the program are not required to have previous digital art experience.
The Game Art program combines the artistic and technical skills learned, practiced, and mastered through four years of studio courses in game art, collaborative production courses, and the liberal arts component contributed by the Core general education curriculum. The structure of the program ensures students graduate with a professional-quality portfolio as well as the collaborative and critical thinking skills needed to thrive as production artists.
Students must demonstrate the ability to create professional-quality work in at least one of the following areas of Game Art: 3-D modeling and texturing of props, 3-D modeling and texturing of game environments, 3-D modeling and texturing of characters, 3-D animation for games, technical art, game visual effects, game user interface design, and 2-D game art. In addition, students must demonstrate the ability to collaborate in a team-based studio environment while making games with a team of artists, designers, programmers, and producers. In the game production courses, Game Art students provide input on the art direction and create the visual assets for games.
The following outlines how the program’s eight learning outcomes are addressed within the curriculum. Game Art Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) are listed on the program’s web page at: https://www.champlain.edu/academics/undergraduate-academics/majors-and- specializations/game-art/learning-outcomes-game-art.
First-year Game Art courses offer foundational skills in traditional drawing, principles of design, color theory, composition, 2-D digital art, 3-D modeling and texturing, and 3-D animation. All Game Art students must earn a C or better in certain courses in order to advance to the next level course. For example, students must earn a C or better in GAA 135 Introduction to 3-D Modeling & Texturing in order to take GAA 235 3-D Modeling, a required course in the sequence. A grade of C or better in GAA 175 Introduction to Animation for Games is required in order to take GAA 275 3-D Animation I, an elective course.
Other courses that require a C or better to progress to the next course include GAA 235 3-D Modeling, GAA 255 3-D Modeling II, GAA 275 3-D Animation I, EGD 220 Game Production I, EGD 320 Game Production II, and CCC 410 Game Development Capstone. The C requirement in these courses ensures students have demonstrated the artistic, technical, and/or collaborative skills needed to succeed in the next course in the sequence. Students who don’t earn a C or better in one of these courses must retake the course and earn a C or better before moving on to the next course. Students have been more successful in upper- level courses since the implementation of the C or better requirement.
Second-year Game Art courses build on the foundation principles learned in the first year by introducing new tools, technologies, and more advanced techniques, such as how to import 2- D and 3-D art into game engines. In GAA 225 Drawing for Realism II, students learn to apply perspective drawing techniques in digital media. In GAA 245 Foundations of Concept
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Painting, they fine-tune skills in character and object digital painting. In GAA 205 2-D Game Art, students learn how to create 2-D art and animation for games and import the assets they create into a game engine. GAA 235 3-D Modeling builds on the modeling and texturing skills learned in GAA 135 Introduction to 3-D Modeling and Texturing, and introduces students to more advanced techniques. GAA 275 3-D Animation I builds on the animation principles learned in GAA 175 Introduction to Animation for Games by exposing students to advanced animation techniques.
In the second year, students also start to think about what area of game art they want to focus on for their portfolio development, choosing from GAA 255 3-D Modeling II, GAA 275 3-D Animation I, and IXD 200 Aesthetic Interactions. This choice doesn’t mean they are ruling out continued study in other areas of game art, but it is the starting point for portfolio focus. Those students interested in 3-D Modeling take GAA 255 3-D Modeling II. Those interested in animation take GAA 275 3-D Animation I, and those interested in user interface design take IXD 200 Aesthetic Interactions. Those interested in technical art or game visual effects will usually take GAA 275 in this semester.
In the third and fourth years, students deepen their knowledge and skills in their chosen area of focus and select their Game Art electives based on that focus. Students interested in working in small independent studios, like Game Theory or Sundae Month (both founded by Champlain College alumni), will develop a generalist portfolio that demonstrates their abilities in multiple aspects of game art creation. Those interested in working at large studios, like Insomniac, Raven, Vicarious Visions, and Ubisoft, will focus their portfolio on a specific area of game art. The upper-level courses are designed to support portfolio development, and it is expected that work created in 300-level courses will be of portfolio quality in order for students to earn a C or higher in the course. These courses include GAA 345 3-D Character Development, GAA 350 Procedural Material Development, GAA 355 Game Environments, GAA 365 Technical Art, GAA 375 3-D Animation II, and GAA 380 Advanced Seminar: Art and Animation.
As part of their advanced elective courses, students can take GAA 380 Advanced Seminar up to three times for credit as topics vary. The fall section of GAA 380 Advanced Seminar offered at our Montreal Academic Center focuses on Game Environments, and the spring section focuses on Game Visual Effects. Other sections of GAA 380 Advanced Seminar have no specified focus and thus allow students to develop projects tailored to their area of interest, work independently, and receive weekly critique from the instructor and their peers. In Fall 2017 we began teaching GAA 380 in two formats, on campus and online. The online format has allowed us to engage current industry professionals across the country and in Montreal to teach the course. This has been a successful way for juniors and seniors to have their work in progress critiqued by an industry professional on a weekly basis.
In the spring semester of the fourth year, students take GAA 415 Senior Portfolio, a course in which they create a web portfolio and demo reel that features their professional-quality work, as well as a business card, résumé, and cover letter. The demo reels are exhibited during the Game Studio Senior Show, and the website URLs are published in the Game Studio Senior
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Book, which is sent to recruiters before the show. See Section II. C. Programmatic Areas: Exhibition (page 172) for a description of the Game Studio Senior Show.
Game Studio Production Course Sequence: All students enrolled in one of the four game majors that comprise the Champlain College Game Studio are required to take a four-year sequence of Game Production courses, during which they work alongside their peers in Game Art, Game Design, Game Programming, and Game Production Management. Through a team-based approach, students create games from concept to playable build, and in some cases publication. The following is applicable to students in the Game Art and Game Design majors.
The first production course in the sequence is EGD 101 Introduction to Game Development. Students learn the fundamentals of group collaboration, interpersonal and small group communication, role distribution, and collaborative tools and processes to create a series of rapid game prototypes.
In the spring semester of their second year, students take EGD 220 Game Production I, a course that emphasizes small group (three to four students) game development in a 2-D game environment and builds on the collaboration and communication skills learned in the first year. Students further explore their degree-specific roles and responsibilities on the team and practice conceptualizing, prototyping, and pitching game concepts.
In the spring semester of the third year, students take a significant step toward learning to function as part of a professional studio environment. In EGD 320 Game Production II, students learn to work in more complex and larger teams (eight to 12 students) and experience the entire game development process, from conceptualization to iterative prototyping, pitching, development, and preparation for publishing. The curriculum covers advanced topics in group communication and dynamics, the agile approach to the game production process (including Scrum management techniques), developing for an audience, documentation, intellectual property, and publishing. This course is designed to mimic the development process used in the game industry and to prepare students for their Senior Capstone experience.
The fourth year of the game development sequence encompasses two courses that, together, culminate in the creation of the Senior Games. In the fall semester, students take CCC 410 Senior Capstone, in which the small multidisciplinary teams must demonstrate their ability to collaborate independently and effectively through the initial conceptual stage of creating a game. All aspects of art, design, technology, and marketing must be clearly defined and validated through a rigorous, interrogative iterative process. Teams are expected to manage themselves throughout their development process and demonstrate a professional level of collaboration, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Each team then presents their projects to the entire senior game cohort and to a jury of faculty who select a small number of game prototypes to be developed into full games in EGD 420 Senior Production in the spring semester.
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EGD 420 Senior Production simulates the final development stages of production, during which each team creates a complete game for presentation, and in some cases for publication. Teams recruit new members to fill their development needs, simulating a large team environment (12 to 16 students). Faculty serve as executive producers, and students are expected to manage the full production cycle independently to create a polished, publishable game. These larger teams include leadership roles for each discipline: lead artist, lead programmer, lead designer, and lead producer. The team leaders are expected to manage two to four students under their direction, ensure that all work is completed and of a quality acceptable by the team, and guide and implement the overall vision for the project. The games produced in Senior Production constitute the culmination of the students’ academic trajectory and are presented at the Game Studio Senior Show. See Section II. C. Programmatic Areas: Exhibition (page 172).
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5. Results of the Program
Game Art faculty assess the effectiveness of courses and of the program as a whole yearly. On the basis of this assessment, changes in technology, and industry trends, faculty update the curriculum by revising courses and/or introducing new courses. The 2018–2019 Game Art Assessment Report is included in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
Following the 2016–2017 academic year assessment, revisions to the Game Art program were made to update the first-year course sequence and establish a specific course designation for Game Art courses, distinguishing them clearly from Game Design courses. In the 2018–2019 academic year, the name of the program was changed from Game Art and Animation to Game Art to reflect the fact that animation is one aspect of game art alongside environments, prop modeling, and technical art, therefore not privileging one aspect above the others.
The revised first-year course sequence provides students with a more robust introduction to the foundation principles of 2-D art, 3-D modeling, and 2-D and 3-D animation than the previous curriculum. Time on task is a critical factor in mastering the artistic and technical skills needed to succeed as a game artist, especially in the areas of 3-D modeling, texturing, and animation. This new sequence allows better scaffolding of content to help students build artistic and technical skills earlier, therefore giving them more time and practice to master skills and create portfolio-quality work. With the introduction of GAA 175 Introduction to Animation for Games in the first year, faculty expect to see an increased skill level for students focusing on animation, and continued strength in the areas of game environments, character modeling, and prop modeling.
EGD 100 Game History and Development, a course taken by all students in the Game Studio across the four majors, was redesigned into two distinct courses, EGD 101 Introduction to Game Development and EGD 102 Game History, allowing for a deeper focus on both topics and giving the historical component of games a more prominent place in the curriculum. These two new courses went into effect in the 2019–2020 academic year.
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6. Assessment of strengths, Areas for Improvement, Challenges, and Opportunities
Among the strengths of the Game Art program is its structure. Courses are designed to scaffold learning from introductory to advanced courses. This allows students the time on task needed to master the artistic and technical skills to be successful game artists. The quality of our students’ work and the studios at which our graduates are employed provide validation that this scaffolding structure of learning is effective. Game Art graduates are consistently placed in entry-level positions at well-known game studios, including Insomniac, Raven Software, Vicarious Visions, Velan Studios, Sony Bend, and Ubisoft. In 2018 and 2019 several Game Art seniors accepted positions by early March, before graduating. Every semester, game studio recruiters come to campus to conduct review sessions of portfolios of Game Art students. In Fall 2018 Raven Software, Vicarious Visions, and Velan Studios conducted on-campus portfolio reviews of Game Art juniors and seniors. In Spring 2019 Velan Studios returned to campus for another round of portfolio reviews. Recruiters from game studios are always impressed by the quality of the Game Art students’ work and consistently report that our graduates more quickly become productive members of their teams.
Game Art students in the 2018 cohort surveyed six months after graduation reported achieving an 81% career success rate, with 95% reporting employment in relevant fields. This data is based on an 84% knowledge rate. Career placement outcomes for 2016, 2017, and 2018 can be found in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
Game Art students regularly submit their work to industry publications, such as 80 Level (80.lv), as well as to competitions like The Rookies (therookies.co) and to the yearly Unreal 4 Student Reel (UE4). This earns our students and our program meaningful industry recognition.
The following are examples of Game Art students featured on 80 Level: https://80.lv/articles/creating-a-moody-victorian-city-with-modular-pieces/ https://80.lv/articles/building-a-ue4-scene-from-a-picture/ https://80.lv/articles/keeping-concept-look-in-3d-environment/ https://80.lv/articles/understanding-texturing-for-environment-design/ https://80.lv/articles/004adk-crafting-a-modular-town-in-ue4/ https://80.lv/articles/001agt-crafting-a-fantasy-environment-with-leanna-russell/
In 2019 17 Game Art students submitted work to The Rookies competition. One of these students was a finalist in the Student of the Year Game Development category. In 2018 11 students submitted work to The Rookies competition, and three students were selected as finalists in the Student of the Year Game Development category.
For the past few years, works by Game Art students have been included in the UE4 student demo reel. Students from all over the world submit work created using the Unreal 4 game engine, and Epic Games (https://www.epicgames.com) chooses the best work to be included in the student reel they showcase at the Game Developers Conference.
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2019 UE4 Student Reel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAmt-J9v5eA 2018 UE4 Student Reel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfPSBcy1PpU 2017 UE4 Student Reel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4PAtDoYFaE
Full-time Game Art faculty have both variety and breadth of industry experiences, from animation and modeling in AAA studios to 3-D modeling and art direction for serious games. All full-time faculty have broad knowledge and skills in game art and in specific areas of specialization. This makes it possible for the Game Art program to offer in-depth training in a variety of game art specializations. Part-time adjunct faculty who teach courses at the Burlington campus and Montreal Academic Center bring a variety of industry experience, as comic artists, UI/UX designers, and 3-D artists, to name a few. Our Montreal adjuncts work in well-known industry studios, such as Ubisoft and Behaviour. This mix of full-time faculty with past industry experience and adjunct faculty who currently work in the industry helps us maintain a current and industry-relevant curriculum.
Over the past several years, the Game Art program has worked to develop a strong community of students who are supportive of each other while still maintaining a healthy level of competition. We encourage students to work in the Game Art labs as much as possible so they have easy access to other students for feedback and technical help. We staff labs with artistically and technically knowledgeable seniors who are qualified to serve as Game Art tutors. These tutors are each available for six to eight hours a week in the labs to provide technical support and artistic critique.
In Fall 2017 the Game Art faculty implemented a first-year mentoring program, through which each first-year Game Art student is paired with a sophomore, junior, or senior Game Art mentor. The goals of the mentoring program are to foster first-year integration and involvement in the Game Art community, support academic performance, and strengthen student retention to the second year and beyond. First-year students and mentors report that the mentoring program has been helpful, and faculty have noted the positive impact it has on retention.
Since 2014 the Game Art program has shown a consistently high enrollment yield of 34– 56%, with the past two years indicating that more accepted students are choosing to attend Champlain College. In addition, the yield for female students has been steadily increasing and was 67% in 2018. For the past five years, the male-to-female student ratio for the incoming Game Art class has been consistently at least 50/50.
While the total number of Game Art applicants has gone slightly down since 2013, the yield has remained strong, and the quality of the applications has increased. The acceptance rate has also increased even as portfolio requirements criteria are more demanding. The increase in the number of Game Art students enrolling at the College has had a positive impact on the student ratio among the four game degrees that comprise the Game Studio. In Fall 2019 the Game Art program met its highest admission goal, with 59 incoming students, while maintaining its high standards for admission.
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The biggest challenge facing the Game Art program is the need for additional lab space, given the growth of the program. In response to this need, the College approved the conversion of a large classroom into a lab dedicated to Game Art students. The conversion was implemented for the start of the Spring 2020 semester. This additional lab will significantly increase the number of seats for students to work outside of class time by adding 28 computers, allowing for more open lab hours during the day.
The growth in enrollment and projected target of 60 incoming Game Art students for 2020– 2021, supported by the additional lab space, will allow the program to expand its curriculum and offer a wider range of advanced-level courses, such as Advanced Prop Modeling and Texturing, Cinematic Animation, and Game Visual Effects.
Among the reasons for the curriculum revisions undertaken in the 2017–2018 academic year, was the recognition that the quality of the work created by graduating seniors focusing on the animation aspect of game art was not as high as that of students focusing on other game art areas. Prior to the revisions, students interested in animation did not take their first in-depth 3-D animation course until their junior year. The first- and second-year courses included only one small animation project each. To address this weakness two new courses were created that students take in the second semester of their first year, GAA 135 Introduction to 3-D Modeling and Texturing and GAA 175 Introduction to Animation for Games. GAA 175 is focused on the principles of animation and includes one 2-D and two 3-D animation projects. This exposes students to more in-depth practice in animation early in the curriculum and helps identify students interested in focusing on animation. These students then take GAA 275 3-D Animation I in their sophomore year and GAA 375 in their junior year, allowing earlier exposure to and practice of animation techniques. The class of 2020 is the first one to have access to the new animation sequence and will be assessed for evidence that the changes introduced have resulted in the expected improvements; further revisions will be made as needed in response to the assessment results. As noted above, a new course focused on cinematics animation is being planned, allowing students to further develop their skills in acting and storytelling in animation, in addition to creating animation cycles for games.
The high full-time faculty-to-student ratio is a current weakness of the program. As of Fall 2019, enrollment in the program reached 144 students, with three full-time faculty on staff. To address this increase in numbers, a one-year faculty position was added in the 2019–2020 academic year, and a new full-time line for an Assistant Professor of Game Art was approved with a Fall 2020 start date. This search is currently underway.
Real-time graphics are being used in many industries outside of games, such as product and architectural visualization, and virtual and augmented reality for marketing and training. This expanding use of real-time computer graphics creates new opportunities for our graduates. Some of our alumni are already working in these areas. Expanding course offerings to include non-game use of real-time graphics has the potential to increase opportunities for employment for our graduates.
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8. Plans for Addressing Weaknesses and Improving Results
The immediate need for additional lab space has been addressed by the conversion of a large classroom, as discussed above. The new lab will be operational in Spring 2020, and its use and suitability will continue to be monitored to ensure that it meets the needs of the Game Art faculty and students.
The search for an additional Game Art faculty member is underway, and the goal is to hire someone with experience in either game visual effects or 2-D game art/concept art, which will allow us to develop robust course offerings in these areas. The addition of this new line will bring the number of full-time faculty teaching in the program to four, thus providing faculty with a more manageable advising load of 36 students each, below the maximum of 40 advisees per faculty stipulated by the Faculty Handbook.
As noted above, a new Cinematics Animation 300-level course is in the early planning stage. This course will round out the animation course offerings and further contribute to stronger portfolio work. In the next couple of years, the program plans to add a new Advanced 3-D Prop Modeling and Texturing course that will provide students interested in focusing on prop modeling a course dedicated to this area of game art.
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1. Program Title and Description Game Design The BS in Game Design encompasses three distinct areas of the game design process: system design, level design, and narrative design. The program prepares students to create the foundational logic and mechanical plan for how a game operates, build the mechanics that bring the world of the game into existence, design the step-by-step experience of playing the game, and define how the overall story is experienced by the player through the use of narrative, dialogue, characters, and environment. Game Design students gain extensive skills and experience in the design process used in professional game production studios and build a portfolio of collaborative work that prepares them to enter the game industry as system, level, and/or narrative designers. Number of Years to Complete the Program: four years
Program Submitted for (check one below): Select One: ◻ Renewal of Plan Approval and Final Approval for Listing ◻ Renewal of Plan Approval ◻ Plan Approval ◻ Final Approval for Listing X Plan Approval and Final Approval for Listing
Current Semester’s Enrollment in Majors: 153
Name of Program Supervisor(s): Joseph Manley
Studio or Art/Design General Total Related Electives History Studies Number of Units Areas
A+B+C+D A = 65 B = 12 C = 37 D = 6 = 120 units
A+B+C+D A = 54% B = 10% C = 31% D = 5% = 100%
*Baccalaureate degrees with semester hour units should use 120 as the denominator. *Baccalaureate degrees with quarter hour units should use 180 as the denominator. List course numbers, titles, and unit allotments under each applicable category.
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Studio or Related Areas EGD 101 Introduction to Game Development 3 units GMD 110 Introduction to Game Design 3 units GMD 120 Visual Comm. for Game Design 3 units GMD 200 Game Technology I 3 units GMD 210 Principles of Game Design 3 units EGD 220 Game Production I 3 units GMD 240 Level Design I 3 units GMD 300 Game Technology II 3 units EGD 320 Game Production II 3 units GMD 320 Game System and Experience Design 3 units CCC 410 College Capstone 5 units EGD 420 Senior Production 5 units
Choose one: 3 units IXD 200 Aesthetic Interactions GAA 235 3-D Modeling EGP 310 Game Architecture
Related Areas Required: EGD 240 Creative Portfolio Tools 1 unit GMD 410 Senior Portfolio: Game Design 3 units
Choose one: 3 units CSI 100 Joy of Computing CSI 160 Python Programming CSI 140 Introduction to Programming
Choose one: 3 units GAA 135 Introduction to 3-D Modeling CSI 240 Advanced Programming
Related Area Electives:* Choose four: 12 units GMD 230 Interactive Narrative I GMD 340 Level Design II GMD 380 Advanced Seminar: Game Design SON XXX* Sonic Arts WRT XXX* Writing EGP XXX* Game Programming GAA XXX* Game Art IXD XXX* Interaction Design *Students may choose any courses in these disciplines. Total Studio or Related Areas 65 units = A
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Art/Design History COR 220 Aesthetic Expressions 3 units COR 270 Heroines and Heroes 3 units EGD 102 Game History 3 units GMD 310 Applied Ludology 3 units Total Art/Design History 12 units = B
General Studies COR 110 Concepts of the Self 3 units COR 120 Concepts of Community 3 units COR 115 Rhetoric of Self 3 units COR 125 Rhetoric of Community 3 units COR 200 level*** 3 units COR 200 level*** 3 units COR 310 The Global Condition 3 units COR 320 Human Rights and Responsibility 3 units COR 330 Local Contexts, Global Connections 3 units COR 330 Local Contexts, Global Connections 3 units Math 3 units Science w/lab 4 units Total General Studies 37 units = C
***COR 200-level courses COR 210 Scientific Revolutions COR 230 Ethics and the Environment COR 240 Bodies COR 250 The Secular and the Sacred COR 260 Democracies COR 280 Colonialism and Western Identity
Electives General Elective 6 units Total Electives 6 units = D
3. Assessment of Compliance with NASAD Standards Students applying to the Game Design program submit an entrance portfolio that is reviewed by the Game Design faculty. This portfolio is purposely analog (rather than digital) in nature so that students can demonstrate foundational conceptual design skills and are not disadvantaged by a potential lack of access to game development technology prior to entering college. The portfolio is assessed on the quality of the concept and production, how well the project communicates its intent and the nature of the interaction with players, and the student’s ability to adhere to the guidelines provided.
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The Game Design program engages students in the creation of projects meant to demonstrate mastery in the practical and theoretical aspects of game design. This is achieved through studio courses in design, collaborative production courses, and the liberal arts component contributed by the Core general education curriculum. A successful Game Design student is able to conceptualize and produce a meaningful interactive experience that fulfils the wants and needs of the player. Game design students must be able to conceptualize and communicate their design visually, develop prototypes, build and test their design through the use of game engine software, and refine their design through further development and testing. The following outlines how the program’s eight learning outcomes are addressed within the curriculum. Game Design Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) are listed on the program’s web page at: https://www.champlain.edu/academics/undergraduate-academics/majors-and- specializations/game-design/learning-outcomes-game-design.
During their first year, Game Design students take two foundational courses in the major, one in the fall and one in the spring semester. In their first semester, students take GMD 100 Introduction to Game Design, where they learn the essential building blocks of game design and apply their knowledge to develop a complete digital game from start to finish. Game Design students must achieve a grade of C or better in this course in order to take the next course in the design sequence, GMD 210 Principles of Game Design. Students who do not meet the C requirement must retake the course the following semester or during the summer. In their second semester, students enroll in GMD 120 Visual Communication for Game Design. This course takes an integrated approach to exploring game-specific technology, design aesthetics and principles, and design communication principles and forms used by game designers to communicate ideas effectively to their teams, build user interaction models, and test these models.
During their second year, students apply the communication and conceptual knowledge gained in their first year to more complex projects and continue to work toward mastering the tools and techniques commonly used in the game production industry. In GMD 200 Game Technology I, students learn how to develop and manipulate game mechanics and environments through visual and traditional scripting tools. This class is the first in a series of two classes where students learn level editing and design, prototyping, and work in specific game engines. Game Design students must achieve a C or better in this course in order to continue in the design sequence.
GMD 210 Principles of Game Design prepares the game designer to play a leading role in the development of a game. It covers the full spectrum of a game designer’s responsibilities: conceptualization, documentation, analog and digital prototyping, peer critique and review, and defining all aspects of the design of a game, from its target market to the gameplay. Game Design students must achieve a C or better in this course in order to take the next course in the design sequence.
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GMD 240 Level Design I builds on the design principles learned in GMD 210 Principles of Game Design and guides students through the process of designing, drafting, documenting, and implementing successful game levels. A level designer controls moment by moment what a player sees and hears while playing the game, and influences how they feel and respond to the game. The level designer creates the setting for each individual level and crafts the challenges the player will encounter at each individual level of the game. In this course, students learn to develop the style and content of each individual game level, establishing the right mood, supporting the anticipated functionality, advancing the storyline, and giving the player a satisfying game-playing experience within each level.
The junior and senior years offer students the ability to further refine their skills as designers and deepen their knowledge and skills in those areas of game design that most interest them, including systems design, world crafting, level design, and narrative design. Students are required to take GMD 300 Game Technology II, GMD 310 Applied Ludology, and GMD 320 Game Systems and Experience Design during their junior year.
GMD 300 Game Technology II gives students the integration skills needed to successfully build a 3-D game. The course focuses on both the technical aspects of the construction of the game and on the practical design of the game in a 3-D game engine. The technical skills required to use the game engine software are combined with the design skills needed to construct the interface between player and game, establish the mood of the game, and direct a player’s attention through sound effects, lighting, camera angles, and text.
In GMD 310 Applied Ludology, students learn to apply methodologies of modern ludic theory in the deconstruction and analysis of games and their systems, and in the generation of innovative gameplay solutions. Students learn to research the historical gameplay roots of the genres being studied and apply that knowledge to their own creative concepts. Students develop a multidimensional understanding of player motivation by using a range of commonly applied industry models, ranging from market-driven to emotional and psychological. The overall aim of the course is to help each student develop their own creative ideation process that is well founded in established ludic theory and player motivational models, combined with historical research skills and critical thinking.
GMD 320 Game Systems and Experience Design is an advanced game design course that examines the systems that generate the game experience. Students engage with the many facets of creating a player-centric game experience, from the cultural significance of games and play to conceptualizing and proving concepts for a broad range of game media target markets and purposes. Students then apply this knowledge to the rapid prototyping and conceptualizing of their own game ideas.
In addition to the required advanced courses, in their junior and senior years, students choose from a range of courses that help them develop material for their portfolio, depending on their areas of interest. A few examples are described below.
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GMD 230 Interactive Narrative I (formerly GMD 330 Interactive Storytelling) examines the conflicting demands of gameplay and storytelling, and explores alternative storytelling methods and approaches that make game storytelling a compelling art form.
GMD 350 Interactive Narrative II builds on the concepts, tools, and skills learned in GMD 230 Interactive Narrative I. In this course students create narrative structures beyond simple branching and gain a deeper understanding of narrative design theory. Students further develop their player-facing writing skills to write professional-quality dialogue and text. Students gain proficiency with industry-standard tools and develop their skills in analysis, critique, and revision to a professional standard.
GMD 340 Level Design II builds on the conceptual and technical knowledge established in GMD 240 Level Design I. Students explore advanced topics of level design while building and polishing game level environments. Topics covered include creating and balancing mechanics systems and gameplay, developing engaging play environments, narrative and content development, lighting and special effects, and engine scripting and optimization.
EGD 380 Advanced Seminar in Game Design provides advanced students with time for portfolio development in their area of interest. Students create a production schedule for their semester-long projects and present the final product at the completion of the course. Advanced Seminar topics vary by section so as to best support the variety of student interests. Students can take the Advanced Seminar up to three times. Examples of projects undertaken in this course include designing and documenting an original game concept; designing, documenting, and constructing a series of level modifications or “mods”; and conceptualizing and documenting an original game narrative.
Game Studio Production Course Sequence: All students enrolled in one of the four game majors that comprise the Champlain College Game Studio are required to take a four-year sequence of Game Production courses, during which they work alongside their peers in Game Art, Game Design, Game Programming, and Game Production Management. Through a team-based approach, students create games from concept to playable build, and in some cases publication. The Game Production course sequence taken by Game Design students is described in Section II. B. Specific Curricula: Game Art (page 134). See Section II. C. Programmatic Areas: Exhibition (page 172) for a description of the Game Studio Senior Show.
4. N/A
5. Results of the Program Game Design faculty assess the effectiveness of courses and of the program as a whole yearly. On the basis of this assessment, and of changes in technology and industry trends, faculty update the curriculum by revising courses and/or introducing new courses. The 2018– 2019 Game Design Assessment Report is included in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
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At the end of each academic year, the Game Design faculty formally assess a pair of courses using direct assessment methods. As part of this process, course learning outcomes are reviewed and updated, if necessary. Faculty gather and evaluate student projects that reflect the main learning outcomes of the class, and they identify competencies that are best reflected in the learning outcomes, which should be assessed. Faculty discuss the overall performance of students, whether the course is meeting the expected outcomes, and identify any anomalies that might impact assessment. Based on the results and discussion, faculty determine if there should be content and/or structure modifications to the course.
Changes that have been made based on program assessment range from modifications to the sequence of courses in the Game Design curriculum to adjustments in specific competencies for individual classes. For example, all Game Design and Game Production classes used to be designated as EGD courses (Electronic Game Development). In order to make a clear distinction between the design and the production classes, the designation GMD (Game Design) was created for the design classes. This has made it easier for both current and prospective students to have a clearer understanding of the depth of the Game Design curriculum offered at the College.
Assessment also showed that a large number of students in the Game Design program as well as in other majors were interested in Interactive Narrative as an area of focus. An Interactive Narrative minor was developed and approved last year; it includes two courses in the Game Design curriculum that address interactive narrative for games. The preexisting GMD 330 Interactive Storytelling was revised as a 200-level course and renamed GMD 230 Interactive Narrative I, becoming a prerequisite for a new course GMD 350 Interactive Narrative II. These two courses now form the foundation for this minor.
6. Assessment of Strengths, Areas for Improvement, Challenges and Opportunities Over the past 15 years, the number of schools offering Game Design programs has increased dramatically. A challenge for Champlain College will be to maintain our competitive advantage in an increasingly crowded space. This can be achieved in a number of ways that already make our Game Design program unique. Champlain’s Game Studio model, which brings majors from four different game disciplines into an agile game development environment, remains a unique feature of the program. Few, if any, top game programs across the country offer a similar number of collaborative, multidisciplinary production courses that mimic the game industry model.
Among the reasons for our success is our ability to adapt to changes in the game industry and implement new technologies and processes. It is important that we continue to do so. The structure and depth of our course offerings continues to be a distinguishing strength. Introductory courses provide all students with a strong foundation of knowledge that is then applied and developed in advanced courses. The breadth of our introductory courses, coupled with the range and depth of our advanced electives and with the integrative Game Studio model, provide Game Design students with a robust game development experience that prepares them well for success in the industry.
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Game Design students in the 2018 cohort surveyed six months after graduation reported achieving a 76% career success rate, with 85% reporting employment in relevant fields. This data is based on an 83% knowledge rate. Career placement outcomes for 2018, 2017, and 2016 can be found in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
In addition to taking courses, Game Design students have the opportunity to gain experience in game-related areas through collaboration with faculty on projects managed by the EMC. For example, in Fall 2019 students were engaged in developing an augmented reality (AR) virtual platform as an educational tool for high school students to learn how to build and repair computer hardware. Additional opportunities to expand the curriculum in areas such as data visualization, user experience design and user interface (UI/UX), and gamification software are being explored so as to provide Game Design students a broader range of options in emerging fields. Full-time and part-time faculty in the Game Design program have worked or still work in the game industry, and are committed to staying abreast of industry trends, developments, and technological advances. In addition, students have access to a growing network of alumni. For example, alumni and other staff from game studios where our alumni work visit campus regularly to meet with students, hold workshops, conduct interviews, and discuss internship and job opportunities. Vicarious Visions, Rockstar Games, Sony Santa Monica, and Activision are just a few of the companies employing our alumni that have visited campus. In addition to providing mentorship to current students, alumni also welcome the opportunity to teach classes on campus and remotely.
While many of our students leave Burlington to pursue career opportunities in Montreal and on the West Coast, a growing number of students are staying in Vermont after graduation and contributing to creating a robust indie game community in Burlington. Sundae Month, Frame Interactive, Game Theory, Too Tired Studios, Milk Shed Games, and Rad Magpie are a few of the studios established by Game Studio graduates or faculty and often employ alumni. This synergy between Champlain College’s Game Studio and the local game development community should continue to grow, providing future students with internship and networking opportunities as well as creating a vibrant creative community that will further differentiate our game programs.
Another factor that contributes to our competitive advantage and differentiates us is our Montreal Academic Center. Our proximity to Montreal allows a large number of junior Game Design students (as well as other game majors) to spend at least one semester studying in the second largest gaming hub in North America. Our students take classes with experienced game design professionals who work at some of the top game companies in the world. They also have numerous opportunities to visit game studios and participate in game conferences and networking events. These networking opportunities lead to internships and job opportunities during and after graduation.
The majority of our students aspire to work in the game industry after graduation, whether that is for AAA game studios or doing independent game development. Other industries, such as interactive agencies, museums, and educational software companies, have also
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provided opportunities for our Game Design graduates. Career opportunities outside of the game industry is an area of growth that should be further developed. 7. N/A 8. Plans for Addressing Weaknesses and Improving Results Efforts to develop opportunities outside the traditional game industry (including areas such as filmmaking, medicine, and the military) are underway and include recruiting faculty who have expertise and professional experience in related industries. For example, one of our part-time adjuncts, whose areas of expertise include virtual and augmented reality (AR/VR) and who works as a consultant on military contracts, is teaching a newly developed introductory course in VR/AR in Spring 2020 and developing a more advanced course in this area to be offered in Spring 2021. Game Design faculty are also taking steps to increase opportunities for mentorship among students. Currently, two upper-level Game Design students serve as lab tutors for a total of approximately 16 hours a week. A plan to develop a mentorship program, modeled on the one established by the Game Art program, to pair upper-level students with incoming first- years, is under development. Such initiatives support our retention efforts and help strengthen the sense of community and inclusion among Game Design students. One of the challenges facing the Game Design program is the gender distribution within the major (and within the Game Studio as a whole), which mirrors the gender distribution of the game industry. Unlike the Game Art program, which boasts a well-balanced ratio of male to female students, the majority of Game Design students are male. Efforts have been directed over the years to attract and retain more female students, including through the Women in Games Club (now on hiatus), campus gatherings for female-identified Game Design students, career-focused field trips to game studios for all female students across the four game majors, and ensuring that sections of first-year courses have no fewer than three female students. The College’s newly established Social Impact Scholars program is having a modest impact in drawing more female students to the College and could be further leveraged to help address the gender imbalance within Game Design. The learning experiences of students in the Social Impact Scholars program are intentionally designed to highlight topics of social importance. Students engage in cocurricular and extracurricular activities each semester have an additional advising relationship with a Social Impact-designated faculty member, and they are required to meet additional learning outcomes specific to the Social Impact program. While it is a successful and distinguishing feature of the Game Design program, the Game Studio model faces a challenge. This collaborative production model has historically struggled to achieve a balanced ratio of students among the four degrees that comprise the Game Studio. The collaborative, multidisciplinary teams formed in the game production course sequence require that such a balance be achieved for best results in the quality of the work produced. For example, if a team of eight students has only one artist, that single artist is likely to be overworked and/or unable to deliver the highest quality artwork for the games being produced by the teams. Or, a team of eight students with three programmers may not provide each of the programmers with sufficient opportunities to participate in the development of the programming for the game being created. Our recruitment goal for the
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Game Studio cohort is to achieve a ratio of three game artists for every two game designers, two game programmers, and one game production manager. We have been making progress toward achieving this goal, with the ratio for the 2019–2020 cohort showing marked improvement, with two game artists for every two designers, two programmers, and one production manager.
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1. Program Title and Description Visual Communication Design
The BFA in Visual Communication Design is a forward-thinking program that gives designers of tomorrow broad exposure to the concepts and skills needed to become creative problem-solvers. True to the College’s mission of bridging tradition and innovation, this program offers students a blend of comprehensive liberal arts studies, fundamental art and design principles, and active practice connected to current trends in the profession. Students explore a wide spectrum of design projects and develop a professional-level design portfolio of creative works, rigorously and individually critiqued by a panel of faculty and guest designers from top design firms and in-house corporate design centers.
2. Curricular Table
Number of Years to Complete the Program: four
Program Submitted for (check one below): Select One: X Renewal of Plan Approval and Final Approval for Listing ◻ Renewal of Plan Approval ◻ Plan Approval ◻ Final Approval for Listing ◻ Plan Approval and Final Approval for Listing
Current Semester’s Enrollment in Majors: 116
Name of Program Supervisor(s): Suzanne Glover
Studio or Art/Design General Total Related Electives History Studies Number of Units Areas
A = 62 B = 12 C = 40 D = 6 A+B+C+D = 120
A+B+C+D = A = 52% B = 10% C = 33% D = 5% 100%
*Baccalaureate degrees with semester hour units should use 120 as the denominator. *Baccalaureate degrees with quarter hour units should use 180 as the denominator.
List course numbers, titles, and unit allotments under each applicable category.
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Studio or Related Areas Required Studio VCD 100 Form and Color 3 units VCD 110 Introduction to Drawing 3 units VCD 115 Digital Image I 3 units VCD 200 Design and Communication 3 units VCD 201 Introduction to Typography 3 units VCD 202 OR Form and Space VCD 203 Form and Motion 3 units VCD 205 Publication Design I 3 units VCD 206 Web Design I 3 units VCD 250 Professional Practices 1 unit VCD 270 Intermediate Typography 3 units VCD 300 Projects in Graphic Design I 3 units VCD 301 Advanced Typography 3 units VCD 305 OR Publication Design II VCD 306 Web Design II 3 units VCD 400 Projects in Graphic Design II 3 units VCD 450 Portfolio I 1 unit VCD 451 Portfolio II 1 unit VCD 490 OR Apprenticeship in Graphic Design VCD 440 Graphic Design Business Practices 3 units CCC 410 College Capstone 5 units
Related Areas Electives: Choose four: 12 units ART 115 Introduction to Photography ART 215 Intermediate Photography ART 235 Introduction to Painting ART 282 Sequential Art ART 312 Printmaking Studio ART 339 Painting Other Worlds VCD 280 Introduction to 3-D for Motion Graphics VCD 302 Graphic Design for Objects and Spaces VCD 307 Form and Motion II VCD 310 Graphic Print Production BRD 110 Video Storytelling BRD 130 Audio Production FLM 110 Introduction to Filmmaking FLM 250 Introduction to Stop Motion Animation FLM 330 Video Compositing and Special Effects GAA 205 2-D Game Art GAA 275 3-D Animation Total Studio or Related Areas 62 units = A
Art/Design History
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ART 120 Art History: Survey of Western and Non-Western Art 3 units ART 250 OR Women and the Arts ART 380 Advanced Art History: Special Topics 3 units COR 220 Aesthetic Expressions 3 units VCD 220 Graphic Design History 3 units Total Art/Design History 12 units = B
General Studies COR 110 Concepts of the Self 3 units COR 115 The Rhetoric of Self 3 units COR 120 Concepts of Community 3 units COR 125 The Rhetoric of Community 3 units COR 200 level* 3 units COR 200 level* 3 units COR 200 level* 3 units COR 310 The Global Condition 3 units COR 320 Human Rights and Responsibility 3 units COR 330 Local Contexts, Global Connections 3 units COR 330 Local Contexts, Global Connections 3 units Math 3 units Science w/lab 4 units Total General Studies 40 units = C
*COR 200-level courses COR 210 Scientific Revolutions COR 230 Ethics and the Environment COR 240 Bodies COR 250 The Secular and the Sacred COR 260 Democracies COR 270 Heroines and Heroes COR 280 Colonialism and Western Identity
Electives General Elective 6 units Total Electives 6 units = D
3. Assessment of Compliance with NASAD Standards for the Program
Since its initial review by NASAD in 2010 and subsequent approval in 2013, the Visual Communication Design program instituted a portfolio requirement for admission into the major. Prospective Visual Communication Design students submit a portfolio of five pieces, with a maximum of 10 pieces allowed. Two of the portfolio submissions must be observational drawings. Prospective students must also write a narrative about one of their submitted portfolio pieces. A small percentage of applicants also come from the College’s Art and Design Portfolio Building Summer Program for high school students, in existence
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since 2016. This pre-college program attracts students interested in a range of art and design fields and serves to establish key relationships with the Visual Communication Design faculty almost a year prior to the students’ first year of college. The admission portfolio requirement and the Art and Design Portfolio Building Summer Program have been strong indicators of student retention in the program and completion to graduation.
The Visual Communication Design curriculum is comprised of three interconnected components, each representing a broad content area: foundations, context, and synthesis. Courses within each content area fulfill a number of program requirements. Foundations courses encompass aesthetics, visual language, basic skills, and familiarity with media. Courses in the context area involve both the theoretical and practical professional settings in which design practices thrive. Synthesis courses are those where all content areas intersect to inform actual projects and business practices. This structure allows for the building of knowledge, skills, and sensibilities aimed at students achieving a fully informed professional practice. Over the course of their studies, students progress through these component areas, adding new areas of study and increasing the depth of study within previously introduced areas. As the course sequence indicates, the Visual Communication Design curriculum bridges aesthetically and critically informed artistic craft, practical application, business acumen, technological savvy, and the realities of the working world.
The excellence of the creative work produced by our students speaks well of the program’s commitment to the studio aspect of design education. Affirmation of students’ high-quality creative work is evidenced by faculty and visiting professionals’ critiques, the selection of student artwork for use in actual applications (such community service projects), and students’ placement into junior design positions at high-profile local firms, such as KSV, Paul Kaza Associates, Oxbow Creative, Solidarity of Unbridled Labor, Burton, Driven Studio Inc., and across the country at companies such as J.P. Morgan, Viceland, Google, Amazon, Fitbit, and Moving Brands.
Through events hosted by faculty and the AIGA Vermont Chapter Student Group, invited professionals provide in-depth critique of student work. For example, one such event brought together 15 design professionals from local design firms and organizations (including Burton, Driven Studio Inc, Solidarity of Unbridled Labor, Magic Hat Brewery, Middlebury College, Oxbow Creative, Fuse, and Buntain + Partners) to provide individual critiques of portfolios from 21 graduating seniors. Debriefing by the faculty and design professionals indicated that the students were challenged by the reviewers to create a succinct body of work, communicate orally about their work in a clear and direct way, and gain confidence. Overall, the event made a very positive contribution to the students’ portfolio development and pursuit of professional career placement.
The following outlines how the program’s six learning outcomes are addressed within the curriculum. The Visual Communication Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) are listed on the program’s web page at: https://www.champlain.edu/academics/undergraduate- academics/majors-and-specializations/visual-communication-design/learning-outcomes- visual-communication-design.
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During the first two years of foundation courses, students develop skills in creative aesthetic fluency, technique, and the beginnings of professionalism and integrative learning. They gain theoretical and applied knowledge of design principles, manual and digital technology, the communication of visual concepts, as well as familiarity with art and design history and theory through classroom and studio critiques. Studio classes, such as VCD 100 Form and Color, meet for an additional two hours beyond the two-and three-quarter-hour class. In addition to color theory and the principles of design, the foundation-level skills include observational and experimental drawing, historical context and critical analysis of art, digital image processing, composition and page layout, typography, and either motion design or three-dimensional design.
Burlington is a relatively small community that has a vibrant, thriving, generous, and unusually large design network of professionals and Champlain alumni. Already at the foundations level, students interact with faculty who have long-established careers and with local design professionals and alumni who are eager to mentor these future design professionals. Local professionals form the broad base of our part-time adjunct faculty and teach upper-level courses whenever possible. In this way, students in 300- and 400-level courses get direct exposure to professional perspectives and standards. In VCD 400 Projects II, for example, professional faculty incorporate client-based and real-world projects, allowing students to gain practice in the professional process. The interactions among art and design faculty, design professionals, Core faculty, and students form a critical dialogue about the past, present, and future history of art and design and issues, and about industry practices within larger societal contexts and considerations. Local designers regularly mentor, teach, supervise, and critique students throughout their four years of coursework and studios, internships, and through AIGA-sponsored events, such as design contests, portfolio reviews, or informal critiques.
During the spring semester of their sophomore year, all Visual Communication Design students attend Sophomore Review, a 30-minute faculty critique of each student’s work. The Sophomore Review serves as a program portfolio assessment during the students’ second year, as well as a critical threshold assessment for continuation in the Visual Communication Design program. The Sophomore Review allows faculty to assess the holistic development of students’ foundational skills to that point and make recommendations in a number of areas. Students receive valuable feedback on skills development, strengths and weaknesses, and professionalism, as well as class advising for future semesters, study-abroad options, appropriate internship sites, optional specializations, and additional support services. Successful completion of Sophomore Review is a bridge to the upper-level courses in print, web design, motion graphics, typography, branding and identity, systems design, environmental design, packaging design, advanced art and design history, and advanced or specialized art classes, such as printmaking.
Visual Communication Design students learn ideation, design processes, and strategies, as well as spatial, temporal, and kinesthetic relationships among form, meaning, and behavior. They apply this knowledge to various types of communication problems and with consideration of audiences, context, theory, and history. By the end of their senior year, students have developed professional portfolios and presentation skills, and gained the ability
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to articulate critical feedback and engage in dialogue about their work and that of other students.
Students participate in AIGA-sponsored portfolio reviews; in local design contests with prominent design collectives, such as Iskra Print Collective in Burlington; and in the Senior Capstone Exhibition, to which members of the design community are invited. The Fall 2019 Capstone Exhibition was attended by over 200 faculty, students, and guests from the community, including many alumni, as well as local design firms, such as Oxbow and Burton, and regional firms, such as MullenLowe U.S. in Boston.
Since receiving final NASAD approval for listing, the program has continued to evolve and strengthen. The following section outlines a summary of the most recent updates to the program.
Effective in 2019–2020, the program’s name was changed from Graphic Design and Digital Media to Visual Communication Design. This renaming reflects the broadening of skills required by an ever-expanding professional industry, beyond just asset production, and was recommended by AIGA and NASAD. Additionally, two optional specializations were added, Publishing and, more recently, Motion Graphics, in response to the high demand from employers for motion specialists. The five-course Motion Graphics specialization required the development of VCD 280 Introduction to 3-D Graphics for Motion to round out the curriculum.
ART 120 Art History: Survey of Western and Non-Western Art was substantially revised to update the course name, catalog description, topical outline, and learning outcomes to address both Western and non-Western art, and to ensure consistency across sections of the course while allowing instructors flexibility in choosing topical outlines. These revisions explicitly acknowledge, prioritize, and critically examine Non-Western and historically marginalized groups, and align with the College’s diversity, inclusion, and equity goals and commitment to fostering a positive and inclusive learning environment.
VCD 220, formerly Visual Creativity and Meaning, was renamed Graphic Design History to better reflect the course’s focus on providing students with a historical framework for the evolution of their profession. In addition to lectures, readings, and class discussions, the course includes relevant museum and gallery visits, which expand the scope and depth of the topics considered.
The Senior Portfolio course was revised and split into three one-credit classes to better prepare our students to apply for internships and professional design jobs after graduation. Students begin to take the three-class sequence in their junior year, starting with VCD 250 Professional Communication Practices, then VCD 450 Portfolio I, and VCD 451 Portfolio II. VCD 451 Portfolio II is capped at six students to allow one-on-one mentoring so students develop a portfolio that accurately reflects their own personal voice and specific skills, such as motion design, publication design, and/or identity and branding.
4. N/A
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5. Results of the Program
The Visual Communication Design program is assessed by the faculty using data from the Sophomore Review, Senior Capstone projects, and the Senior Portfolio Review, and the results are reflected in the annual assessment report. Response to student work by faculty and industry professionals through project critiques, review of portfolios, internships, and early employment, provides valuable feedback for students as well as for faculty as they continually seek to strengthen the program and align it with industry developments.
Sophomore Review: Second semester Visual Communication Design sophomore students self-select five to six designs to be presented to a panel of full-time faculty during a scheduled review. Individual critiques last approximately 30 minutes and faculty feedback is given immediately to the student. Among the most valuable outcomes of these reviews is the opportunity for all the full-time faculty in the program to discuss each student’s progress before filling out the assessment rubrics. This provides a clear and common understanding of students’ progress and academic trajectory, and allows the faculty to plan for each student’s success. The assessment rubric and the comments are documented, allowing for a comparison when the students are assessed in their senior year.
CCC 410 College Capstone: The Capstone is a senior integrative course requiring a Capstone project that is assessed on the mastery of the professional skills and competencies required for graduation. Student projects are reviewed by faculty using a common rubric developed from the program’s competencies and outcomes, along with grade distribution. The results are captured in a summary report that includes an analysis of instructional goals, pedagogical methods, and curricular effectiveness. By reviewing sample student work in light of the accompanying project description and rubric, the faculty determine teaching effectiveness and evaluation accuracy. Review of grade distribution provides insight into the degree of consistency with which evaluating criteria are being applied across sections and students. This evaluation is then compared to the one done in the sophomore year to assess student growth and development.
Senior Portfolio Review: The Senior Portfolio Review is conducted at the end of the spring semester. A team of 13–16 professionals organized in small groups engage with seniors in a comprehensive review of students’ professional portfolio and presentation.
The 2018–2019 Visual Communication Design Assessment Report is included in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
Results from the 2018–2019 Outcomes Assessment showed that at the sophomore level two out of 29 students did not meet sophomore standards in the area of integrative learning, and fewer than four did not meet standards in the other categories. At the senior level, three out of 33 students placed at the “developing” level in integrative learning. Although overall upper
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work was strong in all categories, with particularly high scores in art and design, history, theory, and criticism, the lower results noted generally carried across upper-level courses that emphasize integrative thinking, writing and research skills, and are more conceptual in nature. Consistent with past years’ findings, this suggests that a certain number of Visual Communication Design students would be better served by a career path as graphic design producers, rather than conceptual designers and art directors. The addition of a specialization that focuses on design production, discussed below, would better meet the needs of this population of students.
6. Assessment of Strengths, Areas for Improvement, Challenges, and Opportunities
The Visual Communication Design program remains consistent in its enrollment trends, with a range of 18–23 incoming first-year students. The program gains an average of eight students through transfers from students who enter the College as undeclared and from other Champlain majors, as well as from external transfers from other institutions. The average overall size of the class is between 32–35 students per year. The Art and Design Portfolio Building Summer Course for high school students contributes an average four students a year.
Students have the opportunity to explore a wide spectrum of design projects in the classroom and through internships, mentorships, and professional experiences, positioning them for future success. By the time students graduate, they have completed a professional-level design portfolio that is rigorously and individually critiqued and are confident in their ability to enter the field.
The Visual Communication Design program’s greatest strengths are a faculty committed to program development and innovation, a robust critique practice, and a strong program identity. These strengths, coupled with broad, integrative thinking, translate into strong employment rates. Visual Communication Design students in the 2018 cohort surveyed six months after graduation reported achieving a career success rate of 97%, with 87% employed and 10% continuing their education. Of the employed students, 92% reported employment in a relevant field. This data is based on an 86% knowledge rate. Career placement outcomes for 2018, 2017, and 2016 can be found in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
Our graduates report that their ability to speak professionally, in both team and client environments, provides them with opportunities for increased responsibilities within the first year of their employment. On average, within five years after graduation, alumni secure art director and senior design positions. Our alumni network is strong, and the graduates help each other find positions and opportunities. Recent graduates have gone on to succeed in positions such as junior and lead graphic designer, motion designer, and junior creative director.
The Capstone course is an essential learning experience that provides the backbone of students’ professional practice and contributes to their early success in the field as art directors and designers at prestigious design firms across the country. In Fall 2018, VCD 440 Graphic Design Business Practices was revised to better address the AIGA Designer of 2025
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industry challenges, noted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The revisions reflect a more holistic view of freelancing beyond business practices, and the inclusion of topics ranging from health (medical insurance, behavioral health, and addiction resources) to promotion and finance. The course is team taught by two industry professionals. Professional experiences, internships, and mentorships provide valuable opportunities to bolster student confidence and skills. In 2018 100% of Visual Communication Design students held at least one internship. Students interned at locations such as Burton, Rome Snowboards, Keurig, A&S Brewing, Fuse, Driven and KSV.
The College’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is reflected in program-specific initiatives, such as course revisions to include topics and projects that address diversity and inclusion goals and outcomes. For example, in Spring 2019 a new project was added to VCD 301 Advanced Typography, which asks students to conceive a method for introducing first- and second-year design students to the ethical responsibility to engage in critical design practices that address diversity and inclusion. Projects focus on either small changes or larger systematic ones and take the form of any visual communication. Students are assigned applicable theoretical readings and research topics that focus on current debates within the design community. The projects produce engaging critiques and, at times, difficult conversations and uncomfortable moments. To manage classroom discussion in a positive and inclusive manner, faculty rely on the College’s Diversity and Inclusion Toolkit, available to all faculty through the Canvas learning management system.
The program’s strong identity is clearly demonstrated in student participation in extracurricular activities, such as the AIGA Vermont Chapter Student Group. An average of 60 students participate in yearly AIGA activities. Student-planned events include bus trips to nearby cities, such as Montreal, Boston, and New York; student peer reviews; studio tours; and competitions. In addition to planned events, AIGA student members meet weekly to share and discuss design. The program’s active engagement with AIGA reflects our commitment to creating a strong community of design professionals in Vermont. The faculty actively participate in the planning and shaping of AIGA design events, development, and networking in Vermont.
In Spring 2019, AIGA Vermont launched the Vermont Design Mentorship Program, pairing eight senior student mentees with eight field professionals as mentors. Unlike an internship, this mentorship program is customized to a mentee’s area of need and interest, and offers local professionals an opportunity to share valuable perspectives and design career advice. Mentees grow as designers, gain insight, and network with other designers. AIGA will assess the success of this initiative and, hopefully, expand the opportunity in 2020 to students at all levels.
The program’s connection to the community goes beyond internships and mentorships. It benefits from the College’s strong connections with local organizations, such as the Generator Makerspace, the University of Vermont’s Fleming Museum, the South End Arts and Business Association, Burlington City Arts, the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, and the University of Vermont’s Howe Library and Silver Special Collections. Additionally, the Champlain College Art Gallery supports innovative and experimental contemporary art in
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all media through exhibitions, events, projects, and residencies. See Section I. J. Community Involvement (page 90) and Section II. C. Programmatic Areas: Exhibitions (page 170).
While the strengths described above show that the Visual Communication Design program is meeting its stated goals and outcomes, two salient areas have been identified for improvement: ensuring that we are supporting the success and graduation of all our student populations, and adding instructional space to support current and future studio courses and an expanding curriculum.
Review of retention data shows a notable drop in program retention for 2017 to 70%, whereas the program’s retention had previously increased from 82% in 2013 to 95% in 2016. An increasing number of students identify mental health as a key contributing factor impacting their retention at the College. Often, students who are not as successful in the program have complex learning needs and diverse backgrounds. The complexity of providing holistic support to students and the challenge of meeting the growing demand for effective mental health and learning support in the face of increased demand are being addressed by the College through a series of targeted initiatives. At the programmatic level, the College’s recruitment, retention, and graduation efforts would benefit from the Visual Communication Design program creating opportunities for students to pursue a more technical path, one that better meets the needs of students who are not as versed or interested in the program’s creative problem-solving and conceptual path.
In addition, according to AIGA Designer 2025 and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Visual Communication Design field is experiencing a dynamic shrinking of opportunities. Fewer jobs, coupled with graduates who require more support, suggest a need for more diverse opportunities for students. Creating a greater range of career pathways, both technical and conceptual, will be the primary goal for the immediate future of the program. One of the challenges in pursuing these technical pathways will be to identify instructors locally to teach highly specialized technical courses, such as VCD 280 Introduction to 3-D for Motion Graphics. A subset of the above challenge is the need to continue fostering inclusivity in the classroom by intentionally incorporating inclusive practices. An appreciation for communication and learning differences, especially during classroom critique, is increasingly important in order to support strong student learning outcomes.
The continued success of the program would also benefit from additional instructional space. Currently, one classroom supports courses in manual arts in wet and dry media, making it challenging to ensure a common classroom setup and an appropriate state of cleanliness for all courses that utilize that space. In addition, the program has banned the use of spray adhesives and fixatives in order to ensure the health and safety of students and faculty. The safe use of fixatives would require access to safety equipment and a spray capture booth with proper ventilation, which our current instructional spaces cannot accommodate.
As a result of the College’s deployment of a Voluntary Retirement Program at the end of the 2018–2019 academic year, as well as other personal factors, the Visual Communication Design program lost three long-standing faculty members and had the opportunity to conduct a national search for two Assistant Professor positions. The expertise of the newly hired
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Visual Communication Design faculty will allow the program to explore new areas of visual design and further the integration of technology and art into the design curriculum. These areas will be greatly assisted by the College’s partnership with Generator, discussed in Section I. J. Community Involvement (page 91).
7. N/A
8. Plans for Addressing Weaknesses and Improving Results
The program faculty will seek to develop a specialization in Graphic Production to meet the needs of those students who are not strong conceptual designers. This addition would allow the program to provide a more technical education to students who do not wish to pursue a conceptual design role that requires complex integrative thinking. Graphic design producers assist in the design, production, and release of materials. They usually design for catalogs, magazines, newspapers, and direct mail literature. They may also work for computer systems design services or web design companies. They are end producers and not usually involved in the conceptualization phase of the project. This offering will not only provide more options for students with diverse learning needs, it will also provide another strong path to career success in visual communication. This is vital for student retention in the program and will also serve as a minor for Marketing and Communication majors.
As discussed above, the type of projects introduced in VCD 301 Advanced Typography, which intentionally integrate diversity and inclusion skills with visual communication skills, will be further incorporated into other required coursework. Students will be guided to learn and practice strategies for becoming more inclusive designers while producing projects that increase their fluency in all program competencies.
To address the needs of both the manual arts classes and those classes that require a more pristine, dry, and clean workspace, the program faculty are exploring the use of more flexible spaces that will also provide students with additional studio time for continued practice and critique sessions. A proposal for such a flexible space is under development.
In the short term, additional communication regarding the proper use of toxic substances and alternatives is being added to all syllabi. A stricter monitoring of students’ adherence to safety standards is also being implemented. The longer-term goal, however, is to identify a proper designated location for the use of fixatives and adhesives, including a potential site for a spray booth.
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Section II. C. Programmatic Areas
Visual Arts Studies in General Education (refer to NASAD Handbook, Standards for Accreditation III. O. and Appendix II. E.)
Champlain College’s General Education Core Division
Champlain College is unique in structure and curriculum, which affects how students, regardless of major, engage with the general education courses offered alongside their respective program requirements. As a professionally focused institution, Champlain distinguishes between the professional divisions that house programs offering the major- specific courses and degrees, and the Core Division, which is primarily responsible for the general education curriculum (with the exception of the math and science requirements, which are housed in the Division of Information Technology and Sciences). As a result, opportunities to study visual art and design as part of a student’s general education are primarily handled not by the visual art and design programs themselves, as would ordinarily be the case at liberal arts institutions with a distribution model of general education, but by a separate faculty whose qualifications are nevertheless appropriate to the goals of exposing students to and providing a historical and theoretical grounding in art and design.
Additionally, depending on their major, students at Champlain College typically have six to nine credits’ worth of free electives, which they can use to take an array of courses offered through the visual art and design major programs. Non-majors will be limited in their choices according to prerequisites, but each of the art and design majors in the CCM Division offers opportunities for non-major students as well. Thus, a significant portion of Champlain students are integrating an appreciation of art and design with their overall education.
The general education approach crafted by Champlain’s Core Division emphasizes integrative interdisciplinary explorations, thematically organized over four years. For the purposes of this self-study, years one and two of the Core’s general studies curriculum are the most relevant. See also the Core Division Briefing Book for a comprehensive overview of the Core aims, goals, and curriculum in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio. https://www.champlain.edu/academics/academic-divisions/core-division
During the first semester of their first year, students take two cohorted interdisciplinary courses, COR 110 Concepts of the Self and COR115 Rhetoric of Self. Together, these courses explore the nature of self-identity and the modes and possibilities of self-expression. One of the central disciplines in Concepts of the Self is visual art, specifically focused on the ways in which visual artists capture the likeness of a person in a portrait. Many professors in Rhetoric of Self explore visual rhetoric in a variety of media, from architecture to painting to web pages. For the final project required in all sections of Concepts of the Self, students create their own self-portraits in a media of their choice, informed by their study of visual art, psychology, neuroscience, and literature.
During their sophomore year, students take 12 credit hours of courses addressing the Western tradition, including the significant paradigms of Western thought and the factors that have
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influenced epistemological shifts. Two of the courses that students can elect to take as part of this requirement are COR 220 Aesthetic Expressions, offered in the fall semester, and COR 270 Heroines and Heroes, offered in the spring semester. See Undergraduate Catalog for course descriptions.
COR 270 Heroines and Heroes traces the development of “the heroic” from ancient epics through contemporary media, examining heroines and heroes in wide-ranging works and adopting various critical approaches to exploring their profound influence on how we understand ourselves and our world.
COR 220 Aesthetic Expressions asks the fundamental question “Why do the arts matter?” and explores the literary, performing, and visual arts in the Western tradition. Students analyze works of art both past and contemporary by situating them in their historical and cultural contexts, and by examining them through the interpretive lenses of race, class, and gender. Students formulate and articulate theoretically informed conclusions about the roles of the arts in Western society and in their own lives.
COR 220 Aesthetic Expressions originated as a means to incorporate a fine arts perspective within the Core, as well as a way to introduce students to the foundations of “classic” Western aesthetics. Over the years, the course has evolved into a more diverse and flexible exploration of all aspects of aesthetic thought. It incorporates non-Western aesthetics, as well as topics that reflect the expanding nature of art and artistry in the 21st century, as essential parts of both a comparative and an analytical approach to aesthetic thought and the role of art in society. These topics have included Zanzibar, Diasporic Beauty, Art and Politics, and The Grotesque, for example. Whatever its focus, each section emphasizes the cultural and aesthetic significance of visual art and design throughout human history. See Aesthetic Expressions Topics: https://www.champlain.edu/academics/academic- divisions/core-division/academics/aesthetic-expressions#cor%20220-01.
By formally analyzing works of art both past and contemporary, by situating them in their historical and cultural contexts, and by examining them through the interpretive lenses of race, class, and gender, students formulate and articulate theoretically informed conclusions about the roles of the arts in Western and non-Western society and in their lives. The learning outcomes of the course are as follows:
● Evaluate works of art using the vocabulary, categories, and theories of aesthetic criticism. ● Situate works of art in the historical and cultural contexts in which they were created. ● Articulate theoretically informed conclusions about the role of the arts in Western society and in their lives. ● Evaluate works of art through the interpretive lenses of race, class, and gender.
The overarching goal of the course is to engage students in thinking about what art is and why it matters, and has mattered, in the evolution of human society. While many sections of COR 220 introduce students to well-known creative works, most will also range much farther afield and incorporate contemporary understandings of aesthetics. Students examine the role
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of artistic expression in society over the years and in contemporary periods. They also grapple with questions about who decides what art is and why that matters. In looking at these questions, students learn some of the vocabulary of aesthetic critique and description, as well as different ways to interpret and analyze creative work. The Core Division offers approximately 14 sections of the course in its various iterations in the fall semester and the standard version over the summer. Aesthetic Expressions is taught by a variety of faculty in the Core Division. In Fall 2018, eight different faculty taught the course. Their backgrounds cover a wide range of disciplines and fields of knowledge: digital and interactive storytelling, rhetoric, creative writing, dramatic literature, theater and film, mythology, comparative literature, cinema studies, poetry, folklore, and history.
Core Faculty members make use of local arts events and venues for courses such as COR 110 Concepts of the Self, COR 120 Concepts of Community, COR 220 Aesthetic Expressions, COR 240 Bodies, and COR 270 Heroines and Heroes. First and foremost, students have access to Champlain’s on-campus Art Gallery. Faculty coordinate with the Gallery Director to schedule class sessions in the gallery space so that they interact with work displayed there, as well as with the Gallery Director and artists-in-residence. Students also attend artist’s talks and show openings as part of their out-of-class work for some sections of the courses listed above. As previously noted, Champlain faculty and students are granted free admission to galleries and exhibitions at the Fleming Museum at the University of Vermont, and they are also able to request complimentary tickets to attend Flynn-presented performances at the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts. Many take advantage of this to schedule performances that enrich their semester schedules. For example, this past fall students attended a screening of the 1982 experimental masterpiece Koyaanisqatsi, accompanied by a live performance of the film score by Philip Glass and his ensemble. Faculty members integrate the Burlington South End Art Hop into their semester, requiring their students to attend the weekend-long event. See Section I. J. Community Involvement (page 91).
The Core curriculum is intentionally interdisciplinary, with courses and assignments designed to cultivate students’ abilities to form integrative connections between apparently disparate fields of knowledge. As such, faculty teaching Core courses must model this kind of interdisciplinary integration in their teaching. Faculty have in-depth training in one or more specific disciplines, and also work to form connections to other fields of knowledge intrinsic to the design of the courses they teach. In the case of Core courses with an emphasis on art and design, faculty members teaching those courses typically have expertise in art history, aesthetic theory, media theory, folklore, theater, film, literature and writing, or other creative fields, while their Ph.D. might be granted in fields such as philosophy, history, rhetoric, comparative literature, or even environmental policy, for example. By way of illustration, recent sections of COR 220 Aesthetic Expressions have been taught by faculty with the following degrees and specializations:
● MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts ● MFA in Creative Writing, with specialization in Transmedia Storytelling ● MA in History, with years of experience as a creative writer and copy editor ● Ph.D. in Folklore, with extensive experience as a stage and film actor and director
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● Ph.D. in Folklore, with research specialization in Afro-Caribbean visual art ● MA in Environmental Policy, with a BA in Studio Art, practice focused on ecological art ● Ph.D. in Philosophy, with specialization in Aesthetic Theory ● Ph.D. in Religious Studies, with specialization in sacred architecture and sacred space
The CCM Division offers a number of introductory classes in visual art and design that are available to any student at Champlain College and can be taken as part of their six to nine credits of free electives. These courses include: ART 110 Introductory Drawing, Art 120 Art History: Survey of Western and non-Western Art, Art 115 Introduction to Photography, FLM 110 Introduction to Filmmaking, FLM 210 Film History, and VCD 110 Digital Artwork.
The table below provides the average enrollment patterns for the past five years of non-art and design majors in art and design courses. As part of their general electives or major- specific electives credits, non-majors can choose from among approved courses in art and design studio instruction, history, theory, criticism, and appreciation. In addition to the Core 220 Aesthetic Expressions, these art and design courses expose students to a variety of art forms and styles and help them develop their critical skills.
Descriptions for each of these courses are available online in the College Catalog. Course titles below are also linked to their descriptions in the catalog. http://catalog.champlain.edu/content.php?catoid=34&navoid=902
*Indicates exact number (rather than average) of non-art and design students who took the course during the five-year period 2015–2019.
Courses # Courses #
ART 110 Introduction to Drawing 22 CCM 301 Montreal: 6 Emerging Media and Innovation
ART 115 Introduction to 14 COM 206 10 Photography Photojournalism
ART 120 Art History: Survey of 10 GMD 110 Introduction to 10 Western and Non-Western Art Game Design
ART 135 Anatomy and Perspective 10 FLM 210 Film History I 2 Drawing
ART 215 Intermediate Photography 4 FLM 211 Film History II 3
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ART 220 Cultural Immersion 11 FLM 250 Introduction to 3 Through the Fine Arts Seminar Stop Motion Animation
ART 235 Introduction to Painting 1 FLM 281 Canadian 8 Culture Through Films
ART 250 Women and the Arts 3 FLM 301 Topics in 2* Cinema
ART 282 Sequential Art 3 FLM 311 Film Theory 3*
ART 339 Painting Other Worlds 2 VCD 111 Visual and 35 Digital Fundamentals
ART 380 Advanced Art History: 5 VCD 115 The Digital 5 Special Topics Image
BRD 110 Video Storytelling 28 VCD 181 Design 14 Solutions
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Section II. C. Exhibitions
CCM Division Exhibition Goals, Objectives, and Practices
The CCM Division’s exhibition philosophy and objectives support student centeredness, inclusivity, standards of excellence, and community building. While exhibition practices vary across the different art and design programs to meet the needs of specific disciplines, exhibiting student work is a fundamental component of the art and design curriculum and emphasizes standards of industry professionals. In addition to publicly exhibiting their work on and off campus, students also prepare artist portfolios in the form of demo reels, process books and websites, for example.
Our exhibition program focuses on preparing students to exhibit work both through practice and exposure. By virtue of the programs we offer, the CCM Division works in close collaboration with the Champlain Gallery Director, who reports to the Office of the President. By maintaining an ongoing exhibition calendar of local, regional, and national working artists, showing a diverse array of media and modalities, the Champlain College Art Gallery supports CCM academic programs by bridging the gap between the student artist and the professional world of public exhibition. See below for additional details regarding the goals and practices of the Champlain College Art Gallery.
Because of the importance of exhibitions to the art and design curriculum, the Gallery Director meets regularly with the CCM Dean, Program Directors, and the faculty to discuss upcoming gallery exhibitions and coordinate the integration of artist residencies, artist talks, and exhibits in the curriculum of particular courses. This collaboration also allows the Gallery Director to be aware of particular exhibition needs of the CCM Division, including the scheduling of student and faculty shows and other exhibits timed to coincide with significant campus events, such as the CCM Honors Night, Admissions open houses, and Board of Trustees meetings.
Course instructors and students work closely with the Gallery Director to schedule and coordinate space and times for student exhibitions and shows, and complete the installation of exhibitions. This collaboration reflects the exhibition philosophy of the art and design programs and helps meet the exhibition goals of these programs:
• To gain an understanding of standards of exhibition quality, including establishing, demonstrating, and experiencing high standards of quality for exhibition and formal public display. • To become familiar with the timeframe and workflow expected when planning for exhibitions. • To gain cumulative experiences practicing and preparing to execute all the facets of a gallery installation or exhibition. • To demonstrate and foster the community engagement aspects of exhibitions. • To demonstrate and practice the values of diversity and inclusivity throughout the entire exhibition process.
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• To prepare students for collaborating, cooperating, submitting, and exhibiting their work after graduation. • To expose students to working artists’ methods through contact with visiting artists and exhibitions.
While the primary venues for professional and student exhibitions are the Champlain College Art Gallery and the adjacent Gallery Lounge, student work is also shown in the student-run Stair Nook Gallery; the Alumni Auditorium; throughout the Center for Communication and Creative Media, particularly in its stairways and second- and fourth-floor hallways; in Freeman Hall hallways and stairways; in the Aiken Hall Morgan Room; and in the President’s Office and conference rooms. Works by professional artists are also exhibited in central indoor and outdoor campus locations for a period of time and, in some cases, permanently.
In Fall 2019, the College hosted Dwayne Pahi O’Carroll (https://pahboyarts.com/), a Maori artist and carver from New Zealand, for a month-long artist residency. In addition to designing and completing a traditional Maori carving, the artist engaged with students and faculty through talks, demonstrations, and other events. The carving completed by the artist was unveiled during a ceremony and is now on permanent display in the Center for Communication and Creative Media. The entire process was documented by two students as part of their Filmmaking Senior Capstone project. Students in FLM 230 Audio and Video Editing created two short films as part of a class assignment.
These films can be seen through the following links: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ASM8rqDPjYGFvh2QxxnVabzGoByedaSf/view?usp=shari ng https://drive.google.com/file/d/10iJAPwGHeMz4LB8PkV- Vz7r3pyULZVhi/view?usp=sharing.
Photos of the unveiling ceremony are available through the following link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/champlaincollege/sets/72157711152629343/
The following section outlines CCM Division-specific activities that engage students in the practice of exhibition of their work and submission to festivals and competitions. Also included are examples of College-wide programs, initiatives, and opportunities for building exhibition attendance among students from across all majors, including non-art and design majors, as well as faculty and staff.
Faculty in non-art and design majors, particularly from the Core Division, regularly integrate these opportunities into their academic curriculum. Students from across disciplines are encouraged to attend Senior Capstone shows, exhibitions, and screening, as are members of the Champlain community and Burlington’s arts community and businesses. In addition, exhibitions, artist talks, and demonstrations organized and hosted by the Gallery Director and other faculty are actively integrated into the curriculum of various disciplines.
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Art and Design Student Exhibitions
Game Art and Game Design Game Studio Senior Show At the end of the spring semester, graduating Seniors in the Game Art and Game Design programs participate in the Game Studio Senior Show (along with Game Production Management and Game Programming students). The Senior Show is a series of events over multiple days, designed to showcase the games produced by Seniors that year and provide students with networking opportunities with representatives from the game industry as well as alumni working in these industries. See also 2019 Game Studio Senior Show Photo Album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/champlaincollege/sets/72157691234767103/.
Presentation The first of these events is the opening night of the Senior Show proper, which consists of formal presentations by student teams of their games. The presentations are held in the Alumni Auditorium and also live-streamed into the Champlain Room adjacent to the Auditorium and online, in order to accommodate the large number of attendees. On average, about 400 people view this event either in person or virtually.
Exhibition The presentation portion of the event is followed by an exhibition of the games in the Art Gallery. Professional partners, alumni, faculty, staff, and students are invited to attend the event. Among the attendees are 15 to 20 game studio recruiters who have the opportunity to see the work and interview students for potential employment opportunities.
The student teams work with the Gallery Director for several weeks prior to the show to plan and construct their game presentation spaces. These spaces include informational posters that describe the games and give attribution to the individuals who worked on the game. The Game Art students also showcase their reels on a large digital panel and 5 to 8 images are selected by the Game Art Program Director for large print presentation. Following the opening night, the exhibition of the games in the Art Gallery remains open to the public for at least a week. The students are responsible for maintaining their presentation spaces and games.
Recruitment In addition to being a venue for exhibiting the Senior games, the Game Studio Senior Show functions as a recruitment event. Each year 15 to 20 recruiters representing 10 to 15 companies from across the United States and Canada attend the event to engage with the games and conduct initial screening interviews for prospective game development positions. See 2019 Game Studio Recruiter List in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
Students also have the opportunity to be included in a publication called The Game Studio Senior Book, which contains abbreviated résumés and sample work. This publication is distributed to all of the recruiters attending the Game Studio Senior Show, as well as our
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entire recruitment network. See 2017–2019 Game Studio Senior Books in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
Other forms of exhibition opportunities for Game Art students include the online resource and publication 80 Level and the Rookie’s annual awards sponsored by Autodesk. In 2018 Champlain’s Game Art program was ranked fourth in the world on the Rookie’s list. Starting in their sophomore year, students are also expected to post their portfolio work on professional pages called Art Station, also a central forum for Game Art students.
New England Student Game Design Showcase The New England Student Game Design Showcase is a contest open to two- and four-year institutions in the East. Among the institutions competing alongside Champlain College are: Becker College, Berklee, Bunker Hill Community College, Emerson College, Fitchburg State University, Hampshire College, Lesley, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mt. Ida College, New England Institute of Technology, Quinnipiac University, Rhode Island School of Design, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Southern New Hampshire University, University of Southern Maine, University of Connecticut, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. This contest features a number of categories, covering individual artwork, full games, and innovative use of technology. The categories awarded are best animation, best art, best game play, best technical innovation, and players’ choice award. The contest is judged by a panel of industry professionals and features a keynote speaker. In 2018 Champlain tied for first place in the best art category.
Game Fest Game Fest is a yearly student competition judged by industry professionals and held at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The contest is open to any academic institution, but is primarily attended by New England schools. The work of game artists is judged in-game, and external art submissions are not included in the judging. Each year Champlain sends several teams of juniors and seniors, who regularly place first, second, and third in the competition. Champlain College has participated in this competition since its inception, for the past eight years.
Visual Communication Design The formal exhibition for students in the Visual Communication Design program is the Senior Capstone Show, held in the Art Gallery at the end of the fall semester. Student work exhibited includes print, motion graphics, web design, and packaging. Students also produce process books of their work. This showcase is a culminating academic experience in which the students demonstrate high quality, professionalism, and readiness to enter the marketplace. This is also a venue for professional networking and hiring, as representatives of local design firms are invited, along with students, alumni, faculty, and families. The Senior Showcase remains on exhibition in the Art Gallery for about a month, from mid- December to mid-January. In addition, students from across the four years show their work at the end-of-year Visual Communication Design All Student Show at the end of the spring semester, and outstanding students are recognized by the faculty. Classroom work is displayed along the hallway near the Graphic Design Lab and Drawing Studio on a rotating
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basis. These displays allow students the opportunity to view projects representing all levels of the design curriculum and encourage student discussion and critique.
Students are required to have websites that display their work, forming part of their online portfolio. There are also local art and design contests and exhibition opportunities for students, such as those sponsored by AIGA and the Burlington South End Art Hop. See Section I. J. Community Involvement. Visual Communication Design Senior Capstone 2016 Show Visual Communication Design Senior Capstone 2015 Show
Filmmaking Students in the Filmmaking program show their work publicly on campus starting in their second year at the Sophomore Showcase and as juniors at the Junior Showcase. Students from across different years are encouraged to attend each other’s screenings, engage with their peers about their creative process, and learn from one another. The Senior Showcase is the main culminating exhibition for students in the Filmmaking program. This showcase takes place at the end of the spring semester (on campus or at a local screening venue), and on average 10 films are shown, including documentaries, short form fiction, and animation. Students whose areas of focus is cinematography or editing also show their reels at the Showcase. In 2019 two screenings of the Senior Showcase were held, one on campus in the Alumni Auditorium during final exams week, so the College community could attend, and a second screening was organized by the students themselves, with the support of Filmmaking alumni, and held at a local venue, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, the day before graduation so families and friends could attend. Also attending the screenings are members of the Burlington art and media community, including from Vermont PBS, Vermont International Film Festival, the Freedom and Unity Festival, Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, and the production house Urban Rhino.
Senior films are produced over the course of the entire year, with preproduction and shooting occurring in the fall semester and postproduction in the spring semester. The production process is fully collaborative, as students work on each other’s films throughout. Students also create an electronic press kit as well as posters for their films, which are exhibited at the Senior Showcase and subsequently placed on display on the second floor of the CCM Center near Filmmaking faculty offices. Included in the press kit are the students’ artist statement and biography, reflecting their ability to think critically about and take an integrative approach to their work.
Student films and screenplays have been accepted to festivals, including the Hollywood International Moving Pictures Film Festival at historic Raleigh Studios Hollywood, the LA Shorts Festival, the LA Film and Script Festival, Orlando Film Festival, the New York International Screenplay Awards, the Vermont International Film Festival, the New England Emmys peer-reviewed exhibitions, and the Broadcast Education Association Media Arts Festival. Student work is selected by Vermont PBS for inclusion in their Made Here Series, a curated program showing a broad range of content by regional filmmakers. Filmmaking students have also received screenplay awards at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival and at the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards.
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Creative Media In the Creative Media Program, students exhibit their work at different stages of their educational experience and practice multiple ways of reaching audiences. While early exhibition experiences take place on campus and are only promoted to the College community, later experiences are meant to be increasingly more public. In CRE 100 Making Art students are required to stage a show in the Stair Nook Gallery, a fully student-run gallery space. Students work in collaboration with the Gallery Director, and the show is promoted to the entire campus.
Students also organize shows off campus. For example, in 2015–2016 and 2016–2017 students held off-campus shows in shopping mall storefronts and in industrial spaces. This is an important experience for developing artists, allowing students room to explore and develop their own context for exhibitions, and to experiment in preparation for the professional expectations of the Senior Capstone exhibition.
The Senior Capstone Show is the culminating senior exhibition and takes place in the Art Gallery. Students work directly with the Gallery Director to stage the exhibition and are encouraged to consider how their work can reach audiences beyond the limited run of the on- campus exhibition. Some have, for example, self-published their work in book form, created project websites, and made recordings available through online platforms, such as Soundcloud and Spotify. See Senior Capstone Show photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/champlaincollege/albums/72157667350279876.
Champlain College Art Gallery The Champlain College Art Gallery, which opened in 2015, supports innovative and experimental contemporary art in all media through exhibitions, events, projects, and artist residencies. The Art Gallery is a catalyst for interdisciplinary collaboration and learning at the intersection of art and technology. It features the work of national and regional artists confronting cultural and artistic issues, as well as Champlain College faculty and students.
Artist residencies range from five days to a month and provide students the opportunity to interact with the artists, learning their processes and in, some cases, helping to shape the final product. Artists-in-residence work in-house and provide talks, demos, and workshops to the community. Faculty have the opportunity to contextualize their class subject matter with topics and themes relevant to specific artists and their work.
One of the goals of the Art Gallery, which aligns with those of the College and the CCM Division, is to expose students to different cultures and modes of artistic expression and thought. The Gallery thus serves as a bridge, connecting students to a broad range of ideas and perspectives, and encouraging them to look beyond themselves to understand and appreciate in a deeper way the life experience artists bring to their work. In meeting this goal, the Art Gallery serves as a laboratory of sorts for courses in the CCM and Core divisions, as well as across a wide range of non-art and design majors.
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Faculty regularly integrate the Gallery’s exhibits and artist residencies into their courses. For example, in Fall 2018 the Art Gallery hosted an artist residency with Burlington artist Misoo Filan. During the residency, Misoo created large-scale India ink and pencil drawings on a 5- foot-high paper roll right in the gallery. Students in art and design, Core, psychology, and social work courses, among others, were invited to engage with the artist during the making of the work and bring their disciplinary perspectives into conversations with the artist during formal talks and small group discussions. Titled Inner Struggle Fought on Paper, Misoo’s abstract work examines assault and redemption from the victim’s perspective. As the artist explains, “My work involves themes of redemption—allowing me to confront the memories of childhood sexual abuse sleeping just beneath my consciousness and to experience a rebirth in my identity from victim to powerful protector of innocence. Using the juxtaposition of serious narrative with beautiful, approachable techniques made me able to approach the narrative in a safe way and, after spending 20 years of my life repressing my own memories of sexual abuse, I am able to allow the memories to flood back to me, making sense of the stories hidden in my own artwork.” https://www.misoo.org/ink
Another goal of the Art Gallery is to provide students with valuable, professional work experience through paid positions and internships. Students learn professionalism, develop teamwork and management skills, and learn to interact and communicate in a workplace setting with artists, collaborators, and audiences. Students perform a range of tasks, including physical preparation for exhibits, press releases, creating books and pamphlets, and marketing on social media. Information about Art Gallery exhibitions is featured in Burlington Art Map, an online and print guide to exhibitions, events, art venues, and the work of local artists. The monthly print publication includes a map to venues and exhibition listings. The online edition includes all the exhibition listings and links to further information.
Selection of images from Art Gallery and Stair Nook shows: Gallery website https://artgallery.champlain.edu https://www.flickr.com/photos/champlaincollege/albums/72157665695635860 https://www.flickr.com/photos/champlaincollege/albums/72157661166619099 https://www.flickr.com/photos/champlaincollege/albums/72157689271485050
Champlain College Juried Student Art Show The Art Gallery hosts a yearly Juried Student Art Show that welcomes submissions from Champlain students across all majors. Established in 2016 the Juried Student Art Show features a variety of mediums, including video, audio, 3-D model, sculpture, graphic design, photography, digital and manual painting, drawing, and illustration. See photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/champlaincollege/albums/72157667667754733
The works showcased at the most recent exhibition, in 2019, were selected from among 175 submissions by a jury of faculty, alumni, and industry professionals. Fifty-six entries were chosen for inclusion, representing students in art and design majors as well as Broadcast Media Production, Communication, Computer and Digital Forensics, and Marketing. The exhibition draws faculty, students, alumni, and members of the Burlington community, and
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Juried Choice Awards are given in five categories, as well as the President’s, Provost’s, and Dean’s Choice Awards. Starting in 2018 the works selected for inclusion in the exhibition were featured in the Juried Student Art Show Catalogue, produced through the Center for Publishing and available both in print and online. See 2018 Catalogue and 2019 Catalogue. Print copies of the Catalogue are widely distributed to prospective students and friends of the College. Award-winning pieces are also featured in Weathervane, the CCM Division magazine, and in the CCM News Hub.
Champlain College Faculty Exhibitions/Installations
Fall 2019 Available Tools Faculty Group Show: John Boyd, Gordon Glover, Dana Heffern, Ken Howell, John R. Killacky, Al Larson, and Rebecca Schwarz Stair Nook Gallery
Dimensions of Connection A lo-fi opera and explorable environment and collaboration between performance and multimedia artist Anna Huff (http://annajordanhuff.com) and Creative Media faculty member Al Larsen. The work is prompted by questions of how the human psyche coexists with emerging technology practices: What are the habitual gestures of our screen interactions? How do daily experiences of access, enchantment, and virtual action feel, and how might we push movements into new imaginative interfaces? With contributions and input from Champlain College students, the show included a monumental pillar drawing from notions of flimsy utopias and speculative surface environments, and combined music, performance, and sculptural cardboard props.
Installation A site-specific installation in the Art Gallery, in collaboration with Core faculty Veruska Cantelli and Flavio Rizzo, included workshops and student engagement during Barbara and Norton Garber’s artist residency. Garber is a painter, printmaker, and installation artist. She splits her time between southern Vermont and New York City. Vermont-based installation artist and musician Norton Garber, builds installations with sound, light, and video.
Fall 2018 Folly Champlain College faculty Jonathan Mikulak and Terrance Sehr created an audiovisual installation that explored how the perceptual process influences our understanding of ourselves. An indoor space was transformed into a responsive sensory experience that bathed visitors in waves of multicolored, undulating light and abstract sound. The space aimed to deconstruct the boundary between inner and outer self. The experience symbolized the materialization of (internal) metaphysical space into (external) physical space by creating a hypnotizing environment for the subconscious mind.
Spring 2018 Quality of Life: The Ralston Historical Museum
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Core faculty Erik Esckilsen’s installation was designed to mimic a local history museum, featuring historical ephemera and artifacts from the fictional Vermont town of Ralston.
Fall 2017 Ralston Transmedia artist and Core faculty Erik Esckilsen explored the quirky, fictional city of Ralston through an immersive augmented storytelling environment.
Disco Deployment Unit A Creative Media installation by Creative Media adjunct faculty Stella Mars that showcased an inflatable, room-sized silver dome with dance floor and disco ball, accompanied by videos of ’70s disco music.
Fall 2016 Champlain Faculty Show A survey of new, original, and innovative works by art and design and Core faculty.
Fall 2016 Plug/Unplug An exhibition by Game Design faculty Joe Manley that featured ceramic wall sculptures brought to life by digital projection mapping.
Drawings Abstract drawings by printmaking adjunct faculty Katie Loesel that focused on geometry and line.
Spring 2016 Landscapes The show featured work by Champlain Emeritus Art faculty Geebo Church, who explores an alchemist-like pursuit of transcendence in visual perception through contemporary landscape painting. See https://www.flickr.com/photos/champlaincollege/albums/72157663107708434
Fall 2015 Group Show by art and design faculty. Multiple media (For Faculty Group Show photos see: https://artgallery.champlain.edu/2016/11/18/faculty-show-2015/).
Selected Art Gallery Curated Exhibitions/Installations
Fall 2019 TRACES Linda E. Jones has an extensive career as a mixed-media artist working in paint and encaustic mediums on paper, wood, and canvas. Jones finds influence from archaeological finds, medical references, and natural objects. Traces was a retrospective of selected works, including new work inspired by personal archeological exploration. Jones was born in Irvington, New York, and has been a practicing artist for over 40 years, exhibiting in
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museums and galleries throughout the U.S. She is represented in both private and public collections.
Whispers — can you hear the enemy? Beatrix Reinhardt’s productions focus on the politics of space. How demarcation can be achieved through decoration and organization, the way individuals express themselves through how they organize, use, and decorate their spaces, and how this can be seen as an expression of cultural values, ideals, beliefs, individual taste, and sensibilities. Reinhardt is interested in exploring the relationship between space, memory and history. The exhibition covered Reinhardt’s work for the last four years, exploring physical and mental spaces that have endured trauma.
Spring 2019 Submission Burlington-based artist and designer Scott André Campbell’s original work was the result of a month-long residency in the Art Gallery. Campbell’s large-format, abstract mixed-media work is in three parts, which feature drawing, painting, collage, and stenciling. Serial in nature, Submission addressed multiple types of spatial explorations achieved through layering techniques, with an emphasis on rhythm, repetition, and juxtaposition.
Fall 2018 Aggregate This exhibition featured two-dimensional, abstract mixed media created in the preceding 12 months by contemporary visual artist Scott André Campbell. The artist’s aesthetic of balance and form, and strong emphasis on graphic design, drawing, and screen printing is the result of an agglomerative process, using line and geometric principles to evoke a sense of harmony within tension.
The Inner Struggle Fought on Paper Misoo Filan’s continuing series of art pieces on ink, graphite, and yupo paper demonstrate a poignant, self-reflective manifestation of internal conflict.
Spring 2018 Embodied Voice, Video Narratives A retrospective of video works by former Flynn Center for the Performing Arts Director John R. Killacky. The exhibition included three AIDS-related works from the 1990s, three disability-themed pieces from the 2000s, and two recent video collaborations with Vermont artists Todd R. Lockwood and Art Bell. See https://www.flickr.com/photos/champlaincollege/albums/72157692034705954
Summer 2018 Dublin: 10th Anniversary A multimedia exhibition of student and faculty work that celebrated the 10th anniversary of Champlain College’s Dublin Academic Center.
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Fall 2017 Inversion Using a 3-D pen, German-based sculptor Viktoria Strecker filled the gallery with intricate, abstract filigree sculpture over the course of her artist residency. See https://www.flickr.com/photos/champlaincollege/albums/72157665643065279
Paper Lanterns A collaborative residency and workshops that culminated in a monumental, illuminated sculpture created from handmade paper and bamboo.
Sculpture | Landscape An outdoor exhibition in Champlain’s Rozendaal Courtyard that featured Burlington sculptor and landscape architect H. Keith Wagner’s oxidized, welded-steel spheres.
Retrospective Early Vermont feminist filmmakers Robin Lloyd and Doreen Kraft presented Painted Buses of Haiti and other activist films from the 1970s. Guest curated by Margaret Coleman. See https://www.flickr.com/photos/champlaincollege/albums/72157686160786136
Spring 2017 Retrospective Burlington-based photographer and former Champlain Trustee Michael Metz exhibited a retrospective of his 40-year photographic career. The show featured images captured around the world, showing an artistic process that emphasizes the serendipity of the urban environment as well as the truth and intimacy of the human gaze. See https://www.flickr.com/photos/champlaincollege/albums/72157680277150126 https://www.champlain.edu/about-champlain/news-and-events/metz-photo-show
Sensorium: Virtual Reality Exhibition Series A series that explored the potential of virtual reality as a creative medium, including narrative film, artist tools, and data visualization.
Fall 2016 Sundae Month: Indie Punk An exhibit of the work of indie video game studio Sundae Month, founded by three Champlain Alumni.
Spring 2016 Peripheral Vision An exhibition that featured work by Gowri Savoor created during a 15-week artist residency. Exploring the boundary between permanence and the ephemeral, Savoor experimented with cutting-edge 3-D-printer technology, color, form, and layering, creating a body of work that attempts to connect three different elements: rangoli, painting, and sculpture. See https://www.flickr.com/photos/champlaincollege/albums/72157675375473166/page1
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Summer 2016 Portraiture Reimagined This exhibition featured Burlington photographer Todd R. Lockwood’s series of large-scale black-and-white portraits shot using an EPIC-M DRAGON Monochrome movie camera, which produces extremely high resolution images, creating what the artist calls “cinema portraits.” See https://www.flickr.com/photos/champlaincollege/albums/72157670091014896 https://www.champlain.edu/about-champlain/news-and-events/todd-lockwood-review
Spring 2016 Flight Risk Detroit-based Brazilian artist Vagner Whitehead’s exhibition explored transcultural experience using mass media images, illustrations, and multilingual texts.
Radical Games This exhibition showcased art-video games by artist-activist Paolo Pedercini that confront gun control, religious hypocrisy, and corporate greed.
Arctic Voices An immersive exhibition that featured photography and orchestral symphony by artist Matt LaRocca, created on a sailing expedition in the high arctic.
Bound Together: St. John’s Bible and Handmade Books A celebration of the conclusion of the St John’s Bible one-year residency at the College, including a beautiful collection of student handmade books.
Fall 2015 Signals Media Arts Series Residency Internationally acclaimed experimental electro-acoustic musician Greg Davis blended drone and ambient music in this performance and artist residency.
Projecting West Fifteen breathtaking, site-specific, projection-mapped installations created during artists Michael Ackerman’s and Craig Winslow’s two-week cross-country art expedition.
Well, This Is Awkward … Independent video game artist Squinky explored issues of gender identity with offbeat stop- motion, musical adventure games.
Signals Experimental Media Arts Series Solo musician Jeffrey Cantu used guitars, tape, modular synths, and vintage drum machines to create ambient textural compositions.
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Additional Exhibitions
Graffiti Murals Project From 2015–2017 about 50 students per year participated in a graffiti mural project in the local community, in conjunction with their enrollment in sections of COR 220 Aesthetic Expressions. Students from a wide range of majors worked directly with a team of local mural painters (the Anthill Collective: http://anthillcollective.com/) to research, design, and execute a large-scale mural somewhere in the local community. Throughout each project, students were prompted to reflect on their participation in the creative process, from conception through iterative drafting to execution and refinement, thinking about the nature and value of public art (and art more generally) in the community. They interviewed local residents and business owners in the vicinity of the mural project, researched the history of the site, and completed spatial and aesthetic analyses of the site. They also worked through iterative design-thinking exercises with the artists, who oversaw the completion of the final project.
Images from various Graffiti murals: https://www.flickr.com/photos/champlaincollege/albums/72157674218068970 https://www.flickr.com/photos/champlaincollege/albums/72157659028181824 https://www.flickr.com/photos/champlaincollege/albums/72157660844677811
Core Convivium In addition to the Core courses discussed in the previous section, students at Champlain College are introduced and exposed to art and design practices by participating in and attending art exhibitions, at Champlain College and other venues. At the end of the fall semester, the Core Division hosts the Core Convivium. First launched in 2016 and organized by Core faculty, this event showcases the work that students have created in their Core courses during the semester. To accomplish this, the campus is transformed for one afternoon into a combination art gallery, academic conference, and performance space. Self-portrait projects from first-year students in COR 110 Concepts of the Self are on display along with art projects and aesthetic analyses designed by students in COR 220 Aesthetic Expressions, embodied performances created by students in COR 240 Bodies, poetry slams and other public readings delivered by students in COR 115 Rhetoric of Self, poster sessions from students studying human rights and environmental ethics, etc., and academic discussions and debates on global politics, cultural hybridity, or scientific paradigms, to name just a few. Students are required not only to present their own work from their courses, but also to serve as critically engaged audience members for their peers. As a result, students learn not only how to present and explain their own artistic artifacts and/or performances, but also how to interact knowledgeably with the creations of others. See pictures of the 2017 Core Convivium (https://www.flickr.com/photos/champlaincollege/albums/72157663646851118)
International Photo Contest, Office of International Education The Office of International Education hosts the annual Champlain College International Photo Contest, showcasing photographic talent from students, faculty, and staff who traveled to other countries.
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Off-Campus Exhibitions In addition to showing their work on campus, students have exhibited at off-campus locations locally, nationally, and internationally. These are listed below.
Burlington South End Art Hop 2015–2018: Art Hop 2018: Exhibition of student work in the S.P.A.C.E. Gallery Display of Silent Connection, a 360-degree virtual reality experience https://emergentmedia.champlain.edu/2018/10/10/art-hop-2018/
Art Hop 2017: Display of Eden, a virtual reality experience https://vimeo.com/242646264
Art Hop 2016: Various projects https://vimeo.com/142421516
Art Hop 2015: Various projects https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzhtpsYY6HQ https://emergentmedia.champlain.edu/2015/10/20/the-making-of-pixelcloud/
Burlington International Airport: The student-produced interactive digital projects “Graffiniti” and “Flight” were exhibited at Burlington’s International Airport in 2016, and “Flight” remained on exhibit for the following two years. https://www.champlain.edu/about-champlain/news-and-events/btv-and-flight
Burlington’s ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain: Student-produced interactive media projects were exhibited at ECHO’s Innovation Playgrounds V1 and V2 between 2017–2019. https://www.echovermont.org/animals-exhibits/innovation-playground/
Lake Quest, a digital interactive mobile experience created by students, launched in 2015 and continues to be on exhibit at the ECHO museum floor. https://www.champlain.edu/about-champlain/news-and-events/echo-games
Game Developers Conference Alt+Ctrl exhibit: Spacebox, an alternative game controller and game, was selected for display at the 2017 exhibit. https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/290700/ALTCTRLGDC_Showcase_Spacebo x.php
Chicago Design Museum: Spacebox was showcased at the 2017–2018 exhibit HEY! PLAY! Games in Modern Culture. https://designchicago.org/exhibitions/hey-play-games-in-modern-culture/
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Toronto Kids Digital Festival: Spacebox was selected for the 2018 exhibit. https://emergentmedia.champlain.edu/2019/03/28/spacebox-at-the-festival/
Bookstock Literary Festival and Burlington Book Festival: Eden, an experimental, immersive virtual reality storytelling experience was showcased at both festivals in 2017.
Section II. C. Other Programmatic Activities
Office of International Education (OIE)
The Office of International Education supports the College’s goal to ensure that our students graduate prepared to be globally engaged citizens with international experience and global perspective. We believe that the experience of a semester or summer abroad is a significant aspect of a well-rounded educational experience that prepares students for professional careers. Students must be full time and have completed 60 credits before beginning a semester or summer abroad program. Students need to be in good academic standing and have a minimum GPA of 2.75 and a record of strong participation as a college and community citizen. Our commitment to providing students with an international experience is supported by the “Champlain Passport Program,” which provides reimbursement for the cost of a United States Passport to sophomore students who have completed their first year at Champlain College with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Montreal and Dublin Academic Centers In addition to third-party providers and exchange partners, over 10 years ago Champlain College established academic centers in Montreal, Canada, and Dublin, Ireland, that support our international education goals. All campus academic support services are available to students studying abroad, and academic coaching can occur by phone, FaceTime, or Skype. At our Dublin and Montreal Academic Centers, students with academic accommodations work with both Burlington and local faculty to ensure their accommodations carry over. In Montreal, French coaching is also available upon request. In both Montreal and Dublin, the College has made specific arrangements with local providers to meet the physical and mental health needs of our students studying at these sites. Staffing at both academic centers includes the Director, Assistant Director, and Student Life Manager, as well as qualified, local part-time faculty under the oversight of each center’s Director.
A list of Montreal and Dublin faculty is available on the College’s website: https://www.champlain.edu/academics/international-education/champlain-abroad/champlain- abroad-dublin/faculty-and-staff-dublin and https://www.champlain.edu/academics/international-education/champlain-abroad/champlain- abroad-montreal/montreal-faculty.
Information regarding staff and faculty, available services, important contact information, safety and health considerations, and codes of conduct for Montreal and Dublin can be found in specific Google sites for each location: Montreal Site; Dublin Site.
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Montreal Site: https://sites.google.com/champlain.edu/champlainmtlspring19/home?authuser=0 Dublin Site: https://sites.google.com/champlain.edu/dublin
Section I. F. Facilities, Equipment, Health, and Safety contains a full description of the Dublin and Montreal Academic Centers’ facilities (page 70).
While studying in Montreal or Dublin during the fall or spring semesters, students take general education Core courses, general electives, program electives, site-specific advanced art history and culture courses, and also have access to internship opportunities. In addition, the Montreal location offers the Summer Culture Program, a five-week, six-credit experience built around a selection of courses focused on historical and cultural opportunities in the city of Montreal, including LAN 215 Conversational French, WRT 231 Food Writing in Montreal, FLM 280 Canadian Culture through Film, and ART 330 Canadian Culture through Music. Concurrent with the Summer Culture Program, FLM 389 Urban Indie Filmmaking, a six-credit and five-week intensive filmmaking studio course, is offered. The course is supported by our Burlington Rental House, and production equipment is transported to Montreal prior to the start of the course and returned to the Burlington campus at the conclusion of the course.
Both Montreal and Dublin offer courses and activities that support the study of art history and culture. In Montreal, ART 220 Canadian Culture Through the Fine Arts introduces students to Canadian culture through an exploration of its fine arts and of Canada’s historical landmarks, such as the McCord Museum, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Montreal Museum of History & Archeology, the Inuit Gallery “Le Chariot,” and the St Joseph Oratory.
Game Art and Game Design students studying in Montreal are taught by practicing professionals from Montreal’s thriving game industry, and they have the opportunity to attend the Montreal Chapter of the International Game Developers Association meetings, where they meet industry professionals. Students also visit game companies, such as Eidos, EA/Bioware, Ubisoft, and Space & Dreams, where they tour the facilities and have the opportunity to speak with the company’s creative producers. Game students may also visit the National Animation and Design Center, one of Canada’s major training centers for new technologies and new media, the first in the country to offer video game training and the first in the world to teach Softimage software. During the fall semester, game students attend the Montreal International Game Summit, an annual event for game development specialists from all over the world. The conference is hosted by world-renowned experts in programming, visual arts, game design, audio design, production, and business.
Visual Communication Design students as well as others have the opportunity to visit and attend workshops at the Canadian Center of Architecture, an international research center and museum founded on the conviction that architecture is a public concern. The Graffiti Café offers students a cultural urban tour in various parts of the city of Montreal’s graffiti art; students gain familiarity with the artists, and the experiences and ideas that inspire their
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work. At the Museum Pointe a Callière students visit the underground route covering six centuries of history to the permanent exhibit Where Montreal Was Born. Montreal provides students a wide range of other opportunities to explore the arts, as evidenced by the video on the Quartier des Spectacles website.
In Dublin students can take ART 220 Irish Culture Through the Fine Arts, a course that introduces students to Irish culture through an exploration of Irish fine arts in and out of the classroom. Students visit The Museum of Modern Art, home to the leading collections and presentations of modern and contemporary art, and The National Gallery, which houses the national collection of Irish and European fine art. Explorations of art to be found in Dublin also include visits to local galleries and printmaking studios, and walking tours, featuring local architecture and sculptures.
Students taking VCD 320 Culture and Design in Dublin visit the Chester Beatty Library, an art museum and library that houses an extensive collection of manuscripts, miniature paintings, prints, drawings, rare books, and some decorative arts. Students examine the exquisite ninth-century illuminated gospel manuscript, the Book of Kells, at Trinity College. The National Print Museum allows our students to see how books were composed entirely by hand for centuries; how mechanical typesetting machines, such as the Linotype and Intertype, were operated in the newspaper industry; and how historical hand presses, such as the Columbian and the Albion, made the wooden presses of Gutenberg’s time redundant.
All courses offered in Montreal and Dublin are approved through the same curriculum process that guides the approval of courses taught in Burlington. Courses and faculty are overseen by the Montreal and Dublin Directors, in collaboration with OIE and the Dean, who oversees the courses’ discipline. Burlington faculty also work collaboratively with OIE and the Directors to ensure that program-specific courses remain up-to-date and meet the program’s learning objectives. Students in Montreal and Dublin have the same opportunities to evaluate courses and professors as do students studying in Burlington through the IDEA diagnostic survey.
A list of courses being offered in Montreal and Dublin in Fall 2019 and Spring 2020 is included in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio.
Champlain College Centers of Experience Centers of Experience are avenues through which the College provides educational and research opportunities to art and design students, as well as to students across all majors.
In 2006, under former President David Finney, Champlain College introduced its academic Centers of Excellence as experiential and collaborative learning environments that bring together students, faculty, and community members to work on real-world projects. Through support provided by the Roger H. Perry Endowed Chair, an award created to promote change, innovation, and entrepreneurship at the College, the first of these Centers was established, under the oversight of the CCM Division. Over time, the College has welcomed additional Centers to the Burlington campus and expanded programs and offerings. In 2017 the College renamed the Centers of Excellence as Centers of Experience, to better capture the
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work students and faculty engage in, reflecting our multidimensional approach to learning and combining theory and practice.
The Centers complement Champlain’s academic programs by fostering students’ desire to be engaged in hands-on learning and allowing them to build practical experience and their professional networks through work with industry clients. The Centers entrust students with responsibility, engage them in ambitious goals, and empower them with leadership qualities, such as creativity, confidence, insight, and integrity. At the helm of these Centers are industry professionals who share the same goal of ensuring students receive the most relevant, career-focused education, enriched with hands-on learning opportunities. Beyond the College, the Centers serve as bridges to the local Burlington community and beyond by providing state-of-the-art technology and targeted resources to address societal and organizational challenges and to help make a positive social impact in the world.
See also Centers of Experience Report in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio and Centers of Experience website: https://www.champlain.edu/centers-of-experience.
The Centers of Experience that are specifically aligned with many of the objectives of our art and design programs and under the oversight of the CCM Dean are the EMC and the Center for Publishing.
The Emergent Media Center (EMC) is an interdisciplinary academic Center of Experience whose mission is to educate and inspire the next generation of media creators to be thoughtful contributors to our media culture. Students, guided by Faculty Advisors and EMC staff, conceptualize, prototype, and produce a wide range of media for external and internal clients: mobile apps, games, video, virtual reality, online learning, graphics, and other interactive experiences.
The EMC supports a dynamic experiential learning environment for students, where they apply their classroom learning to real projects. With a focus on human-centered design and agile development methodologies, students think critically, take risks, practice workplace readiness, and build both hard and interpersonal skills. The EMC offers industry partners access to the unencumbered creativity and talent of bright young people, guided by experienced faculty and staff. The solutions they offer are innovative, inclusive of stakeholder input, and thoroughly conceived ideas that often extend beyond the potential of an in-house effort. The EMC team works with individuals and organizations in business, education, communication, tourism, environmental sustainability, the arts, medicine, and social justice.
The EMC offers employment and internships for students across all academic divisions and years, with art and design students in the CCM Division having the largest representation, 64% for the 2018–2019 year. In that timeframe, the EMC offered over 100 student positions. The graduating class of 2018 reported that 13% of its students had engaged with the EMC.
Since its inception in 2006, EMC students, faculty, and staff have completed over 60 projects, with nearly $2.5 million dollars of revenue. Highlighted projects include:
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● Spacebox: An interactive digital and physical adventure, Spacebox allows users to reexperience the childhood fantasy of exploring space and meeting aliens by riding in a cardboard box that acts as a game controller. Spacebox was featured at the Alt+Ctrl Exhibit at Game Developers Conference, ECHO Lake Aquarium, the Chicago Design Museum, and the Toronto Digital Kids Festival. This project is “patent pending” with EMC students listed as inventors. ● VARISES: A virtual reality training tool for orthopedic surgery, created in collaboration with a renowned orthopedic surgeon. ● Eden: An olfactory VR project/experiment that uses scent as a means of storytelling in a virtual reality environment. ● BREAKAWAY: An electronic game created with the United Nations, BREAKAWAY uses soccer and a proven behavior change methodology to help reduce violence against women. Recently re-created for mobile and targeted toward boys 8–15, BREAKAWAY has a full facilitator’s guide/curriculum and has been conducted in youth camps in Hebron, Palestinian Territories, and El Salvador. ● Agency of Natural Resources Recycling: A video and marketing material suite for the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources to help educate Vermont citizens on recycling. ● Silent Connection: Using 360-degree video and VR technology, this project takes users through several life situations that prompt an empathetic experience designed to promote awareness of what it feels like to be deaf. Showcased at Art Hop 2018. ● Building Blocks Course: A redesign of online courses for the Stern Center for Language and Learning to include audiovisual treatments, motion graphics, and implementation into the Canvas LMS. ● Visible EP: A collaboration with a biotech company specializing in electrophysiology mapping that charts the electrical activity of a simulated heart in order to locate arrhythmias, and help patients and doctors treat and understand them. A multi- platform prototype for a training tool that delivers this mapping and simulation is under development.
Additionally, the EMC runs three internal teams, a Communications/Video team, an Operations/Tech team, and an exploratory Sandbox Team which specializes in the innovative design and collaborative production of interactive media and physical computing projects.
The EMC offers a Faculty Fellowship per semester to support a faculty-led project working with the Sandbox Team. Faculty Fellows and students have a place to explore, innovate, test, and refine impactful ideas, experimenting with new technologies, their applications, and digital-human interactivity. Past Sandbox Team examples have included Spacebox (cardboard box as alternative controller), PixelCloud (interactive sculpture based on social media data), ConVERBance (gender bias in game interfaces and language). The Sandbox Team and Faculty Fellow are supported by the EMC staff in a number of ways, including project management, creative direction, design thinking, marketing, space, and technology/equipment. Students are hired to work on the Sandbox Team based on project goals and gain significant experience working on an interdisciplinary team, thinking critically and bolstering their résumé and portfolios. For additional information, see EMC blog (https://emergentmedia.champlain.edu/) and website.
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Champlain Makerspace Champlain College’s makerspace, formerly known as the MakerLab, housed at the EMC, was relocated in Fall 2019 to Burlington’s Generator Makerspace as a result of an expanded partnership between the College and Generator, which grants Champlain faculty, staff, and students access to a variety of tools and training. See Section I. F. Facilities, Equipment, Health, and Safety (page 66), Section I. J. Community Involvement (page 91), and https://www.champlain.edu/centers-of-experience/makerlab for more information.
Center for Publishing Champlain’s Center for Publishing (CFP) provides collaborative opportunities for students, faculty, and staff who are interested in the production of both print and digital books and magazines for on- and off-campus communities. Working with CFP, students prepare for a wide variety of careers in traditional and independent publishing; learn to work with clients on a variety of publishing projects; and achieve Champlain College competencies around technology and information literacy, creativity, communication, and collaboration. CFP provides experiential education, training, and practice in writing, editing, designing, and publishing to Champlain students regardless of their major or year. CFP also produces magazines that bring faculty achievements to light, books that display their scholarship, and digital resources for use in the classrooms. CFP provides internships and paid work opportunities to current students as well as alumni. In recent years, students have worked on the following publications as designers, photographers, and writers: ● Weathervane, the magazine of the Division of Communication and Creative Media. Issue 1–6 are available electronically through the CCM NewsHub. Printed copies available. ○ Weathervane Issue 6 ○ Weathervane Issue 5 ○ Weathervane Issue 4 ○ Weathervane Issue 3 ○ Weathervane Issue 2 ○ Weathervane Issue 1 ● 2018 Juried Student Art Show Catalogue. Printed copies available. ● 2019 Juried Student Art Show Catalogue. Printed copies available. ● Willard & Maple, a literary arts journal. Printed copies available. ● The Well, a wellness magazine by students for students. Available in print only. ● The Crossover, the new online student site for Champlain College.
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SECTION III. EVALUATION, PLANNING, PROJECTIONS (refer to NASAD Handbook, Standards for Accreditation II. L.)
A. Art/Design Unit
In evaluating, planning, and making projections, the CCM Division is guided by its Strategic Plan, which aligns with that of the College. At the end of each academic year, Program Directors complete a comprehensive Program Report that informs the divisional annual report prepared by the Dean for submission to the Provost. Data pertaining to number of applications, acceptances, and yield, as well as student retention and persistence rates, are analyzed and the health of all programs is continuously assessed. On the basis of this and other data, a plan of action is developed to address any concerns, such as a drop or spike in the number of applications or concerns regarding retention rates. The Dean and Program Directors also meet regularly with Admissions and Marketing staff to discuss and implement strategies to address any concerns and to plan for the recruitment of the new incoming class.
Full-time faculty meet once monthly at division meetings to discuss and vote on issues that affect programs, from approval of new curriculum to student success initiatives, for example. Additionally, the Dean meets biweekly with the CCM Division Leadership Team and with individual Program Directors and other faculty with administrative appointments on matters pertaining to each of the programs and the CCM Division as a whole. The administrative structure of the CCM Division and the processes used to evaluate, plan, and make projections about future needs have served the division well, and at this time no changes to this structure and processes are expected. See Section I. D. Governance and Administration for additional information about the administrative structure of the CCM Division and its productive relationship to the purpose and functioning of the programs wherein. See Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio for copies of the CCM Division Annual Reports for the past three years.
B. Students
Assessment of student learning, program evaluation, and program improvement are dynamic processes. Champlain faculty conduct substantial learning outcomes assessments, and the College is committed to ongoing program review. Starting with institutional and program- level learning outcomes, curricula are designed to support students in achieving those outcomes through a progressively challenging, coherent, and integrated program of study.
Assessment of student learning takes individual student achievement as well as aggregate views of student performance into account. Every course is developed to correspond to specific learning outcomes and competencies; based upon these learning outcomes, instructors are expected to design their syllabi, construct classroom activities, develop assignments, and use assignments to assess student learning and provide feedback.
Student perceptions of how well courses achieve stated objectives are measured using Individual Development and Educational Assessment (IDEA) surveys of faculty and courses,
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which are administered every semester for all courses taught. Student ratings on these evaluations help to inform course revisions and program reviews, and serve as one measure among several that assess faculty teaching performance.
Evaluation at the program level occurs through an ongoing, systematic four-year review cycle, which provides for holistic assessment of student learning complemented by program management and the periodic inclusion of an external perspective. The reviews are outcomes-based and rely on comprehensive information, including details of student performance, evaluation of program and College competencies, and consideration of institutional-level data regarding student learning and experience as well as satisfaction and engagement. Reviews inform subsequent action planning through communication among faculty, Program Directors, Deans, and the Provost.
Each program’s review is codified in a Program Assessment Plan (PAP). This document details how student learning is measured and evaluated against stated program goals by the faculty on an annual basis. The four-year PAP is a rolling process in which some or all of the program competencies are assessed each year, and all of the program competencies are assessed using at least two measures over the four-year period. A Program Assessment Report is submitted annually to the Dean and the Learning Assessment Director for review. The report describes current program assessment methodologies, assessment findings, and analyses. Based on assessment evidence, specific recommendations for pedagogical changes, course and curricular design, and faculty development are made. The report also describes any adjustments to the PAP itself to be implemented as a result of findings. See Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio for the most recent Program Assessment Reports for each art and design program.
Each program is required to map not only its Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) but also the College competencies to its required curriculum. The curriculum map charts the points in a student’s learning trajectory at which these competencies are practiced, developed, and mastered. The curriculum map also identifies points at which student work is collected for assessment. In the current practice of PLOs assessment, direct assessment of the College competencies is optional. However, some programs assess College competencies indirectly when they align with PLOs.
The responsibility for ensuring that curricula support student attainment of the College competencies is shared by the program and the Core Division, which delivers the liberal arts component of Champlain’s general education requirements through a sequence of interdisciplinary, inquiry-based courses. This common learning experience makes the Core Division the ideal place for assessing the College competencies, since it is required of all traditional undergraduate students. Core faculty have, for example, assessed several College competencies at an institutional level from student work artifacts collected from Core courses. In addition, other academic units may take responsibility for assessing the College competencies. For example, library faculty have assessed the information literacy competency at an institutional level annually since 2007. So, while program curricula must integrate College competencies in a sequenced, developmental manner (as evidenced through
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curriculum mapping), assessment of the competencies generally is done at the institutional level.
C. Projected Improvements and Changes
The College has undertaken two significant initiatives this academic year that impact art and design faculty and programs. The first is the development of a more systematic process for tracking and assessing faculty workload, and for gaining greater consistency and workload equity among faculty with administrative appointments across programs and academic divisions.
The second is a holistic and institution-wide program assessment to better understand how our undergraduate degree-granting programmatic offerings are working in total, identify opportunities for change, and ensure vitality and mission alignment. The timing is critical as we must do some pivoting as an institution in order to remain competitive at this exciting yet tumultuous time for higher education.
The desired outcomes and goals of this process are to capitalize on the strengths and talents of Champlain faculty to position the institution, its people, and its students for success. The College seeks a position of enrollment strength and fiscal sustainability while maintaining its historic commitment to nimble innovation. The specific desired outcomes are threefold: 1) to achieve a coherent portfolio of programmatic offerings that continue to attract and excite potential students and open doors to new future opportunities; 2) to identify thriving programs, in which additional investments may be needed, and struggling programs that need to be either revitalized, reimagined, or merged with another program or discontinued; and 3) to identify cross-institutional opportunities to build on our interdisciplinary strengths in ways that continue to strengthen the institution as a whole.
Metrics are being used in a multiphase process to determine which programs would benefit from subsequent deeper analysis to ultimately identify areas of concern and opportunity. The metrics selected evaluate enrollment stability or growth potential, service to other programs, positive student outcomes, and contribution to the College mission. Following the completion of the first phase of this process in Fall 2019, programs that were identified for deeper inquiry will be funneled into a second phase of analysis to be completed in Spring 2020.
None of the art and design programs in the CCM Division were identified for the second phase of analysis, validating the strength of these programs. The Visual Communication Design Program was identified for an “action plan” in response to the small but consistent decline in the number of applications to the program. This decline is, however, offset by the strong yield rate for this program, particularly in 2019, when it reached 37% (the highest since 2015), and by the number of transfer students into the program, both externally and from within the institution, maintaining an overall strong total enrollment that has ranged from 114 (2015) to 102 (2019) at the fall census. The four-year graduation rate for Visual Communication Design has also been strong at 91% in 2018 and 92% in 2019. While these metrics are validating of the program’s overall strength, the assessment conducted provides
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us with the opportunity to be proactive in evaluating and understanding the nature of the decline in applications.
Other important systemic changes are underway College-wide. In the area of first-year advising changes will allow full-time faculty more time to act as effective mentors rather than procedural advisors. In the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion, the College is developing a program for deeper and more robust faculty training.
Areas of opportunity for the CCM Division and curriculum innovations that are underway include: • A specialization in Graphic Production that supports students less interested in pursuing a conceptualization career path. • A major in Game Industry Studies that supports employment paths outside of the traditional AAA game industry and indie entertainment space, including game user research and testing. • A Game Sound Design degree embedded into the Game Studio. • A major in Interaction Design and User Experience that not only builds on the Interaction Design specialization, which is part of the Creative Media program, but that also enables the College to expand our curriculum in the areas of virtual, augmented, and mixed reality. Such a major would expand and complement our offerings in app development, web design, and interactive narrative, as well as offer employment avenues for game designers, graphic designers, experience designers, front-end developers, and usability specialists, to name a few.
D. Futures Issues
In the next five to 10 years, one of the significant challenges many colleges and universities in the Northeast will face is changing demographics, particularly the declining population of students in the region. Champlain College has a long-standing track record of excellent career outcomes that combines with our innovative interdisciplinary approach to the liberal arts to build competencies serving all fields. This distinctive approach positions us well to meet these challenges by capitalizing on our professionally focused approach to education, including depth in experiential and practical learning, and an established track record of ensuring our graduates are ready to succeed in art and design fields, including those in which technology changes rapidly.
The CCM Division, in particular its art and design programs, represents approximately one- third of the traditional undergraduate population of the College. The most significant opportunities for the institution are, in part, found in the continued strength and success of our art and design programs, as well as our technology-focused programs, and in the curricular expansions described above. The challenges that accompany these opportunities lie in our successfully keeping pace with technological developments and continuing to provide appropriate physical spaces, including production studios and labs, and repurposing spaces thoughtfully and proactively to meet the needs of evolving art and design disciplines.
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As noted in the Preface of this self-study, Champlain College is currently undergoing a national search for our next President (p. 13). Two main challenges identified in our Strategic Framework and made explicit in our Presidential Prospectus are: 1) to build competitive distinctiveness in demanding conditions and show the value of a Champlain education to widening audiences, and 2) to secure financial strengths and a sustainable future through innovations that bolster academic excellence while reducing the time and cost of degree completion.
The College’s and the CCM Division’s readiness to work productively with these challenges and opportunities is reflected in the type of leader we seek, one whose vision highlights and harnesses Champlain’s innovative spirit and strengths while having courage to position the institution for future success. As stated in the Presidential Prospectus, we seek “a spirited and fearless leader who can marry thoughtful collaboration with a bias for action, and who can harness the community’s energy to drive progress—a dynamic communicator and energetic ambassador both on and off campus, with a demonstrated skill for building relationships and securing philanthropic support—a tireless champion for diversity, equity, and inclusivity—a natural reformer who possesses both higher education foresight and an entrepreneurial spirit, with a business savvy to ensure greater financial stability in the years ahead.” The Strategic Framework recently approved by our Board of Trustees will guide the new President while also enabling Champlain’s new leader to shape the College’s new vision and direct its implementation.
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SECTION IV. MANAGEMENT DOCUMENTS PORTFOLIO (MDP)
MDP I—PURPOSES AND OPERATIONS
A. Purposes
1. Institutional catalogs (undergraduate, graduate, community education, etc., as applicable). The required catalog(s) may be supplied in one of the following ways:
Undergraduate/graduate catalogs are revised and published annually, on or around August 1. https://www.champlain.edu/faculty-and-staff/academic-affairs/college-catalogs
2. Statement of purposes and specific aims—usually, mission, goals, and objectives for the art/design unit, and if applicable, for the entire institution.
Division of Communication and Creative Media https://www.champlain.edu/academics/academic-divisions/division-of-communication-and- creative-media/vision-mission-and-values
Champlain College https://www.champlain.edu/about-champlain
2025 Strategic Framework https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zApRJNDXX2zFmFNEvmSfyqX4Dh3VEXFw/view
3. Definitions of the institution’s terminology for designating wholes and parts of curricula, such as: major, minor, concentration, track, emphasis, etc. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UaOrYgiFEgqIhKy-Oxsi9SPc69ik3bvvb7VxC- r_pA0/edit?usp=sharing
B. Size and Scope
HEADS Data Surveys for 2016–2017, 2017–2018, and 2018–2019 are included in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio Folder in flash drive only.
C. Finances
Financial statements are included in Section IV. Management Documents Portfolio Folder in flash drive only.
D. Governance and Administration
President, Provost, and CCM Division Organizational Charts showing reporting structure of each unit can be found in the Organizational Charts Folder.
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A list of Academic Administrators can be found online. https://www.champlain.edu/faculty-and-staff/academic-affairs/academic-administrators
2. For independent schools of art/design, the table must include a profile of the Board of Directors that includes the names, business affiliations, and lengths of service. The table of organization should also include the Artistic Director, if applicable.
N/A
3. Description or outline of the art/design executive’s responsibilities and authority, including teaching, creative work and research, performing, and community service, as well as administration.
The Faculty Handbook Section 3.2.3 outlines the academic Dean’s responsibilities. The academic Dean reports to and is evaluated by the Provost.
The roles and responsibilities of the Dean are discussed in this Section D. of the self-study narrative. http://catalog.champlain.edu/content.php?catoid=40&navoid=1069#3.2.4%20Academic%20 Deans
4. Outline the governance and administrative responsibilities and relationships among faculty, staff, and administration.
Included in self-study narrative.
Administrative Faculty Duties Descriptions can be found in the CCM Administrative Documents Folder. https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1fhE8eV8KgSiFMcxT9NR8Krw5rL9kMeSC
The Program Director Handbook can be found in the CCM Administrative Documents Folder and through the following link. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-NcpdReBv3rNFgU4sk0RFL7eLhwI4lke/view?usp=sharing
5. Present policies regarding the term of the chief art/design executive and reviews of the chief art/design executive.
Included in the self-study narrative.
6. Description or outline of communication policies and patterns within the art/design unit.
Included in the self-study narrative.
7. Description or outline of the extent of clerical, professional, and technical support containing the names of staff positions and a brief overview of principal responsibilities.
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Included in the self-study narrative.
8. List of programs offered that are jointly administered with other units—for example, art/design education programs, graduate programs, multidisciplinary programs, etc.
N/A
E. Faculty and Staff 1. Policies and procedures: (a) for calculating faculty loads, including credit for the direction of graduate dissertations, projects, research, etc.; (b) for evaluating teaching effectiveness of art/design faculty; (c) regarding faculty development; (d) regarding the number of technical and support staff.
Included in the self-study narrative.
See also Champlain College Faculty Handbook Section 4.6 Faculty Workload. http://catalog.champlain.edu/content.php?catoid=40&navoid=1070#4.6%20Faculty%20Wor kload
2. A chart or other format providing the following for each faculty member: (a) name; (b) year hired; (c) rank; (d) tenure status; (e) degrees or credentials earned with institution, majors, and emphases; (f) a short biographical summary – if this information is published in the catalog or on the institution’s website, please provide a citation here; and (g) if art/design education faculty, Pre-K–12 teaching experience. Please separate and indicate full-time and part-time faculty. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rQbcVpcvixzD2sGF6DFY1X0zX9UXdr9j/view?usp=sharin g
Division of Communication and Creative Media Faculty web page: https://www.champlain.edu:/academics/academic-divisions/division-of-communication-and- creative-media/faculty-ccm-div
Core Division Faculty web page: https://www.champlain.edu/academics/academic-divisions/core-division/core-faculty
Montreal Faculty web page: https://www.champlain.edu/academics/international-education/champlain-abroad/champlain- abroad-montreal/montreal-faculty
Dublin Faculty web page: https://www.champlain.edu/academics/international-education/champlain-abroad/champlain- abroad-dublin/faculty-and-staff-dublin
See Faculty CV folder.
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3. A list of current faculty teaching assignments, including, if applicable, the number of classroom/lecture, studio, laboratory, and/or seminars per week per semester. Art and Design Fall 2019 Teaching Assignments
See also Faculty Folder.
4.Duties performed by graduate assistants.
N/A
F. Facilities, Equipment, Health, and Safety
1. List of facilities for art/design and related activities. https://www.champlain.edu/academics/academic-divisions/division-of-communication-and- creative-media/art-and-media-resources
2. Inventory of equipment for art/design as required by the institution.
Filmmaking and Photography equipment inventory: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0h5PqzOaxv8cXhUOWpNa3ZyWGJBN1YzNDFGRFd2N 3lJTGFn/view?usp=sharing
Equipment Rental House Policy: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0h5PqzOaxv8MmQ1WkRxN3d2SEpTYVJhM2xOei1qZT FVUFZZ/view?usp=sharing
Lens and Filter Safety Protocols: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1t_4_Adly8kOYGKTnOpFqfWycuWzscN2J/view?usp=shari ng
Filmmaking and Broadcast Production Stage Policy: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uQIOngz- POqiOfKBEbFGB6OC7b0Q1HbO/view?usp=sharing
3. Plans and/or schedules for maintenance and replacement of facilities and equipment.
Included in the self-study narrative.
4. Policies and means for informing students and others regarding health and safety issues, hazards, and procedures inherent in studio, exhibition, and teaching, both in general and as applicable to their specialization, including but not limited to use of materials, proper handling and operation of equipment, ventilation, and injury prevention. Please include the text or indicate the Web location of any basic information used by the institution for this purpose.
Included in the self-study narrative.
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Safety Data Sheets are posted in appropriate classrooms, labs, and studios. See also https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1XYElO-2gQLsEsFmqP-D- ysKYEKgiLT6e?usp=sharing.
Technology Lab and Studio Usage: http://catalog.champlain.edu/content.php?catoid=37&navoid=977#technology-lab-usage
5. In addition to item 4., with regard to injury prevention, (a) art/design unit policies, protocols, and daily operational expectations and (b) their relationships to (1) promoting the health of artists and designers, (2) maintaining the fitness and safety of equipment and technology, and (3) addressing health-related issues and conditions present in art/design studios and facilities.
Included in the self-study narrative.
6. As applicable: documentation regarding (a) health and safety certifications or approvals, (b) relationships with health professionals for students and the art/design unit, (c) operational policies establishing clear distinctions between general health information from the art/design unit and professional medical advice. https://www.champlain.edu/current-students/campus-services/student-health-and-wellness
G. Library and Learning Resources
1. A description of art/design library holdings and learning resources, including electronic access, as published by the institution.
The following folder contains a list of art and design-specific holdings, including books, journals, and DVD collection. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1qPMRkH3hfZ4Y751w6srsIPxtTcEHv0Gq?usp=shari ng
2. Information concerning student and faculty access (a) to the institution’s library in terms of hours of operation, catalogs and indexes; and (b) to the holdings of other institutions through various means.
Library website: https://www.champlain.edu/academics/library/about-the-library
3. If the art/design unit relies substantially on libraries or learning resources beyond the institution for information access, collections, or facilities, information concerning (a) accessibility; (b) collections in relationship to major areas of study, curricular offerings and levels; (c) agreements regarding student/faculty use of these facilities; and (d) student use of these facilities.
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Interlibrary Loan policy and borrowing agreements: https://www.champlain.edu/academics/library/services/borrow-from-other-libraries
4. Expenditures for art/design acquisitions as documented by the institution—ideally, a breakdown with expenditures (a) the year before last, (b) last year, and (c) budgeted for this year in the following categories: books, images, periodicals, video recordings, microfilm/microfiche, electronic access, and other holdings (specify). Also, a total for each year.
The Library’s annual reports are available at the Library’s website. https://www.champlain.edu/academics/library/about-the-library/annual-reports-and-data
5. Number of staff dedicated to the art/design collection and the qualifications for each position. https://www.champlain.edu/academics/library/about-the-library/library-faculty-and-staff- x38608
6. Policies and procedures for acquisitions, preservation, and replacement, including art/design faculty involvement. Included in the self-study narrative.
7. Plans for library equipment acquisitions and maintenance. Included in the self-study narrative.
H. Recruitment, Admission–Retention, Record Keeping, Advisement, and Student Complaints
Items 1-7 are discussed in the self-study narrative.
1. Policies, procedures, and art/design unit standards used for recruitment and admissions at each applicable program level (i.e., non-degree-granting, associate, baccalaureate, graduate). The information must provide proficiency expectations for admission to candidacy for the program or the degree.
2. Policies, procedures, and art/design unit standards regarding retention at each applicable program level
3. Policies and procedures used for the advisement and counseling system at various program levels, including those employed to address (a) program content; (b) program completion; (c) art/design-specific student services associated with individual students’ programs.
4. Policies concerning the submission, processing, and consideration of student complaints offered in substantial number over an extended period of time with regard to a specific issue, including communication of the outcome of consideration and any action taken.
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5. Information concerning counseling for students (a) preparing to be elementary/secondary specialist art/design teachers, (b) preparing for careers, and (c) anticipating continuation of studies.
6. Student record-keeping policies and procedures at various program levels, including issues such as courses taken, grades and/or credits earned, and the results of other appropriate evaluations.
7. Policies concerning maintenance of final project documentation for graduate degrees.
I. Published Materials and Websites
1. The location of published or Web information required by NASAD standards regarding content to be included in published materials. Included in the self-study narrative.
2. Documents or Web locations applicable to the art/design unit that provide public information about the program, including promotional material used in student recruitment. The Champlain Rules recruitment video: https://www.champlain.edu/x6173#slide=0
Division of Communication and Creative Media website with program listings: https://www.champlain.edu/academics/academic-divisions/division-of-communication-and- creative-media
J. Community Involvement
1. Lists of the most significant community involvements/interactions. Included in the self-study narrative.
K. Articulation with Other Institutions
1. Published lists or texts of articulation agreements between two-year and four-year degree- granting institutions.
Traditional Undergraduate Articulation & Admissions Agreements https://www.champlain.edu/compass/academic-records-and- registration/registration/articulation-and-admissions-agreements
Cross-Registration, Dual-Enrollment & Non-Degree Student Registration https://www.champlain.edu/compass/academic-records-and-registration/registration/c ross- registration-dual-enrollment-and-non-degree-student-registration
Community College of Vermont Articulation Agreement
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https://www.champlain.edu/admissions/undergraduate-admissions/transfer- students/transferring-from-ccv
Copies of the agreement documents are included in Section IV. Management Document Portfolio Folder.
2. Copies of any agreements whereby the institution either provides or receives credit for degrees or other credentials in art/design from other institutions.
N/A
L. Non-Degree-Granting Programs for the Community
N/A
M. Operational Standards for All Institutions for which NASAD is the Designated Institutional Accreditor
N/A
N. Operational Standards and Procedures for Proprietary Institutions
N/A
O. Branch Campuses and External Programs
N/A
MDP II—INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS
A. Credit and Time Requirements
Items 1–5 are addressed in the self-study narrative.
1. The institution’s definition of a semester- or quarter-hour of credit, including calculations for determining credit hours in lecture, studio, independent study, and other types of courses.
2. The institution’s policies concerning granting course credit to transfer students at undergraduate and graduate levels.
3. Institutional publication of (a) credit definitions and methods and (b) transfer of credit policies.
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4. The procedures the institution uses to make credit hour assignments for courses, programs, and other requirements consistent with its credit hour policies applicable to its offerings.
5. The means employed by the institution to ensure accurate and reliable application of its credit hour policies and procedures.
6. If the art/design unit uses new or experimental or atypical formats or methods for delivering instruction and awarding credit, information demonstrating that they are logical, fair, and consistent in applying fundamental principles that base credit awarded on verifiable relationships among instructional and study time, achievement, and lengths of courses and programs.
N/A
7. Documentation that credit-hour and transfer policies are published. Included in the self-study narrative.
Transfer Policy: https://www.champlain.edu/online/admissions/transfer-credit
Transfer to Champlain College Guide: https://www.flipsnack.com/CCMarketing/your-guide-to-transferring-to-champlain- college.html
8. For institutions for which NASAD is the designated institutional accreditor, information demonstrating that the art/design unit makes readily available to enrolled and prospective students a list of any institutions with which the institution has established an articulation agreement.
N/A
B. Evaluation of the Development of Competencies Student evaluation policies and procedures such as juries, exhibitions, comprehensive examinations, the screening process for admission to upper division or degree candidacy, etc.
N/A
C. Distance Learning Programs
1. The institution’s written policies, rules, and procedures and other general information about distance learning programs.
Champlain College Online website: https://www.champlain.edu/online
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2. If not automatically contained in the information provided in item C.1., documentation of the processes used to: a. Establish that the student who registers in a distance education course or program is the same student who participates in and completes the course or program and receives academic credit. Verification methods may include, but are not limited to, secure login and passwords protocols, proctored examinations, and new or other technological identification practices. b. Protect student privacy and notify students of any additional charges associated with the verification of student identity at the time of registration or enrollment.
For Champlain Online, online student identity is verified through measures that begin at admission: submission of transcripts, résumés, personal statements, and validation of personally identifying credentials. Students are assigned authentication credentials that must be used to access online courses through Canvas, our online learning management system. For traditional undergraduate students, all courses have an online course shell on Canvas, whether the course is face-to-face, hybrid, or online. Students are assigned authentication credentials that must be used to access the online components of the courses. Course instructors, academic Advisors, and the Registrars work closely with students throughout their enrollment in courses and are empowered to note any irregularities related to student identity. Small class sizes and application-based assignments allow faculty to know their students and recognize potential issues related to academic integrity and identity. Faculty are empowered to employ classroom and course management strategies to recognize potential issues related to academic integrity and identity. Some traditional programs require portfolio submissions, providing a baseline for faculty to recognize inconsistencies or irregularities in future work. Each course shell includes a student roster for the course. The roster provides students’ names and photos.
D. Teacher Preparation (Art/Design Education) Programs
N/A
E. Graduate Programs https://www.champlain.edu/online
F. Art and Design Studies in General Education
1. A list of all art and design courses offered to students not majoring in art and design with enrollment figures showing overall enrollment patterns over the last five years appears in Section II. C.
Included in the self-study narrative.
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2. The institution’s practices for assigning teachers to general studies courses in art/design appears in Section II. C. Included in the self-study narrative.
3. The institution’s policies with respect to enrollment of non-majors in (a) private studio instruction, and (b) courses intended primarily for art/design majors. Included in the self-study narrative.
MDP III—EVALUATION, PLANNING, PROJECTIONS
A. Any planning documents currently in effect or in use
2017–2020 CCM Division Strategic Plan: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RZsG7ogv5I2yhuZM6qOHqWdYRuYo3FOs/view?usp=sha ring
See also College Documents Folder.
B. Unit evaluation schedules and protocols
CCM Division year-end reports for 2016–17, 2017–18, and 2018–19 are available in the CCM Reports/Career Outcomes and Strategic Plan folder.
C. Any current analytical or projective studies concerning the art/design unit
Included in the self-study narrative.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR ELECTRONIC DOCUMENTATION
Electronic Documents are included in the flash drive accompanying the self-study narrative and links below to Google Drive, unless noted otherwise. Some materials are only available on the flash drive and noted accordingly below.
1. Admissions Materials Folder a. 2019–2020 Division and Program One-Sheets Folder i. 2019 CCM Division One-Sheet ii. 2019 CCM Creative Media iii. 2019 CCM Filmmaking iv. 2019 CCM Game Art v. 2019 CCM Game Design vi. 2019 CCM Visual Communication Design
b. Fall 2019 Open House Folder i. 2019 Fall Open House Schedule 10.02.19 ii. Fall 2019 Game Career Exploration Day Schedule 10.02.19 iii. 2019 Fall Open House Schedule 10.25.19
c. Spring 2019 Open House Folder i. Spring 2019 Schedule Admitted ii. Spring 2019 Game Schedule Admitted iii. Spring 2019 Schedule Admitted 2 iv. Spring 2019 Schedule Prospective
2. Advising Checklist Folder a. First-Year Advising Checklist b. Second-Year Advising Checklist c. Third-Year Advising Checklist d. Fourth-Year Advising Checklist
3. Art Gallery Documents Folder a. Art Gallery Programming Fall 2019 b. Art Gallery Strategic Plan
4. Articulation Agreement Documents Folder a. CAS/UVM.CCM/Champlain Cross-Registration b. CCV/Champlain Articulation Agreement
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5. CCM Division Administration Documents Folder a. Administrative Faculty Duties Description Folder i. CCM Assistant Dean for Academics Duties ii. CCM Assistant Dean for Game Development Duties iii. CCM Associate Dean for Administration Duties iv. CCM Program Director Duties v. Flex Space/Maker Zone Manager Responsibilities vi. CCM Program Director Expression of Interest Guidelines vii. CCM Leadership Qualities & Strengths
b. Program Director Handbook Jan 2019
6. CCM Reports, Career Outcomes, Strategic Plan Folder a. CCM Annual Reports 2016–2019 Folder i. CCM 2016–2017 Annual Division Report ii. CCM 2017–2018 Annual Division Report iii. CCM 2018–2019 Annual Division Report
b. Program Learning Outcomes Assessment Reports i. Creative Media ii. Filmmaking iii. Game Art iv. Game Design v. Visual Communication Design
c. Career Outcomes 2016–2019 Folder i. 2016 Class Career Outcomes ii. 2017 Class Career Outcomes iii. 2018 Class Career Outcomes iv. 2019 CCM Career Outcomes One-Sheet v. InSight Program Report
d. CCM Strategic Plan 2017–2020
e. CCM Retention Data 2009–2018
7. College Documents Folder a. 2018–2019_Fact_Book-2 b. 2020_Strategic_Plan_Updates_Document
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c. 2025 Plan Community-Conversation-REPORT d. Champlain College 2020 Strategic Plan e. Champlain_2025_Strategic_Framework f. MasterPlanFINAL3-07 g. CC_Prospectus_102119_LOWRES h. Program, Certificate, Minor and Specialization Policies i. Centers of Experience Report (web link only)
8. Core Documents Folder a. Core Division Briefing Book
9. EMC Documents Folder a. EMC 2018–2019 Annual Report b. EMC Annual Report - ADDENDUMS (running archive as of YE 2019) c. EMC Student Handbook 2019
10. Equipment/Facility/Safety Documents Folder a. SDS Safety Data Sheets i. Drawing 724504013068_SDS_English ii. ulano emulsion sds iii. Sgreen-infographic iv. Sgreen-emulsion-stripper-sds v. Sgreen-degreaser-sds vi. screen print trans base sds vii. akua trans base sds viii. akua ink sds ix. Acrylic-SP-Ink-SDS
b. Production Equipment Documents i. Production-Soundstage Policy-V.5.6.2018 ii. LENS-AND-FILTER-SAFETY-PROTOCOLS iii. Equipment Rental Policy V.09 - 06:18 iv. Champlain_FullEquipmentTypes c. Campus Map 071918
d. 2019-Annual-Security-Report
11. Faculty Folder a. Faculty CV (in Google Drive only) CCM Faculty CV
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i. Core Faculty CV ii. Dublin Faculty CV iii. Montreal Faculty CV b. CCM New Full-Time Faculty Mentoring Guide c. Faculty Exhibitions d. Faculty List (CCM/Core/Montreal/Dublin) e. SEIU Bargaining Agreement f. Teaching Assignments Fall 2019
12. Finance Documents (in flash drive only)
13. Game Studio Documents Folder a. 2019 Game Studio Senior Book b. 2018 Game Studio Senior Book c. 2017 Game Studio Senior Book d. 2019 Game Studio Show Recruiter List e. VT_Life_Article_Game Studio
14. HEADS Data Surveys 2017, 2018, 2019 Folder (in flash drive only)
15. Library Documents Folder a. Holdings i. CCM DVD Collection ii. Art and Design Book Collection iii. Art and Design Journal Collection b. Strategic Plan + Report i. Library Strategic Plan ii. Library Report
16. Montreal and Dublin Folder a. Dublin Fall 2019 + Spring 2020 Courses b. Montreal Fall 2019 + Spring 2020 Courses
17. Organizational Charts Folder a. Provost Org Chart b. President Org Chart c. CCM Org Chart
18. Sample Student Work by Program + Year (in Google Drive only) a. Creative Media
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b. Filmmaking c. Game Art d. Game Design e. Game Senior Show Examples f. Visual Communication Design
19. Staff Documents Folder a. Staff Council By-Laws
SECTION V. APPENDICES N/A
This concludes the Content Self-Study in Format A
Champlain College Self-Study Document: Format A - 210