National Association of Schools of Art and Design

Fashion Institute of Technology New York, New York Joanne Arbuckle, Dean School of Art and Design April 17-20, 2012 Robert Milnes, Chair, University of North Texas Meredith Davis, North Carolina State University Christina Lindholm, Virginia Commonwealth University Programs or degrees for which renewal of Final Approval for Listing is sought. Associate in Applied Science-2 years: Accessories Design; Communication Design; Fashion Design (General, International); Fine Arts; Illustration (Fashion, General); Interior Design Associate in Applied Science-2 years: Jewelry Design (Design, Studio); Photography; Textile/Surface Design; Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design Bachelor of Fine Arts-4 years: Accessories Design and Fabrication; Advertising Design; Computer Animation and Interactive Media; Fabric Styling Bachelor of Fine Arts-4 years: Fashion Design (General, International); Fine Arts; Graphic Design; Illustration; Interior Design; Packaging Design; Photography and the Digital Image; Textile/Surface Design; Toy Design Master of Arts-1 years: Exhibition Design Master of Arts-2 years: Art Market (Principles and Practices); Fashion and Textile Studies (History, Museum Practice, Theory) Programs or degrees for which renewal of Plan Approval is sought. Master of Fine Arts-3 years: Illustration Programs for which renewal of Basic Listing is sought. School of Continuing and Professional Studies *Programs or degrees for which Plan Approval is sought. *Associate in Applied Science-2 years: Communication Design *Bachelor of Fine Arts-4 years: Advertising Design; Graphic Design; Packaging Design; Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design *Programs or degrees for which Plan Approval and Final Approval for Listing are sought. *Bachelor of Fine Arts-4 years: Fashion Design (Intimate Apparel, Knitwear, Sportswear, Children’s Wear, Men’s wear, Special Occasions); International Fashion Design/Milan and New York (IFDM) *Recommendations by the Visitors (See Sections N and P)

INTRODUCTION

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A. PURPOSE OF THE INSTITUTION AND THE ART/DESIGN UNITS

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B. SIZE & SCOPE

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C. FINANCES

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D. GOVERNANCE/ADMINISTRATION

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E. FACULTY AND INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF

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F. FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT & SAFETY

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G. LIBRARY AND LEARNING RESOURCES

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H. RECRUITMENT, ADMISSION, RETENTION, ADVISEMENT, AND RECORD KEEPING, CREDIT AND TIME REQUIREMENTS

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I.

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PUBLISHED MATERIALS AND WEBSITE

J. BRANCH CAMPUSES, EXTERNAL PROGRAMS, USE OF THE INSTITUTION’S NAME FOR OTHER EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES

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K. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND ARTICULATION WITH OTHER SCHOOLS

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L. NON-DEGREE GRANTING PROGRAMS FOR THE COMMUNITY

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M. OPERATIONAL STANDARDS FOR ALL INSTITUTIONS FOR WHICH NASAD IS THE INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITOR

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N. PROGRAMS, DEGREES & CURRICULA

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O. ART/DESIGN UNIT(S) EVALUATION, PLANNING, AND PROJECTIONS

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P. STANDARDS SUMMARY

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Q. OVERVIEW, SUMMARY ASSESSMENT AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE PROGRAMS

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DISCLAIMER The following report and any statements therein regarding compliance with NASAD accreditation Standards represent only the considered opinion of the visitors at the time of the visit. Definitive evaluation of compliance and the accreditation decision will be made by the Commission following a complete review of the application, including the Self Study, the Visitors’ Report, and any Optional Response to the Visitors’ Report submitted by the institution.

Introduction The Fashion Institute of Technology is a State University of New York (SUNY) campus offering more than 45 degrees in art and design, business, and technology fields. Programs at the school lead to AAS, BS, BFA, MA, MFA, and MPS degrees. Today FIT enrolls over 10,000 students from the United States and throughout the world in programs offered by its School of Art and Design, School of Business and Technology, School of Liberal Arts, School of Continuing and Professional Studies, and School of Graduate Studies. Located in the Chelsea District of New York City, FIT is at the heart of the fashion and art communities of the vibrant cultural center of New York. It would be hard to find a more felicitous location for an institution teaching the subjects FIT offers. In conjunction with its academic programs, the institution includes the Museum at FIT, a world-class fashion collection and research facility. The campus occupies an entire block involving five buildings as well as dormitories flanking 27th Street at Seventh Avenue in New York, with additional dormitories nearby. FIT began in 1944 to prepare highly skilled and educated people for work in the fashion industry. Initially chartered as a community college, it blossomed quickly and became one of the first of these institutions in New York to confer Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees. The curriculum soon expanded beyond its original fashion focus and associate level offerings so in 1975, the education law of New York was amended allowing the Institute to award Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees, making FIT a fairly unique institution nationally, not only for its focus but for its degree offerings. Four years later it gained a more complex position as master’s degrees were added to this authorization, with the first programs at the graduate level being offered in 1985. This history has made FIT a unique institution, functioning today as a community college awarding numerous advanced and graduate degrees. This has both resulted in and been brought about by innovative leadership, funding, and governance systems involving both state and local governments as well as extensive private support from the fashion industry, corporations, individuals, and foundations. Art and design curricula are offered through the School of Art and Design, with business and technology curricula related to the fashion industry offered through the Jay and Patty Baker School of Business and Technology. The School of Liberal Arts offers a BS degree in Art History and Museum Professions and all of the colleges offer credit certificate programs. FIT is seeking renewal of institutional Membership in NASAD. It has been an institutional member of NASAD since 1984 and was last reviewed and granted renewal of Membership by NASAD in 2002. On Tuesday, April 17, through Friday, April 20, 2012, an evaluating team from the National Association of Schools of Art and Design visited the Fashion Institute of Technology to review the institution’s art and design programs. The NASAD team consisted of team chair Robert Milnes (University of North Texas) and team members Meredith Davis (North Carolina

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State University) and Christina Lindholm (Virginia Commonwealth University). Andrea Plybon, Accreditation and Research Assistant for NASAD, served as an observer to the visit. A thorough Self Study was prepared in preparation for the visit by the School of Art and Design in conjunction with the Graduate School and the Provost’s office, along with a portfolio of documents, student transcripts and publications from the institution, school and museum, all of which were reviewed by the evaluating team before visiting the campus and while on campus. Online resources including the FIT website and FITDEL (the FIT Digital Electronic Library) were also reviewed. During the visit, the NASAD team was able to meet with members of the administration including: Dr. Joyce Brown, President of the Fashion Institute of Technology; Giacomo Oliva, Vice President for Academic Affairs; Joanne Arbuckle, Dean for the School of Art and Design; Scott F. Stoddart, Dean of the School of Liberal Arts; Deborah Klesenski, NASAD reaccreditation Committee Chair; Erika Massaquoi, Assistant Dean for the School of Art and Design; Melanie Reim, NASAD Graduate School Liaison; Dympna Bowles, Dean for Curriculum and Instruction; Frances Dearing, Associate Dean for Institutional Assessment; Shari Prussin, Deputy to the President for Strategic Initiatives and Executive Assistant to the President; NJ Wolfe, Director, Gladys Marcus Library; Greta Earnest; Associate Director, Gladys Marcus Library; Jana Duda, Technology Resources Manager; Valerie Steele, Director and Chief Curator, The Museum at FIT; Michael Goitia, Exhibition Manager, The Museum at FIT; and Thomas Irizarry, Campus Exhibitions Coordinator, The Museum at FIT. We met over the course of the visit with Department Chairs and members of the faculty including: Ellen Goldstein-Lynch, President of the Faculty Senate; Colette Wong, Chairperson, Fashion Design; Rhonda Burrell Stubs, Assistant Chairperson, Fashion Design; Karen Scheetz, Assistant Chairperson, Fashion Design; Vasilios Christofilakos, Chairperson, Accessories; Michael Coan, Chairperson, Jewelry Design; Professor Allison Wermager, Faculty Advisor, Jewelry Design; Andrew Seifer, Chairperson, Interior Design; Eric Daniels, Assistant Chairperson, Interior Design; Judith Ellis, Chairperson of Toy Design; Suzanne Anoushian, Chairperson, Communication Design; Donna David, Assistant Chairperson, Communication Design; C.J. Yeh, Assistant Chairperson, Communication Design; Craig Berger, Acting Chairperson, Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design; Marianne Klimchuk, Chairperson, Packaging Design; Karen Gentile, Chairperson, Textile/Surface Design; John Dowling, Assistant Chairperson, Surface/Textile Design; Sara Petit, Coordinator, Fabric Styling; Ron Amato, Chairperson, Photography; Brad Paris, Assistant Chairperson, Photography; Ed Soyka, Chairperson, Illustration; Kam Mak, Assistant Chairperson, Illustration; Terry Blum, Director, Computer Animation; Katherine Michaelsen, Associate Chairperson, Art Market: Principles and Practices; Brenda Cowan, Associate Chairperson, Master of Arts in Exhibition Design; and Denyse Montegut, Associate Chairperson, Master of Arts in Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, Museum Practice. In addition, we had meetings (both open and formally scheduled) with over 75 students in the undergraduate and graduate programs. We wish to thank all of the individuals on campus that helped with the visit. We were treated exceptionally well and felt that the conversations we had with faculty, administrators, and students were clear and conducted with candor. We would especially like to thank Dean Joanne

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Arbuckle, Self Study Chair Deborah Klesenski, and Assistant Dean Erika Massaquoi, for their assistance with our visit and attention to the team’s needs. The conference rooms provided on campus and in the hotel were exceptional. The Self Study materials made available on site were truly extensive and well organized, as were the displays of artwork, design projects, and writings. The following comments are provided to help the institution as it continues to evolve institutional operations and the art and design programs, and to address concerns in those areas that seem to need additional attention at this time in order to advance their efforts with clarity of purpose and delivery.

A. Purposes (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, II.A.) The Fashion Institute of Technology is a public college within the State University of New York (SUNY) system. It was established in 1944 to specifically prepare graduates for careers in fashion and related industries. A more comprehensive mission was adopted in the late 1990s to include a broader educational experience. This mission was revised in 2000 and the Strategic Plan 2020: FIT at 75 was developed in 2005. Faculty were directly involved in the development of the plan. The institution has moved from a primary focus on fashion and related industries to “design, fashion, and business” (SS, p. 5). FIT has a very clearly articulated mission to provide specialized education in the Art and Design fields. The offerings of the Fashion Institute of Technology have grown to meet the demands of the broader art and design community. An ongoing goal for the institution, in fact, is to strengthen FIT as a creative hub in all areas. The School of Art and Design has partnered with industry leaders to ‘foster meaningful curricula’ (see SS, p. 5) that should lead to well-prepared graduates for the fashion and related industries. The current strategic plan called for efforts to address a variety of issues. Central to offering BFA and other bachelor’s degrees is the strengthening of the academic core. Students are required to complete a range of classes appropriate to earning undergraduate degrees. The institution is also expanding offerings of general education courses so students will have choices in selecting courses to fulfill requirements. FIT has recognized a need for more emphasis on students and, to meet the goal of a commitment to student-centeredness, has established an advisement center. This Center will assist students in selecting courses, coordinate the transition from an associate degree program or transferring to a baccalaureate, and support students at every step of their education. The new director of admissions is addressing strategic recruitment and a financial plan has been developed to accomplish related goals. Some faculty expressed concern that FIT’s roots and continuing strong alliance with the fashion industry has branded it as an institution that only offers Fashion courses and thus has not fully promoted and highlighted the other programs available at FIT. The Communications and External Relations Office conducted a 2007 market research to determine what the public thought about FIT. Based on results, a set of strategic messages was devised to promote all the FIT programs. As the scope and definition of the programs have expanded, some faculty however have expressed desire to be more involved with external relations in terms of branding and identity to make sure that the breadth of current offerings are represented. The institution has also recognized the need for an established process for administrative support for and implementation of the revised Strategic Plan. The 2011 Progress Report addressed this, concluding that initiatives were satisfactorily underway.

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B. Size and Scope (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, II.B.) The institution maintains sufficient enrollment to support the many majors in undergraduate and graduate study. While it is clear that enrollments are healthy, there appear to be discrepancies in reporting in the Self Study. In regard to Fall 2010 enrollments, for example, the Self Study mentioned one set of numbers of students on page 6 and another, significantly different set of numbers on page 9, while the website gives a third set making it difficult for the visitors to determine specifically how many students are actually enrolled at FIT. While this does not appear to be an issue of compliance with Standards (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, II.I.1.a. b., and k.) clear recording keeping would appear to be of use in planning and help the institution address space needs. Overall, there appears to be sufficient offerings of specific coursework to support the various programs. There is a close connection to fashion and related industries to ensure that the curriculum remains current and prepares students appropriately for bachelor degrees and addressing industry needs. There appear to be enough faculty and administrators to support the undergraduate programs. Of the 24 undergraduate programs, all but three (Accessories Design, Jewelry Design and Textile Surface Design) appear to be fully subscribed. Those programs show a decline in applications in recent years and all these programs have adapted to the smaller numbers by merging cohorts and planning recruitment strategies. The recruitment plans appear in some cases to be effective and as reported by the department head, Jewelry Design appears to be larger than it was a decade ago. There are several restraints that appear to affect program offerings. One is the size of the classrooms and overall scale of the facilities, and another appears to be the collective bargaining agreement and subsequent assignments of class enrollment minimums and maximums that, over time, are essentially the same. By contract, classes enroll a maximum of 25 students in all subjects. Economies drive the minimums to the maximum however, producing what appear to be crowded conditions in studio areas. Twenty-five students in a studio class is the outer maximum of NASAD recommendations; 20 or fewer is recommended (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, Appendix II.C.3.). Further, students interviewed commented that Continuing Education classes being held in critical studio spaces in the evenings restricted their access to these spaces. Since many of the programs require the use of large workspace and specialized equipment, this seems to create problems for students trying to complete work (see Visitors’ Report, Section P. and NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, II.F.1 a-c, p. 63). There also appears to be declining enrollment in the AAS programs overall, with increased enrollment in the BFA. If this continues, it might induce a shift in the institution’s focus to a more holistic view of the degree offerings; maintaining its community college roots but paying additional attention to the overall, four-year student experience and degree program. Graduate student enrollments also appear to be growing, though the HEADS reports do not indicate specific enrollment in the graduate degrees other than Exhibition Design, another indication of uneven enrollment reporting in the Self-Study. Faculty interviews indicated that graduate programs appear to be fully enrolled, particularly given the restrictive spaces, and in some cases limited faculty, available.

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The declining pool of traditional college age students in the Northeast may affect future enrollments, as competing institutions vie for fewer potential applicants. Other schools in the city, in close proximity to FIT, offer a similar base of courses and degree programs, so increased recruitment of students from outside the area may also be important in the future.

C. Finances (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, II.C.) The institution appears to have sufficient funds and stable resources necessary to maintain operations. Primary funding comes from New York State, local sponsors, and student tuition and fees. The original conceptual model called for these to represent three even parts, but state funding has been declining, placing increased reliance on tuition and local funding. Local funds come from both New York City and charge-backs from the New York counties whose students attend FIT. This last source is an increasingly important part of the budget as state funding diminishes and has been threatened as counties too feel the effect of the recession (SS, p. 13). At this point though, the resources appear stable. Effective strategic planning has provided opportunities to improve facilities and services. Three years of HEADS reports and the Self Study do show relatively stable funding for the School of Art and Design. The library on the other hand seems to have suffered cutbacks in annual funding, though the Director reported that last year it received four times its annual budget in end of the year funding. This surplus was made available again by positive administrative action. The institution has been able to undertake major capital projects including a recent $10 million retrofit of the chiller plant necessary for maintenance and efficiency. Additional funding comes to the programs through private fund raising and grants. The Self Study notes that $28 million has been raised privately between 2001 and 2007, as well as an additional $2 million, ten-year pledge in support of the annual student fashion show. Several programs such as Exhibition Design and Fashion Design regularly evidenced strong support from corporations. Department chairs reported on corporate donations of equipment, software, and materials. For example, the Fine Arts Department had recently received pallets of drawing tablets and other materials for use by students. The computer animation program had received beta software for testing and use. A capital campaign for a new classroom and studio facility called C-Squared, is approximately a $150 million dollar project. The project has been stalled with the economy and still needs an additional $40 million plus to move forward, but the president reported the first $110 million has been fully secured. College trustees appear to have been highly supportive and a number of named campus buildings bear witness to their generosity. The new Vice President for Advancement should be able to help with this increasingly important funding area. Increased revenue also comes to the institution through the Continuing Education offerings. This appears to be a double-edged sword, however. Because enrollments have grown recently, Continuing Education classes appear to have put considerable strain on classroom resources, since CE students use the classrooms and equipment for regular academic offerings without extra funding coming to the departments. Plans to move CE classes to departmental control were discussed as measures appear to be needed to rectify the impact of the additional wear and tear on equipment caused by the additional use.

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D. Governance and Administration (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, II.D.) FIT is operated and maintained as a community college (SS, p. 13) and is overseen by the SUNY Board of Trustees and the FIT Board of Trustees. The FIT Board has recently been expanded and includes eight members appointed by the mayor of New York, seven by the state’s governor. The FIT student body president also holds an ex officio appointment, as do two non-voting trustee emeriti. The FIT Board meets at least six times a year and reviews the President every five years. All FIT employees belong to the United College Employees (SS, p. 19). The contracts of FIT faculty are specified in a collective bargaining agreement and seem to clearly establish the working conditions and a chain of decision-making in the institution. The faculty senate represents the faculty in discussions of policy, as explained in a faculty handbook. Curriculum appears to be the purview of the faculty and arises from departments for review by a college committee and the Dean. Industry advisory committees are in place for most departments and provide regular feedback to keep faculty informed on changing practices. Some interactions between departments and central administration, however, are less clear. NASAD standards state that the administration of the art/design unit must provide mechanisms for communication among all components of the unit (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, II.D.1.c.). While these processes appear to be in place, FIT faculty interviewed said they have little information regarding the outcomes of admissions processes and limited input into how the external relations staff advertises programs, despite the frontline responsibility of department chairs to deal with parents and prospective or rejected students. Further, there is concern among departments about the decreasing presence of faculty in events such as Admitted Students Day. Better communication between these administrative units and departments would likely enhance confidence in administrative decision-making and perhaps improve results. Faculty members at the institution are appointed to either the undergraduate departments or the graduate school. Department chairs reported that interaction among faculty at the two levels of study is not facilitated. Administratively, the programs are in two schools (The School of Art and Design and the School of Graduate Studies), even though they share content emphases. It is not clear to the visiting team how the institution maintains distinctions among the levels of study, especially with a largely adjunct faculty, if programs’ faculty are not involved in teaching and course content at the other level. This seemed to be an issue of concern in the development of the graduate programs in Exhibition Design and Illustration, and to hamper program growth in Fine Arts (NASAD Handbook 2011-12, III.C.2.; VIII.A.4., and Visitors’ Report, Section N.) The visiting team met with four groups of undergraduate students and one group of graduate students, some by department invitation and others during open sessions. Overall, students reported having organizational access to the administration through student representatives. Most students said they were comfortable in approaching their department chairs about any problems but that, from the typical student perspective, it seemed to take a long time to fix issues of concern. Generally, students seemed quite satisfied with the institution, though the alumni survey indicated a significant number reporting that if they were to choose a school again they would not rank FIT first.

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E. Faculty and Staff (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, II.E.) In 2008-09, FIT reported 71 tenured and 358 (209.5) FTE adjunct faculty. In 2010-2011, there were 108 total full-time faculty of who 94 were tenured and 342 (111.29 FTE) adjunct faculty (see SS, pp. 21 and 23). This growth reflects the institution’s commitment to opening additional faculty lines to strengthen the academic core of the program and provide greater program continuity. The institution appears to have devoted faculty who show loyalty to the institution and their students. They seem to consistently go the extra mile to ensure student success and are appreciated not only for their knowledge but also for their attention to student development. In keeping with its historic ties to industry, FIT requires that faculty have at least six years of industry experience, but appears to be more open on academic preparation. The college takes apparent advantage of the extensive professional resources in New York, employing adjunct faculty who are current and recognized in their respective fields as a significant complement to full-time faculty whose more extensive commitment to the institution includes the development and monitoring of curricula. While the institution’s reliance on adjunct faculty seems consistent with its industry-driven mission, it may present challenges in maintaining curricular logic in programs where courses deliver discrete content and structure expectations. Some students reported that they undertook the same projects, or types of projects, in as many as four courses, attributing the redundancies to lack of communication among instructors. While this appeared to be an anomaly, maintaining communication between faculty with regard to curriculum development and delivery is important for program development and health (NASAD Handbook 2011-12, II.D.1.c. and III.L.4.) In other cases, students cited significant differences in the currency of faculty skills that appear to be at odds with their teaching assignments. The contract-driven practice of assigning courses to faculty by seniority, rather than specific skills, appears to have some impact on student access to technological instruction and on the industry-based examples used in instruction. In addition, students challenged some senior faculty’s preferences for styles that are no longer in vogue or not reflective of current theories of art and design. Although there will always be diversity in faculty experience, an institution whose mission is defined explicitly as service to the current state of the industry may wish to monitor these content and skill-based issues (NASAD Handbook 20112012, II.E.1. and Visitors’ Report, Section P. – Faculty Credentials). NASAD standards call for institutional procedures for the regular evaluation of all faculty. Faculty indicated that a report of academic and professional activity was required at the conclusion of every academic year but that there was no annual evaluation of faculty by administration, outside of the formal tenure, promotion, and reappointment process, and that they don’t know what happens to annual reports once submitted. The institution may wish to provide information showing how regular evaluations are implemented and utilized. This will be referred to in Section P. of the Visitors’ Report – Faculty Credentials (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, II.E.3.a.(2).). Class size is also an issue for faculty at FIT. NASAD norms suggest that classes in creative work generally should not exceed 25 students. Experience indicates that a class size of 20 or fewer is educationally more effective. In some cases, safety considerations and specialized equipment

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limitations will require class limits of fewer than 15 (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, Appendix II.). FIT classes typically enroll 25 students in each class, which appears to cause problems in some majors. In photography, for example, 20-25 students are required to shoot in the same room at the same time, navigating setups, cords, and equipment in the dark, Faculty noted that it is difficult to give each student adequate attention when critique-based courses are this size. At the same time, FIT lecture courses also enroll no more than 25 students. While there is a felt need to maintain some parity between the workloads of lecture and studio instructors, the lecture format generally accommodates higher student numbers than studios in most institutions. NASAD standards call for graduate faculty to be qualified by earned degrees and/or professional experience and/or demonstrated teaching competence for the subjects and levels they are teaching. While the associate chairs of the master’s programs in Illustration and Exhibition Design cited numbers of faculty with terminal degrees, these numbers did not match the CVs of faculty available to visitors in the team workroom or in listings on the college website. Some faculty supervising graduate students do not hold any academic degrees. Therefore, the visiting team could not verify that teaching in these programs is covered by a sufficient number of faculty who are knowledgeable about graduate education as well as their subject area, and it is unclear if the institution is compliant in all programs regarding faculty credentials. This will also be referred to in Section P. of the Visitors’ Report (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, II.E.1.a.(1).) As with other programs at FIT, the suggestion was made by administrators that in the graduate programs, experienced practitioners often lack advanced degrees but make up for it with extensive experience in the field. However, master’s programs in design hold special responsibility for qualifying graduates to teach at the college level and for industry positions that are significantly more demanding than the entry-level employment sought by graduates of baccalaureate programs. As stated later in Section N. of this report, it is not clear to the visiting team how the graduate programs in Illustration and Exhibition Design are distinguished in their outcomes from the corresponding undergraduate curricula, other than to say students will be more competent at many of the same things as BFA students (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, XIII.A.6.). Further delineating what separates master’s graduates in Illustration and Exhibition Design from undergraduates, the same question should be applied to the qualifications of faculty teaching in these programs. It is unclear that all faculty offering graduate instruction are able to develop in students the full range of competencies expected of students with terminal degrees (Visitors’ Report, Section P., and NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, II.E.1.a.(1)).

F. Facilities, Equipment, Health, and Safety (NASAD Handbook 20112012, II.F.) The academic and administrative programs of the School of Art and Design occupy 154,000 assignable sq. ft. in five buildings. The campus has invested heavily in recent years in energy savings and green initiatives, resulting in utility cost savings. Safety and health concerns were clearly addressed in the studios in terms of equipment, procedures, signage and technical support staff. Spray booths, jewelry workbenches, vacuform equipment, and printmaking facilities have had recent upgrades to ventilation systems. Where this effort appeared to be compromised was in the working conditions of many studios. Enrollments in many cases appear to exceed the initial design of the classroom spaces, especially in programs like fashion design, fine arts, accessories,

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photography, and jewelry. Photo darkrooms appeared virtually impassable if fully used, and the jewelry and sculpture studios had little room around saws, mills, and other hazardous equipment. Fashion studios require both people and mannequins, putting up to fifty humans and human forms in these spaces. With the constricted classroom contact, large class enrollments, and the scheduling of Continuing Education classes, it was not clear to the Visitors how the institution was meeting NASAD standards for providing adequate access to space and equipment (Visitors’ Report, Section P., and NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, II.F.1.a.-c.). The library facilities, while well organized, provided little room for study. The use of hallways as gallery spaces activated, energized, and at the same time crowded these access areas. Hallways had also been creatively commandeered as galleries and as studio space by painters and installation artists and, due to long hours in class, sleeping students. Particular strengths included the Museum at FIT and its study collection. Well-appointed and designed facilities included the enchanting Toy Design studios and the facilities in the recently renovated David Dubinsky Student Center “A” building such as the student lounge and textile surfaces lab, showed special attention to the program and student needs. The well-equipped and ventilated jewelry studios and accessory studios also stood out for their organization and access to equipment. A way-finding system or even floor maps at regular intervals would appear to be of great use for those who are seeking to find their way around the hallways and levels of the FIT facilities. Accessories Design The studios for Accessories Design appear to have a wide range of equipment and materials for students to sample. Specific and unique equipment for shoe design and construction leather sewing and other material handling spaces showed the remarkable breadth of this program and its unique status among art and design programs. The facilities are quite crowded however with equipment and access can be problematic outside of class time. Communication Design (Advertising, Graphic Design, Packaging, Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design) Students in these programs seem to benefit from the well-equipped computer labs, twenty-four hour access, and the provision of technical support. Three-dimensional programs such as Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design suffer though from crowded studio conditions, which make large projects difficult to achieve. Fashion Design Studios appear to be well equipped with appropriate machinery and equipment that is maintained by technicians. Sufficient numbers of mannequins are always a challenge and this further adds to the crowding. If 25 persons is the usual number for a class size, then the attendant 25 mannequins make for a crowded space. Anecdotal comments from student and faculty indicated that students must work in the halls and on the floor due to lack of table space. Students in the multiple concentrations in Fashion Design require specialized equipment such as the Stoll knitting machine and the hand operated knitting machines that are available and apparently heavily scheduled. Regular sewing machines appear to be plentiful and kept in good working order. Safety issues apparently seldom arise.

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Fine Arts: The drawing studios were well organized and appeared crowded with 25 students in each classroom. This put drawing students elbow to elbow around the room, limiting the range of possibilities in the classes. The painting students who were undertaking ambitious, large pieces (both figurative and abstract) found solution to the crowding by working in the halls. Sculpture students were working on equally ambitious works, but unfortunately this led to additional crowding, especially since the figurative clay sculptures and larger abstract works needed to be stored in the classrooms. Printmaking studios appeared well organized with available space around the presses and technical help available for the proper running of those facilities. Graduate Studios: While there is a separate building (236 Storefront) in which graduate classes are taught, there are no designated studios for Exhibition Design or Illustration students. The classrooms appear adequate for lectures and critiques, though there were apparent and reported temperature control problems. Because of scheduling, they do not appear to permit the ongoing development of work by the students and do not seem to have the computing facilities that graduate programs in these areas need. This will be further discussed in Section P. of the Visitors’ Report (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, II.F.1.d., e., and g.). Students and faculty voiced concern about the lack of designated spaces and the temperature/lighting control in the studios, and the lack of designated spaces, especially for large-scale projects in exhibition design or for designated workspaces for the Illustration students. Illustration: The undergraduate illustration classrooms appeared to be well organized with light controlled environments, projector systems for classes, and had been recently remodeled to add storage closets to each room. There was access to computer labs, facilitating the integration of technology into teaching. Interior Design: The Interior Design Resource Collection is a significant asset for the program, as are the printers, plotters, and CAD computer labs and software available to the program. Classrooms assigned to the program appeared orderly, though busy. Jewelry Design: Like the accessories studios, the jewelry studios show great attention to safety and health issues in regard to ventilation and materials handling processes. They appear to be well lit, organized, and equipped. They also appear quite crowded though and likely to be quite noisy when students are working with the stakes. Museum at FIT: The Museum at FIT is a world-class collection of garments that depict an expanse of human material culture. FIT maintains two collections: one for display that is carefully conserved and a second, also well cared for, and readily available for student and faculty research. These garments and accessories may be handled, turned inside out and closely examined for materials and construction methods. Viewing and touching actual garments appears to be a uniquely effective

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way of teaching Fashion History along with its connection to social, technological and historical events. Faculty and students seem to use the collection to great advantage and the display collection provides an interesting opportunity and educational community experience. Photography: As mentioned previously, the photography facilities seem to be quite crowded. The lighting lab looks as though it could effectively handle perhaps four set up areas, but there are six or more in place, limiting the range and scale of projects. While the set ups are admirably portable, still, with the limited access to facilities outside of class, students and faculty seem to make the most of the space when they can get in. The BFA degree is newly titled Photography and the Digital Image, reflecting changes in the field and curriculum. Student access to computer labs and digital printing equipment appears to be quite good. Another strength of the program is the compact but well equipped check out room where students can access equipment for on and off-campus shoots. It was noted that equipment for the weekends could be in short supply with students signing up by Monday morning for equipment for the following weekend. Textile/Surface Design: The slight drop in enrollment appears to be an advantage for Textile Design as the new classrooms were not overly crowded and students were working with sufficient space. The facilities appeared well appointed with long run tables and screen making equipment. Students access both traditional and CAD systems for weaving and a Jacquard loom is available as well as 24-hour lab access for computer-based programs. The presence of a trained technician is of great help in the classes. The new studio spaces in the “A” building are open and well lit with high ceilings and good lighting. Faculty noted that the space could be crowded when students work on large projects. Toy Design: The well designed, equipped, and managed toy design spaces include computer labs, meeting rooms, a wonderfully appointed and well thought-out “test area” for children to interact with the toys, and storage for materials. The facility reflected care in planning and maintenance. The storage and sample rooms provided strong visual and research support for projects, and the adjacent computer lab provided opportunities to integrate software based projects into class activities easily.

G. Library and Learning Resources (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, II.G.) The library and its services are apparent strengths of the institution. Students ranked the library the top-rated student service at FIT last year. To stay current with course and program needs, the library staff maintain liaisons with each department, the assistant director serves on the Academic Council, and there are “imbedded librarians” in classes. A 24-hour scanning center is staffed and helps students with access to imagery and text (significantly cutting down the potential for damage to resources). As in many libraries, circulation is down recently as online resource usage surges. Many of the special items in the library collection cannot circulate in any event and therefore extended hours are especially important. The hours reported for the Library in the Self Study were in error, and rather than being open 8 am to noon, the library was open 8 am to midnight Monday through Thursday (see SS, p. 36).

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Year-end spending exceeded the annual budget for the library by nearly four times last year. Resources were reported to be slanted toward the professional programs and steps seem to need to be undertaken to strengthen Liberal Arts holdings. The library budget is based on a community college model, so there appear to be limited use of approval plans (notably for exhibition catalogs) and the library seems to rely more on faculty orders to ensure currency is maintained, which makes their engagement with curricular matters especially important. The library holdings included over 300,000 items and are augmented by digital resources as well. FITDEL, the electronic library, provides access for both student work and other resources. Students also benefit, albeit with a time delay, through access to resources through SUNY libraries and local libraries in New York. The library, like other centers at FIT, appears to struggle with space demands. A graduate reading room has been established on the fourth floor and study areas have been included. The space does not seem to have a particular “art and design” feel. Therefore, display cases have been added to the stairwells in the three-story library to enhance the look and feel of the facility. Online resources including access to databases and campus information through the FIT website also appear to be strengths.

H. Recruitment, Admission-Retention, Record Keeping, and Advisement (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, II.H.) The institution is to be commended for recognizing shifts in the competitive environment for student recruitment. Past FIT admissions success has benefited from low tuition, access to the intellectual and material resources of New York City, curriculum offerings, and the institution’s strong reputation for preparing students for industry. Changes in the demographics of college-age students, however, now seem to argue for more aggressive recruitment. The FIT admissions staff appears ready for this push. They have widened their targets beyond the State of New York and participate in events such as National Portfolio Day. In general, the visiting team found FIT students very positive about the attention they received during the admissions process. Several cited the personal interaction with staff after receiving notification of admission as one reason they chose FIT over other New York schools. Faculty and department heads, while wishing for more participating in publication and recruitment strategy development, also seem invested in the recruitment and admissions process, spending time with prospective students and voluntarily participating in Admitted Students Day. International students, however, appeared to have a different experience. They reported difficulty in confirming that the institution had received application documents and in determining whether credits from their schools abroad would transfer to the BFA at FIT. They were apparently frustrated by a lack of responsiveness to email and phone calls and, as a result, found the need to send the same documents several times. The Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Services is new to FIT administration (2 months on the job) and faculty are hopeful of improved communication between faculty and staff. Many in department meetings expressed frustration with past institutional practices regarding the review and acceptance of new students. Faculty and department heads are not confident that admissions counselors have sufficient insight into the disciplines of art and design to talk with prospective

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students in convincing ways and to make decisions about who should be admitted. They reported that the most likely students to be admitted to programs are those who are already at FIT because the admissions staff cannot discriminate among the abilities of transfer students with diverse backgrounds in the arts. This problem is possibly a symptom of a need for greater clarity in the requirements that qualify students for admission to the upper two years of the BFA curriculum. Because there is no definitive checklist of courses, except for the four programs explicitly served by the AAS in Communication Design and the general language in many programs requiring the equivalent to an AAS at FIT, it seemed that defining transfer qualifications is left to the discretion of advisors and faculty, inviting controversy. While the registrar makes decisions about transfer course equivalencies regarding Liberal Arts/SUNY transfer requirements, the procedure for determining art and design equivalencies appear to be less structured. Some report that department chairs evaluate these equivalencies by portfolio review, although there appear to be discrepancies among process explanations about whether these transfer credits are direct course-to-course equivalencies to the AAS requirements in a corresponding major or a review that students are generally prepared to enter upper division instruction by virtue of experiences in optional credits of prior art and design instruction. If both of these strategies are in fact used, it appears that there may be discrepancies in the published requirements that are applied to BFA admission for students who do not have the corresponding AAS degree from FIT. Transcript evaluations revealed some of these difficulties, which are also addressed in the Visitors’ Report, Section P. Credit and Time Requirements (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, V.A.). It also would appear that in many cases any FIT AAS degree might qualify students for admission to some FIT BFA programs, regardless of disciplinary expertise. Some BFA programs (not those supported by the AAS in Communication Design) have agreed to accept AAS students from a variety of FIT majors without additional coursework in the accepting major. As these different AAS degree programs have different graduation requirements, there appears to be no single definition of course requirements for completion of the BFA (in other words, the content of the first two years might be different, depending on the AAS major). Therefore, it seems difficult to say what constitutes an FIT BFA in these majors overall, and that the overall credit structure and course requirement for majors in BFA degrees may not align with NASAD curricular requirements (see Section P. of the Visitors’ Report, and NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, IV.C.; VIII; and IX.) Further, there appears to be confusion about the conditions under which a student enrolls in the one-year course of study that is described in the 2009-2011 Undergraduate Catalogue as a “OneYear Associate Degree Program” (see page 100). These programs are described as appropriate for “Students who hold a four-year degree or who have completed at least 30 transferable credits at an accredited college, with 24 credits equivalent to FIT’s Liberal Arts Requirements.” The twoyear AAS programs at FIT range from 62-72 credit hours, 24 of which are Liberal Arts credits (+2 Physical Education credit hours). Credit hours required for the “one-year programs range from 30-36 credit hours. It appears, therefore, that a student could transfer 30 credits from previous study at another institution, add the 30-36 credits required in the “one-year” program and graduate with fewer total credits than are required of students who enter directly into the twoyear AAS programs. Therefore, it appears that it is possible that there are different credit hour

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requirements for the same degree, depending on how the student enters the program (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, III.A., B., and C.). In addition, the visiting team heard that AAS graduates whose grade point averages are below 3.0 might be required to take the course requirements of the “one-year AAS” program before progressing to BFA coursework. It is not clear from institutional documents what threshold must be met for completing these courses or if there is a second admissions review after the completion of this intermediate year. This will be referred to in the Visitors’ Report, Section P. - Credit and Time Requirements (NASAD Handbook 20112012, V.A.). Retention Retention of students from the first to second year of study at FIT is high, as is the overall fouryear graduation rate of roughly 80%. Record-keeping It is not clear to the visiting team how students remain aware of the requirements of their degree. It was explained that curriculum updates on the web occur at the end of a publication cycle, not as they are approved, and that students may not have computer access to the most recent requirements at any given time. Further, it was not clear how students whose tenure in the institution spans two versions of the same curriculum declare under which requirements they will graduate (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, III.D., and Section P of the Visitors’ Report). The visiting team found new requirements in Communication Design, and consequently in the four programs it supports, and there were discussions of changes in Advertising Design and Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design. With regard to transcripts and record-keeping, the institution changed the curriculum of the Communication Design AAS degree and specified it as a requirement for admission to the Advertising Design, Graphic Design, Package Design, and Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design BFA degrees, matriculating students in the AAS for the first time in 2011-2012. The curriculum change is substantial and FIT did not submit an application to NASAD for Substantive Change (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, Rules of Practice and Procedure, Article V.). Therefore, graduates’ transcripts provided for these five degree programs do not match the current curricular requirements. The visiting team recommends that the institution submit revised curriculum tables for each program (reflecting the AAS Communication Design courses as partial requirements for the four BFA degrees) and to include the material in its Optional Response (Visitors’ Report Cover, Sections N., and P.) Advising While there was strong evidence that students rely on and respect the career advisement of their faculty and cite it as a distinguishing characteristic of the institution, formal advising for progress toward degree seems to have been less successful. Most of the nearly 100 students interviewed by the visiting team say they have seen an academic advisor once or never in their history with the institution. They resort to word-of-mouth or faculty recommendations for making curricular decisions, often with consequences on the time to graduation. The institution is addressing this through the creation of a professional advising center. A search for a director and up to 18 advisors is underway. The visiting team agrees that the anticipated

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hiring of professional advisors will help in addressing the current problems and suggests that progress on the hiring of the staff might be addressed in an Optional Response (Visitors’ Report, Section P., and NASAD Handbook 2011-12, II.H.1.a. and d.) While the block schedule keeps students on track and lessens the burden for individual course selections, if students depart from this path they appear to frequently have to enroll for extra semesters to complete their degrees. Many students also say that the course loads are so high (one student reported taking 27 credits for the semester and 21 credit loads were typical) that they take Liberal Arts classes during winter and summer sessions to complete their studies by the projected graduation date. They also report that they must often make choices about which art/design class matters most and let the other slide because there is simply not enough time in the week to do everything well. From their comments, students appear to be on their own in making these decisions to defer Liberal Arts study and the current registration system appears not to flag students who are taking too many credits to be successful.

I. PUBLISHED MATERIALS AND WEB SITES (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, II.I.) The FIT website is easy to locate online and to navigate. Pertinent information appears to be available on important aspects of FIT. Images of student projects, students at work, student activities and opportunities, and facilities appear to give a faithful representation of FIT. In addition to the website, there is a useful CD as well as specialized print publications about specific programs. There are also a number of informative publications produced by FIT each year. A Table of Contents in the Catalogue would make it easier to find specific information rather than having to page through the document. The Catalogue does not seem clear about the specifics of “transferable credits” for transfer students applying to either the 1-year AAS degree or the 2-year BFA programs (Visitors’ Report, Section P. - Credit and Time Requirements, and NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, III.A.3.) Specific coursework and/or required learning outcomes would seem to be useful to help potential students determine whether they are qualified and prepared. The descriptions of the 1-year AAS degrees and 2-year BFA degrees may be inaccuracies in themselves. NASAD does not recognize 1-year AAS degrees or 2-year BFA degrees, and these degree appear to be more extensive than their descriptions, since the 1-year AAS degrees require an additional 30 credits to meet the 60 credit minimum required for the degree and the 2-year BFAs require completion of additional 60 units for awarding of the degrees (see Section P. of the Visitors’ Report, Credit and Time Requirements and Awarding Credit, and NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, III.A.1. and 4.)

J. Branch Campuses, External Programs, Use of the Institution’s Name for Educational Activities Operated Apart from the Main Campus or the Primary Educational Program (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, Appendix I.A.) FIT operates one-semester and one-year international programs in Florence (AAS) and one-year programs in Milan (BFA). A possible future concern for the operations of the Milan program is

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that, according to the Self Study, it currently loses $120,000 per year (as of 09-10) and accordingly, the Self Study on p. 57 mentions a possible review of the programs. The programs in Florence and Milan are contractual third party relationships between Polimoda in Florence and Politecnico in Milan. These institutions provide facilities, libraries and administrative services. Courses are taught by local Italian faculty with qualifications stated to be equivalent to those on the New York campus, though this could not be verified (Section P. of the Visitors’ Report - Faculty Credentials, and NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, III.A.2.c.). An FIT Resident Director and program coordinators oversee faculty, teaching, and student evaluations. Student work is regularly assessed to ensure that appropriate learning outcome requirements are achieved.

K. Community Involvement; Articulation With Other Schools (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, II.J. and II.K.) FIT’s student and program involvement with the community seemed very strong. The Student Life office is a major connector to the Chelsea neighborhood. Conversations with faculty revealed that advisory boards are in place for a number of programs and that connections to the community regularly provide visitors to the classrooms as well as in-kind gifts of materials and donations to scholarships, program support, and internship opportunities. Student organizations are required to provide community service twice a year and the Self Study provides numerous examples of student engagement with charities and schools. The activities reflected the directions of individual programs, and the visitors found this to be a particular strength. Graduate students and alumni organizations have been similarly engaged (SS, pp. 50-53) with exhibitions, conservation, portraiture, and illustrations. Articulation with other schools appears to require more attention. FIT is a SUNY institution and as such participates in the SUNY general education policies and articulation agreements. These agreements however extend primarily to general education offerings. The Self Study (p. 53) notes that the school is “in support of the creation of articulation agreements with other schools” but there seem to be obstacles. The heavily structured and yet often disassociated AAS and BFA degrees make articulation between programs on and off campus difficult, as in many cases, there is no clear, specified lower division path to admission to a BFA program, or to completion of four year requirements once enrolled. The declaration of one-year Associate degrees and two-year BFA degrees, while encouraging students to complete degrees at FIT, appears to complicate this further. The Visiting Students Program on the other hand facilitates students completing a bachelors degree at another institution after completing a one-year associates degree at FIT since it is up to the home institution to determine what credits in their degree have been met. Transfer advisement sheets seen during the visit are largely blank forms with spaces to be filled by advisors and faculty. Because of the varied credit hour structures and intricate degree requirements at the institution, it is clear why there are occasional disagreements between faculty and admissions officers on entry and degree requirements. This is addressed in Section P. of the Visitors. Report under Credit and Time Requirements.

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L. Non-Degree-Granting Programs for the Community (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, III.K.) The growth in FIT’s continuing education to roughly 2400 students is impressive and a significant revenue opportunity for the institution. Continuing/external programs are of two types: non-credit (which includes high school programs) and credit programs (which includes certificate and evening/weekend programs). Both types of continuing education programs are currently administered through a single office. None of the certificate programs requires a sufficient number of credits to be listed by NASAD though the School of Continuing and Professional Studies is listed. The expansion of these programs, however, seems to impact degree programs. The access of degree-seeking students to open studio space is limited because students in non-credit, continuing education programs occupy rooms, and there are demands on resources and equipment in support of non-degree students that are charged to departmental budgets (maintenance of photography equipment, for example). The institution has discussed alternate administrative and revenue models that would assign management of credit programs to the department that offers the coursework. This strategy seems promising. Through conversations on campus, it was evident that some students in certificate programs eventually make application for admission to AAS programs, applying credits earned in these programs to degree requirements. This raises questions about whether courses taught under continuing education and applied to degree requirements exhibit the same rigor as the courses taught to a degree seeking population. Because it appears that there may be an advantage for continuing education students over other students in gaining admission to FIT degree programs, it raises questions about the threshold qualifications for enrollment in certificate programs (see Section P. of the Visitors’ Report - Awarding Credit, and NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, II.H.1.).

M. Review of Specific Operational Standards for (1) All Institutions of Higher Education for which NASAD is the Designated Institutional Accreditor and/or (2) Proprietary Institutions (if applicable) Not applicable as the Middle States Commission on Higher Education serves as the institution’s gatekeeper.

N. Programs, Degrees, and Curricula (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, III.; IV.; V.; and VI., VII., VIII., and IX. as applicable. See also Appendix II. C - Operational Norms)

Many of the FIT degree programs offer unique and valuable opportunities for study. Individual programs will be discussed in this section. FIT offers associate, bachelors, initial masters and master of fine arts degrees. These are described as one or two-year associate degrees, two-year bachelors degrees, and one, two, or three-year masters and master of fine arts degrees. The NASAD degree listing does not currently include the one-year associate degrees or the two-year BFA degrees. Rather, all associate degrees are approved as two-year degrees and the bachelors degrees as four-year degrees. It seems difficult if not impossible to say in all cases what the specific content of the one-year associate degrees or two-year BFA degrees includes. In some cases the BFA degrees at FIT require completion of specific associate degree curricula, which gives a complete picture of the degree in combination with the upper division requirements, but in

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others they simply call for completion of 60 credits that includes general education courses that complete the SUNY transfer requirements and courses appropriate to the major requirements. In other BFA programs, the equivalent of the FIT AAS degree is required. Reviewing student transcripts, it was unclear whether students always complete what would be considered the major requirements of a four-year BFA according to NASAD standards. One of three computer animation graduates, for example, was short at least fifteen units of art and design requirements. Fabric Styling students, likewise, may not meet NASAD standards for course distribution requirements. The tight structuring of the associate degrees in combination with the multiple types of one to three credit courses offered at the school appears to make transferring into or between the programs difficult, but the need for clear requirements for entry into the upper division programs makes determination of the content of those degrees equally difficult. NASAD Degree Listing The current NASAD degree listing shows the institution offering: Associate in Applied Science-2 years: Accessories Design; Communication Design; Interior Design; Fashion Design (General, International); Fine Arts; Illustration (Fashion, General); Jewelry Design (Design, Studio); Menswear; Photography; Textile/Surface Design; Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design Bachelor of Fine Arts-4 years: Accessories Design and Fabrication; Advertising Design; Computer Animation and Interactive Media; Fabric Styling; Fashion Design (General, International); Fine Arts; Graphic Design; Illustration; Interior Design; Packaging Design; Photography and the Digital Image; Textile/Surface Design; Toy Design Master of Arts-1 year: Exhibition Design Master of Arts-2 years: Art Market: Principles and Practices; Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Museum Practice, Theory ∗School of Continuing and Professional Studies Granted Plan Approval: Master of Fine Arts-3 years: Illustration What is missing from the NASAD listing are what appear to be current offerings including the Fashion Design BFA concentrations in Intimate Apparel, Sportswear, Childrens Wear, Mens Wear, Special Occasions, and the International Fashion Design programs. The visiting evaluators have provided what we believe is an accurate listing on the front cover of this report, including the BFA- 4 years: Fashion Design (Intimate Apparel, Sportswear, Childrens Wear, Menswear, Special Occasions) and International Fashion Design/Milan and New York (IFDM) which are not currently listed, and that the Communication Design and related Design programs have been substantially changed (see Visitors’ Report, Section N. (below) and P. - Degree Listing). General Comments on the structures of the undergraduate degrees: The BFA degrees and AAS degrees at FIT require a range of credits, from 62.5 to 72 in the AAS degrees, and 60.5 to 69 in the upper division of the BFA requirements, for a minimum of 124.5 credits in the BFA in Accessories to 137-140 credits in the BFA in Interior Design. Because there is not always mandatory correlation between AAS and BFA degrees (assuring preparation and curriculum content) there seems to be no way to clearly define the content of all of the BFA degrees, or whether or not they meet NASAD standards for BFA majors. The actual art history

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requirements seem minimal and often below standards, especially with the possibility of no correlation between the associate and bachelors degrees. There are vertical programs where the articulation between the AAS and the upper division BFA requirements are clear, but this clarity seems clouded as transfer students from within and outside of the institution do not appear to need to meet the AAS requirements for admission to the upper division programs, nor are requirements set out at all programs. The Fabric Styling BFA degree in particular seems to have trouble with this issue – it is open to business school graduates who do not have the studio or design backgrounds of students in the School of Art and Design. The FIT faculty recognizes this as a problem as noted on p. 108 of the Self Study. A review of transcripts showed that overall BFA degree requirements are not always met in any event as students transfer from other programs into this one. Because of this, it is unclear if the institution is compliant in all programs regarding degree content. (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, III.A.2., and Visitors’ Report, Section P.) Further, three basic models of course structures are in place. Some three-credit hour studios meet for: (a) six hours (two, two-hour and fifty minute sessions) (b) 100 minutes per credit hour for 15 weeks, or (c) six 40 minute hours where substantial work is done outside of class. Lecture classes are variously set at one 50-minute hour per hour of credit for academic classes. These structures are combined when a course is designated a lecture/lab course. It was difficult for the evaluators to ascertain the institution’s ability to meet standards regarding awarding credit and time on task (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, III.A. and B. and Section P. of the Visitors’ Report - Credit and Time Requirements and Awarding Credit). Finally, there are a large number of 1.5 and 2-credit hour courses offered. With the minimal contact and limited student access, this seems to stretch the intent of the NASAD standards as well as complicate student schedules. FIT students often take more than 18 hours of classes a week, with some taking 21 credits. Given the high studio component of the degrees, it is unclear how adequate faculty contact and studio access is provided in each class in the crowded schedules at the institution or if it is, how students manage those schedules (see Section P. of the Visitors’ Report - Awarding Credit and Credit and Time Requirements). In general, the strengths noted in programs in the Self Study and by students during interviews on campus include location, links to professions, faculty professional and academic backgrounds, and current professional activities. Weaknesses were noted in student writing, communication skills, and in some cases technology adaptation. Weaknesses are also noted in many programs regarding space and technology-access in the classrooms (see Section E. of the Visitors’ Report). The visitors recommend that the institution include in its Optional Response clarification of fouryear degree requirements for completion of the BFA degrees, especially where students have options on completing various lower division programs, and that the institution’s credit hour/contact hour/studio access practices be explained to show how the institution is in compliance with NASAD standards (see Visitors’ Report, Section P.)

General Comment on Program and Course Outcomes Assessment:

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The curricula of the school arise from an intricate network of highly specialized studies at the associate, bachelors, and masters levels, some more independent than others. A regular sequence of program reviews is in place on a five to seven-year cycle to evaluate the individual majors. Over the past decade, the institution has evolved an elaborate and inclusive rubric for learning outcomes assessment. Assessing student achievement and progress within this network tends to be focused at the level of individual classes, aggregated to the program level, with each department having largely self-contained mission statements and learning assessment practices based generally on a portfolio review model common to art and design disciplines, but extended as well to general education classes. Since the degrees are structured in one or two-year sequences, program assessment often tends to be narrowly confined to a particular segment of the student’s overall educational experience. Goals are established in each case and a rubric of values and assessment processes assigned. This is often effective in assessing the value and results of specific lessons and lesson sequences within the confines of specific courses, and it is evident that changes have been implemented over time to enhance student learning in classes. While this works well within the microcosm of the individual class and to a certain extent in sequencing classes within a program, one difficulty in determining what to do with outcomes information in this environment is that students may follow a variety of pathways through their degrees and a deficiency found in one program or class may have a variety of causes. For instance, transfer students may enter a program at a variety of levels, and some upper division degrees have no specific set of prerequisites. As fewer students enroll in AAS programs and more complete BFA programs at the institute, a broader view is needed. Since the programs are often independent, what if the entry program finds strong results but the advanced finds deficiencies in student preparation? What appears to be a highly positive result of the collective review of the learning outcomes across classes and programs related to the Communication Design Department has been to develop a common lower division pathway to the various upper division majors. This might still not cure student deficiencies in a skill like typography – there may be self-selection among the students, for example, in who choses to pursue which major based on their own assessment of their specific skills. It would, however, provide a clearer basis for decision-making. It also shows the advantage of a more macrocosmic evaluation of results. Undergraduate Degrees: Associate in Applied Science– 2 years: Accessories Design Bachelor of Fine Arts-4 years: Accessories Design and Fabrication (1) Status. These degrees are submitted for renewal of Final Approval for Listing on the Self Study Cover but erroneously listed for Renewal of Plan Approval on pages 71 and 73 of the Self Study. The AAS is offered in one and two year formats, the BFA in a two-year format. While NASAD does not have specific standards for Accessory Design major, the degrees appear to meet the standards for a two-year associate level degree and a four-year BFA with a specific major (see NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, VI., VIII., and IX.). The degrees however are also subject to the

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general concern the visitors have with credit hours and time and awarding credit at the institution (see Visitors’ Report, Sections P. and N. (above)). (2) Curriculum. The Accessories Design and Fabrication BFA specifically requires completion of the FIT AAS in Accessories Design as a prerequisite for admission. An FIT graduate of any other program may apply, but must complete two specific Accessories Design courses before starting upper division course work, and two more before the senior year. Transfer students have similarly rigorous entry requirements. The degree, therefore, is one of the few with very specific lower division requirements that must be met for admission to the program, and therefore has clear overall requirements for the BFA. It is also one of the very few in which art/design history requirements exceed the minimum for NASAD, with fifteen units required for the BFA. (3) Title/Content Consistency. The title and degree content appear to be consistent and appropriate. (4) Student Work. Student work seen on site appeared quite strong and imaginative; with an exceptional series of leather shoes, purses, and clothing items that were attractively displayed in show cases. There was evident care and expertise reflected in the handling of materials, the design of function and theatrical items, and the combination of colors, patterns, and textures. (5) Development of Competencies. The curriculum clearly progresses from basic studies through material handling and design problems, with a highly technical series of 1.5 – 3 credit subject areas at the lower level including Footwear and Handbag Design, Marker Rendering, Digital Sketching and Desk Accessories. At the upper level, more complicated still are courses in Theatrical and Character Footwear, Experimental Handbag Techniques, and advanced computer skills. Assessment of capstone courses and interaction with industry councils have produced needed changes in curriculum content and sequencing. New ways of adding flexibility and enhancing creative approaches to the BFA are being explored as well as interdisciplinary options. (6) Overall Effectiveness. This appeared to be a very effective program arising from the technical trade basis of the institution and adapting to new technologies, approaches, and materials. The studios appeared well equipped and maintained, though crowded with the size of classes. Maintenance of the equipment increasingly falls on faculty as technical positions have been eliminated in budget cuts. The footwear lab, for example, was unique in the visitors’ experience. The programs’ enrollment however is declining according to records and one its unique strengths, the availability of materials and equipment from the industry in the area, has been depleted due to the decline in manufacturing in the immediate vicinity. Interaction with the Admissions office, additional recruitment, and program modification should be able to address these issues however. Associate in Applied Science – 2 years: Communication Design (1) Status: While the AAS in Communication Design was submitted for renewal of Final Approval for Listing, it appeared to be undergoing substantive change to a level at which it appeared it should be submitted for Substantive Change. As this program is now the common requirement for students moving on to one of four BFA programs (Advertising Design, Graphic Design, Package Design, and the proposed Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design), it represents change in the BFA programs as well. The new curriculum was

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implemented in Fall 2011, at which time students were admitted to the program. There are currently no graduates of the two-year program and no students in the upper division classes who have completed AAS courses as the first two years of study for the BFA. (2) Curriculum. The Communication Design faculty, in establishing a common AAS curricular experience that supports student entry to the BFA degree programs in Advertising Design, Graphic Design, Package Design, and the proposed Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design program has produced clarity, not only in the 2-year degree requirements but also in the role this curriculum plays in the first two years of the BFA degrees. The visitors were told that the majority of students who now enroll in the AAS program apply their two years of study to the BFA, so courses are designed primarily for this purpose. Since the curriculum requires not only six units of art history but also three units of design history, the lower division courses provide a strong basis for project development informed by historical precedence. The degree is also subject to the general concern the visitors have with credit hours and time and awarding credit at the institution (see Visitors’ Report, Section P.). (3) Title/Content Consistency. The title appears consistent with program content. (4) Student Work. First-year student work appears consistent with curricular goals and shows progress toward achieving NASAD standards for essential competencies. Because the first students enrolled in this program in fall 2011, there were no exit competencies under this curriculum to observe in student work. (5) Development of Competencies. Transcripts submitted in the self-study do not correspond to the curriculum currently in place in either the AAS program or the BFA programs for which completion of the AAS are now a prerequisite. There have been no graduates of the AAS or BFA programs under the new curriculum, nor has there been time for the program to evaluate student outcomes. Faculty stated the common requirements have simplified the profile of students applying for admission to the BFA in Advertising Design, Graphic Design, and Package Design. They also believe consistency in these competencies is advisable, and from what they’ve seen in the first year of the program, that students will be better prepared for the majors. (6) Overall Effectiveness. It is not possible to evaluate this as the first cohort entered the program in Fall 2011 and there is no second-year performance to evaluate. The visitors were very impressed however by the work done by the faculty and administration of the program in implementing the changes in the curriculum and establishing such strong foundations for upper division study. The assessments of the previous programs were rigorously applied in developing the new curricula. Bachelor of Fine Arts-4 years: Advertising Design, Graphic Design, and Package Design (1) Status. The Advertising Design, Graphic Design, and Package Design degrees were submitted for renewal of Final Approval for Listing. Because these programs (as well as the Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design BFA) now apply the two years of study in the substantially changed Communication Design program to the upper division requirements of the BFA in each curriculum, there are significant changes in curricular requirements overall. Transcripts provided to the visiting team do not correspond to the curricula that are currently

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being offered or will be offered. The visiting team was informed on site that the upper-level courses of the Advertising Design BFA are being revised as well and that a proposal is working its way through the institution. The new curriculum and course descriptions for this program were not available to the team. The team advised the institution that a request for Plan Approval or Substantive Change (as appropriate) should be submitted to NASAD before students are admitted to the program. This could be done in the Optional Response to the Visitors’ Report if ready at that time. (2) Curriculum: The visiting team requested revised curriculum tables at the time of the visit. These were supplied for Graphic Design and Package Design. The content of these tables appear consistent with NASAD standards, as do the contents of the current Advertising Design program. The degrees however are also subject to the general concern the visitors have with credit hours and time and awarding credit at the institution (see Visitors’ Report, Section P.). (3) Title/Content Consistency. The Advertising Design, Graphic Design, and Package Design titles appear to be consistent with their general content. (4) Student Work. The visiting team reviewed work in all three content areas. Student work in the area of Package Design is especially strong and while it shows detailed alignment with the practical concerns of industry, it also demonstrates individual creativity and mastery of typographic form. Graphic Design student work is consistent with industry standards and the description of program outcomes. The visiting team was less enthusiastic about student work in Advertising Design and agrees with the institution’s Self-Study that student performance appears less strong in typographic and digital skills. Therefore, the institution’s decision to revise this program to strengthen these skills appears to be a positive step. (5) Development of Competencies. The institution regularly evaluates all programs as is evident in the Self-Study. The collaboration among these three programs, the Communication Design program, and the Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design academic programs to agree on a common two-year experience leading to work in the four majors seemed well thought out and implemented. (6) Overall Effectiveness. The BFA programs in Graphic Design and Package Design appear effective with respect to purpose and to meet NASAD standards. The current Advertising Design BFA also appears to meet NASAD standards, though the visitors agree with the institution’s self-assessment that students’ typographic and digital skills should be enhanced. Bachelor of Science – 4 years: Art History and Museum Professions This degree was not part of the formal review. It is the only degree offered through the School of Liberal Arts. Analyzing the content of the degree, it appears to lack sufficient art/design/art history content to be considered for review. It seems to have hardly more courses in the art history area than a minor might, and therefore the title appears misleading. In conversation with Liberal Arts faculty, it was noted that a bachelor’s degree in Art History is planned. The institution may wish to review the current degree in light of future plans and to provide clear titles and program content (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, IV.C., and VII.F.).

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Bachelor of Fine Arts-4 years: Computer Animation and Interactive Media (1) Status. The cover sheet of the Self Study indicates this two-year program has been submitted for renewal of Final Approval for Listing (it is incorrectly described as being submitted for renewal of Plan Approval on page 91 of the Self Study) (2) Curriculum. This a two-year BFA degree program requiring 69 units overall including 51-52.5 credits in studio or related areas, three units in Art History and three units in the History of Animation. Because there are only four specific lower division studio courses required for entry to this two-year degree program and no additional art/design history courses, it does not appear that overall NASAD BFA standards are met by the degree (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, VIII.B. and Visitors’ Report, Section P.). The degree is also subject to the general concern the visitors have with credit hours and time and awarding credit at the institution (see Visitors’ Report, Section P.). (3) Title/Content Consistency. The degree title and content appear consistent with a BFA in this subject with the exception of the content issues raised above. (4) Student Work. Limited student work was seen on site, but the pieces observed seemed highly competent in the field. They were both imaginative and technically developed. (5) Development of Competencies. This program offers a BFA only with no AAS degree in the field. The program accepts students from all FIT AAS programs as well as students from other institutions, which provides open access but can create problems as students enter the program from a variety of backgrounds. It was evident that many students do not complete a full complement of art and design course requirements as specified by NASAD standards. A transcript review showed for instance that of three students surveyed, two had not completed full BFA requirements. One was not within fifteen credits of the standards. Clear requirements for entry and overall degree completion should be set and NASAD standards met. It might also be possible in the future to consider the degree as a BS (liberal arts) degree if that was more appropriate to program goals. (6) Overall Effectiveness. The program has a nearly thirty-year history at the institute, an impressive timeframe indicating an early recognition of this important field. Adaptation of new software provides compelling gaming and fashion applications and team projects provide preparation for work environments. A render farm is in place for high-speed computation necessary for image development and students and faculty access a range of professional and experimental software. It is an exciting program that combines animation, programming, and interactive applications across disciplines in the institution. While the team saw limited examples of student work, its early adaptation of 3D programs and inclusion of history in the field provide breadth to the field. Computer workshops for the program suffer from the same crowded conditions that seem to be the case in most of the program areas but have problems exacerbated by the need for studio set ups, constantly evolving hardware, and student expertise across a range of applications and situations.

Bachelor of Fine Arts-4 years: Fabric Styling

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(1) Status. The BFA major in Fabric Styling has been submitted for renewal of Final Approval for Listing. The institution not appear to meet the standards of a BFA degree. (2) Curriculum. The degree has a broader consumer research focus than would be the case in art or design degrees generally. One full-time faculty member with adjunct faculty staffs the program. While clearly providing needed skills for entry to trend forecasting and related fields, the degree should be re-examined for basic structure to see how it might best be strengthened, defined and structured. It was not clear where classes in this subject are held, so there was no opportunity to view classroom equipment and working conditions. The degree is also subject to the general concern the visitors have with credit hours and time and awarding credit at the institution (see Visitors’ Report, Section P.). (3) Title/Content Consistency. There are no specific NASAD standards for Fabric Styling, however it does not appear that the institution meets the basic standards for either a general or field-specific BFA degree (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, IV.C.5., and VIII.B.). Admission to the program requires completion of a FIT liberal arts degree (according to the FIT website) and it requires only 47 units of studio and related courses in upper division studies and three units of art history coursework. In terms of requirements and competencies developed, the structure of this degree therefore appears to meet the NASAD standards for a liberal arts degree rather than a professional art or design degree. Students do appear to engage in important studio experiences in the upper division courses, however entry requirements are quite broad or open, including options for students in the AAS programs in Textile Development and Fashion Merchandise Management or Liberal Arts. Upper division courses do not appear to include a large percentage of studio based experiences. It does not appear that students entering from a program without extensive art foundations will take sufficient studio courses to meet NASAD standards for a professional (BFA) degree. While students entering from a FT AAS degree program in art or design would have a strong background in professional art and design studies, those entering from other programs are even less likely to have sufficient Art History credits to meet NASAD’s 10-15% guideline (12-18 credits) as they are only required to complete 3 credits at the BFA level. Concern is expressed in the Self Study that not all students are prepared for the visual requirements of the course work prior to admission to the program. This would appear to leave them at a further disadvantage when attempting projects that may be beyond their competencies as well as creating difficulty in teaching students with significantly different backgrounds. (4) Student Work. The student work shown concentrated on forecasting market trends and explorations of fabric presentation or photographic styling. (5) Development of Competencies. This program offers a BFA only with no specifically associated AAS. (6) Overall Effectiveness. There is clearly a need for this type of education in the fashion industry. The faculty member reported consistent numbers of applicants and provided a listing of alumni who were pursuing successful careers. It did not appear that students consistently achieved BFA competencies however.

Associate in Applied Science – 2 years: Fashion Design (General, International)

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Bachelor of Fine Arts-4 years: Fashion Design (General, International, Intimate Apparel, Knitwear, Sportswear, Children’s Wear, Men’s Wear, Special Occasions) (1) Status. The AAS in Fashion Design with General and International concentrations has been submitted for renewal of Final Approval for Listing. The BFA in Fashion Design, General and International concentrations were also submitted for renewal of Final Approval for Listing, though the curricular charts indicate renewal of Plan Approval. A review of the FIT catalog and website (http://www.fitnyc.edu/2140.asp) showed a number of additional concentrations which students may pursue with this major, including concentrations in Intimate Apparel, Knitwear, Sportswear, Children’s Wear, Men’s Wear, and Special Occasions. The Fashion Design major appear to meet the standards for the AAS and BFA degrees in this field, and the concentrations to meet the standards for concentrations within the specific major (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, VI., VIII. and IX.D., and Visitors’ Report, Section P.) (2) Curriculum. The curricula for the AAS and the BFA majors and concentrations in Fashion Design appear to be appropriate. The degrees however are also subject to the general concern the visitors have with credit hours and time and awarding credit at the institution (see Visitors’ Report, Section P.). In addition, there is a lack of consistency in description of requirements and concentrations between the catalogue, the curricular charts and the website. The curricular charts show BFA concentrations for the additional six specific areas. Students also stated that once in a concentration, there is no ability to take courses in other concentrations and this appears to them to limits their career options. If students do in fact pursue separate curricula within the concentrations in the BFA Fashion Design degree, which appears to be the case, there is a need to request approval for these separate curricula. The visitors have listed these concentrations on the title page and recommend they be submitted in an Optional Response for Plan and Final Approval for Listing (see Visitors’ Report, Section P.) In the AAS, the Florence program appears to have three separate codes however, raising the question of what specific degree(s) may be earned and if there are separate requirements through that international program. The FIT Fashion Design programs have many strengths, among which is its ideal location in the heart of the fashion industry. This allows ready access to a vast variety of materials and notions not available elsewhere in the US. The location also affords immediate access to professional opportunities within the industry. Students are able to serve internships while continuing their education. Industry professionals are available for guest lectures and to serve as critics. Field trips are a relatively simple walk down the street. FIT also enjoys enormous fashion industry support both financially and by recruiting and hiring graduates. (3) Title/Content Consistency. The degree titles and contents appear consistent with an AAS and a BFA in Fashion Design. As noted above, there appears to be inconsistencies in various FIT materials that are a bit confusing and there are specific curricula for each concentration listed on the website, but the degree requested for Listing is Fashion Design, not the various specialties. (4) Student Work. Student work viewed on site ranged from acceptable to spectacular in illustration, design and fabrication of garments. During the visit, the NASAD team members were able to review portfolio reviews of collections at various levels of the program that included pieces of outstanding attention to material, draping, construction, and design. Especially notable was the impressive student work in Intimate Apparel and Knitwear. Delicate materials were beautifully stitched and intricate designs were elegantly executed. The designs were innovative, creative and well

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constructed. FIT is to be commended for recognizing the importance of knitwear in the fashion industry and preparing students to address this market. Less impressive were the designs seen in menswear. The Self Study reports a need for revision of curriculum and has established an advisory board for a curricular restructure and assessment of industry needs. (5) Development of Competencies. The BFA classes build upon one another in a logical order with each class contributing knowledge of specialized materials and techniques for specific markets. The elaboration of the various concentrations, all of which had appropriate enrollments, would not seem possible expect in an institution of this scale with this range of expertise and support. The individual concentrations provide significant in-depth knowledge and skill development. (6) Overall Effectiveness. The Fashion Design concentrations are nationally and internationally well regarded as intensive preparatory programs for careers in the apparel industry. The work seen on campus and the assessment practices in place appeared of very high quality. FIT requires faculty to have worked in the industry for a minimum of six years. This experience provides students with working knowledge of the industry and prepares them for the reality of the highly competitive fashion world. The contacts of the faculty also seem to be invaluable for assisting students in procuring internships and employments after graduation. The Museum at FIT collections provide extraordinary learning potential. Students appear to have easy access to viewing the internationally renowned exhibits while faculty are able to check out garments from the teaching collection and use to demonstrate techniques and materials. Handling actual garments provides a highly effective and engaging teaching tool. While the studios are large, well equipped, and well maintained, they are crowded. The visitors heard from more than one student that there is difficulty working after hours because of the Continuing Education classes scheduled in those studios. Associate in Applied Science – 2 years: Fine Arts Bachelor of Fine Arts-4 years: Fine Arts (1) Status. The cover sheet of the Self Study indicates these two-year programs have been submitted for renewal of Final Approval for Listing (they are incorrectly described as being submitted for renewal of Plan Approval on pages 129 and 131 of the Self Study). (2) Curriculum. These programs include strong, traditional fundamentals in figurative sculpture, life drawing, and painting, developed at appropriate levels in the Associate and Bachelors level degrees. The AAS degree appears to meet NASAD Standards for the degree; however, the degrees are also subject to the general concern the visitors have with credit hours and time and awarding credit at the institution (see Visitors’ Report, Section P.). The Associate degree requires 69.5 credit hours with an appropriate distribution of studio, art history, electives, and general education requirements. There is a good sequencing of courses based on a developed set of foundation classes. Professional practice courses are included and capstone courses are in place at both levels. There are, however, no specific studio-based admission pre-requisites to the BFA program. Since students seem to come to the BFA program with a variety of AAS backgrounds (or perhaps transferring in with other backgrounds outside of the arts), they often have extensive backgrounds in specific fields, but with no definable lower division requirements. Because of this, it did not appear possible to ascertain the full content of the BFA in Fine Arts and equally difficult to determine if course content requirements have been met (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, IX.H., and Visitors’ Report, Section P.). The two

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degrees are also subject to the general concern the visitors have with credit hours and time and awarding credit at the institution (see Visitors’ Report, Section P.). (3) Title/Content Consistency. The titles and contents appear consistent with NASAD standards for General Fine Arts degrees with the exception noted above concerning Time and Credit Hours and Awarding of Credit. (4) Student Work. The student work in these areas seemed well developed. Impressive large-scale works were being undertaken in sculpture and painting, subject to the space restraints in the facility. (5) Development of Competencies. The program leadership has spent much time with the fulland part-time faculty developing course competencies and a consistent curriculum. This appears to have had strong results. (6) Overall Effectiveness. The model currently used in the design fields, using the Communication Design AAS as a common core, seemed like a solution that might be implemented in this degree area as well – developing a designated prerequisite program or group of prerequisite programs for the BFA degrees, for example, would better define the lower division requirements and student preparation for the BFA degree. Associate in Applied Science – 2 years: Illustration (Fashion Illustration, General Illustration) Bachelor of Fine Arts-4 years: Illustration (1) Status. The cover sheet of the Self Study indicates these two-year programs have been submitted for renewal of Final Approval for Listing (they are incorrectly described as being submitted for renewal of Plan Approval on pages 155 and 157 of the Self Study). (2) Curriculum. The AAS degree in Illustration offers two options: Fashion Illustration and General Illustration while the BFA has no areas of emphasis within the major. The two degrees appear to meet the NASAD standards for these degrees with the exception of the general concern the visitors have with credit hours and time and awarding credit at the institution (see Visitors’ Report, Section P.). (3) Title/Content Consistency. The titles and contents of the degrees seem appropriate and within NASAD standards. (4) Student Work. The visiting team found the student work stronger in the Fashion Illustration option, concurring with the Self Study (p. 163) that drawing and color results could be improved in General Illustration. The work in General Illustration seems more about rendering and less about communication, while the work in Fashion Illustration had a strong point of view. Overall, however, the curriculum appears to meet NASAD standards with the advanced courses integrating technology particularly well. (5) Development of Competencies. The illustration program has a highly sequential curriculum and regular assessment procedures in place. Faculty regularly evaluate work from capstone courses and the curriculum is adjusted as needed. (6) Overall Effectiveness. The Self Study identifies this program as one of the institution’s strengths and the visitor’s concur in regard to the Fashion Illustration concentration; it is particularly focused and effective with a strong technological component adding to the Fashion Institute of Technology

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developed creative skills. Curriculum and student performance in this program are consistent with professional practice. The program benefits from a large number of faculty with strong professional credentials. The facilities for the program were well organized, which facilitated project development. Associate in Applied Science – 2 years: Interior Design Bachelor of Fine Arts-4 years: Interior Design (1) Status. The cover sheet of the Self Study indicates these two-year programs have been submitted for renewal of Final Approval for Listing (they are incorrectly described as being submitted for renewal of Plan Approval on pages 144 and 146 of the Self Study). (2) Curriculum. The curricula appear to meet the NASAD standards for AAS and BFA degrees in the field with the exception of the general concern the visitors have with credit hours and time and awarding credit at the institution (see Visitors’ Report, Section P.). Completion of a program equivalent to the FIT AAS in Interior Design is required for admission to the BFA program, which provides a coherent view of the overall program requirements and insures that students admitted to the BFA are prepared for the courses. Art and design history requirements in the BFA appear to meet NASAD standards with four courses being required and interior design history being incorporated into the upper division classes. (3) Title/Content Consistency. The AAS and BFA degree titles in Interior Design and the degree contents appear consistent and appropriate. (4) Student Work. The integration of art and design history and industry technology standards were evident in student projects seen on site, which were well developed and presented with the program rubrics being built around CIDA standards. 3D models observed however, were not nearly as strongly developed as the presentation boards. (5) Development of Competencies. The faculty have recently inaugurated changes in the curriculum related to technology, such as integrating learning about “how to learn about” technology rather than just teaching specific software. Nevertheless, industry software standards appear to be well integrated into the curriculum at all stages, as evidenced in student projects seen on site. (6) Overall Effectiveness. The Interior Design faculty includes individuals with lengthy engagement in professional practices in the field. Another strength in the program is the integration of professional practices into the classes, with students learning to spec projects including fee structures, expenses, and accounting practices. They seem to develop strong research skills as well. The model shop facility however is small and apparently hard to access for the ID students. Three dimension projects seen did not reflect the quality of the two dimensional presentations. Associate in Applied Science – 2 years: Jewelry Design (Design, Studio) (1) Status. The cover sheet of the Self Study indicates this two-year program has been submitted for renewal of Final Approval for Listing (it is incorrectly described as being submitted for renewal of Plan Approval on pages 168 of the Self Study). (2) Curriculum. The AAS in Jewelry Design is offered at FIT in one and two-year curricula. Both

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effectively require completion of 71.5 credits, one of the highest degree requirements of the AAS degrees at the institution. The two-year curriculum has specific requirements and appears to meet NASAD standards subject to the general concerns about Credit and Time Requirements and Awarding Credit (see Visitors’ Report, Section P.). Since there are no specific requirements for the students transferring into the one-year program however, it is impossible to determine the actual content of that degree. A more clear set of degree requirements appears to be needed for the one-year degree (see NASAD Handbook 20112012, VI.A., p. 87 and B., p. 90). (3) Title/Content Consistency. The title and content of the two-year AAS degree appear consistent. (4) Student Work. Student work reflected a high quality of craftsmanship and design. (5) Development of Competencies. The Jewelry Design program is offered as an AAS degree, with no upper division BFA. There are two tracks within the degree from which student must choose either, Design and Studio, the first aimed at training students to work in the industry making multiples and the other providing more of a focus on producing unique works. Both have a listing of technically specific 1, 1.5, and 2 credit courses. In this way, and in their specificity of direction, the AAS in Jewelry appears to most closely reflect the technical trade base from which the Institute originated, and perhaps the least changed of any of the degrees from its original purpose. (6) Overall Effectiveness. Enrollments in the field however have declined, limiting the numbers of courses available. The department chair did speak of increased enrollments recently, however. The Self Study reflected a desire on the part of the faculty to broaden the students thinking to be more “outside the box.” It seemed to the visitors that the tight structure of the curriculum and its specific trade oriented focus might hinder the development of more openended results. Not having an upper division for greater exploration seems to limit opportunities as well. Students interviewed, for instance, commented on the need to have both “studio” and “design” approaches in their studies. The institution may wish to explore the benefits of common cores and the addition of more expansive upper division (BFA) program. Faculty interviewed on site noted, as corroborated by the Self-Study, the need for incorporating more contemporary approaches to three dimensional modeling and prototyping. Associate in Applied Science – 2 years: Photography Bachelor of Fine Arts-4 years: Photography and the Digital Image (1) Status. The cover sheet of the Self Study indicates these two-year programs have been submitted for renewal of Final Approval for Listing (they are incorrectly described as being submitted for renewal of Plan Approval on pages 192 and 190 of the Self Study). (2) Curriculum. Completion of a program equivalent to the FIT AAS in Photography is required for admission to the BFA program, which provides a coherent view of the overall program requirements and insures that students admitted to the BFA are prepared for the courses. Art/design/photography history requirements in the BFA however do not appear to meet NASAD standards with only three credits in the AAS degree and three additional credits in the BFA being required (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, VI.B., and IX.P.). The Self Study (pp. 193-194) states that these issues are addressed in Basic Design and Drawing, Advertising Design and Layout, and in the upper division History of Photography course. The basic design and drawing courses however are only one-credit courses, Advertising Design a two-credit course, and would all seem hard

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pressed to address the issues normally associated with those subjects without doing double duty as art history courses, even if they represented the requisite credit hours. The other studio, general education, and elective requirements of the two degrees appear to meet the NASAD standards with the exception of the general concern the visitors have with credit hours and time and awarding credit at the institution (see Visitors’ Report, Section P.). (3) Title/Content Consistency. The titles and degree contents seem consistent. The addition of the “digital image” to the BFA title seemed especially appropriate. (4) Student Work. The evaluating team was able to view a number of photography projects at all levels on site and in digital images online. A number of strong, large-scale portrait works displayed in the halls were seen that seemed especially well developed and reflected the printing capabilities of the library print center. A series of advertising projects were also well developed. (5) Development of Competencies. The photography program adapts a range of approaches to the field, which incorporate studio art and commercial applications. Many of the Institute programs (such as Photograph) rely on Lynda.com for additional tutorials (SS, p. 195). FIT has a service contract with Lynda.com and students reported this as a highly satisfactory way of learning needed software. Students raised concerns about course sequencing, and desires for more location-based classes in the AAS sequence. (6) Overall Effectiveness: The majority of the AAS courses are 1 and 2 credit classes, which focus heavily on studio-based technological applications. Given the student concerns on sequencing and the limited hours in class (see Section P. of the Visitor’s Report on Time and Credit), thematic and creative development does not have a significant place in the curriculum until the BFA program’s upper division. The Self Study notes that assessment processes reveal a concern for the development of students’ ability to communicate conceptual ideas through visual media (p. 197), which would seem in line with the apparent deficiencies in history/criticism and theory courses and the technological focus of the first two years, the correction of which is recommended in the Self Study on p 197. The visitors concur. Space restrictions were clearly evident in lighting labs and darkrooms, which were barely passable and the scheduling of non-credit courses has doubled, raising concerns about student access to facilities in the degree programs. Associate in Applied Science – 2 years: Textile/Surface Design Bachelor of Fine Arts-4 years: Textile/Surface Design (1) Status. The cover sheet of the Self Study indicates these one and two-year programs have been submitted for renewal of Final Approval for Listing (they are incorrectly described as being submitted for renewal of Plan Approval on pages 200 and 202 of the Self Study). (2) Curriculum. The students in Textile/Surface Design benefit from a curriculum that provides a broad array of experiences with industrial and artistic applications across media. The program integrates traditional woven forms with computer driven systems, Jacquard processes and vertically linked AAS and BFA programs with a portfolio review required for admission to the BFA program. The two-year AAS degree and the upper division BFA degree requirements appear to be adequate to meet NASAD standards with the exception of the Visitors general concerns about Credit and Time Requirements and Awarding Credit (see Section P. of the Visitors’ Report). The upper division BFA program does not require completion of the lower division AAS in Textile/Surface Design for admission, opting rather

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for competition of any AAS degree as an entry requirement, or the equivalent. Upper division Textile/Surface Design course requirements however appear sufficient to meet NASAD standards for the major content overall. (3) Title/Content Consistency. The one-year AAS degree in Textile/Surface Design is actually a two-year degree if pre-requisites are listed. NASAD does not recognize one-year AAS degrees or two-year BFA degrees (see Visitors’ Report, Section P.). The content of the two and four year degrees appear to meet the standards for AAS and BFA titles and content consistency. (4) Student Work. Student work displayed during the visit showed both technical and creative proficiency. Large-scale pieces were facilitated by the new worktables and ample studio space in the new wing. (5) Development of Competencies. An array of two and three-dimensional software applications are available for students, though the Self Study expresses concern about the adequacy of integration of the software applications into the curriculum in an effective manner. Students explore not only traditional surface applications but also paper, dinnerware design, home furnishings, and carpets. (6) Overall Effectiveness. Program assessment practices have led the faculty to seek to upgrade the BFA program with better sequencing, improved technology, and to limit the number of 1 and 2-unit classes to allow greater conceptual “out of the box” thinking. The Visitors concur with this recommendation. Declining enrollment in the field has limited the number of cohorts and should be monitored for causes and possible remedies. One suggestion from the Self Study would be greater implementation of cross-disciplinary projects with other programs; another is enhanced advertisement of the program. The visitors suggest exploring common bases at the AAS level as one approach to this that might help students in the AAS programs understand the availability of upper division options in Textile/Surface Design. Bachelor of Fine Arts-4 years: Toy Design (1) Status. The cover sheet of the Self Study indicates this program has been submitted for renewal of Final Approval for Listing (it is incorrectly described as being submitted for renewal of Plan Approval on pages 210 of the Self Study). (2) Curriculum. The BFA in Toy Design has no AAS counterpart and relies of students gaining experiences in other areas before moving into this upper division program. Like many of the FIT programs, it includes a host of 1, 1.5, and 2 credit hour courses and a small number of 3 and 4 credit classes in the major. Many classes are team-taught. The facilities, as noted earlier in the report, are quite remarkable. The curricular difficulty is that admission to the degree may come from a Liberal Arts program and enrollments are encouraged from students in mechanical engineering, architecture, or industrial design. While this may add strength and diversity to the program, it means that BFA standards may not be met, as the upper division 2-year BFA requires only 43 units in art or design and six units of art/design history. NASAD does not have specific standards for a major in Toy Design, but it would need to meet the requirements for at least a BFA with a major in a specific field such as Craft or Design (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, VIII., and IX.F. and G.) and the degree is also subject to the general concern the visitors have with credit hours and time and awarding credit at the

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institution (see Visitors’ Report, Section P). (3) Title/Content Consistency. The degree content and title appear consistent with the exception noted above in regard to the lack of certainty in meeting BFA standards. (4) Student Work. Student work on site achieved a high degree of creativity while adhering to strict industry safety and health standards. Highly imaginative works were developed through innovative computer software applications, through interactions with potential users, and through careful analysis of materials and manufacturing capabilities. (5) Development of Competencies. The program faculty seek to develop socially responsible toy designers who are able to produce marketable items. Since this requirement includes knowledge of safety standards and developmental issues, students take a broad range of general education courses including developmental psychology, cinematic studies, and art and design history courses. To research and facilitate the production of marketable products, the program engages children as its product testers under highly (and quite positively) controlled circumstances. (6) Overall Effectiveness. An inviting child testing play area with storytelling sessions was inaugurated in 2010. The program boasts a high level of retention and placement in the industry and the student projects seen were well developed with hard and soft toy designs being fully realized as well as explored in integrated software programs that allowed them to develop products and track manufacturing stages. Associate in Applied Science – 2 years: Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design (Current degree) Bachelor of Fine Arts-4 years: Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design (proposed degree) (1) Status. The AAS degree in Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design has been submitted for renewal of Final Approval for Listing. The degree program appears to meet NASAD standards for an Associate degree. However, the program is being cancelled and reinstated as a BFA program, delivering the upper two years of the four year degree. The institution is moving the proposal through its own approval processes and the SUNY system at this time. The Visitors recommend that the BFA degree be submitted for Plan Approval before students are admitted to the degree as part of an Optional Response, however, the degree is also subject to the general concern the visitors have with credit hours and time and awarding credit at the institution (see Visitors’ Report, Section P.). (2) Curriculum. The visiting team strongly agrees with the institution’s conclusion in the Self-Study document that the program content and projected outcomes are highly ambitious for a two-year program and that students would be better served with more preparation. The visiting team did not see the proposed BFA curriculum so is unable to comment on it, however. (3) Title/Content Consistency. The title of the current program appears consistent with the content. (4) Student Work. Student work appeared competent, especially when the scope of projects is limited and tightly defined. Examples included point of purchase and window display. Attempts at more complicated exhibition design work appeared less successful. The new Communication Design curriculum introduces students to studies that resemble exhibition assignments and provides the content scaffolding for further development in upper-level BFA courses, so the groundwork has

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been laid to move this from an AAS program to a BFA program. (5) Development of Competencies. As with other FIT programs, the coursework undergoes regular evaluation. (6) Overall Effectiveness. The faculty of the program has concluded in the Self Study that this program should be a BFA level program with completion of the AAS in Communication Design as the entry-level requirement (SS, p. 225). Given the needs seen in the preparation of the students and the complexity of the problems they are seeking to address, the Visitors strongly agree with this recommendation. Art and Design in General Education (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, III.O.; Appendix II.D.) The FIT College of Liberal Arts offers the art history and general education courses for the Institute. Lecture courses in the college are limited by collective bargaining agreements to 25 students, no larger than the maximum studio class sizes and full-time faculty teach four threecredit hour lecture courses each semester. Faculty credentials appear to be quite good in the Liberal Arts school, with more terminal degree holders than in the other programs. The school offers courses that meet the distribution requirements for SUNY System general education and transfer courses as well as a range of art history courses that appear to meet the needs of the art and design college students. The school seeks to expand course offerings past these requirements and art history electives and would like to develop an associate level Liberal Arts degree. It offers only one liberal arts degree currently, a BS degree in Art History and Museum Professions which requires 12 credits in art history and 11 credits in art or related museum studies, so does not seem to meet the minimum 25% requirement required to fall under the purview of NASAD. Given the amount of art history in the degree, the evaluators suggest that the institution review carefully the appropriateness of inclusion of “art history” in the title of the degree. The institution may wish to review the NASAD advisory on misrepresentation. Since the BS degree requirements list only 61.5 units of requirements and no specific lower division component other than completion of the SUNY GE core, it is hard to tell what the degree actually requires overall. Perhaps a lower division degree might help define these requirements more clearly. It is likely if students come to the program through FIT AAS degrees that they have indeed taken at least six to nine additional art history credits along with other art and design studies, but it appears this is not necessarily the case. The School is also developing a BS degree in Film and Media and would like to pursue a BA in Art History, making the current requirements for Art History and Museum Professions a track within that degree. The visitors would strongly suggest a clear set of lower division requirements for each of these possibilities and notes that the degrees, if approved on campus, should be submitted for Plan Approval to NASAD for review by the Commission prior to the admission of students in the degree programs, or degree publication. Graduate programs The FIT strategic plan developed five years ago concentrated in part on the development of graduate programs and new programs are being developed across curricula. The visitors remind the institution that as new graduate degree programs are developed, they should be submitted for Plan Approval prior to the admission of students and publication of offerings. A new certificate

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program in Sustainable Interior Design was mentioned on campus and alumni cited the desire for professional certificate programs for professional development. FIT’s graduate programs are separate from the undergraduate offerings, with separate faculty, governance structure, and facilities. While faculty may hold appointments in both levels (for instance, the Illustration coordinator), most if not all others do not. This sets up an interesting conundrum for program development – as mentioned in visits with faculty, there is no interest in developing graduate programs on the part of current undergraduate faculty in many fields because someone else would teach them. No graduate program at FIT offers teaching assistantships, which was noted by the faculty in the graduate programs as a problem for recruitment. Many of the two-year MA programs have low completion rates, as students take longer to complete the final projects since they tend to be working full-time. The visitors noted on campus that program coordinators for the graduate programs are called Associate Chairs and there are no chairs. This seems to be the result of the collective bargaining agreement where the titles are related to faculty complement, and the graduate programs are not large enough to allow utilization of the title “chair,” a confusing but consistently applied approach. Master of Arts – 2 years: Art Market: Principles and Practices (1) Status. This degree has been previously granted Plan Approval. It is submitted in this Self Study for Final Approval for Listing though is erroneously described as being submitted for renewal of Plan Approval on the Curricular Table (Self Study, p 228). The degree requires 48 units focusing on gallery management, art history, and exhibition design. While NASAD has no specific standards for an Art Market major, the degree appears to meet general NASAD standards for an initial Masters degree (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, XIII., and XV.B. and D.). Transcripts reviewed accurately reflected student completion of the degree requirements. (2) Curriculum. The program provides computer-based skill sets, gallery and non-profit management training, and graduate level art history courses. It includes a focus on legal issues, ethics, exhibition creation and installation, and requires a final project or thesis, all including a written narrative. It focuses on group projects and has a year-long practicum that has been unique in the field for a number of years. Students entering the program join the American Association of Museums, which gives them free admission to museums, a cost effective approach combining professional practice and student support. For their final projects, students find a space in the city and curate and install an exhibition. (3) Title/Content Consistency. The title and degree content are consistent and appear to be appropriate. (4) Student Work. The program is group-project oriented. The year-long practicum is a major part of this in which students collaborate to locate a space and curate, design, and install an exhibition. (5) Development of Competencies. Students move through a series of academic and practical studies including art history subjects, gallery management sequences, and marketing courses, followed by the practicum. Goals are directly tied to course outcomes and program sequence. It appears to be an effective program with a strong record of graduate accomplishment. (6) Overall Effectiveness. This is a well-developed graduate program, which has reached its current curriculum through several program evaluations including student recommendations. It seeks to capitalize on the business and museum studies opportunities at the Institute,

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preparing students for careers in the New York art market in particular. It seems to have benefitted from the growing realization of the depth, breadth, and financial aspects of the art market internationally. Students in the program come to the program directly out of undergraduate school, or are FIT graduates who have completed internships in the field, or come from art history programs having worked in the field or with other professional experience. The Associate Chair (there is no chair – this is a contract title) serves as the graduate recruiter and advisor. While enrollments are currently strong, they may be challenged as other programs are developed in the area. One possibility for expansion that is being explored is the development of international programming through the SUNY System. With the expansion of museum systems, such as the Guggenheim and Whitney, to other countries, this would seem to provide interesting possibilities. Master of Arts – 2 years: Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, and Museum Practice (1) Status. This degree program has been submitted for renewal of Final Approval for Listing. While NASAD has no specific standards for a major with this title, it does appear to meet NASAD standards for an initial masters degree in museum studies (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, XV.D.) (2) Curriculum. This program is the first and best developed of the graduate degrees at the Institute, inaugurated in 1985. Faculty in the program appear to have strong academic and professional credentials. The program has as many as 60 applicants per year resulting in a strong cohort of 15-20 students each year. Faculty and alumni connections to curatorial, conservation, and archiving fields seem to provide a strong alumni network as well as adjunct faculty for the program. The accessibility of the Museum at FIT provides strong curatorial and conservation training, providing a backbone of primary materials and opportunities for the students. The program requires 48 units. (3) Title/Content Consistency. The title and content appear consistent and appropriate. (4) Student Work. Students in the program clearly benefit from the access to the Museum at FIT. Special strengths in textile history, archiving, and conservation were evident. (5) Development of Competencies. The 48-unit program was the result of a previous curricular condensation in 2004 (SS, p. 281), which put the program more in line with others. There are two full time faculty and twelve or more adjunct faculty. What makes the program different from others however is its focus on items as material products and its direct access to the extraordinary collections at the Institute. The direct access to materials is capitalized on in the program through direct technological analysis of fabric structures through high-end optics and chemical testing. Students in this way truly benefit from the resources of the Institute. Future changes in the program should be put in place to address weaknesses identified in the institution’s Self-Study including the need for more course work in archiving techniques, database management, and website development. (6) Overall Effectiveness. The program offers unique strengths based on faculty backgrounds and connections to the FIT Museum and to local industries and cultural facilities. Some students go on to PhD degrees in History, Material Culture, and others are placed in archives and museums. Faculty did note that the lack of financial support for graduate students and the

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growth of competing programs in the region are beginning to challenge recruitment of the best students. Master of Arts – 1 year: Exhibition Design (1) Status. This program has been previously approved for Plan Approval and is submitted in this review for Final Approval for Listing. There are no specific standards for Exhibition Design major, however the degree appears to meet the NASAD standards for an initial masters degree in studio art or design (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, XV.A.). (2) Curriculum. The stated goal of the 36 credit hour program is to prepare exhibition design professionals. The described requirements of the program cover the range of expertise expected in the field (space planning, graphic systems, content narrative, media design, structural design and fabrication, lighting, business practices, etc.). The 13-month FIT program actually appears to cover enormous scope in relatively few courses compared to a terminal degree and at the same time is subject to the general concern the visitors have with credit hours and time and awarding credit at the institution (see Visitors’ Report, Section P.). Faculty have high expectations of students. To cover this range of subject matter, students need some prior preparation in a particular aspect of the curricular content. Discussions with master’s students however indicated limited prior experience in related fields. The requirement of a professional internship, development of a thesis investigation, and the range of professional design competencies might seem more appropriate to a two-year terminal studio degree. (3) Title/Content Consistency. The title appears consistent with the content of the program. (4) Student Work. The work reviewed for this program was limited to models and sketches. In general, student work showed moderate understanding of the full range of content described in this program. The lack of dedicated exhibition space is a hindrance noted in the Self Study on p. 239. Exhibited work appeared to be beginning experiences for students in exhibition design, rather than advanced work applying the expertise gained in an undergraduate degree to an exhibition context. (5) Development of Competencies. As in the Illustration MFA, almost all faculty are adjunct, and depending on which list the visiting team uses (website, faculty listings in team room, or SelfStudy), more than 50% do not hold master’s degrees. This raises questions about how the program sets graduate-level standards in evaluation and maintains continuity in instruction across widely varying content. (6) Overall Effectiveness. Expectations in this program feel over-scaled for a 13-month curriculum and the experience of students, though the website and Self-Study indicate numerous examples of student success in competitions and placement.

Master of Fine Arts 3 years: Illustration

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(1) Status: This degree has been submitted for renewal of Plan Approval, as there are no graduates from the program at this time. It appears to meet NASAD standards for a MFA in Illustration though the general concerns about awarding credit and credit hour and time requirements applies (see Visitors’ Report, Section P.). (2) Curriculum: The curriculum in the three-year MFA Illustration program is a mixture of media exploration, creative writing, application, and business. Coursework appears to move from skill development to self-generated work with mentoring from professionals to acquaint students with application and business. In general, the curricular requirements appear consistent with NASAD standards for the discipline though the degree, like all studio and design degrees at this institution, is also subject to the general concern the visitors have with credit hours and time and awarding credit at the institution (See Visitors’ Report, Section P.). The lack of designated studio space is also a hindrance to student performance. (3) Title/Content Consistency: The degree title appears consistent with program content. (4) Student Work: While the undergraduate and graduate programs appear different on paper, the separation is not as clear in the student work. In a number of examples seen on site, the quality of the graduate work appeared technically and compositionally less developed than that of undergraduate students and showed less understanding of color. For a program focused on the development of personal style, students appear to struggle with basics, and appear therefore, not as ready to narrow their options from a larger repertoire of formal approaches. (5) Development of Competencies: Student work seen in the undergraduate program, especially the Fashion Design track, appears extremely strong because the admissions criteria, the focus of the curriculum, and the well-understood goals and assessment processes. The graduate illustration program is new and taught almost entirely by adjunct faculty and may not have the cohesion of the undergraduate program. The lack of a designated space for the program and limited student access to the workspace complicates program enrichment further, and the separation of the undergraduate and graduate faculties would seem to delay the developmental dialog that could assist rapid program growth. (6) Overall Effectiveness: This program is new and its evaluative history is short. The visitors would recommend that the faculty identify the role of the program and its market for students. The team encourages the institution to monitor the development of the program carefully.

O. Art/Design Unit Evaluation, Planning, and Projections (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, II.L.) It was evident in the Self Study that planning and self-assessment are written into all levels of operating procedures at the Institute. It was also clear that the institution responds to the results of the self-assessments and maintains allegiance to plans developed on campus. FIT’s assessment procedures drill down to individual class lesson plans and build upward through institution-wide strategic planning. Individual program faculty are involved in this as well as administrative leaders and support personnel. Student and alumni surveys are regularly incorporated in this process and are regularly cited throughout the Self Study. It was not as clear in all cases who did

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the evaluating and to what degree program faculty concurred with the outcomes. Faculty buy-in would likely be necessary to achieve meaningful change when called for. Institutional financial planning has addressed utility upgrades, new studio facilities, and health and safety issues including building security while maintaining 24-hour access to studios in the midst of the urban environment. The visitors were quite impressed with the security forces on campus and the willingness of members to help visitors. The institution developed a 2005 Facilities Master Plan that is still part of its core planning. Like all institutions, many large-scale plans have been put on hold due to four years of economic problems facing the country, but capital planning is on-going and private donations continue to flow to the institution through careful advancement planning and activity. At the same time, the institution balances its public traditions and funding sources well, including the state, the city, and the counties of New York. An evident, an effective Board of Trustees has been developed and appears to have in depth knowledge of the institution and both means and inclination for support. The working climate of the institution seems positive and the institution’s collective bargaining agreement, which expired this year, is due for re-negotiation of the contract in a climate of self-improvement. FIT curriculum planning seems to benefit from insights gained through the relationship with industry and strong advisors who function at the highest levels of their respective fields. Students appear to transition smoothly from school to employment in design fields as a result of this proximity to professional practice in one of the largest design centers in the world. At the same time, this unique relationship suggests some responsibility for monitoring the degree to which students receive an education that will serve them well beyond entry-level employment and at levels consistent with degree titles. This is particularly the case in graduate education where academic expectations exceed job preparation. While the Museum Studies and Art Market degrees appear to be well formulated and operating, it seems the institution may need to deepen its understanding of design graduate programs nationally in order to project relevant missions, goals, and objectives for its advanced design degrees. This is especially important for any future growth in the number of graduate offerings and in competing for students with other graduate programs in the city.

P. Standards Summary The following outlines four areas of possible non-compliance with NASAD standards that have been referenced throughout the Visitors’ Report. The visitors suggest that the institution provide an Optional Response addressing these concerns: Faculty credentials FIT requires extensive professional experience on the part of its faculty as a pre-requisite for hiring and often uses professional experience in lieu of academic credentials in hiring faculty. While faculty in some programs, notably the general education program for undergraduates and the Fashion and Textiles and Art Market programs at the graduate level, have large percentages of faculty with terminal degrees appropriate to their teaching, faculty in all other programs include a number with significantly fewer academic credentials. NASAD recognizes a number of pathways to expertise in art and design fields, as indicated in the NASAD “Statement on Credentials in Creative Fields of Art and Design” and in the NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, II.E. and Appendix

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II.D., Section 4.C. While the faculty whose CVs were included in the binders provided on site appeared to have appropriate educational background and experience in their fields, it was difficult to match the faculty CVs and resumes in the binders to the faculty who are actually teaching courses. Credentials for faculty teaching in Italy were not available. Currency in practice is particularly important where this is the primary qualification for employment in teaching situations, and at the graduate level in particular, faculty members teaching graduate must possess skill levels to which graduate students aspire in specific fields and specializations. In programs such as the MFA in Illustration, where many faculty lacked advanced academic credentials, and where students are more likely to aspire to teaching positions, attention to the academic credentials of faculty seems to need close attention. In undergraduate programs, accurate records of faculty accomplishments appear to need to be linked more clearly with class appointments. It was not clear that the seniority appointment system provided the assurance of matching currency with course needs. (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, II.E.1.a.). Credit and Time Requirements (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, II.E.4.; III.A. and B.; IV. C., V., VII., VIII., and IX., Operational Norms, Appendix II.C.) According to NASAD standards, Associate degrees require a minimum of 60 semester hours and the equivalent of two academic years. Baccalaureate degrees require a minimum of 120 semester hours and the equivalent of four academic years for completion (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, Section III.A.1.). The content of the degrees must also meet NASAD distribution standards appropriate to the specific degree as well (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, VI., VII., VIII., and IX.). FIT advertises one and two-year Associate degrees and two-year baccalaureate degrees. In reality, all of the institution’s associate degrees require a minimum of sixty units and two years for completion, and all of the bachelor’s degrees require a minimum of 120 units and four years for completion despite their description as shorter-term degrees. The one-year associate degrees and the two-year baccalaureate degrees include discipline content specific to that level degree and, in some cases, leave open to advisement the content of as much as half of the degree. The concern is that because the one-year associate degrees often include large numbers of undesignated credits, and some of the two-year baccalaureate degrees likewise include an openended lower division requirement, it is not clear, except through an analysis of individual transcripts, if NASAD major and distribution requirements have been met, or being met with the same or same sort of courses. In transcript evaluations, the distribution and credit hour requirements for a BFA degree were most often met and students have developed required competencies, but not in all. Greater clarity appears to be needed to alleviate advising problems and to assure the content of the degrees (see Section N. discussions of programs in Photography, Computer Animation and Interactive Media, Toy Design, and Fabric Styling). Degree Listing The institution should provide NASAD with an accurate listing of current degrees and their status (Plan Approval, Final Approval for Listing, etc.) (NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, Rules of Practice and Procedure, Article III., Section 2.). The visitors have provided what they have found to be an accurate listing on the cover sheet of this report, based on the current degree audit, the Self Study and current FIT catalog copy. Awarding Credit

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FIT uses three basic formats for delivering classes; lecture and seminar classes which meet for one hour per week per semester credit hour, studio and laboratory courses which generally (but not always) meet for two hours per week per semester credit hour, and a third, hybrid form, which links lecture and lab courses which meet for one hour of lecture and four hours of lab for three credits. The institution should demonstrate how, given the hybrid lecture/lab courses and those studio classes that do not meet for the standard number of hours per week, the institution meets NASAD standards for awarding credit. The lecture/lab courses do not seem to truly differentiate one activity from the other in content, meeting structure, or instruction, which would mean that as studio courses, the contact hours would not appear to meet NASAD standards (see Visitors’ Report, Sections F., I., L., and N., and NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, II.H.1., III.A.2, B., and C.). In addition, NASAD standards, in assessing appropriate contact times with faculty, studio time needed outside of class, and work done in and out of class designate that along with the time in class, that time must be available outside of class for work that must be done in specific studios. The rapid increase in continuing education enrollments appears to challenge departmental staffing, space allocation, and administration. Given the scheduling of continuing education classes in the evenings in addition to regular class offerings, it is not clear how the institution is meeting the standards for student access to facilities for studio based courses. (see Visitors’ Report, Sections F., I., L., and N.). Further, the large number of 1.5 and 2-credit hour courses appears to possibly complicate student schedules. FIT students often take more than 18 hours of classes a week, with some taking 21 credits. They also take a large number of credits overall as part of their matriculation process. Given the high studio component of the degrees, this would appear to make adequate faculty contact and studio access difficult to achieve in the apparently crowded schedules at the institution. A revision of the credit hour system and related degree requirements could help alleviate this congestion (see Visitors’ Report, Sections B., F., G., and N., and NASAD Handbook 2011-2012, II.F.1.a- c.).

Q. Overview, Summary Assessment, and Recommendations for the Program The Fashion Institute of Technology has a history of programmatic innovation, collection development, service to the community, and providing educational opportunities to students. Strategic planning carried out through administrative leadership appears to successfully guide the institution through an intricate network of support and engagement. The expansion of program offerings and the recognition of the institution as design-centric more than fashion-centric provide powerful opportunities in conjunction with its location at the heart of creative communities in Manhattan. Among the strengths seen during the visit, the NASAD visiting evaluators would like to call special attention to: •

The Institute’s clearly articulated mission to provide specialized education in the art and design fields;

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• • •

•

• • •

• • • • •

• •

•

• • •

The thorough Self Study preceded by extensive self-assessment processes that are in place at FIT. Planning and engagement seem evident throughout the Institute; Degree and program offerings, which have grown to meet the demands of the broader art and design community. The New York location of the institution and its long-term, intimate association with the apparel industry, which help its reputation while the steady supply of graduates ensures representation in the industry and creates enormous opportunities for students, faculty and alumni; Strategic planning accompanied by action plans and strategic hirings that address areas of concern such as facility planning, advisement, faculty appointments, marketing, and recruitment; A regular process of course and program assessment; A committed and experienced administration; Faculty that includes individuals who have extensive experience in the profession, strong credentials in creative and academic fields, and are dedicated to their programs and students; The Museum at FIT, which is a world-class collection of garments that depict an enormous expanse of human material culture; The campus investment in energy savings and green initiatives, resulting in utility cost savings; Safety and health standards, which appear to have been addressed in the studios in terms of equipment, procedures, signage and technical support staff; The library and its services, which were considered by students to be the top-rated student service at FIT last year; The institution’s steps to broaden the competitive marketing position of the institution. The visiting team found FIT students positive about the attention they received during the admissions process; several cited the personal interaction with staff after receiving notification of admission as one reason they chose FIT over other schools. Faculty and department heads also seem invested in the recruitment and admissions process; The institution’s commitment to hire additional advising staff, which creates a potential new strength as the advising center is developed. FIT’s student and program involvement with the community, which seemed very strong. Advisory boards are in place for a number of programs and connections to the community regularly provide visitors to the classrooms as well as in-kind gifts of materials and donations to scholarships, program support, and internship opportunities; The Communication Design faculty’s action, in establishing a common AAS experience, which appears to enhance student preparation for the BFA degree programs in Advertising Design, Graphic Design, Package Design, and Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design; The well-designed, equipped, and managed Toy Design spaces, which complement an innovative program; The AAS and BFA programs in Fashion Design, which are broad and deep in course offerings and study opportunities; The MA in Art Market, which appears to provide high quality instruction and opportunities for career development linked to the resources of the institution and the region; and

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•

The MA in Fashion and Textile Studies, which appears to be a well-developed program built upon the unique resources of the Museum at FIT.

Recommendations for Short and Long Term Development Beyond the Standards issues raised in Section P., the visitors make the following recommendations: •

Space needs will intensify if programs grow, in some cases even by small numbers, while Continuing Education classes being held in studio spaces in the evenings appear to restrict student access to the studios. The development of enhanced studio spaces would provide greater opportunities for student work outside of class;

•

There are concerns among programs that are not fashion-centric at the institution. The institution’s re-focus, as a design-centric institution should help many programs in this regard. Faculty have expressed desire to be more involved with external relations in terms of branding and identity to make sure that the breadth of current offerings are represented and perhaps this can be accommodated. It might be that better communication between these administrative units and departments would build greater confidence in administrative decision-making and enhance publications and admissions processes;

•

The extensive learning outcomes review at the institution might be enhanced and made more relevant to institutional goals by attaining a holistic view of the student. Evaluating at the level of the individual class might be too close a focus for this - perhaps there is a way to view the trajectory of a student through the curriculum, checking at specific milestone points across a cohort of sequential skill development in different programs. This would require a more closely defined set of universal goals and a focused way of moving students through two years of the lower division or four years of the advanced curricula along a measured path;

•

The Catalogue could be clearer about the specifics of “transferable credits” for transfer students applying to either the 1-year AAS degree or the 2-year BFA programs. Specific coursework and/or required learning outcomes would be useful to help potential students determine whether they are qualified and prepared;

•

The anticipated hiring of professional advisors should address the reported problems for transfer students and those crossing discipline lines. The visitors suggest (Visitors’ Report, Section H.) that the institution report progress on hiring the new advisors in an Optional Response; and

•

Students have mentioned the desire for broader choice within concentrations and as many art and design careers are now team-based; it would seem reasonable to consider more flexibility in upper division curriculum choices and requirements, especially if entry requirements to those upper division degrees were more defined.

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