The Theatre Arts Department of Central Washington University provides an interagrated program of academic and production experiences specifically preparing Theatre Arts students for advanced training in graduate school, careers in education, professional theatre, and related fields. In addition, as an integral part of the Fine and Performing Arts, theatre provides strong support for the basis of every student’s liberal arts education at this comprehensive learning institution. Mission Statement The Department of Theatre Arts is an ensemble of artists, scholars, educators, and practitioners located in the heart of the Pacific Northwest who: • prepare students for advanced study and professional careers in theatre; • promote creativity and excellence in a diverse educational environment; • cultivate, educate, challenge and enrich audiences; and • train and prepare students from diverse backgrounds to link art and life through experiential learning; in order to nurture skilled, thoughtful, and courageous citizens who will promote a peaceful and tolerant global community . The mission statement was completely redone 2005-6 and the program was revised to met current goals 2006-7
The mission of the Theatre Arts Department complements the mission of Central Washington University by presenting, in a public forum, what we have learned, thus educating those who participate as both doers and observers. “By Teaching, We Learn” The Theatre Arts Department’s mission is consistent with the College’s mission. The department advances knowledge of the liberal arts by offering introductory theatre courses in the CWU’s general education program. It stimulates intellectual inquiry and artistic creativity through its graduate and undergraduate programs in theatre that produce a rigorous and stimulating learning environment, which includes both theory and practice. The faculty also advances knowledge, intellectual inquiry, and artistic creativity through their research and creative activities. Central Theatre Ensemble, the producing arm of the department, offers a diverse annual season of plays and other artistic works that provide a diverse and cross-disciplinary support for other programs and departments, thus “understanding of and appreciation for the complex physical, cultural, and imaginative worlds of human existence” and infusing “in our students a life long thirst for knowledge and capacity for aesthetic growth.”
-To promote the art and craft of theatre in a way that is inclusive of a diverse, ever changing world and peoples. (Diversity included since program review) -To create a laboratory for students and faculty in which they can test and experiment with practical and theoretical artistic skills and precepts. -To integrate the curriculum and production whenever possible. -To present a well-rounded and diverse variety of productions, including original plays by students. -To cooperate well with other departments creating and encouraging joint ventures and projects. -To schedule regular debriefing sessions of each production. -To establish and maintain open communication among all members of the department including students, staff and faculty. -To encourage students to have a total theatre experience by requiring participation in all aspects of production. -To increase fiscal support of the program and to expand ticket sales in order to improve production budgets, expand student assistance (scholarships and jobs), and purchase better equipment. (Since program review) -To validate the enjoyment, exposure, visibility and enrichment of the theatre on campus, in the community and throughout the region. -To provide opportunities for students to attend outside theatre productions. -To provide opportunities for our students to work with theatre professionals. -To recruit and retain faculty and staff with appropriate skills to implement our stated goals. -To encourage and support faculty in their continued development as artists and teachers. (Strengthened since program review) -To assess our program and our students in a regular and meaningful way so that we may continue to grow together. -To maintain and enhance alumni relationships. -To assist outstanding students in securing graduate school and professional opportunities. -To provide a full theatre curriculum, which shall be subject to regular review, assuring compliance with accrediting agencies, professional organizations and the goals of the Department
The department’s Curriculum Committee review’s the currency and accuracy of curriculum, as well as courses proposed by individual faculty members. The committee asks the faculty as a whole for feedback on proposed changes, additions, modifications, or deletions. The department urges faculty to offer courses in their area of specialization, in addition to teaching as broad a spectrum of courses within the discipline as they are able. Old courses are dropped from the catalog and new ones are added as former members who retire are replaced by professors with different areas of training, expertise and interest. Awareness of the need for diversity and globalism is universal, as is respect for interdisciplinary study. To this end, the department has created courses aimed at diversity in our dramatic literature offerings; TH 382 Ethnic Drama, TH 377 Staging Gender, TH 375 Asian Theatre, TH 383 Contemporary World Drama, TH 365 Theatre History III, TH 511 Analysis and Criticism, TH 510 Studies in Dramatic Literature, TH 503 Survey of Theatre History and Literature.
The Department has been very successful in achieving it’s goals -To promote the art and craft of theatre in a way that is inclusive of a diverse, ever changing world and peoples. Several new courses have been developed and programmatic changes have solidified diversity as a key element in the program core -To create a laboratory for students and faculty in which they can test and experiment with practical and theoretical artistic skills and precepts. Laboratory experiences have consistently been considered 50% of what we do as a department. Recent production schedule changes have introduced Studio Project opportunities that will further the laboratory environment. -To present a well-rounded and diverse variety of productions, including original plays by students. A rotation for production has been developed in order to assure this diversity can and will take place. In addition new plays continue to be produced on a regular basis -To cooperate well with other departments creating and encouraging joint ventures and projects. Perhaps one of the most successful goals accomplished. The department teamed with Asian Pacific Studies in a very important project which was mounted at an international Asian Studies conference (2007) and was invited to a regional theatre conference (2008). -To increase fiscal support of the program and to expand ticket sales in order to improve production budgets, expand student assistance (scholarships and jobs),d purchase better equipment. Recent grants and bursaries have been awarded to theatre that have stabilized the funding areas to a great extent. These are not base funded and pose problems for the future if they were to be eliminated
Increase and update lighting and sound inventory.
• About ½ of the required lighting was acquired with a partnership of the Department and the office of the Provost which supported our hosting of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival.
• The remainder of the light inventory and a sound proposal is on the current Capitol Requests listing for the University; both proposals have significant Department financial contributions. The Department is investigating sources for sound equipment and will move forward as funds allow.
Replace aging seating in Milo Smith Tower Theatre.
• $238, 00 was allocated Fall 2007 for replacement and we anticipate project completion for Spring Quarter
Search out ways for faculty to be more closely connected to scholarship opportunities and professional development off-campus and not feel they are tied to summer income.
• The Department has allocated funding to assist with faculty pursuing outside opportunities minimizing financial impact of lost summer salaries.
o Two faculty members took advantage of the initiative during the summer of 2007.
• Workloads have also been revisited with one faculty member shifting assignments to allow for a “late start” to teaching to allow outside scholarship opportunities.
• Two other faculty members found time over summer break to work in professional development opportunities as a result of overall encouragement.
• The department has initiated master classes during summer months focusing on areas that might benefit both Master candidates, regional professionals and faculty in order that faculty have opportunities come to them rather than having to get out for such.
Discover who we are as a department and solidify a unified core, especially in the Performance areas.
• Immediate action was initialed with two faculty retreat focused on curriculum and program goals. The core is now streamlined and focuses toward program mission and goals.
Additional staff specifically a Production Manager
• No addition funding has come from the administration. The Department has increased its commitment funding a 3/4 position and supplemented it with adjunct opportunities in related fields funded by the administration. The Department considers the establishmen tof a full-time excempt poistion a major priority for administrative funding.
Increase dedicated classroom space.
• Although additional space has not been allocated for needed studio spaces, the move of Music from Hertz Hall has provided some relieve for overburdened schedules in the Theatre building
Transfer of Dance from HHPN to Theatre Arts for programmatic reasons.
• The HHPN department has chosen not to divest itself of Dance at this time. During 2004-05 serious negotiations were carried on but to no avail. 1. Teaching: · Masters of Arts in Theatre Production foremost program of its kind in the nation and draws students internationally. · Increased visibility and recognition as a strong regional theatre program. · Developed degree emphasis through curriculum at graduate/undergrad level · We have nominated strong MA students for publication [two have been published in a regional journal]. · We hold quarterly and annual celebrations of outstanding achievements for our students. · Increased number of majors [up over 100% over the past 5 years] and course enrollments [have added additional sections of lower and upper division courses in past 3 years]. · Faculty have been involved in International Exchange Programs. · We have offered team-taught courses both internally and with other departments. · Increased student job opportunities through faculty development and networking. · We have prepared our students for the world after graduation, transmitting skills of use in work life such as collecting information, thinking critically, and writing clearly. We routinely distribute information about careers available to theatre majors, ensuring that graduates have an awareness of the wide variety of jobs available to them, given their disciplinary skills. · We have nurtured several Farrell Scholarship recipients as young playwrights and seen them build on their CWU education to go on to graduate work– both regional and national. · We are committed to the value of theatre education, both undergraduate and graduate, and believe that the theatre teachers we produce have a strong background in content and an understanding of the relationship between pedagogy and content. · Existing and new classes have been developed in multiculturalism, design and production. · We are committed to using the professional model as a goal for production experiences, hiring Guest Artists who are prominent in their area of theatre for our productions as often as budget allows. These artists [directors, actors, designers, and technicians] teach classes in their subject areas and work closely with our students in production, raising the quality of student production work immeasurably. · High quality of production mentoring, employment and learning in a lab environment. · Our department’s teaching is consistently at or above the university and college mean in SEOI’s. · We have strongly prepared students for professional work, graduate study and secondary school teaching. · Several of our faculty have the ability to teach in multiple subject areas within our discipline. · We have taken personal interest in our student going beyond meetings and advising. Coaching for competition, mentoring design and performances, student clubs, and organizations: CTC, USITT, SAC, URTA, NWDC/ACTF. · We practice Constructivist learning in almost every facet of our programs, since our productions and classes are essentially laboratories for learning. 2. Scholarship: · Mentoring and teaching through labs, employment, and production. · Faculty/staff professional work. · CTE provides scholarly/creative opportunities. · Adding specializations through active part in professional & civic organizations. · Publishing scholarly articles/textbooks. · We have encouraged our students to emulate our model in producing both scholarship for themselves and their professors, collaborating on our CTE productions, outside projects, and producing their own projects on and off campus. · Department library including books, magazines, periodicals, video and audio. · We have committed ourselves to remain current in our specializations, by reading, attending and presenting conferences, researching, writing and publishing, despite the heavy demands of our teaching schedules. This includes professional work [some in regional repertory theatres], designing, directing, and acting in productions. A recent faculty showcase demonstrated proficiency in these areas, as well as playwriting. 3. Service: We have made our expertise available to the general public and/or made presentations for the campus and local communities, as well as the civic and professional organizations 4. Other: · Created and maintained a Theatre Arts Department Protocol, Policies, and Procedures Manual. · Smoother operational understanding of budgets, both production and academic. · Shop Heads have become more efficient in general operations, tracking expenses, and meeting deadlines. · Consistent risk-taking in our season programming. · Increased quality of our student playwriting, thus building towards establishment of a playwriting program or specialization. · We have become increasingly competitive regionally as a department. One production selected to compete in the regional KCACTF festival. 25% of the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Finalists are CWU students. · Improvement/ renovation of both theatre and classroom/shop facilities, better classroom and shop technology, better office equipment. · Established and improved website and information dissemination. · Improved and addressed major safety concerns in theatre and classroom spaces. · Replacement hires have been very strong choices for the department. · New hires have increased the department faculty by 2 positions and the number of classified staff by 2. · A concerted and successful effort to resolve personnel conflicts, including hiring an outside facilitator to bring closure to personnel issues.
1. We have an inadequate number of faculty and staff needed to deliver programs with rapidly growing number of majors. Unresolved 2. Recruitment of graduate students to shore up dwindling number of MA candidates needed to be done. Response- This is being accomplished through a change in national advertising strategy and direct mail advertising in a number of states. 3. Need of the recruitment of highly prepared student ready to pursue the program. Unresolved 4. Equipment upgrading needed to meet safety standards and meeting teaching standards in the industry. Unresolved 5. Central Theatre Ensemble production budget not maintaining inflationary environment and is now inadequate causing department to create fewer student opportunities Unresolved 6. Limited storage facilities. Unresolved
The Theatre Arts Department’s mission is consistent with the Colleges mission. The department advances knowledge of the liberal arts by offering introductory theatre courses in the CWU’s general education program. It stimulates intellectual inquiry and artistic creativity through its graduate and undergraduate programs in theatre that produce a rigorous and stimulating learning environment, which includes both theory and practice. The faculty also advances knowledge, intellectual inquiry, and artistic creativity through their research and creative activities. Central Theatre Ensemble, the producing arm of the department, offers a diverse annual season of plays and other artistic works that provide cross-disciplinary support for other programs and departments, thus “understanding of and appreciation for the complex physical, cultural, and imaginative worlds of human existence” and infusing “in our students a life long thirst for knowledge and capacity for aesthetic growth.”
The Theatre Arts Department offers many challenging and rigorous courses. To strengthen its offerings, the faculty in the department consistently revise their course offerings. The department recently completed revisions of both the undergraduate and graduate programs. Over the last five years, the faculty has designed several new courses and substantially revised several others. In the undergraduate program, gaps in the Design and Technical Theatre specialization were filled by creating new courses TH 268 Lighting Technology, TH 361 Stage Costuming, and TH 367 Stage Scenery. A new dramatic literature course, TH 377 Staging Gender, was created to fill a gap in gender studies. A new course to support the production of student-written plays, TH 332 New Play Production was created. In addition, a number of new courses are currently being offered as workshops and are expected to be converted to new courses in the near future. These courses support student-written works, as well as student participation in the American College Theatre Festival. Substantial course revisions included TH 166 Theory of Play Production, TH 489 Career and Portfolio, TH 301/401 Production Application, TH 393/494 Theatre Laboratory, TH 244/245/246 Basic Acting sequence, and TH 383 Contemporary World Drama. In the graduate program, TH 503 Survey of Theatre History and Literature was created to fill a need for background course work among our Master’s candidates. TH /487/587 Theatre Pedagogy was created as a means to provide much-needed mentoring and course work for our graduates serving as assistants during the academic year. TH 547 Musical Theatre Choreography was created based on demand from our student constituency. TH 511 Analysis and Criticism recently underwent a substantial revision. In addition, the department is engaged in preliminary work on a finer revision of both the undergraduate and graduate programs.
Theatre professors maintain currency with developments in the field by working in professional theatres, engaging in scholarly research and creative activity, joining and maintaining membership in professional associations, subscribing to scholarly journals, attending conferences, seeking training with peers through workshops and classes, engaging with peers via computer, and shaping the library collection by advising Dr. Patrick McLaughlin, Acquisitions Librarian on campus. We review textbooks for adoption. We serve as consultants by evaluating creative works by other theatre artists and books for publishers, and by judging acting and design scholarship competitions. We shape the scholarly discourse by contributing our book reviews, articles, and books to major scholarly presses, as well as directing, writing, and performing in productions at the regional level. These activities refine and enhance the material we bring to the classroom.
Program effectiveness is reviewed on a continuing basis. The faculty meets together for two hours once every two weeks to discuss department issues. Major/minor adjustments, curriculum proposals, and resource requirements are discussed in detail. In addition to the bi-weekly meetings, once each quarter the faculty meets for a full-day retreat. All facets of the program as reviewed and long-range (vision) goals are planned. All members of the faculty distribute student evaluation (or SEOI) forms to their students at the end of every course. These are reviewed by the chairman quarterly and by the dean annually. Faculty-chair discussions are held if results warrant consultation. In conjunction with student evaluations, faculty annually assemble their course syllabi, reflective essays on their teaching goals, evidence of participation in conferences and workshops devoted to better teaching. They invite colleagues to observe them in the classroom, attend the quarterly Faculty Development Workshops, and discuss pedagogy on a daily basis over lunch.
Time is scheduled in regular meetings through the academic year to share assessment reports and discuss the findings with the faculty as a whole. There is no system currently established to share that information with the administration.
The only difficulty the department is experiencing in the assessment program is student cooperation in taking the exit exam. (The entrance exam has become standard procedure for all new students.) But in the past, many students simply did not take the exit exam. This problem has been addressed and solved by making the exam part of the course in senior research. A student is not given a grade in this required course until the exit exam has been completed. Overall, the department is quite pleased with current assessment results. On a scale of 100, student knowledge and skills in the profession improve by an average of fourteen percent from entrance to exit.
The Theatre Arts Department makes a significant contribution in one area of the General Education requirements, under Arts and Humanities- The Aesthetic Experience, via three four-credit courses. TH 101 Appreciation of Theatre and Film, TH 107 Introduction to Theatre, and TH 382 Ethnic Drama. Two of the three courses, TH 107 and TH 382, require writing instruction and practice. Students write papers and take essay exams, evaluated by an instructor. These two courses meet the new “w” requirement for improved writing for undergraduates. These courses service approximately 1,050 students per year.
No general education student learning goals into the department assessment plan at this time.
We prepare some of the best professional educators in the field of teaching theatre arts in the country. Graduates of both our undergraduate and Master’s degree programs are in high demand. By stressing mastery of quality artistic production, strong research methods, as well as broad-based fundamental knowledge of theory and practice in theatre arts, we produce teachers of quality both regionally and nationally. Indeed, our Masters program is recognized as a leader, perhaps even the leader in programs of its kind in the United States. Fifty students have received Master of Arts in Theatre Production degrees from our program. The program is not only unique in our region, but in the country. The Drama Teachers Summer Institute was established in 1996. The program is specifically designed for theatre educators with all of the coursework offered in the summer months. Since its inception, more than 500 teachers, representing 28 states and two foreign countries, have attended the Drama Teachers Summer Institute.
The Theatre Arts Department is home to a unique limited-residency graduate program which awards a Master of Arts in Theatre Production. Coursework is offered in all areas of theatre in conjunction with the Drama Teacher’s Summer Institute. MA candidates can complete the course work in three summers, with a culminating thesis project, generally a full-length theatrical production with accompanying research and documentation, which is produced at their home school during the academic year. The Theatre Arts faculty travel throughout the country to assess these thesis productions. More than 500 teachers, representing 28 states and 2 foreign countries, have attended the Drama Teacher’s Summer Institute since it was established in 1996, learning new skills to take back to the classroom, making life-long friends and networking with other theatre artists and educators from across the nation and the world. A limited number of Graduate Assistantships are offered for resident students each year during the academic year (September to June). The Drama Teacher’s Summer Institute provides annual summer course offerings for those who wish to gain the instruction and enrichment required to successfully teach and direct a theatre arts program in the secondary schools. Students are not required to enroll in the Master of Arts in Theatre Production in order to participate, however most Drama Teacher’s Summer Institute courses can later be applied to a Master’s degree.
The course of study concludes with their Thesis Project; a fully mounted production of an approved play at their home school venue. This production is accompanied by detailed research documentation and written reflection. The production is evaluated by the thesis chair at the home venue and an oral examination concludes the process. No comprehensive exams are given in this program. Recent Graduates Year Name of Project Peoples Amber 2007 Bocon! Hovis Darryl 2007 Tree Houses Deady Sharon 2007 Cyrano Susi Debra 2007 Joseph and Amz Tech Dreamcoat Hamilton Dalton 2007 Importance of Being Earnest Brzovic Jeannie 2007 Arcadia Trumbo Lou 2007 The Odd Couple (Female Version) Eshelman Brett 2007 Bus Stop Stanley Carla 2007 Alicia in Wonder Tierra Burnett Tamara 2008 The Orphan Train Mertens Elicia 2008 Suessical, The Musical Pschirrer Greg 2008 Miss Saigon Hinz Richard 2008 Arms & the Man Meek Robert 2008 The Fantasticks Jackson Bryan 2008 Antigone Susko Janice 2008 Our Town
Two sessions of Introduction to Theatre have been recently offered as 100% web delivery. They have proven very popular for students. They were offered as recruitment potential and offerings to the Centers. Student achieved the outcomes of the course. The offerings have been dropped due to increased numbers of students in the department requiring major course work and no faculty to cover offering to general education. It is offered summers where programs are self-support and adjuncts can be employed. We have been successful with our DE offering at the Centers, TH 382 Ethnic Drama. The instruction is incredible as he delivers to two sites and alternates his deliver from each of the locations giving students first hand instruction and feedback on a regular basis. This will continue this academic year.
TH 382 Ethnic Drama
Winter 2008 Lynnwood (9) Des Moines (3)
Winter 2007 Lynnwood (8) Des Moines (5)
TH 375 Asian Drama
Summer 2008 Des Moines (3) Yakima (1)TH 107 Introduction to Theatre
Spring 2006 (11)
Spring 2007 (26)
TH 503 Survey of Theatre History and Literature
Spring 2006 (5)
Spring 2007 (6)
Spring 2008 (8)TH 107 Introduction to Theatre TH 503 Survey of Theatre History and Literature TH 420 Teaching Theatre K-12 TH 332 New Play Production Although not employing "Blackboard, content is deliver to students via the web in the following courses: TH 268 Lighting Technology TH 340 Introduction to Design TH 452 Fashion History TH 166 Theory of Play Production TH 266 Theatre Drafting TH 360 Stage Management TH 301,302, 303 Theatre Application TH 401,402, 403 Theatre Application TH 580 Scenic Methods UNIV101
Faculty have found web delivery very effective for history and theory courses and for handout material delivery. The department has chosen not to attempt activity courses on line. One DE course was recently delivered between the Westside Centers. The instructor chose to attend the satellite campuses in an alternation pattern to have hands-on with each classroom on alternate nights
One DE course was recently delivered between the Westside Centers. The instructor chose to attend the satellite campuses in an alternation pattern to have hands-on with each classroom on alternate nights. The syllabus as coordinated with the instructor on campus in order to deliver similar materials. Other than this example the department does not deliver courses DE or as Web only courses.
Faculty and teaching assistants are available to advise students during daily office hours or on a scheduled basis. In addition, the department sponsors an “advising week” the week before pre-registration each quarter. All faculty are available for scheduled advising appointments and all majors are required to meet with their advisors during this week. In addition, our faculty serves as advisors to our graduate students throughout the year. Several advising sessions are held during our summer institute for graduate students. Aside from the traditional advising sessions, our faculty members serve as mentors for many of our acting and design students. Many of our students are invited to work as designers in the Central Theatre Ensemble’s season of plays. Several faculty members mentor the students through the design process needed to stage these plays. Also, this mentoring extends to working with those chosen to compete in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival at both the regional and national levels as acting, design, playwriting or criticism award competition nominees. It is the goal of the Theatre Arts department to provide a mentor for each student involved in this regional and national competition.
Courses outside of the DTA are reviewed by the department chair and where necessary students are juried into appropriate placement, awarding the credit received as appropriate.
Campus photographers are invited to all productions in order to keep current photos available to university marketing departments. Specialized, personalized folders are send to all students inquiring about BA and MA prgrams. The department works closely with admission staff on college fair visits and Theatre specific open houses. Faculty visit 3-4 conferences each year presenting workshops and informational meetings about CWU. Web is updated weekly with upcoming events and activities such as hosted conferences, guest artists workshops, specialized courses and productions. A national marketing campaign is under way at the department level promoting our MA programs and Summer Musical Thearte Conservatory.
Students are reqularly referred to the Writing Center and SSS as appropriate.
United States Institute of Theatre Technology (international trade orgaization) student chapter hosted on campus and advised by a faculty member. They are active at the annual regional theatre conferences hosting events for peers.
Joe Wilbur, a senior theatre arts design/technology major was the first-place winner of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival sound design competition for his sound design for the Central Theatre Ensemble production of "Hard Times." The 2007 American College Theatre Festival, Region VII was held on the CWU campus Feb. 20-25. Wilbur will represent Central Washington University at the national festival held annually each April at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. This marks the sixth consecutive year that a student from the Department of Theatre Arts has been invited to compete at the national level. Wilbur is one of only eight students from the nation who will be invited to D.C. to compete nationally in the area of sound design. In the fall Sarah E Peterson will be attending the California Institute for the Arts as a Production Management candidate (culminating with MFA in Production Management) in the School of Theatre. They have offered a $13,000 scholarship. Sarah Peterson, junior theatre arts major with a double emphasis in design/technology and theatre management, was the first-place winner of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival sound design competition for her sound design for the Central Theatre Ensemble production of "The Foreigner." The 2006 Northwest Drama Conference/American College Theatre Festival, Region VII was held in Pasco, WA Feb. 21-25. Peterson will represent Central Washington University at the national festival held annually each April at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. This marks the fifth consecutive year that a student from the Department of Theatre Arts has been invited to compete at the national level. Peterson is one of only eight students from the nation who will be invited to D.C. to compete in the area of sound design. The form will not accept the information prepared. More can be seen at http://www.cwu.edu/~websolutions/cah/theatre.php
Few offerings are available to fill specific needs of theatre at university placement services. An annual alumni event is hosted in Southern California and resources for graduates are culivated. This activity is sponsored by the department.
The Theatre Arts Department has had a long and effective history of student organizations which continues and has grown recently to provide opportunities in areas of student interest. The Student Advisory Council (SAC) was established to give feedback to the faculty on matters in department organization, function and academic issues. It has shifted from time to time in is organization but regularly elects members from the department student population that reflects the various interests. Theatre Mayhem was established as an improvisation group which allows students to hone skills in improv. Students self-elect members through an audition process annually. Several public performances are held through the academic year as well as outreach to the local high school. The group participates regularly at regional festivals. Central Theatre Club (CTC) invites all CWU students with an interest in Theatre to participate in regular events such as visits to touring theatrical productions and region theatre venues. They are active in assisting theatre majors in career development activities such as securing photographers for head shots which are required for resumes and portfolios. United Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) specializes in activities for students with technical theatre interest. Established in 2004 the group is working to become the only chartered student club of the national trade organization in the Pacific Northwest. They are associated with the NW chapter of the national organization and attend two meetings annually with faculty and student peers from several colleges regionally for training activates and fellowship. The CWU USITT club hosts the annual “Tech Olympics” at the Northwest Drama Conference. Stage Combat Club was established as a result of faculty scholarship interests and student interest in stage combat. Students can audition for placement in this club after learning basic skills in the Stage Combat Fundaments course. The goal of the club is to allow additional training and scholarship opportunities as well as a recruitment arm of the department. The troupe has begun to hold performances and workshops for areas high schools and regional festivals and conferences.
With approximately ten full-time and an average of 2-3 part-time faculty members per quarter, plus six full- and part-time staff members, the Theatre Arts Department can be considered a small-to-medium sized unit, however, due to having essentially three programs operating at any given time [undergraduate, graduate, and production season], each with its own budget, its governance is somewhat more complex than normal. The department is considered under staffed by the faculty staff and recent program review primarily in support areas. No staffing plan exists in the department at this time. No ratios evaluations are used in the department at this time.
Faculty provides their expertise to KCACTF/NWDC and USITT as, respondents, judges, committee members, and regional selection team members. Faculty have presented papers and workshops at regional conferences, published articles and textbook reviews in regional and national publications, both electronic and print, and recently published a significant book in the field. A majority of the faculty have continued professional experiences in their fields at regional theatres. Recently faculty have been involved in teaching and scholarship opportunities nationally as well as internationally.
Department personnel committee is composed of three tenured faculty. Only tenured faculty may vote on questions of reappointment, tenure, promotion, and post-tenure review. However discussion with all faculty and staff is encouraged at review meetings. Candidates verbally summarize the review period and the faulty and staff offer feedback in response to the self-statement. The Personnel Committee then retires to further discussions and formats a recommendation to the Dean. Guidelines are currently under review by the department in consultation with the College.
Teaching hours remain slightly lower than university expected standard of 36 hours primarily due to increase involvement in the creative work and mentoring of students in scholarship activities within the production program. Scholarship and creative work is slightly higher than expected standard because of production work during the academic year as well as outside scholarship opportunities that are encouraged. Faculty members have sought to promote community by being good citizens of the university and providing service above and beyond classroom duties. Most faculty serve on at least one university committee and many serve on several. Department members have also been actively involved in establishing professional standards through work on a spectrum of issues relating to the Faculty Senate Code Committee. The department has sought to promote a civil, productive, and pleasant workplace environment by bringing in a specialist to consult with the faculty and staff on personal and organizational performance dynamics and leadership. Additionally, the department faculty and staff participate in quarterly retreats to discuss departmental vision. This balance is beneficial to the goals established by the department.
All members of the faculty distribute student evaluation (or SEOI) forms to their students at the end of every course. These are reviewed by the chairman quarterly and by the dean annually. Faculty-chair discussions are held if results warrant consultation. In conjunction with student evaluations, faculty annually assemble their course syllabi, reflective essays on their teaching goals, evidence of participation in conferences and workshops devoted to better teaching. They invite colleagues to observe them in the classroom, attend the quarterly Faculty Development Workshops, and discuss pedagogy on a daily basis over lunch.
Full-time Tenures and Tenure Track Faculty 63% FTE 10 Full-time Non-Tenure Track Faculty 13% FTE 2 Part-time Faculty 24% FTE 0.5 Ratio is very appropriate for our discipline. Faculty members have worked professionally at theatres throughout the country and continue to maintain personal and professional relationships with theatre artists nationwide. Recently, faculty has worked at Artists Repertory Theatre, (Portland, OR), and Idaho Repertory Theatre. All of our faculty belong to national theatre organizations and unions, including, but not limited to: Screen Actors Guild, Actors Equity Association, American Dramatists Guild, Association of Theatre in Higher Education, Voice and Speech Trainers Association, American Federation of Television & Radio Artists, and the United States Institute for Theatre Technology, as national and regional members, (two faculty are serving or have served as officers for the regional chapter). Our faculty are regular presenters and adjudicators at regional conferences and university productions throughout the region. The Theatre Arts Department has actively sought out recognition for the accomplishments of its faculty. One of our senior professors has been honored with the Phi Kappa Phi Distinguished Professor Award. Two members of the department have won the College of Arts and Humanities’ Excellence in Teaching Award. One of our faculty recently received the Horace Robinson Award for Service to Education Theatre from the Northwest Drama Conference. Several of our faculty and staff have also been awarded Certificates of Merit by the KCACTF for various artistic accomplishments. The department has produced plays written by our faculty, both as staged readings and as fully-mounted productions.
Data provided by Instructional Research and other appropriate offices.
The theatre program recognizes the resources in the library as integral to history and criticism classes, as well as a valuable resource for those in the areas of performance, design, and theatre education. Both undergraduate and graduate students alike utilize the library as a source of stimulation for undergraduate research projects and graduate thesis projects. The faculty works cooperatively with library personnel to help obtain theatre-related materials.
The library is a key component in the acquisition of primary source and supplemental materials. The Theatre Department’s faculty is committed to strengthening our relationship with the library staff people, whose commitment and dedication is laudable. The university library is a key component to the university’s success; we are committed to using extant library materials, using available funds to acquire new library materials, and taking advantage of Inter-library Loan services. The library materials and service have been readily accessible and adequate for the work of the department. As we move toward a research focused MA in the next few years, more resources will be needed in the research areas.
Michael J. Smith is the Theatre Liaison to the Library Advisory Board. Professors encourage students to use Inter-library Loan servicewith Inter-library loan Director Becky Smith, and encourage both undergraduates and graduates to do the same. Several upper-division courses and many graduate courses require a research paper of their students, necessitating the use of the campus library. Instructors assign Reserve Reading at the library for some courses. Media services lends DVD’s and videos appropriate to classroom instruction. Continue expansion and utilization of this collection is a priority for the theatre department. Professors and their students access the CWU collection on CATTRAX from PCs for historical research.
Requests of faculty for library acquisitions are directed to our department library liaison. Department liaison also circulates material supplied by the library and collects requests monthly Faculty send evaluation cards to Acquisitions to endorse the purchase of selected books, periodicals, and video support materials.
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With approximately seven full- and an average of 2-3 part-time faculty members per quarter, plus six full- and part-time staff members, the Theatre Arts Department can be considered a small-to-medium sized unit, however, due to having essentially three programs operating at any given time [undergraduate, graduate, and production season], each with its own budget, its governance is somewhat more complex than normal. The department chair oversees the daily operation of administration, budgeting, and scheduling the academic segment of the department as a whole and the undergraduate program specifically. A Director of Summer Institute oversees the daily operation of administration and scheduling the Master’s program and the Summer Institute assisted by the Graduate coordinator. An Artistic Director and a Production Manager oversee the daily operation of administration, budgeting, and scheduling Central Theatre Ensemble’s annual production season.
Faculty members are current members of the following University committees: Graduate Council Faculty Senate Student Services and Activities Fee Committee Student Judicial Committee Farrell Scholarship Committee Grievance Committee Governance in the Department is usually by a committee of the whole, however there are several standing committees: Executive Committee: Chaired by the department chair and consisting of all FTTT faculty. Responsible for all executive decisions regarding the department as a whole. Budget Committee: Chaired by the department chair, membership includes the AD, PM, all Shop Heads [staff] Personnel Committee: Chaired by a tenured faculty member, other than the department chair, committee membership consists of two other tenured faculty. Responsible for the review of non-tenure track faculty and recommending tenure-track and tenured faculty to the college dean for reappointment, tenure, post-tenure and promotion. Also guides the Merit process for the department.
Faculty have traditionally accepted service opportunities across the university community as part of their service load. Often the appointments are of limited commitment of time due to the demands of production within the department. Administration has been supportive of this adjustment.
Faculty and staff aggressively pursue both internal (CWU) and external (grant and revenue) funding opportunities each year. Internally the department has secured project funding from the President’s Office, Alumni Relations, CWU Foundation, Office of Admissions, Graduate Studies and Research, the office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, the BOD Services and Services and Activities Fee Committee, and the Office of the Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities. The department generates revenue annually through production ticket sales, and program ad sales. Though grant opportunities are somewhat slim in the arts, each year department faculty and staff pursues several grant opportunities. Department personnel have secured awards from the Len Thayer foundation, which provided $1,000 in supplemental funding for the first CTE season program; the Provost’s Technology Enhancement Grant, which provided for a plotter printer for use in design and a projection system for McConnell Auditorium; and an Academic Computing Grant, which provided for a technologically equipped classroom (McConnell 117). Recent department successful grant proposals including the Sterling Savings Bank Family Theatre Series (three years); and the reestablish S&A Committee funding. · Faculty/staff travel funding is currently inadequate and has been for some time. Response- An attempt has been made to address this problem, with limited success. · Central Theatre Ensemble production budget needs to be subsidized as an academic program. Response- An attempt has been made to address this, but adequate and consistent sources have yet to be located and secured.
The department is active in fund raising as a matter of its production requirements. The most obvious being ticket sales for productions which supports the production arm of the department, Central Theatre Ensemble. Other ventures include program advertisement sales both on-campus and off. Additionally the Department has received underwriting for the past four years from Sterling Savings Bank. This underwriting supports the Youth Tour and allows us to extend our outreach into more rural communities. Recently the Department has been the recipient of two endowments which have come as a result of fund raising efforts at the department and foundation levels.
The Theatre Arts Department and Central Theatre Ensemble operate in McConnell Hall, which includes: a 750-seat proscenium theatre (McConnell Auditorium); a 240- to 300-seat adaptable black box theatre (Milo Smith Tower Theatre); a 50-seat black box rehearsal and performance space (Studio 119); two lecture classrooms; scene, costume, lighting, and publicity shops; a puppet studio; a student workroom with computers dedicated to design projects; dressing rooms; a green room; a conference room and faculty and staff offices. Additionally set, properties, costume storage and classroom space are provided as needed by the University in adjacent sites on campus. Fueled by Health and Safety initiatives, the University funded a $2.1 million facility renovation of McConnell Hall, completed in September 2003, which focused primarily on safety and technology improvements for McConnell Auditorium and the shops. Among the improvements were: a new fly system, stage floor, electrics and lighting grids in the main auditorium; a sawdust collection system in the scene shop; and a new costume crafts area, including a dye facility and ventilation in the dressing, makeup and costume areas. Although the facilities are some of the finest in the State they are rapidly growing inadequate for the expanding number of majors.
Equipment upgrading needed to meet safety standards. Response- 1. McConnell Auditorium Safety and Classroom Renovation 2002-03 2. Purchased new shop and theatre equipment Challenges ·Limited class, office, lecture and rehearsal spaces. Response- McConnell renovation helped somewhat. Still need classroom, office, and rehearsal spaces. The Department is simple too large for the physical spaces allocated. ·Limited storage space. Response- Move to Old Heat is helpful. Still some needs here. The Department is simple too large for the physical spaces allocated.
Several courses in the department utilize Blackboard technologies. Other have developed websites which support material deliver and enhancement. Faculty and staff have included training at bi-monthly meetings to help integrate technology into materials deliver. The installation of a media center in our only traditional classroom has increased the integration of technologies through the department. Sound and lighting equipment is completely computer driven for both classroom and production laboratory. Technical areas rely heavily on CAD programs for drafting.
Faculty and staff are key players in facility planning. Regular semi-annual meetings are held to establish priority lists of needs. These lists include space needs, equipment needs as well as small tools and shop or classroom enhancements. This planning has been invaluable. As administration announces programs to fund special projects, department leaders can move quickly to develop requests with the needs lists well documented by faculty and staff.
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