Department of Fine Arts - Department Chair Election
Background and Professional Development
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I have worked at the College of Southern Nevada for 14 years and was the Assistant Department Chair for nearly 8 of those years. In the summer of 2021, I was appointed Program Director of the Art Program. During my time as Assistant Chair and Program Director, I have been at the forefront of all major decision making, including scheduling classes, hiring/oversight/training of part time instructors, budgetary and other fiscal operations of the Art Program.
I would like to bring my experience, vigor and professionalism to the entire Department of Fine Arts as your Department Chair. |
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Numerous Art Exhibits!
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I firmly believe that faculty teaching in the Department of Fine Arts should also be conducting Professional Development in some way. As such, I participate in numerous art exhibits around Las Vegas and surrounding areas.
In the last two years, regardless of the Covid pandemic, I probably created and exhibited more artwork than any other time in my life. The highlights: 2020 - 2021 - Bouquet of Folly, a solo exhibit of 22 artworks, toured six Las Vegas-Clark County Library galleries. 2021 - 2022 - Bouquet of Pheasants, a solo exhibit of 32 new artworks, was up in the CSN Fine Arts gallery Various group exhibits with Clark County, City of Las Vegas, and CSN. Two Nevada Arts Council Grants to help fund all this creation! |
Public Art!
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Bouquet of Fission
Featuring the Artwork of Sean Russell July 2020 – January 2021 Bouquet of Fission is a collection of three individual artworks that reference the visual and metaphorical relationships between a bouquet of flowers and an atomic blast to serve as a reminder of Las Vegas’ past and its blossoming present and future “Windows on First” invites artists to create original, site-specific installations presented within the context of the First Street Art Trail. This program provides artists a unique opportunity to expand their skill-sets and display their work in a public space. The space is located at City Hall, 495 S. Main Street, has three (3) display windows on the East side of the building facing First Street. |
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Currently...
Some Pigeons I Know
Reception - this coming Tuesday night, March 29th, 6pm-8pm - CSN Artspace Gallery, North Las Vegas Campus - COME SAY HI!
Reception - this coming Tuesday night, March 29th, 6pm-8pm - CSN Artspace Gallery, North Las Vegas Campus - COME SAY HI!
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Art Program Highlights!
These are just some of the amazing things that go on in the Art Program..."behind the curtain."
Enrollment is Steady!
Despite what's happening in the rest of the college, throughout the last two years, enrollment in Art Program courses hasn't decreased much -- or, in some cases it's up year-to-year!
This is due to a few things:
1) The rapid creation and staffing of an online Art 101 - Drawing I course. In the Spring of 2020, when the pandemic first began and most of our classes were moved online, Jeff Fulmer and I built this course in Canvas, based on former Professor Dennis Angel's textbook. In Fall of 2020, we had over 400 students taking this course. Currently, online Art 101 - Drawing 1, along with Art 160 - Art Appreciation are our most popular courses.
2) Frequent scheduling adjustments and communication with faculty through the semester.
Which leads me to...
1) The rapid creation and staffing of an online Art 101 - Drawing I course. In the Spring of 2020, when the pandemic first began and most of our classes were moved online, Jeff Fulmer and I built this course in Canvas, based on former Professor Dennis Angel's textbook. In Fall of 2020, we had over 400 students taking this course. Currently, online Art 101 - Drawing 1, along with Art 160 - Art Appreciation are our most popular courses.
2) Frequent scheduling adjustments and communication with faculty through the semester.
Which leads me to...
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Art Part Time Instructors are Happy!As part of this online Art 101 - Drawing 1 course, Jeff Fulmer setup weekly, informal, Teams meetings with the Art Program faculty. We currently have 6 full time, tenured faculty, and somewhere around 28 part time faculty. Since teaching online Drawing 1 often falls to the part time faculty, these meetings were incredibly beneficial both on an academic level, and personal level to everyone involved.
During the Covid quarantine, all of our part time faculty that wanted to teach classes were able to remain employed. In some cases, even more of them were put on LoB contracts and received insurance and benefits. Currently, this semester, we're maxed out! |
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Communication with faculty is key! Additionally, I maintain my own website with all current Meeting Notes, Syllabus Updates, Course Outcomes, and various other relevant links for the faculty.
password "coyote"
We also have our popular online courses available in Canvas Commons! Textbook/course updates are a breeze!
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SchedulingFor years, Marcha and I have created the schedule online, using Microsoft Excel and OneDrive and its SharePoint system. We're both able to work on it synchronously, in real time. This also creates a vast library of previous schedule files. I have hundreds of spreadsheets of past data relating to our classes.... which has come in handy numerous times.
No Part Time Instructor has been "bumped", and not had a replacement class in over 10 years! |
AssessmentAssessment in the Art Program couldn't be easier! Chris Tsouras and I teach the capstone course, Art 298: Portfolio Emphasis.
Students enrolled in Art 298: Portfolio Emphasis have their artwork photographed, and made into a hard bound book!
The Art Faculty fills out online scoresheets about each student, and then a master spreadsheet collects and averages all the scores. I attend the Assessment meetings and enter all our data into Taskstream! I've tried to make it as easy as possible for faculty but keep all the juicy data that the administration loves! Also, every semester they have an art exhibition and reception in the CSN Artspace Gallery. We have 10+ years of these books - an amazing chronicle of CSN Art Majors! |
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Art 298: Portfolio Emphasis teaches students how to apply for real-world projects, gallery exhibitions, public art, and further education - sometimes students win actual monetary awards as well!
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Through my experiences planning and running the Art program, I will make our jobs easier and more efficient, across the entire Department!
ConclusionAfter the Plague came the Renaissance
I offer a fresh look at the Department of Fine Arts in our post-Covid world.... Music has previously run the show 17 years currently, if not elected, 20 years... Please talk to other Faculty and Staff
There are people that don't get a vote... Social Media to Increase Enrollment and Completion
Love it or hate it, this is the language students speak... Renewed Comradery
A long time ago... Wake Up Everyday
Push, push, push for more Faculty, Facilities, and Opportunities |
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