The mission of the Department of Art is to serve the needs of an urban and diverse university community by providing courses in a liberal arts foundation and in undergraduate and graduate programs in art that are designed to prepare students for careers in various professional fields or for further study in visual art and as lifelong producers or consumers of art.
Goals and Objectives:
The Department of Art is committed to academic excellence in both undergraduate and graduate programs and to strong liberal arts and professional preparation. The following goals support our mission.
The Department of Art will:
- Goal 1 Foster habits of disciplined inquiry and critical thinking and the capacity to use effectively the rapidly expanding base of information in the visual arts
- Goal 2 Provide programs that prepare students to succeed in advanced study and to enhance their careers
- Goal 3 Encourage and support scholarship, research, and creative endeavors in the University community
- Goal 4 Provide preparation that enhances lifelong learning
- Goal 5 Provide a program that develops greater understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity in a global society
- Goal 6 Foster close interaction between faculty and students while preparing students in the mastery of a body of knowledge about visual art
- Goal 7 Present the heritage and values of art in combination with new technologies to enhance and enrich the learning process, thus providing innovative, as well as traditional, educational experiences
- Goal 8 Provide curricular and co-curricular experiences-such as gallery exhibitions, special lectures and workshops-and student organizations that contribute to personal enrichment
To achieve these goals, the department has undertaken strategic planning and has defined the goals and objectives it requires for effective student learning outcomes assessment.
Department goals are used as determining factors in departmental resource and policy decisions. Educational and artistic decisions; long-range curricular planning; innovative activities; admission, recruitment, and retention of students; and selection of faculty are all linked to achievement of the department mission.