Berklee2005: Build On Our Strengths 1.1

1.1 Continue to provide the finest educational experience

Continue to provide the finest educational experience in the world for students of contemporary music, taught by the finest faculty, by providing more interdisciplinary learning experiences, expanding our learning resources, broadening creative use of technology as an educational tool, and building the skills and capabilities of our faculty.

(progress as of August 2004, August 2003, August 2002, August 2001)

Progress as of August 2005
Prior to the 2004–2005 year, progress on this initiative consisted of identifying four long-term goals. These were:

Advise on the use of technology as a learning tool and as a major course of study. Beginning in Fall 2003, the Student Computer Initiative was introduced. All entering students are now required to purchase the Berklee Laptop Package (laptop computer, MIDI keyboard, and software) through the college’s Berklee Laptop Purchase Program (BLPP). Major Bundles have been identified for students in each of the five tech-heavy majors—contemporary writing and production, film scoring, music production and engineering, music synthesis, and songwriting. Each Major Bundle is tailored to support the curriculum of the major, enhance exposure of Berklee students to professional technologies, and elevate the preparation of students for entry in the music industry. Future discussions will need to identify explicit and implicit ways in which this initiative affects the college’s curriculum, teaching methods, and resources dedicated to more departmentally focused faculty training and development programs.
Advise on the reshaping of the professional development program for faculty. Progress on this initiative has been documented in prior reports. The funding for professional development for faculty doubled in 2004.
Coordinate and reconcile policies and procedures between Academic Affairs and Student Affairs to ensure educational effectiveness and maximize student satisfaction. The then assistant vice president for academic affairs was the designated liaison to Student Affairs from Academic Affairs and participated in numerous standing and ad hoc committees. Selected collaborative achievements encompassed:
- Development and implementation of web-based course registration by students.
- Electronic submission of grades by faculty.
- Crafting the catalog year assignment policy.
- Crafting of academic dishonesty policy, procedure, sanctions, and student rights.
- Ramifications and implementation process of new federal regulation regarding the attendance policy for F-1 international students (i.e., international students may not be part-time except in their final semester).
- Regular review and discussion of new courses, course changes, grid changes, and policy changes for the following semester with the Office of the Registrar and Counseling Center personnel.
- Revision of the curriculum proposal submission process to once per year.
- Preparation of What’s New for Registration manual and distribution to various Student Affairs offices.
- Preparation for initiation of Music Therapy Equivalency Certificate Program.
Determine what the true and enduring strengths of Berklee College of Music are so that we may be better prepared to build on these strengths.

Following the 2003 NEASC accreditation process, the goals of this initiative were revised and adapted from the NEASC’s Fall 2003 reaccreditation letter to the college. One goal was adapted: understanding and planning an appropriate response to the five recommendations of the NEASC report.

Developing a long-term enrollment strategy. The President’s Enrollment Planning Group (PEPG) has met during 2003–2005 to identify priority admissions criteria. The Office of Admissions announced plans to screen (i.e., interview/audition) all applicants more rigorously for candidates for admission in Fall 2006.

Developing and implementing program review. A common format was adapted and a prototype review process was undertaken with department chairs writing reviews and submitting them to the deans during Summer 2005. The 2005–2006 academic year will be dedicated to refining the format and process for program review.

Review and assessment of the general education program. The name of the General Education Department has been changed to the Liberal Arts Department. A senior-level Africana Studies position was established and a nationally reputed scholar hired.

Assuring the quality of advising. The Office of Student Affairs had been meeting for two years to create scenarios for more effective advising of applicants, first-semester students, students entering majors, and students preparing to graduate.

Increasing the diversity of the faculty and student body. Directed hiring policies over several years resulted in greater percentages of female and African-descent faculty and staff hires. Admissions efforts resulted in a steadily rising rate of female student enrollment and a dramatic increase in African-descent enrollment is expected in Fall 2005.

Progress as of August 2004
In March 2003 Berklee was visited by the re-accreditation team from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). The visit resulted in an overall positive review of the accomplishments of the college. In their October 2003 notification of re-accreditation, NEASC included a list of suggestions and concerns for the college to address in its 5th Year Interim Report of 2008. There are five areas of concern:

Developing a long-term enrollment strategy.
Developing and implementing program review.
Review and assessment of the general education program.
Assuring the quality of advising.
Increasing the diversity of the faculty and student body.

The Leadership Oversight Group for Educational Excellence established one goal for the academic year 2003-04: understanding and planning an appropriate response to the suggestions of the NEASC report. The group recommended a point of lead responsibility for each of these areas, as follows:

Developing a long-term enrollment strategy. The responsibility for addressing this topic was assigned to the President's Enrollment Planning Group (PEPG). This group meets monthly to discuss all related topics and formulate both short-term and long-term strategies to address the various issues within this topic.
Developing and implementing program review. The Leadership Oversight Group for Educational Excellence will initiate the discussion on this topic. The Council of Chairs, the Academic Leadership Team, and the department chairs and assistant chairs of major concentrates will be the initial focus groups involved in the discussion.
Review and assessment of the general education program. The responsibility for this topic is assigned to the Academic Leadership Team consisting of the four deans, the assistant vice president for academic affairs, the associate provost, and the provost. The dean of the Professional Education Division and the chair of the General Education Department will have specific leadership responsibility within this charge.
Assuring the quality of advising. The Student Satisfaction Committee has initial responsibility for reviewing the concerns and issues raised by students in the recent Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (.pdf - 18M). That committee will make recommendations to the Leadership Oversight Group for Educational Excellence, which will discuss the recommendations, revise as necessary, and continue discussions on this topic with the Council of Chairs and the Academic Leadership Team to provide broader academic perspective. All recommendations will then return to the Educational Excellence Leadership Oversight Group for further discussion and formulation of an action plan.
Increasing the diversity of the faculty and student body. The Leadership Oversight Group for Diversity, under the direction of the president, will continue to coordinate the efforts of the five task forces currently working on this initiative.

The NEASC recommendations provided the basis for study and discussion at meetings of the Trustees Educational Affairs Committee throughout the year. In this way, trustee opinions were shared with administrative leadership of the college on these critical areas. The Leadership Oversight Group will continue to monitor progress on these emphasis areas in the coming year.

Connected offices include Administration/Finance, as liaison to the Trustees Financial Affairs Committee for fiscal oversight of various projects; Information Technology, for aspects and nature of usage of technology in teaching, learning, and technology-centered programs; Institutional Advancement, for educational program initiatives for alumni; Student Affairs, for providing student feedback to developments in curriculum, teaching, and learning implementations.

Closely related initiatives include Improve Student Satisfaction, Advance Professional Development, and Improve Environment for Women and Minorities.

Educational Excellence Leadership Oversight Group
Harry Chalmiers Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs, Chair/Cabinet Liaison
Neil Curtin Trustee Emeritus
Mike Dreese Trustee Emeritus
Watson Reid Trustee
Lawrence E. Bethune Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Students
Stephen Croes Dean, Music Technology Division
S. Jay Kennedy Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs
Matt Marvuglio Dean, Performance Division
David S. Mash Vice President for Information Technology
Lawrence McClellan Dean, Professional Education Division
Stephany Tiernan Chair, Piano Department
Karen Zorn Associate Provost

Task Force: Academic Affairs Executive Team
Harry Chalmiers Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs, Chair
Stephen Croes Dean, Music Technology Division
Gary Haggerty Director, Learning Resources
S. Jay Kennedy Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs
Matt Marvuglio Dean, Performance Division
Lawrence McClellan Dean, Professional Education Division
Karen Zorn Associate Provost

Progress as of August 2003
Advise on the use of technology as a learning tool and as a major course of study. Beginning in Fall 2003, all entering students will be required to purchase a lap-top computer and software bundle through the college. The academic affairs, student affairs, and information technology areas have worked for the entire year in a variety of committees to anticipate the numerous educational, financial, logistical, and support challenges that such an initiative presents. The Leadership Oversight Group has focused on ensuring a positive and smooth transition into this new policy. An additional focus will be to identify ways in which this initiative will affect the college's curriculum, teaching methods, faculty training and development programs, and related challenges in the years to come.

Advise on the re-shaping of the professional development program for faculty. With the leadership of the associate provost, faculty development programs at Berklee are growing. A new philosophy of development, one which responds to and supports faculty initiatives, has led to increases in the number of workshops offered, the number of faculty involved, and the relevancy and quality of programs offered. Some of the new programs presented this year included "An Evening with Gunther Schuller" and a three part creativity seminar, "When Sparks Fly: Creative Artists, Creative Teaching." Plans for continued growth are in place: the Berklee Teachers on Teaching (BTOT) conference will be expanded to a full day and a half in 2004, and the budget for the Faculty Development Grant program will double (to $30,000) during the 2003-2004 academic year. Two new programs are being introduced by the Faculty Initiatives Project: Conversations with the Masters will give faculty the opportunity to meet with musical luminaries; and Berklee Faculty Presents will give faculty the opportunity to learn from (and present to) one another on a variety of important issues in teaching, technology, and music.

Determine what the true and enduring strengths of Berklee College of Music are so we may be better prepared to build on these strengths. Discussions have been held with numerous groups including faculty, staff, department chairs, deans, trustees, and the President's Cabinet. A summary report of these discussions will be presented in the summer of 2003 to the Leadership Oversight Group and to the President's Cabinet in Fall 2003. It is anticipated that such a summary of the special attributes of Berklee College of Music will be useful in the orientation of a new president in Fall 2004.

Coordinate and reconcile policies and procedures between Academic Affairs and Student Affairs to ensure educational effectiveness and maximize student satisfaction. Collaboration between Academic Affairs and Student Affairs has been an active and ongoing process. The assistant vice president for academic affairs is the designated liaison to Student Affairs from Academic Affairs and participates in numerous standing and ad hoc committees. Achievement during the past year include:

Revision of the curriculum proposal submission process to once per year (and its possible effects on the Office of the Registrar and Counseling and Advising Center)
Crafting the Catalog Year Assignment policy
Codification of various academic policies of practice into language for the Registration Manual and college bulletin
Refine Transfer Credit policy
Crafting of Academic Dishonesty Policy: procedure, sanctions, and student rights
Regular review and discussion of new courses, course changes, grid changes, and policy changes with Office of the Registrar and Counseling and Advising Center personnel
Resolution of Colleague issues
Academic advising issues
Course Demand Survey development underway with initial discussions

Progress as of August 2002
The following goals for this initiative were approved by the President's Cabinet:

Goal 1
Advise on the use of technology as a learning tool and as a major course of study. We are redefining the two majors within the Technology Division, reviewing how we might best use and provide access to technology across the college's curriculum, and defining which aspects of technology should be part of all students' education to ensure their best preparation for careers in music in light of the massive changes in music professions affected by rapidly developing digital technology.

Progress on this goal during the current year:
The Leadership Oversight Group has worked on this goal extensively. They reviewed the significant proposal, implemented in the fall of 2002, to require access to personal computers by students in three majors, with particular emphasis on the future implications of this policy for all Berklee students. They discussed the planned revisions of the two technology majors and endorsed these revisions as highly desirable. The Leadership Oversight Group anticipated the arrival of the new dean of the Music Technology Division in August 2002 to continue the highly important and interesting discussions on the applications of music technology in the broader educational experience.

Goal 2
Advise on the re-shaping of the professional development program for faculty. The associate provost is leading an effort to create a comprehensive new program of professional development which includes the Faculty Initiatives Project; mentoring of new faculty; Faculty Forums; faculty development workshops throughout the year; department- and division-based faculty development activities; and providing counsel for faculty on a wide range of professional development opportunities. These programs are designed to improve the capabilities of our faculty both as artists and as educators.

Progress on this goal during the current year:
The Leadership Oversight Group endorses this new focus and redirection of the faculty development program. This goal will receive particular emphasis during the 2002-03 academic year.

Goal 3
Coordinate and reconcile policies and procedures between Academic Affairs and Student Affairs to ensure educational effectiveness and maximize student satisfaction. Included in this institutional review are such subjects as how and when we cancel courses or sections; the add/drop period; academic advising; the preparation process for entering students; admissions qualifications and review; and how web-based services can improve effectiveness.

Progress on this goal during the current year:
A task force has been formed to begin to coordinate these policy and procedure reviews. In addition, members of the leadership oversight groups for the strategic initiatives on Web-based Services and Student Satisfaction have been in discussion with this Leadership Oversight Group recognizing the numerous areas of overlap in these policies and procedures which all groups should address together to ensure the best results.

Goal 4
Determine what the true and enduring strengths of Berklee College of Music are so we may be better prepared to build on these strengths. There are many divergent views on what makes Berklee a great music education institution. The Leadership Oversight Group will undertake a series of discussions with various constituencies to gather a broad view of what makes Berklee great and to articulate the core features of Berklee's highly successful approach to music education.

Progress on this goal during the current year:
Two major meeting events, a Berklee Teachers on Teaching (BTOT) session and a Faculty Forum discussion, were devoted to this topic. It is a future agenda item for meetings with the department chairs and assistant chairs, student groups, and staff. Data and materials received will be collated and circulated for further comment and discussion.

Progress as of August 2001
Beginning in the fall of 2001, the division, the Academic Affairs Executive Team, and the Office of the Provost will conduct a coordinated goal-setting process. Meetings will be held (1) to discuss goals over the five-year period and (2) to identify assessment plans for each goal/area. A task force will be formed for each goal. The Academic Affairs Leadership Group (which includes the Executive Team and the Council of Chairs) will also be involved in the governance process.

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