THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

 

TO:

Higher Education and Professional Practice Committee

FROM:

Johanna Duncan-Poitier

 

SUBJECT:

New York Academy of Art:  Renewal of Institutional Accreditation

 

DATE:

January 30, 2006

 

STRATEGIC GOAL:

Goal 2

AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

 

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 New York University, the Frick Collection, Christie’s Connoisseurship Program, and St. Joseph’s College (N.Y.) visited the Academy.  It reviewed the self-study; interviewed faculty members, administrators, and students; reviewed documents and other information available on campus; and reviewed facilities, equipment and academic resources.

 

          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 Mission, Assessment of Student Achievement, Curriculum, Faculty, Library, Fiscal Capacity, Administration, and Advisement, revolved around the curriculum and services in the context of the place of the professional artist in the contemporary art world.

 

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.