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THE STATE
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY
OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234 |
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TO: |
Higher Education and Professional Practice Committee |
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FROM: |
Johanna Duncan-Poitier |
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SUBJECT: |
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DATE: |
January 30, 2006 |
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STRATEGIC
GOAL: |
Goal 2 |
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AUTHORIZATION(S): |
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SUMMARY
Issues for
Decision
Should the Board of Regents renew the institutional accreditation of the
New York Academy of Art?
Reason for
Consideration
Required by State regulation.
Proposed
Handling
The question will come before the Higher Education and Professional
Practice Committee at its February 2006 meeting, where it will be voted on and
action taken. It will then come
before the full Board at its February meeting for final
action.
Procedural
History
The New York Academy of Art has applied for renewal of its institutional
accreditation by the Board of Regents and the Commissioner of Education. Pursuant to Subpart 4-1 of the Rules of
the Board of Regents, it prepared a self-study and submitted it in October
2005. A peer review team visited
the Academy in November 2005. The
Department sent the draft report of the team visit to the Academy on December
29, 2005. The Academy responded to
it on January 13, 2006. The
Department sent the final compliance review report to the Academy and to the
Regents Advisory Council on Institutional Accreditation on January 17,
2006. At its January 27, 2006
meeting, the Advisory Council reviewed the application, including the
self-study, the compliance review report, and related materials, and addressed
questions to representatives of the Academy. It unanimously, with one abstention
because of possible conflict of interest, recommended that the Regents renew the
Academy’s accreditation for a period of six years ending in 2012, with reports
in its
midpoint self-study on specified topics related to assessment of its academic programs and initiatives undertaken to
strengthen the Academy based on this assessment.
Background
Information
The New York Academy of Art is an independent college offering the Master
of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degree program in Art. Students may specialize in painting,
sculpture or drawing. The 60-credit
program extends over 2 years (4 semesters) of
full-time study. The Academy has
been accredited since 1989. The most recent prior accreditation review took
place in 2002. The Academy reported
an enrollment of 109 students in its M.F.A. program in the fall of 2005. The faculty includes 6 full-time and 23
part-time faculty. The Academy is
judged to be in sound financial condition based on a review of the most
recent audit and additional information provided in the self-study for this
review. For fiscal year 2005, its
total operating expenditures were $3.3 million; it had a cash surplus of $76,000
that year.
Recommendation
It is recommended that the Board renew the institutional accreditation of
the New York Academy of Art until February 14, 2012, because the New York
Academy of Art has conducted a self-study in relation to the standards for
institutional accreditation, has undergone a visit by a peer review team that
evaluated it against the standards, and has been found to be in substantial
compliance with the standards by the peer review team, the Department, the
Regents Advisory Council on Institutional Accreditation, and the Commissioner of
Education.
Timetable for
Implementation
If the Board renews the Academy’s accreditation, the action will be
effective immediately. On that
basis, the Department will re-register its program of study pursuant to Part 52
of the Commissioner’s Regulations.
As an accredited institution, the Academy must submit annual reports and
a self-study at the mid-point of its period of accreditation; these will provide
information on the ongoing condition of the institution and on any significant
changes related to the accreditation standards.
Information in Support of
Recommendation
I.
Institutional Information.
The New York Academy
of Art is an independent college offering the Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)
degree program in Art. Students may
specialize in painting, sculpture or drawing. The 60-
credit program extends over 2 years (4 semesters) of full-time study. The Academy was granted a charter in
1989 and has been accredited by the Regents continuously since then. The most recent prior accreditation
review took place in 2002. The
Academy was originally chartered as the Graduate School of Figurative Art of the
New York Academy of Art but shortened its name several years ago. The Academy reported an enrollment of
109 students in its M.F.A. program in the fall of 2005. The Academy’s graduation rate
consistently has been about 90 percent.
The faculty includes 6 full-time and 23
part-time faculty. The Academy is
judged to be in sound financial condition based on a review of the most
recent audit and additional information provided in the self-study for this
review.
II.
Peer Review Visit.
In preparation for a
visit by a peer review team, the New York Academy of Art prepared a self-study
following the requirements in the Handbook of Institutional Accreditation. On November 29-30, 2005, a peer review
team comprised of faculty and administrators from
The team prepared a draft compliance review report of its findings and
recommendations. The team made 15
recommendations, some relating to recordkeeping matters and some relating to the
implementation of self-assessment of mission, curriculum and services. Most of this latter group related to
examination of the role of the professional artist in contemporary social
space. The team’s recommendations
did not rise to a level that affected the Academy’s substantial compliance with
the standards for accreditation by the Commissioner and the Regents. The team recommended that the Academy’s
accreditation be renewed for a period of six years, with inclusion of reports on
specified matters in annual reports and in the mid-point self-study. The Department transmitted the team’s
draft compliance report to the Academy for correction of factual errors and
provision of pertinent clarifications and updates. In its response, the Academy accepted
the recommendations in the draft report.
The draft report, the Academy’s response, and the Department’s
preliminary recommendation on accreditation action became the final compliance
review report.
III.
Regents Advisory Council Review.
As required by
Subpart 4-1 of the Regents Rules, the Department transmitted the final
compliance review report, including its preliminary recommendation on
accreditation action, for consideration by the Regents Advisory Council on
Institutional Accreditation. (The
Advisory Council is established in §3.12(c) of the Rules of the Board of
Regents, “to review applications for accreditation and renewal of accreditation
pursuant to Part 4 of this Title, and such other matters as the Department may
ask it to review, and make recommendations to the Regents and the Commissioner
based on its review.”)
Department’s Preliminary Recommendation:
Renew accreditation for a period of six
years, ending in 2012, with inclusion of reports on specified topics in the
Academy’s mid-point self-study. The
topics of reports, which were cited under
On January 27, 2006, the Advisory Council
met to review the Academy’s application and to make a recommendation to the
Board of Regents on its accreditation.
In a public meeting, the Advisory Council heard presentations by the
staff coordinator of the site visit representing the review team, and the
Executive Director and Academic Dean of the Academy. Following these presentations, comments
by the two principal Advisory Council readers of this application, and
additional questioning by Advisory Council members and Department staff, the
Advisory Council made the following recommendation to the Board of Regents on
accreditation action:
Regents Advisory Council Recommendation.
Renew accreditation for a period of six
years, ending in 2012, with inclusion of reports on specified topics in the
Academy’s mid-point self-study. The
topics are stated in Recommendations 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 in the
final report.
Attachment A is the final compliance review report considered by the
Advisory Council, including the Summary and Preliminary Recommendation on
Accreditation Action, the draft report, and the Academy’s response.
IV.
Commissioner’s Recommendation.
The Academy did not appeal the Advisory Council’s recommendation. Therefore, pursuant to Subpart 4-1 of
the Regents Rules, the Commissioner adopted the Advisory Council’s
recommendation as his recommendation to the Board of Regents.
Commissioner’s
Recommendation. Renew accreditation for a period of six
years, ending in 2012, with inclusion of reports on specified topics in the
Academy’s mid-point self-study. The
topics are stated in Recommendations 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 in the
final report.
Attachment B sets forth the range of
accreditation actions authorized by Subpart 4-1 of the Rules of the Board of
Regents.