Chapter 1. Program Mission and Objectives

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1 Chapter 1 Program Mission and Objectives

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3 1.0 PROGRAM MISSION & OBJECTIVES Standard: The program shall have a clearly defined mission supported by education objectives appropriate to the profession of landscape architecture and shall demonstrate progress towards their attainment. 1.1 PROGRAM MISSION AND OBJECTIVES State mission and objectives specific to the program being reviewed. Identify what students must know and be able to do upon graduation. The Landscape Architecture program offers first-professional and advanced professional graduate degree courses leading to the Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) degree. The first-professional degree program requires a six-semester sequence of course work totaling 90 semester hours. Students who have a professional degree in landscape architecture or related discipline qualify for the advanced professional degree program and may only need to take a minimum of 48 semester hours. Advanced standing is determined on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with prior academic accomplishments. Program Mission The Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) program examines relationships between the landscape, people and culture, and promotes integrated responses to the design challenges presented through this inquiry. In developing design responses, students not only acknowledge the current practice of landscape architecture, they question, invent, create, test, and advance their knowledge to engage the profession and address new challenges. The goal of this program is superior education, scholarly research, and meaningful service in the discipline and practice of landscape architecture in a rapidly evolving global context. The program s laboratories are diverse. The local laboratory, found in the urban, suburban, rural and wilderness landscapes mainly associated with the Mountain, Front Range, High Prairie and Western Slope regions of Colorado is partnered with site based laboratories in urban and rural centers outside of the state. Both contexts present diverse cultural and environmental situations and opportunities in which to shape regionally responsive landscape design and planning. Imperatives within the public and private realms of these landscapes fuel the academic and research agenda. The knowledge and experience derived in these settings apply globally to multiple scales and cultures. Sample topics include explorations of: Planning and design leading to the making of healthy, sustainable cities and regenerative communities. Challenges associated with urban and suburban growth and development. The role and production of civic infrastructure. The use and conservation of land and water resources. Reclamation and reinvention of disturbed or marginalized sites and communities. The preservation of historic landscapes and their role in cultural identity. The recognition of cultural values of the region and their expression in built form. Within this context, UC Denver s Department of Landscape Architecture links theory with practice, history with change, technology with invention, and designers with their constituents. 1

4 Program Objectives The Department has developed four broad program objectives in support of our mission. These objectives describe what students should know and be able to do by the time they graduate, and are linked to a series of measurable student learning outcomes. A detailed list of student learning outcomes and methods of assessment are included in Section 3.4 Assessment of Program Effectiveness. The four specific educational objectives of the Landscape Architecture master s program are as follows: Design: Students will be able to formulate questions and arguments about landscape and its role as a significant cultural medium, and determine processes and practices that lead to transformative actions based on ethical, communicative and content knowledge criteria. Communication and Representation: Students will be able to speak, write, create and employ appropriate representational media to effectively convey ideas on subject matter contained in the professional curriculum to a variety of audiences. Professional Ethics: Students will be able to critically evaluate local and global ramifications of social issues, diverse cultures, economic and ecological systems, and professional practice as guiding principles for design thinking and implementation. Content Knowledge: Students will be able to develop a critical understanding, and application, of the histories, theories and practices of landscape architecture and its role in reflecting and shaping culture and environments. The objectives of the Program are consistent with the vision of the University and College and are achievable with the curriculum, faculty and resources of the Department. 1.2 RELATIONSHIP OF PROGRAM TO INSTITUTION Explain how the program s academic mission, goals and objectives, and long range plans related to the institution s mission, strengths and character. If applicable, include school or college mission as well. The Department of Landscape Architecture s strategic planning activities develop within the context and under the aegis of the organizations comprising its institutional setting. That setting includes: The University of Colorado System, the University of Colorado Denver, and the College of Architecture and Planning. The most recent and broad institutional planning statements that directly impact the Program s mission and objectives are documented in the University Strategic Plan approved in March University of Colorado Denver University Strategic Plan This strategic plan launches the newly consolidated University with the intention of building a new institution for the 21 st century. The mission declares the purpose. The vision expresses the direction. The values assert the behaviors. Taken together, they provide a road map to the desired destination. Mission: UC Denver is a diverse teaching and learning community that creates, discovers and applies knowledge to improve the health and well-being of Colorado and the world. Vision: By 2020, UC Denver will be a leading public university with a global reputation for excellence in learning, research and creativity, community engagement and clinical care. Values: To be a university greater than the sum of its parts, UC Denver embraces excellence in: Learning and Scholarship: UC Denver respects academic freedom and the rigorous quest for knowledge and understanding. We share knowledge and foster student success 2

5 through a continuous process of inquiry, critical thinking, reflection, collaboration and application. Discovery and Innovation: UC Denver fosters an energetic, collaborative and creative environment where we develop and employ new ideas and technologies. Our entrepreneurial culture enables us to expand the frontiers of knowledge and human experience. Health and Care of Mind, Body and Community: UC Denver enriches the well-being and sustainability of communities and our cultural, living and natural environments. We promote healthy lifestyles, prevent, diagnose and treat disease and deliver high-quality and compassionate health care. Diversity, Respect and Inclusiveness: UC Denver seeks the richness that an increasing diversity of our communities brings to our learning, research and service endeavors. Our common humanity leads us to create an inclusive and respectful ethos characterized by caring, empathy, compassion, nurturing, collegiality and mentoring. Citizenship and Leadership: UC Denver serves Colorado and the world as a recognized source of talent, knowledge, informed judgment, exemplary health care and professional practice. We are responsible stewards of the resources entrusted to us and utilize them with integrity for the betterment of our community. College of Architecture and Planning - A Vision of Integrative Design To help students prepare for an engaging, productive career in the design and planning professions, the College of Architecture and Planning has developed a bold vision called Integrative Design. This vision directs the college to: Engage design and planning challenges that are significant for our society. We are not an ivory tower. Learning experiences address real issues facing designers and planners, as they create healthier, more sustainable, more meaningful environments for the 21 st century. In recent years, among many other socially important projects, our students have: designed alternatives to suburbia; built award-winning solar-powered homes; written new codes to encourage livelier, safer cities; discovered ecological design principles in Colorado ranches; proposed ways for neighborhoods to recover from natural disasters; and invented new ideas for affordable housing. Engage these challenges in partnerships among the disciplines and with our external communities. No one discipline can address these issues alone. Architects, landscape architects, planners, urban designers and developers must work together to create holistic, healthy, sustainable environments. In our college, students have opportunities to: Participate in multi-disciplinary teams, modeling the practices of today s successful design and planning firms. Interact with outstanding practicing designers and planners in the Denver metro area through internships, mentorships, design juries, lectures and student professional organizations. Alignment of the Department with the University and College Missions The Department s mission, goals and objectives are valid within the field of landscape architecture, while also being closely aligned with the University and College missions. Not only are the core values of the University and College reflected in the Department mission, but the Department is actively engaged in bringing these visions into realization in the following ways: 3

6 Department and student engagement in campus-wide initiatives regarding research. Department and faculty engagement with the campus-wide outcomes and assessment initiative at both the program and individual course levels. Civic engagement with communities via studio projects such as Learning Landscapes and New Orleans Lower Ninth Ward. College participation in the campus-wide initiative for Campus Sustainability. Increasing diversity among Department faculty and students. 1.3 PROGRESS TOWARDS ATTAINMENT Explain how the program collects information about student learning and how it uses this and other resources to make progress towards attaining program goals. Explain how the program assesses itself and works to attain the goals set forth in its mission and objectives. A strong and viable program should consistently evaluate its performance at all levels. A positive characteristic of this Program is that there is open communication between faculty and students, with links to the professional and academic contexts in which we reside. By keeping these lines of communication open, objective analysis and evaluation occurs which leads to positive change. The Program gathers information and maintains lines of communication in the following ways: Departmental meetings: The faculty members of the Department meet regularly throughout the academic year. Periodically, they discuss courses and curriculum with specific emphasis given to outcome assessment. Questions about whether students learn what we intend them to learn are asked and discussed at these times. Student input in the form of criticisms and ideas for improvement are solicited and welcomed. The faculty discuss strategies for improving course content, delivery, sequence, methods, applications and examples with the goal of developing and implementing strategies for program improvement. Such modifications are implemented annually or as appropriate. Student and program performance evaluation: The faculty are committed to developing and implementing efficient and effective processes of assessment and evaluation to advance student learning, teaching effectiveness and program quality. The commitment to this process requires the identification and development of key program-level assessments and methods for evaluating student performance. (Refer to the Section 3.4 Assessment of Program Effectiveness for a complete description of these processes.) As a part of this process each spring, the Department faculty members meet to discuss the results of these assessments and other forms of indirect measurement. The results of the assessments are used to help guide the evolution of the curriculum and to develop a plan of action for the year ahead. The assessment results and plan of action are then documented and submitted to the University as the Annual Program Assessment Results Report. (Refer to Appendix10.6 for a copy of the most recent report.) Landscape Architecture Advisory Board: The Landscape Architecture Advisory Board, made up of professionals and practitioners, receives and reviews information about the Program s curriculum and specific courses. During both formal and informal meetings Board members offer their criticism and recommendations directed at enhancing the overall delivery of the Program and performance of the students. Colorado Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects: Each year the Colorado Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (CCASLA) is invited to the College to select ASLA Merit and Honor Award recipients. The faculty identify a field of eligible candidates who present their work to the 4

7 CCASLA committee. While these students are obviously considered the best and brightest of the group, their work is nonetheless reviewed critically. Comments concerning the quality of the work are transmitted to the faculty and the awards place our students into the national field of recipients. In addition, the CCASLA Student Education Coordinator and the Department communicate about events and opportunities, such as lectures, workshops and education programs. Students and faculty representatives attend CCASLA meetings, and the student chapter receives financial support from the local chapter for identified events such as lectures and receptions. Finally, the Department receives enough copies of the CCASLA newsletter to distribute one to each student and faculty member. Accreditation: The LAAB accreditation process itself helps the Program s faculty and students evaluate and improve the quality and merit of their work. In addition, the University level accreditation asks for selfreflective program refinement and development. 1.4 PLANS FOR IMPROVEMENT Discuss long-range goals in terms of the next five to ten years. This should be followed by or contain an action plan or some other means of communicating how the program intends to meet these goals. These goals and plans should respond to and grow from: the program s ongoing self-evaluation and review as synopsized in the preceding sections, program and institution mission and objectives, and accreditation standards. Highlight anticipated changes in the program s resources, mission and objectives. How was the long-range plan developed? Long-range planning is an ongoing activity undertaken by the faculty as a whole, by task-focused committees, with student representatives, and through dialog with the College and University administration. After the University of Colorado at Denver officially merged with the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, it initiated a strategic planning process. The process began in spring 2007 with the intent of building a new university for the 21 st century. As a model for what public universities will look like in this new century, the plan is comprehensive in scope, innovative at heart and entrepreneurial in spirit. The process was inclusive, and the Department and College were active participants in committees, task forces and dialogues. The Strategic Plan was approved by the Board of Regents in a two-stage process in January and March (Refer to Appendix 10.1 for a link to the University of Colorado Strategic Plan.) The overriding force directing the Department is a need to provide a quality education for our students. These goals, prioritized according to the time frame for desired attainment, are an outgrowth of the program s and institution s missions and goals and respond to the program s continual self-evaluation and a commitment to fully meet or exceed the LAAB s accreditation standards. Short-term goals have a desired 2-3 year implementation framework, medium-term refers to a 3-5 year framework and long-term goals a 5-10 year framework. The goals are organized into eight action areas. The current Department mission statement is valid in response to the professional standards and the current College mission, and fits in well with the University s strategic plan. However, we acknowledge that one of our immediate goals for improvement is to update our mission, as noted below. This exercise is timely and important for a number of reasons. First, with a new Department Chair, the Department is poised to look forward and to identify goals and a direction for the future. This fall the College initiated a strategic planning process to update the College vision and mission in response to the newly minted University of Colorado Denver Strategic Plan. The College s four Research Centers are now operative and it is an opportune time to consider how to better integrate with them and make more direct ties to them. Finally, this is an important juncture in the profession, with strong movements for a shift in the paradigm of practice; we want to identify our potential to engage and affect that change. 5

8 Program Mission Goal: Update the Department mission to strengthen its relationship to new institutional visions and evolving professional directions. Revise mission statement through departmental collective process. Simultaneously participate in the College s Strategic Plan process. Identify and make any necessary changes in curriculum to support and accomplish objectives tied to the updated mission. Launch a multi-media campaign to share the new/updated vision. Curriculum Development Goal: Ensure that the Landscape Architecture Department curriculum reflects our stated vision and values and educates students in contemporary landscape architecture practice. Refine the sequence and objectives for the curriculum in the 3-semester core, stressing the integrative nature of the courses. Develop curriculum in support of the global education initiative. Strategize about studio content and electives offered to develop a more consistent fit with our evolving mission and to enhance diversity. Cross-list more LA courses with other departments to enhance integrated learning and selection diversity. Consider capstone exit portfolio as a means for faculty and students to participate in self-reflective and summative assessments of educational mission and goals. Student Recruitment and Support/Student Services Goal: Recruit high quality students and provide the support services necessary to help them succeed. Strengthen advising and channels of communication for mentorship, and information delivery regarding courses, and educational and professional opportunities. 6

9 Work within the Boulder ENVD program to identify students to pursue the 4:2 track into the Masters program. Make use of the Dean s current funding which supports scholarships for this direct feed. Continue to develop a permanent basis of financial support for students enrolled in the MLA program, including teaching and research assistant positions. Increase the applicant pool and enrollment numbers. Develop diversity recruitment plan and recruit a diverse and inclusive student body. Fully funded and endowed scholarships supporting international education within the global initiatives framework. Faculty Development Goal: Maximize opportunities for faculty member s professional development. Faculty will submit and discuss with the Chair their individual Professional Development Plans ; Chair to work on faculty mentoring and continue the regular feedback cycle for faculty s annual evaluations. Maintain, and judiciously use, the funding for faculty travel and development. Seek outside funding. Seek additional support for departmental service obligations. Chair to work with faculty to ensure retention and promotion. Establish clinical faculty line and evaluative criteria. Acquire new tenuretrack faculty line; mount national search and hire faculty. Program Image and Identity Goal: Increase awareness and stature of the Department inside and outside of Colorado. Send alumni, local CCALSA professionals and other relevant parties copies of R O O T with letter from the Chair. Regular feeds of faculty, student and alumni achievements to the Integrated University Communications Office. Steadily increase publications and competition entry records and awards for faculty and students. Celebrate these successes. 7

10 Institutional Development Goal: Expand resources available to the Department through grant and donor programs. Finalize the global initiative MOU for the exchange/dual degree with Tongji University, Landscape Studies. Expand departmental resources through overall budgetary allotments. Expand faculty resources through key alliances with Research Centers and targeted faculty grants. Work with the Dean and the CU Foundation to target funds for landscape initiatives. Expand the scope and strength of the global initiatives. Seek international visiting scholars to teach and share research (Fulbright one option). Endowed Visiting Professor position, to be used in rotation. Endowed Landscape Architecture annual lecture. Professional and Community Engagement Goal: Provide opportunities for faculty and students to work with practicing professionals and community members. Assign Faculty Advisor to student chapter of CCASLA and a faculty representative to attend regularly scheduled CCALSA meetings and report back to the Department. Promote AmeriCorps opportunities. Identify future opportunities and find financial support for departmental studios that work in communities. Maintain mentorship and internship programs, but refine their operations and expand the databases to include more national firms. Create one stable link to an international office for internships. 8

11 Department Organizational Development / Effectiveness Goal: Improve the effectiveness of departmental business processes and procedures. New Chair getting up to speed; communication and transparency. Clarify departmental procedures, and faculty and staff responsibilities. Ongoing assessment and outcomes annual reports. Strengthen alumni tracking and communications. Spatial allocation in new facility; Chair participates on Dean s Building Committee. 1.5 PROGRAM DISCLOSURE Indicate how the program literature (electronic, hard copy, etc.) fully and accurately describes the program s mission, philosophy, objectives, compliance with equal opportunity requirements and accreditation status. Briefly explain how program information is distributed. Information describing the Program s mission, philosophy, objectives, compliance with equal opportunity requirements and accreditation standards is published annually in the University of Colorado Denver Catalog and on the College of Architecture and Planning web page. The College and Department web pages have been continually developed and updated in the last three years. The SER reflects statements modified during the last year; it is correct on the web site but is in the process of being updated in the University s catalog. Information about the Program is disseminated through several channels at the University, College and Department levels. University level: Information is disseminated via the official University of Colorado catalog and University web site, as well as University-wide communications such as Network, the University news web site published and maintained by the Office of Integrated University Communications. The primary University web site provides direct links to information about both the College and the Department of Landscape Architecture. College level: Information about the Program is disseminated at all full College meetings of the faculty and students that are conducted by the Dean each semester. In addition, there are weekly College communiqués coming from the Dean s office that announce faculty and student achievements, college news, local events and other information linking the College to the community at large. Information regarding the specifics of admissions, advising, and student affairs, as delivered by the Office of Student Services, is also disseminated at the College level. This office prepares materials for new student orientation, continuing students and post-professional students. The college has recently added venues for conveying similar materials and information to new faculty, including adjuncts. 9

12 Department level: The Chair of the Department has departmental meetings with students to cover information about the forthcoming course line-up, general advising, faculty assignments and achievements, course materials, and department events, as well as garner feedback from the student community. The Department Chair advises students individually upon their commencement of the program of study and typically on an annual basis. Faculty also advise and mentor students on an individual basis. The Chair and Associate Chair meet regularly with the student ASLA chapter officers and speak at functions sponsored by the group. The Chair maintains a Landscape Architecture Advisory Board composed of members of the professional landscape architectural community, their clients, alumni and students. This group meets regularly to discuss issues of concern to the professional and educational constituents and provides a vital venue for dissemination of information and discourse about numerous aspects of the Department. The Department supports a new student journal, R O O T, which celebrates the academic and multiple aspects of design for the professional and academic communities in landscape architecture. The inaugural issue will be distributed to alumni this fall and publication is slated to continue for the foreseeable future. This Self-Evaluation Report will be publically published on the College and Department web sites. 10