Topic outline

  • Office of Faculty Development

    Sam Holtzman, Ph.D. | Director of Faculty Development, Teaching & Learning

    ext.2479 | sam.holtzman@artcenter.edu


    A place to begin for faculty with questions about teaching and learning at ArtCenter is the Office of Faculty Development, a position created in 2013 at ArtCenter to support professional teaching development. Please contact Sam Holtzman, the Director of Faculty Development, Teaching & Learning for help with syllabus and curriculum development, methods and manner of assessment, rubrics and tools for teaching, facilitation techniques, ELL support, and for other questions about pedagogy and best-practices. The Office of Faculty Development conducts the Orientation for New Faculty, a series of in-term workshops, leads the Faculty Assessment Liaison Cohort, and offers all faculty 1:1 classroom consultation and coaching sessions.

    The sections below have information and resources about the following topics:

    • Coaching and Classroom Observations
    • New Faculty Orientation (Undergraduate and Graduate)
    • ArtCenter at Night and ACT New Faculty Orientation
    • Checklist for Day One
    • Syllabus and Weekly Plan
    • Developing Rubrics
    • FERPA - Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
    • Liaison Librarian Program
    • Faculty Performance Review
    • Supporting English Language Learners
    • Diversity and Inclusion
    • Students Receiving Accommodations
    • CARE at ArtCenter (Communicate Assess Refer Evaluate)
    • Course Evaluations
    • Academic and Creative Integrity
    • Faculty Professional Development
    • Grants for Faculty Members (TAA, FPG, HMTC)
    • Field Trip Waiver and Release Form
    • Week 1, 3, 7 Reminders
    • Re-Tooling Your Classroom for the 21st Century

    • Coaching and Classroom Observations

      1:1 coaching is conducted by the Director of Faculty Development through a process of observation and debrief. Scheduled by appointment, coaching is optional and confidential - observation notes and conversations around the Coaching process are not reported or shared with departmental or college administration or included in faculty performance review, unless by faculty member request. Coaching is conducted on your terms - you can ask for a general observation, or for certain aspects of teaching to be observed (critique, facilitating discussions, etc). Coaching can also take place at any point in the Teaching Cycle (Planning, Instruction, Assessment, Reflection) and cover a range of events. Please see the menu below and click on the link to view a PDF of additional coaching and workshop topics.


    • Faculty Showcase Series

      The Faculty Showcase is a series where we explore ideas and works in progress for online teaching and learning with different faculty partners. This is a great chance to hear from peers and colleagues from across the college as they showcase an aspect of pedagogy they are actively exploring. Dig in with other faculty members as we discuss ideas and emerging practices around shared challenges and new opportunities. Each presentation will feature a demo from a different person, a ‘how to’ session, and a round table discussion with participants. Check your ArtCenter email address for announcements about the next Showcase!

      All Showcase Sessions are recorded and are available below within a few days of the presentation. If you missed a session and are interested in the topic - please click the Name of the Presenter and Title of the Presentation to view the showcase recording.


      Spring 2021:

      Week 7, Tuesday (3/2/21), Grading Structures for Academic and Creative Success, with Joshua Holzmann from Integrated Studies and Fine Art. Joshua shared his approach to grading and feedback and how he structures his course for academic and creative success, covering a range of topics from Rubrics to DotED and expanding the discussion around grading creative work and objective/subjective feedback.

      Week 5, Tuesday (2/16/21), DotED Gradebook: Making the Grading Process Transparent, Part 2, the Student View, with Arnie Martin from Product Design. Continuing from his Week 3 Showcase about making the grading process manageable for himself and transparent and accessible for his students, this week Arnie switched to the student view of DotED Gradebook and how he uses the grading process to encourage growth and student success.

      Week 3, Tuesday (2/2/21), DotED Gradebook: Making the Grading Process Transparent, Part 1, with Arnie Martin from Product Design. Returning for another Faculty Showcase, Arnie walks us through how he sets up assignments in the DotED gradebook, weights them differently, and identifies the criteria for evaluation, and why he does this to make the process clear and accessible for students and easier for himself. The PDF slide deck from Arnie's presentation is available here for download.


      Fall 2020:

      Week 13, Thursday (12/10/20), Bluescape Revisited, with Ming Tai and Elaine Alderette from Graphic Design. This is a return to our special spotlight series from the summer on tools and platforms for virtual collaboration, critique, documentation of process, and presentation. Ming and Elaine were both part of that summer spotlight, and now, one-term into our Bluescape pilot are going to share how they are using the tool, what's working and not, and the overall impact on remote teaching and learning.

      Week 12, Thursday (12/3/20), Flipping and Zooming, Part 2, with Allison Dalton from Humanities and Sciences. Allison has laced several platforms together to prompt student engagement with the text and each other, and has gotten some amazing results. For Part 2, she is going deeper behind the scenes of the first 5 weeks into the 'how to', using platforms like Perusall for annotation, Mural for project space, and DotED for content and reference material. The PDF Slide Deck from Part 2 is also available here for download.

      Week 9, Thursday (11/12/20), Flipping and Zooming – Building Community and Student Engagement, with Allison Dalton from Humanities and Sciences. Allison shared how she developed her approach to ‘flipping the classroom’ in ways that allow students to build community and knowledge ‘outside’ of class through prompts, schedule, and structure that is initiated ‘inside’ the online environment. Some of the software/platforms introduced or discussed included DotED, the Google Suite, Perusall, and Mural. The PDF Slide Deck is also available here for download.

      Week 6, Thursday (10/22/20), Making Videos for Remote Instruction - Part 2, with Michelle Constantine from Integrated Studies. For Part 2, she will walk us through how she does this with the ArtCenter toolkit (Zoom, YuJa, Studio in a Box, DotED) – Week 6 is also being conducted in conjunction with the Digital Teaching & Learning teams’ sessions for faculty on YuJa, Studio in a Box, and DotED.

      Week 5, Thursday (10/15/20) was the first Faculty Showcase of the Fall: Creating Asynchronous Video and Content for Inclusive Teaching - Part 1, with Michelle Constantine from Integrated Studies. We learned from Michelle why she creates videos and other content that students can access on their own time, speed, and bandwidth capacity and how this allows for more class time to be dedicated to Crit, feedback, and activating knowledge. 


      Summer 2020:

      Week 13, Tuesday (8/11/20) featured an exploratory by Ming Tai from Graphics and Illustration on the use of Bluescape, a virtual workspace and whiteboard for online collaboration, production, and presentation. Bluescape is the third tool for online collaboration and creative production that we reviewed as part of our special spotlight series.

      Week 12, Tuesday 8/4/20, we were led in a session on Instructional Design for Student Engagement, with Armando Zúñiga, Humanities & Sciences and Director of the Writing Center. This was a great workshop to help with advance planning for the fall, introducing backwards by design and backwards build-up as tools to plan and reflect on curriculum.

      Week 5, 6/18/20, was the second in the special spotlight on tools for visual collaboration. We continued with a review of Miro, by Arnie Martin in the Product Design Department.

      Week 4 (6/11/20) we hosted the first of two special spotlight sessions on tools for online visual collaboration, process, and presentation; Mural and Miro. The session this week was on Mural, led by Elaine Alderette and Ming Tai, who both teach in Graphic Design and Illustration.

      The Showcase for Week 3 of Summer 2020 (6/4/20) continued the focus on student engagement and student success, with Babette Strauss from Product Design and Humanities & Sciences who lead us through an exploration of tools to supplement Zoom and DotED for Student Engagement and Classroom Management.

      We started Week 1 of Summer 2020 (5/21/20) with Fernando Olmedo from Humanities & Sciences and Entertainment Design who talked about student engagement and activating learning. Fernando shared his ideas for 3 different areas he considers when planning a class for remote teaching and learning.


      Spring 2020:

      Week 13 of Spring 2020 (4/16/20) our guest and first presenter was Yo Oshima from Environmental Design, who shared his work on dynamic content creation and virtual presentations. Yo modeled several approaches to keeping students engaged in a synchronous environment, how to use the iPad to sketch over student work, and how to show a 3D model.

      We were excited to be joined Week 14 of Spring 2020 (4/23/20) by Owen Freeman from Illustration, who talked about hacking DotED to create a virtual crit rail. Owen figured out an interesting way to use the forum feature in DotED to have students share, post, and comment to work during the week and for in-class critique. 


      If you have any questions about best-practices for online teaching and learning, curriculum and course design, or are working on something that you would like to share and think this would be a good forum, please reach out to sam.holtzman@artcenter.edu.

    • Pedagogy & Practice: Workshops for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

      Teaching for Equity, Part 2: Designing your Course and Curriculum with Erika G. Bertling. Week 9, Summer 2021. Join this second part of the two-part series for an interactive, peer-driven workshop in which we will practice in community and implement specific, tested strategies. Learn to design your lessons in culturally responsive, differentiated ways that remove student barriers to success regardless of method of delivery!  All materials will be provided in session via pdf or internet links. Please click here to view the Zoom recording from the workshop.



      Teaching for Equity, Part 1: Designing your Classroom with Erika G. Bertling. Week 5, Summer 2021. Being intentional in teaching practice means creating opportunities to be more inclusive. Join this first part of the two-part series to learn specific, practical techniques applicable to both remote and in-person instruction that are grounded in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) best practices. Please click here to view the Zoom recording from the workshop.



      From Principle to Practice: Universal Design in Learning with Sumun L. Pendakur, Ed.D. Week 11, Spring 2021. UDL is more than a buzzword; it's a transgressive design tool when employed meaningfully. We'll explore all the different ways focusing on the margins across many axes can create a new center. Please click here to view the Zoom recording from the workshop.



      The Self and the Student: Amplifying Classroom Inclusion and Equity with Sumun L. Pendakur, Ed.D. Week 6, Spring 2021. We will dive deeper into the self as both barrier and mirror to a truly inclusive classroom experience and focus on key questions and skills to advance your equity-minded practice. Please click here to view the Zoom recording from the workshop.



      The Art and Science of Inclusive Teaching with Sumun L. Pendakur, Ed.D. Week 6, Fall 2020. Using the frameworks of equity-mindedness, inclusive pedagogy, and universal design in learning, we’ll dive into what it means to be designers of the learning environment, in order to reach optimal outcomes for all of our students, and in particular, for those who are historically underrepresented and underserved by our institutions. Please click here to view the Zoom recording from the workshop.


      About the Facilitator: Dr. Sumun L. Pendakur is a scholar-practitioner, an activist-educator, a skilled facilitator, and a mom. With nearly 20 years in the field of higher education, Sumi's work and research focuses on helping campuses, non-profits, and other organizations build capacity for social justice and racial equity by empowering individuals at all levels to be transformational agents of change in their spheres of influence. Most recently, Sumi was the Chief Learning Officer at the USC Race and Equity Center, dedicated to advancing racial justice in higher education and other sectors. Sumi also serves on the Board of Directors for NADOHE, the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education. In 2019, she was named one of the top 35 women in higher education by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine.


      Building Intercultural Awareness in Teaching & Learning with Erika G. Bertling. Week 10 and 11, Summer 2020. The slides from the presentation are available and links to additional resources are below that Erika gathered for participants. Please click here to view the Zoom recording from the Week 11 Workshop.


      Additional Resources:

      BOOK:  

      Zaretta Hammond: Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain

      VIDEOS:

      John Hattie, professor and author, expert on performance indicators and evaluation in education: "Effect size for the cultural competence of the teacher" (https://youtu.be/OljW4Xpr970)

      Pellegrino Riccardi, cross-cultural trainer, TEDx Talk: Cross Cultural Communication (https://youtu.be/YMyofREc5Jk)

      ARTICLES:

      Emily J. Style, Founding Co-Director of the National SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) Project on Inclusive Curriculum
      "Curriculum as Window and Mirror" -- the highly influential essay that was foundational to SEED's formation as a force for culturally responsive teaching

      American Psychological Association, An overview of cultural neuroscience: "Your Brain on Culture" 

      General overviews of major foundational cross-cultural theories: https://beyondculturaldifferences.wordpress.com/research-theories/

      Tips for a more culturally responsive classroom: https://higheredconnects.com/diversity-in-higher-education-creating-culturally-responsive-classrooms/

    • New Faculty Orientation

      Welcome to teaching at ArtCenter!

      Orientation for new faculty members teaching in the ArtCenter degree programs begins with a letter of welcome from the Provost and Director of Faculty Development outlining important information for the first few weeks, orientation events, tasks to complete prior to the first day of teaching, and some information about types of support available for new faculty members. Each new faculty member will also have a 1:1 orientation meeting with the Office of Faculty Development. You will receive a folder in your orientation meeting with handouts about faculty development, human resources (HR), and additional information about the campus which we will review along with the syllabus during your 1:1 orientation. For your convenience, this information is also available here: Resource Guide for New Faculty, HR Resources, and Additional Resources and Campus Information. Please follow this link to access the ArtCenter New Faculty Orientation page. All new faculty members will also be invited to a Digital Teaching & Learning Orientation meeting conducted by Zoom.

      The recording is available now for the Fall 2021 Digital Teaching & Learning New Faculty Orientation (additional resources and links are available in the Digital Teaching & Learning section of this page).

      Faculty members who will be teaching online, remotely, or in a hybrid mode, will be given additional online resources and outreach for 1:1 support for course and instructional design, learning management system use (DotED), and/or an additional orientation to specific classroom arrangements and technology.

    • New Faculty Orientation: ArtCenter Extension

      Welcome to teaching at ArtCenter Extension!

      Orientation for new faculty members begins with a letter of welcome from the Provost and Director of Faculty Development outlining important information for the first few weeks, orientation events, tasks to complete prior to the first day of teaching, and some information about types of support available for new faculty members. Each new faculty member will also have a 1:1 orientation meeting with the Office of Faculty Development. You will receive a folder in your orientation meeting with handouts about faculty development, human resources (HR), and additional information about the campus which we will review along with the syllabus during your 1:1 orientation. For your convenience, this information is also available here: Resource Guide for New Faculty, HR Resources, and Additional Resources and Campus Information. Please follow this link to access the ArtCenter Extension: New Faculty Orientation page. All new faculty members will also be invited to a Digital Teaching & Learning Orientation meeting conducted by Zoom.

      The recording is available now for the Fall 2021 Digital Teaching & Learning New Faculty Orientation (additional resources and links are available in the Digital Teaching & Learning section of this page).

      Faculty members who will be teaching online, remotely, or in a hybrid mode, will be given additional online resources and outreach for 1:1 support for course and instructional design, learning management system use (DotED), and/or an additional orientation to specific classroom arrangements and technology.

    • New Faculty Orientation: Digital Teaching & Learning

      The Digital Teaching & Learning (DTL) department is available as a resource for faculty at ArtCenter. Please visit the DTL Website for information about DotED, ArtCenter's Learning Management System and how to use Zoom for online teaching. Every course that is offered at ArtCenter has an online counterpart in the DotED system. These Web Enabled courses can be utilized as a course repository to store files for your students, a completely online version of your course (complete with assignments and quizzes), and anything in between. There is also a page with specific information for new faculty. 

      At the start of every term the DTL Team collaborates with the Center for Innovative Teaching & Learning for a Digital Teaching & Learning Orientation for New Faculty. All new faculty members are invited to attend to learn about how we can support online and remote teaching and learning. Please click here to view the recording of the Digital Teaching & Learning New Faculty Orientation from Summer 2021. You can also download the Summer 2021 Agenda, with links to overviews and contact information for DotED, Zoom, YuJa, Studio in a Box, and Faculty Development for Learning & Instructional Design. Also provided is the DotED SetUp Guide - with instructions to help you upload your syllabus, embed your Zoom link, and make the course visible for your students before the first day.

      The DTL Team has resources and are available to help with the following areas:

      Online Course Set up (DotED) and Instructional Design
      YuJa for video management
      Teaching with Zoom and DotED integration
      Recording tutorials and screencasts for use at ArtCenter and/or at home using Studio in a Box

      Please visit the DTL site (http://citl.artcenter.edu/dtl) or contact them at dtl@artcenter.edu for more information about how they can help.

    • Remote Teaching & Learning Support

      Resources are available across several departments for a wide variety of remote teaching and learning support. The ArtCenter Online team combines elements from the Center for Teaching & Learning, the Heavin Studio, and Digital Teaching & Learning. The attached Remote Teaching Guide is a collaboration between these offices to help faculty plan for online and remote instruction using college tools and resources. Please use the guide as you plan for remote instruction and delivery using Zoom and DotED, and to help you create instructional material, think about how to do demos and show different angles from dual cameras, run critique, and see multiple perspectives from the student view.

      For additional and on-going support in any of the areas covered by the guide, please find the specific contact information below: 


    • Syllabus and Weekly Plan

      The syllabus is a teaching and learning agreement between the instructor, the students, and the department. A syllabus has a course description and CLOs (provided by the department), a tentative schedule for the term, projects and grade percentages (generated by the instructor), a detailed weekly plan, required materials, and a list of pertinent institutional policies.

      This syllabus template is required for all courses in degree programs and is an important component of assessment and accreditation. All faculty members must complete a syllabus in courses for which they are lead instructor.

      Below, please find the ArtCenter Syllabus and Weekly Plan Template for undergraduate courses, the ArtCenter Graduate Syllabus and Weekly Plan Template and the ACX Syllabus and Weekly Plan Template, plus samples of each. Please note the differences in templates and make sure you are working with the appropriate one. Samples are also included for reference as well as an ArtCenter Syllabus Template checklist to guide completion. The college's syllabus template must be used and should be completed or updated before the beginning of each term, submitted electronically to the Department (emailed to the Coordinator) and given to students during the first class, on paper or uploaded online via DotED. We have developed our Syllabus format to include Program or Course Learning Outcomes and alignment with major projects or assignments, as well as a weekly plan of activity within the course. This helps create a cohesive curricular picture for each student, across all departments. Syllabi files should be named to include: Department code, course code, instructor last name, and year+term of instruction. For example: ILL_261_Tillinghast_20Su.

      A few reminders to consider when completing your syllabus:

      • Please make sure that the Course Description for your class matches the one that is posted on inside.artcenter.edu.
      • You should have Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) from your department. If you are writing or updating them yourself, please review the CLO_FAQ for suggestions, examples, and appropriate language.
      •  It is important for students to know how they will be graded. Please make sure the grading box is completed and indicates clearly what percentage of the final grade each project or assignment carries. Completing a rubric for major projects is a good way to make sure the criteria are clear as well.
      • Don't forget to complete the Alignment Chart. This is the section where you indicate which project evidences primary achievement of CLOs.
      • Provide details in your Weekly Plan to help students with time and project management, and in case they have to miss a class.
      • Make sure you provide estimated costs for required materials for your course in the appropriate section. This is essential to help students with fiscal and financial planning.


      If you have any questions while you are working on your syllabus, please don't hesitate to reach out to the Office of Faculty Development (sam.holtzman@artcenter.edu) or your department Director or Coordinator.


      ArtCenter Extension (ACX) Faculty members - please use the ACX Syllabus and Weekly Plan Template and ACX Sample Syllabi that can be found in the ACX New Faculty Orientation section.

      Note: The sample syllabus provided is on an earlier version of the College's official syllabus template for undergraduate degree courses / programs. Not all the fields will match the most recent version of the template that is available on this page

    • Checklist for Day One

      Please use this checklist to help you plan and be ready for the start of the term by attending to three different tasks/areas: syllabus and curriculum, access to inside.artcenter.edu, and classroom and material preparation.


      The first section, Preparing for the Classroom / Studio, asks you to complete your syllabus before the start of the term and be prepared to distribute it to the students, either by paper or electronically (preferred) using DotEd. Resources and contact information to help with these areas are provided. As you prepare your teaching materials you may want to check in with your Liaison Librarian. Liaison Librarians are familiar with the specific genre and content areas, and our collections, and are designated to work with certain departments. Please reach out to the library for help preparing your curriculum, identifying materials, and utilizing the course reserve system.


      The next section and set of tasks revolves around access to and use of inside.artcenter.edu. Access to Inside is needed in order to review course information, see a roster of your students with pictures, utilize the email class function, and take weekly attendance (a required function for faculty members). The next two sections of the checklist refer to classroom supplies and classroom technology. Copies can be made using a departmental copy code (budget code) at several machines across campus and in the faculty lounge(s). This code can also be used in the print shops and the campus store for classroom and instructional materials. Please contact your department/coordinator for budget codes, limitations and restrictions to purchases and amounts, and approval. Whenever possible, please visit your classroom prior to the first day of teaching to familiarize yourself with the set-up and arrangement, and confirm computer connectivity and color. See the checklist for contact information if you have problems or questions with any of the areas listed above.

    • Developing Rubrics

      A Rubric is a good teaching tool to use to measure the effectiveness of a piece or work in reaching pre-established criteria (derived from the Course Learning Outcomes). Most importantly, rubrics present a broad opportunity for increased communication between faculty and students about expectations, criteria, and parameters for projects and performance. Specifically, a Rubric is a list of what a student can expect to learn throughout the course and how it will be determined if they have demonstrated that learning. It is a list of goals as well as an assessment vehicle that is also used to deliver feedback. A good pedagogical practice is to give the rubric to the students when you hand out the assignment description or project brief. This is most effective when the criteria for the rubric are derived from the project brief, which was generated in response to the course learning outcomes (CLOs).

      Each faculty member can design their own Rubric to answer the needs of their course and assignment(s). An ArtCenter Rubric Template is provided below along with several samples so show how they can be designed to meet different needs. The one requirement would be that the Rubric agrees with the grading information offered on the Syllabus and aligns to the college grading structure. The samples below show two different formats for rubrics, one that focuses on expectations tied to degrees of quality and the other allowing for greater subjectivity by defining the criteria clearly and using the rating scale to reflect achievement. Please download the handbook (Tools for Teaching: Rubrics) for further explanation.

    • Liaison Librarian Program

      The Liaison Librarian Program is designed to deliver various library services specifically tailored for your course and department. As a faculty member at Art Center, you will have access to subject specialists in the Library who can help you with your research, course work, learning objectives and professional development goals. You can send your students to see your liaison librarian for project or research support, and you can arrange to have a liaison visit your class to help students learn about information literacy and offer them resources. For general information, visit the main Library Site. For specific information about library services for faculty members, please visit the Faculty Services page and contact one of the friendly Liaison Librarians to get started!

      • Bluescape at ArtCenter

        We are currently running a pilot with faculty, exploring the use of Bluescape, a virtual studio, collaboration, and presentation tool to complement remote teaching and learning in the college. The pilot will be open for interested parties to participate in Fall 2020, Spring 2021, and Summer 2021. If you are interested in learning more about the tool or the pilot, or would like to receive a license to try Bluescape, please contact Sam Holtzman, Director of Faculty Development (sam.holtzman@artcenter.edu) or Regina Dowling-Jones, Vice President Strategic Partnerships (regina.dowling-jones@artcenter.edu).


        To see how Artcenter faculty have been using Bluescape so far - please check out the Faculty Showcase videos from Fall 2020:

        End of Fall 2020 Term: Bluescape Faculty Showcase with Ming Tai and Elaine Alderette

        Fall 2020 Term Prep: Bluescape Faculty Showcase with Ming Tai


        Bluescape Faculty Trainings and Demos, Fall 2020:

        Bluescape Faculty Pilot Training - Demos and Intro to the Workspace with Ryan from Bluescape and ArtCenter Faculty

        Bluescape Workspace Workshop, Tuesday Session - Workshop with Faculty to Help Set-Up Workspace

        Bluescape Workspace Workshop, Wednesday Session - Workshop with Faculty to Help Set-Up Workspace 

        Bluescape Workspace Workshop, Thursday Session - Workshop with Faculty to Help Set-Up Workspace


        Bluescape is constantantly rolling out new updates and features (some of the latest in response to our feedback). You can see some of the recent changes and updates here along with a tour of the updated interface and landing pad.

        Bluescape also has plug-in capabilities with a 3 of the Adobe suite’s services.

        All of these plug ins are compatible with Bluescape. Please see the following YouTube videos showing off just how Adobe Photoshop works with Bluescape, and with a Wacom tablet.

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipalNYpVeUo

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-3QUqETNVk

        If you have any interest in setting up your Adobe suites to sync with Bluescape, please follow these instructions:

        https://knowledge.bluescape.com/docs/en/installing-the-bluescape-plugin-for-adobe-creative-cloud


        If you have any troubles, concerns, or run into any issues while you are working with the Bluescape platofrm, please reach out to Ryan Chan @ ryan.chan@bluescape.com for assistance. If you are interested in receiving a Bluescape license and joining the Bluescape at ArtCenter pilot or have other questions about ways to use the platform for remote teaching and learning, please contact sam.holtzman@artcenter.edu.


        • Supporting English Language Learners

          The number of English Language Learners in the college has increased over the years. For many faculty members this presents new challenges in the classroom and studio. There are several resources available in the college for faculty and students who need support in the area of language and communication.

          To begin, please download the guide below Supporting and Engaging English Language Learners for pedagogical suggestions and tips and tactics to use at different stages of the term, from project briefs and assignments, through the crit to a final presentation. The objective of this guide is to provide a structure for faculty members to use to support English language learners in the classroom and studio at ArtCenter. Linking language and events across the term is a way to help students succeed and develop language in a specific context and for a specific purpose. This can be done beginning on the first day of the term, reinforced from projects and assignments to pedagogical practices for instruction, through critique, and to the final presentation. This does not mean lowering grading standards or classroom expectations for participation or performance, but it does mean being clear about your expectations and requirements, and providing students with this information in different ways and through multiple formats. In the classroom, it can mean donning a cloak of patience, sprinkled with empathy. Actively listen to what the student is trying to say and engage them. Ask clarifying questions. Paraphrase their statements or questions. Speak slower if needed for comprehension. Define vernacular vocabulary; emphasize subject or practice specific vocabulary, and scaffold from simple to complex when possible.


          Support for Faculty Members Teaching English Language Learners

          Faculty Development Workshops and 1:1 Coaching: A Faculty development workshop is offered every term on supporting and engaging English language learners as well as a Crit Strategies workshop that focuses on techniques for facilitating discussion and feedback in the classroom and studio. 1:1 coaching is also available if you can''t make a workshop, or have some specific questions and would like support.


          Support for English Language Learners in your Classroom or Studio

          The Writing Center: Hillside Room 202A is a useful academic resource to point students who are struggling with language towards. As an instructor you can require a visit to the writing center as part of an assignment with a written component.

          Integrated Studies Workshops: These are terrific co-curricular opportunities for students to practice their language skills in an art & design specific context, and to work on listening and following directions. Please encourage your students to attend these workshops to practice their English as well as solidify their skills.

          The library: There are wonderful resources for learning and practicing the English language in the library. For self-service language learning software, point students towards Mango and Pronunciator. There is also a liaison librarian for each department who can work directly with your students on subject specific research.

          Lynda.com: Encourage your students to use Lynda.com for tutorials. You can now embed links to specific Lynda tutorials in your DotEd course site.

          DotEd: Please post materials (syllabi, project briefs, rubrics, etc.) to DotED so your students can access them as needed. You can also post video instruction or recorded demonstrations to DotEd.

        • Course Evaluations

          ArtCenter uses the online evaluation system EvaluationKIT for course evaluations each term. The course evaluations open on Saturday of Week 11 each term and are available for students to complete until Tuesday of Break Week 1. Results are available for faculty members beginning on Wednesday of Break Week 1 and can be retrieved from the EvaluationKIT site online or via their smartphone app.

          To access the system directly, please click on the following link: Login to EvaluationKIT or visit artcenter.edu/courseevals.

          In order to use EvaluationKIT you must be a current faculty member with an ArtCenter username and password. For questions regarding your account please contact the Help Desk: helpdesk@artcenter.edu.


          Information on the system and process for evaluating courses can be found at inside.artcenter.edu/go/courseevals. Please note that there are several course types that are excluded from evaluation. Faculty members who would like access to reports from the old system should send a request to their home departments. For technical problems with EvaluationKIT or assistance with course evaluation results/reports please send a request to coursevals@artcenter.edu.

          • Faculty Performance Review


            Beginning in the 2014-2015 academic year, ArtCenter implemented a three-year cycle of performance review for Full and Part-time Faculty members. Faculty members will be notified by Chair when they are up for review or can contact the office of the Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs to find out their cohort.

            Part-time Faculty Performance Review

            Overall evaluation of part-time faculty members focuses on two areas: 1) teaching experience and effectiveness; and 2) professional accomplishments. Engagement in work related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is also of tantamount importance to the college and can be met through a variety of ways. A resource for questions about DEI at the college is the office of the Chief Diversity Officer and the Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Service to the department or college is not required but should be acknowledged as part of professional accomplishments. There is no institutionally prescribed weighting of these areas; each Department develops its own specific weighting based on departmental priorities.

            All part-time ArtCenter faculty members are included in one of three annual cohorts for performance review on a continual 3-year cycle. Cohort assignment is based on initial hire date. An individual's specific cohort may change if, for example, a faculty member is not teaching at the time that the department conducts the performance reviews, or is transitioning to another assignment. Faculty members should contact their departments to confirm the timing of their performance review.

            Full-time Faculty Performance Review

            The three areas for evaluation are: teaching effectiveness; professional experience and contribution to one's field plus length of teaching at both Art Center and other institutions; engagement with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and non-teaching service to the college, in the form of committee work or student advising as outlined in the Full-time contracts. These areas are to be considered more or less equally.

            Review Materials and Forms

            See attachments below for essential elements of the comprehensive review process for Full-time (FT) and Part-time (PT) faculty members, a description of the steps in the review process, the self-study form, and the performance review form that will be completed by the Department Chair.

            The Full Time Faculty Pay Grid and Part-Time Faculty Pay Grid are both available for reference when completing your performance review materials.

            Review materials are to be collected by the faculty member (ex. syllabi for all courses taught during the time under review, student evaluations, self-study form, CV or resume, etc.) and submitted to the Department Chair prior to the review meeting. For help preparing materials please contact Sam Holtzman. For questions about this process or to discuss your review results, please contact the Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs, Ted Young.

          • CARE at ArtCenter

            Communicate  Assess  Refer  Educate


            ArtCenter is launching CARE: Communicate. Assess. Refer. Educate. CARE is a campus-wide initiative that provides outreach to students who are demonstrating signs of behavioral, emotional, and/or academic distress. By submitting a CARE referral you will be helping to connect students of concern to campus services, advisement, and off-campus resources, as needed.

            The CARE team, which receives and assesses referrals, consists of individuals from varied academic and co-curricular departments. The team will determine a plan to best address student and community need and continue to provide resources regarding students in distress. Please note that the CARE Team does not respond to emergencies on campus; campus security should be notified in the case of a medical or safety emergency.

            Faculty members are often the first to identify a student showing signs of distress, whether it be of an academic or of a personal nature. We encourage you to share that information through a CARE referral and (when appropriate) inform the student that you have made a referral on their behalf. Once the referral is submitted, Information that is essential to the faculty member, such as a student returning to a class or continued support needed, will be shared. Please know that the CARE Team may be limited in what they can share due to information that is protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

            You will soon be seeing WE CARE stickers go up in each classroom with the link to the CARE webpage that will include resources, useful contact information, and the direct link to submit referral about a student of concern. Further information on the CARE Team and guidance on when and how to make a referral is on the CARE webpage:

            http://www.inside.artcenter.edu/go/care

            Should you have questions about the CARE Team, process or other resources please contact us at care@artcenter.edu.

            • Students Receiving Accommodations

              A person with a disability is any person who has a physical or mental impairment, which substantially limits one or more major life activities. The student requesting accommodations from the college must provide professional verification documentation certified by a licensed physician, psychologist, or other professional health care provider qualified in the diagnosis of the disability. We advise students to request accommodations as soon as possible after being admitted to Art Center or after being diagnosis with a disability. A student who is granted an official accommodation from the college will be issued an accommodation letter to bring to their instructors. Once a faculty member receives an accommodation letter for a student with a disability, they are encouraged to speak with the student directly about the accommodations and how they will best work in the context of the course. If there are any questions on how to provide the accommodations the faculty can consult with the Associate Director for Student Support Services in the Center for the Student Experience, Kendra Stanifer (kendra.stanifer@artcenter.edu) or by calling 626-396-2396. There will be a Faculty Development workshop about supporting students with disabilities during Week 3 of the term. If you received a request for accommodations from a student, please consider attending this workshop.


              Please see below for additional resources regarding students with accommodations:

            • Academic and Creative Integrity

              Academic and creative integrity is essential to personal and educational growth of students, which all members of the ArtCenter community are expected to uphold. This value maintains the standards of excellence of the College and creates a meaningful learning environment. Academic misconduct is a violation of the Policy that creates an unfair or unearned academic advantage to a student. This Policy is intended to assist students in understanding the academic and creative expectations of the ArtCenter community and what would constitute a violation of the Student Code of Conduct.

              For more information about the Academic and Creative Integrity policy, including protocols, procedures, and the full policy, please see the section on Academic and Creative Integrity on the Center for the Student Experience inside page.

              Once you have reviewed the policy and determined that a violation of the Academic and Creative Integrity policy has occured, please use this link to submit a report: https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform

              Any questions about policy, adjudication protocols, or reporting procedures, should be addressed to Kendra Stanifer (kendra.stanifer@artcenter.edu), Assistant Dean of Students/Director of the CSE.

              • Reminders & Resources for Students

                The first stop for resources for students at ArtCenter is the Center for the Student Experience (CSE). The CSE is where students can go to arrange counseling, get help with classroom accommodations, sign up for clubs and activities, get health insurance, pick up items from the food pantry or get meal cards, and get any help necessary from the international student advisors. The CSE also adjudicates student misconduct and academic integrity concerns. To help any students become a part of our community or navigate their way through ArtCenter, you can always refer them to the CSE. Please see the CSE Roles and Responsibilities attachment below for the full list of positions, staff members, areas of coverage, and contact information.

                If students are having academic concerns or have questions about their pathway towards graduation, please refer them to the Academic Advising office.

                The handout, Helping Students in Distress (below) is also a quick reference guide to help identify students in certain types of need so you can connect them with the appropriate resources.

                For additional information about the Writing Center, Time Management and Creativity Coaching, and in-term academic and studio resources, please see the PDFs below for the full text of Allfaculty emails, sent at Weeks 1, 3, and 7 of every term. The emails contain reminders about tasks to attend to at these points in the term, as well as resources for yourself as a faculty member and ones to be aware of for students in need.

                • Week 1: Syllabus, Attendance, Checklist for Day One, DotEd, Liaison Librarians, Accommodations
                • Week 3: Attendance, Faculty Development, Digital Teaching & Learning, Library Services, CARE, Academic Advising, Counseling, Writing Center, Creativity & Time Management
                • Week 7: Academic Advising, The Writing Center, Creativity Coach & Time Management, CARE, Counseling Services


                If there is ever an emergency, the first point of contact is Campus Security. Please call 2211 from a campus phone to contact security directly or go to the front desk in any of the main buildings on campus.

              • FERPA - Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

                The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a United States federal law that was enacted in 1974 (originally known as the Buckley Amendment) and has been updated many times since then. This law defines the controls and limits that govern working with student education records. 

                ArtCenter students have three primary rights under FERPA:

                • The right to have some control over the disclosure of information contained in one’s own education records;

                • The right to inspect and review one’s own education records (within 45 days of ArtCenter receiving a request for such access);

                • The right to seek an amendment to one’s own education records if they are inaccurate or misleading.

                The purpose of FERPA is to protect students’ rights to privacy, not to impede their education or endanger their well-being. For more information about FERPA at ArtCenter please review the attached document, FERPA_Student Privacy Rights. Institutional compliance with FERPA is coordinated by Enrollment Services. Any questions, comments, or concerns about FERPA should be directed to Enrollment Services at x2314.


              • Grants for Faculty Members

                There are 3 internal grants that are offered annually to faculty members at ArtCenter; 2 are sponsored by the ArtCenter Faculty Council and 1 by the Hoffmitz Milken Center for Typography. ArtCenter faculty members are also eligible to apply for the Fulbright U.S. Scholar program (see below for more information). For specific information about each grant, including timeline, please use the links provided. For some general resources about applying for grants, please visit the ArtCenter Faculty Council Inside page.


                Internal Grants:

                ArtCenter Faculty Council

                https://inside.artcenter.edu/ed/course/view.php?id=8481

                Faculty Project Grant: ACFC's Faculty Project Grants are your opportunity to receive up to $5,000 to support your professional and personal enrichment. A total of up to $40,000 in grant money is awarded each year for projects related to creative and scholarly development. All ArtCenter faculty are eligible to apply.

                Teaching Advancement Award: Faculty Council awards $3,000 in Teaching Advancement Awards each term. Individual awards are limited to $1,000. These awards support activities that enrich faculty teaching and student experience in the classroom.


                Hoffmitz Milken Center for Typography

                http://hmctartcenter.org/grant/2016-educator-grant/

                Educator Grant: The Educator Grants awarded by the HMCT strengthen and enhance the quality of teaching by ArtCenter faculty members. HMCT grants support research, workshops, seminars and other activities that investigate opportunities and ideas in the area of typography and language, while reinforcing the mission and goals of the HMCT. The HMCT awards up to $20,000 annually in grants in amounts up to $5,000. The deadline for Spring 2016 is February 10th.


                National & International Grants:

                Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program

                http://catalog.cies.org/

                The Core U.S. Fulbright Scholar Program sends 800+ U.S. faculty and professionals abroad each year. The Catalog of Awards for the 2017-18 academic year will be available beginning February 1, 2016. To register interest in the program, join the My Fulbright online community for updates and access to helpful resources for applicants: http://www.cies2.org/s/1064/index.aspx


                Regional & Local Individual Grants:

                Creative Capacity Fund, Quick Grant Program - Individual artists working in L.A. County are eligible to apply for one-time Quick Grants of up to $500 for professional development activities. These are offered monthly and are due on the 15th of each month: http://www.cciarts.org/_Library/docs/Quick_Grant_Guidelines_and_Appl_Prompts-_Proposed_-November2014_-_DRAFT_JS.pdf http://www.cciarts.org/_Library/docs/QuickGrant_FAQ_FY_15.pdf

                • Integrated Studies Assessment Material

                  Here are the Integrated Studies assessment material for the Embedded Signature Assignment in Design 1 and Design 2. Included are:

                  • Introductory letter and instructions
                  • Visual Evidence Template
                  • INT_PLO1_Design 1_Embedded Signature Assignment Rubric
                  • INT_PLO2_Design 2_Embedded Signature Assignment Rubric
                  • INT_PLO Assessment Rubric instructions

                  If you have any questions about these documents, how to complete them, or the assessment process in general, please contact Catherine MacLean (cmaclean@artcenter.edu) or Sam Holtzman (sam.holtzman@artcenter.edu).

                • Diversity & Inclusion

                  ArtCenter College of Design believes that diversity and inclusion are critical to maintaining excellence in all of our endeavors.

                  ArtCenter defines diversity as the elements that make up each person’s identity, including, but not limited to: race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, income, age, physical abilities, mental abilities, religious beliefs, veteran or military status, marital status, health status, work experience, language skills, geographic location, residency status, political beliefs, or other ideologies. ArtCenter recognizes the importance of maintaining one’s cultural identity as one participates fully in the field of art and design, and is therefore dedicated to the civil and respectful engagement of diversity.

                  ArtCenter defines inclusion as diversity in action. The act of inclusion cultivates and sustains an environment of collegiality, communication, respect, mutual involvement, and acceptance. An inclusive environment is one that is sensitive to cultural and learning differences, which empowers individuals to participate as full and valued members of the ArtCenter community.

                  ArtCenter endeavors to be a diverse and inclusive community that moves beyond simple tolerance or appreciation to an active embrace and celebration of sophisticated thinkers and practitioners for a globalized society.

                  As ArtCenter Faculty members, we ask that you work to the best of your ability to help every student succeed in a supportive and inclusive classroom. Consider who you are as a learner and how you learn best, therefore what assumptions about teaching and learning you may have, and recognizing these, how you can open your classroom to as many learners as possible. To help create and maintain an inclusive learning environment in the classroom and our community, the following expectations for classroom conduct (for faculty and students) are included on the syllabus. Please make sure to go over these on the first day of class and reference them as needed throughout the term if a situation arises.


                  As creatives and entrepreneurs, teachers and artists, we often operate as individuals within a society that grants unearned privilege to some and systemically denies access to others based on race, sex, gender, sexual orientation, class, ability, health and wellness, and other aspects of emotional and physical identity. The challenge as educators is how to construct classrooms and learning environments where our students move beyond assumptions and generalizations into informed making and intentional design. To create change we must understand the operations of culture and influence of power and privilege, and introduce these to our students in an environment free from bias, that seeks to understand, but does not replicate, the world in which we live and work.

                  To facilitate understanding and awareness of the ways this can surface within ourselves and our community, please watch this short, powerful documentary about race, identity and marginalization, made by students at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), titled “The Room of Silence.”

                  For more information, please review the handbooks below from UCLA about the importance of diversity in the classroom and how to create a positive classroom climate for diversity.

                  There are also many opportunities throughout the year to attend professional development workshops along a variety of topics that can help you become more effective as a teacher in today's diverse and inclusive environment. The Office of Faculty Development holds frequent workshops on pedagogical practices to support English Language Learners. The Council on Diversity and Inclusion and OutNetwork offer a Safe-Zone training to become an identified ally for the LGBTQ community, and the Center for Student Experience facilitates the process of official Accommodations for students with disabilities.

                • Peer Coach & Teaching Assistant Orientation

                • Campus Access and Safety - COVID 19

                  http://www.artcenter.edu/about/fall-2020-reopening-plan/fall-2020-reopening-academic-priorities.html

                  • Faculty Council Lunch & Learn Series

                    Lunch & Learn is a series of faculty led talks that occur each term, hosted by ArtCenter Faculty Council. Faculty are invited from all departments and disciplines in the college. If you are interested in giving a lunch & learn talk, or have more questions about the series, please contact facultycouncil@artcenter.edu. When possible, lunch & learn presentations will be recorded and available here to view.

                    Fall 2021:

                    Week 3, Thursday, September 30th - The Emancipation of P.P with Fine Art instruction Pau S. Pescador


                    Summer 2021:

                    Week 12, Thursday, August 5th - Infinity-Time as Deleuzian Haecceity & Eschatology of Time, with H&S Assistant Professor, Shanna Dobson. Recording Available