Increase Recruitment Of Exceptionally Well-Qualified Students
Through targeted recruitment of students from fine arts high schools and studios identified as providing high quality training, we will increase enrollment of very well prepared and talented students. Without increasing total enrollment in the BFA program, we will continue to raise the bar on admission standards.
Objective
Faculty Will Actively Recruit Students
Faculty will pursue opportunities to teach master classes and create choreography at identified high schools and studios. They will also follow up by contacting, through email and phone calls, students we wish to recruit.
KPI
Increased Enrollment By Students From Fine Arts High Schools And/or Identified Studios
Audition forms indicate students' high school and dance training. In the fall 2014 semester, we will review the records of those students enrolled and determine how many are from the targeted schools. Over the last decade, we have successfully recruited only 1-2 students from these "elite" schools each year. In 2012, only 6 of 85 undergraduate students came from the targeted programs. An increase of 50% for fall 2014 would indicate effectiveness of our focused recruitment.
Result
Increased Enrollment Of Highly Qualified Students
Our strategy was not successful. Few students from the targeted schools auditioned, and only one of them enrolled in our department, even though we offered several scholarships.
Action
Diversify Recruitment Efforts
Although we did not recruit from HSPVA and BTW as successfully as anticipated, the department did connect with other schools we had not specifically targeted. Considering our limited scholarship resources, we are reconsidering factors that define a realistic target population while still reaching students at an "elite" level. Faculty, current students and recent graduates are recruiting through teaching at summer intensives, guest artist residencies, and master classes; they are presenting their choreography and perfoming in professional companies, where the artist biographies in the program indicate they are students/graduates, faculty from SHSU Dance. We will continue to diversify our recruitment, tied in to maintaining a public profile in the dance community.
Objective
Develop Camp For High School Students
Offer a two-week summer intensive camp for students aged 13-18. Students will study with SHSU dance faculty while experiencing the college atmosphere. Undergraduate and graduate SHSU dance majors will be chaperones and rehearsal directors. The workshop will culminate with a fully produced concert in our dance theater. The camp will create the kind of personal connections we have found most important in successful recruitment.
KPI
Students Subsequently Audition For The BFA In Dance At SHSU
High school students attending our summer camp will have increased interest in our BFA program. We will track the number of camp attendees who audition.
Result
Track Admission Interest Through Audition Registrations
Students auditioning for the BFA program complete an on-line form with general information needed by the department. We already have an item that asks the student how they learned about our department. We will add an option to select "SHSU summer dance camp intensive". Since our next audition will be in November, we have no data at this time.
Action
Promote The Summer Dance Intensive
We will advertise the summer dance camp in Dance Magazine's summer study issue as well as send information to dance studios in Texas. We have already encouraged the 16 students who attended this summer to spread the word.
Goal
Promote Regional, National And International Creative Activities For Faculty And Students In The Department
The Department will continue to encourage and support the creative projects of faculty and students in reputable venues, whether those be in the local community, in the region, on the national level, and internationally.
Objective
Support Logistics Of Travel For Faculty And Students
Dance faculty frequently create choreography using students of the department for part or all of the cast. Travel expenses are thus incurred not only for the faculty but for the students as well. We have supported faculty and students to present their work in New York, Dallas, Houston, and Washington, D.C., among other cities. The department is committed to securing funds to support such endeavors.
KPI
Fund Faculty Research
Faculty submit their research plans for the academic year. The department establishes budgets for on-campus production expenses, and estimates expenses to be incurred for travel. All faculty and graduate students are eligible for funding, depending on the projects proposed and the financial resources available.
Result
Faculty Received Financial Support
In 2014-15, all members of the dance faculty who created work for our students on campus were supported through a budget for costumes and associated theatrical expenses. The department also supported faculty and student travel for two projects in New York, and for participation in our region's dance conference held this year in Lubbock, Texas. Additionally, arrangements were made to excuse students from classes and guest teachers were paid to cover for faculty travel.
Action
Continue To Prioritize Funding Of Faculty Research
Choreography requires a cast of dancers, from as few as one to a potential cast of more than 30. With budgetary considerations, faculty may need to restrict the scope of work they submit for presentation to works limited to four or five dancers. The department has certainly selected choreography to support based on the number of people who would have to be funded. Choices have been made as well based on the status of a performer and/or choreographer, since graduate studies will support the research of graduate students. We will review the budget and fund raising options in order to increase available funds for faculty research.