The Strategic Plan 2004–9
CCA LEADERSHIP IN ARTS EDUCATION 2004–9
INTRODUCTION
For nearly one hundred years, California College of the Arts (CCA) has been dedicated to educating students to shape culture through the practice and understanding of the arts. Guiding this mission has been the fundamental belief that connecting the arts to social and political life deepens the power of creative work while making a positive contribution to the communities in which that work takes place. This principle was key to the Arts and Crafts movement of the early 20th century, and it remains a significant part of the college’s commitment to education through the arts.
In the last 15 years, CCA has made a concerted effort to carry out its mission in a more robust and visible way, while ensuring the sustainability of the institution. With this strategic plan, CCA proposes a series of initiatives aimed at establishing the institution as a leader in education through the arts. In this capacity, CCA will offer its students the very best education an art college can offer, provide its alumni the greatest opportunities for creative work and public service, and give its communities the benefits of sharing the public sphere with a vibrant and dynamic cultural institution.
When CCA developed a comprehensive strategic plan in 1994, the college enrolled 900 students, was investigating the possibility of a permanent home in San Francisco, and had recently emerged from a period of economic instability and academic inconsistency. The 1994 plan set the stage for the acquisition of a major campus in the South of Market section of San Francisco, the completion of a successful capital campaign, and the development of new programs and recruiting strategies to boost enrollment. In 1997 this plan was revised to reflect the successes in facilities enhancement and fundraising, and to implement a more successful strategy of enrollment growth with a target of 1,500 full-time students (or the equivalent).
In 2003, having achieved the objectives set forth in the 1994 plan, the college began a new planning process. Throughout the year planning meetings were held with a variety of the college’s constituencies: trustees, faculty, staff, students, and alumni. In February 2004, the board of trustees adopted the finished plan.
I. VALUES AND CULTURE
As an educational institution:
California College of the Arts values the experience of creating new work as the key
ingredient in the education of its students. As the college’s programs have expanded over the
years, this belief has remained consistent. In addition to its fundamental commitment to
creative practice, CCA has always held that conceptual thinking and contextual
understanding are vital components of arts education. An education through the arts at CCA
unites theory and practice. It preserves the promise of a liberal education: to instill in its
students the lifelong love of learning. In addition, and most crucially, CCA mandates that its
students acquire the skills and habits of mind that will allow them to continue to be creative
contributors to the culture around them.
As a cultural institution:
The college values its ability to be a conduit for contributions in the arts, including the fine
arts, architecture, design, writing, criticism, and curatorial practice. In addition to graduating
leading practitioners in these areas, CCA is a center of research, discussion, and productivity
that aims to have an impact on the intersecting fields of the arts. The college values
exploration, experimentation, and contemplation in cultural fields that can have a wide impact
on society, as well as a profound effect on individuals. CCA values its role as a place that
designers, architects, writers, curators, artists, and critics turn to consider some of the major
developments affecting their fields today.
As an institutional citizen:
The college values its place in the dynamic economic and cultural region of Northern
California and its role as an engaged member of the San Francisco and Oakland
communities. CCA uses its expertise in education through the arts to address issues of
common concern. As a leading research institution dedicated to understanding how the arts
can positively affect communities, CCA develops projects of immediate benefit to its local
communities and disseminates the results of its research in a national context. As a leading
exhibitor of experimental contemporary arts, CCA is a source of thoughtful scholarship,
criticism, and public conversation, and is itself a destination for those in the Bay Area seeking
to understand the contemporary fields. The college remains dedicated to the belief that art
and society mutually benefit from increasing the points of intersection between personal
creative work and its social, economic, and political contexts.
II. MISSION
After broad-based discussion of the key values and purpose of California College of the Arts,
the following mission statement was proposed and adopted:
CALIFORNIA COLLEGE OF THE ARTS EDUCATES STUDENTS TO SHAPE CULTURE
THROUGH THE PRACTICE AND CRITICAL STUDY OF THE ARTS. THE COLLEGE
PREPARES ITS STUDENTS FOR LIFELONG CREATIVE WORK AND SERVICE TO
THEIR COMMUNITIES THROUGH A CURRICULUM IN ART, ARCHITECTURE,
DESIGN, AND WRITING.
The mission highlights the breadth of our programs and underscores our commitment to
education through the arts. Some of the key ideas or values that emerged in the discussion of
the mission focused on identifying the kind of students who would most benefit from a CCA
education.
These are:
- Students whose creative work displays an innovative approach to materials,
conceptual sophistication, and craftsmanship - Students with a capacity for self-exploration who engage the diverse culture around
them and make use of this contextual understanding for their art making - Students who think strategically and adopt entrepreneurial ideas to further their
creative work
III. VISION
California College of the Arts will build on its accomplishments to become a leader in education through the arts. In order to fulfill this vision we must:
- Attract a talented, highly motivated, and diverse pool of applicants who value creative
practice as a way of learning - Retain students at levels that allow the development of disciplinary cohorts and a
vibrant campus community - Provide a rigorous, innovative curriculum that ensures breadth of learning while
providing a profound experience in a field of creative work - Educate students in the development of skillful making, rigorous conceptualization,
contextual and critical thinking, innovative problem solving, and strategic and
entrepreneurial capacity - Equip graduates for professional achievement, lifelong learning, and service to their communities
- Attract and retain a faculty of accomplished professionals in the arts who are
dedicated, excellent teachers - Support, celebrate, and publicize the professional accomplishments of faculty
members and staff - Create and maintain campus facilities that offer an optimal teaching environment
- Recruit and retain a productive, creative staff that values the college as a positive
place to work
• Develop and maintain a campus culture that values experimentation, rigorous work, diversity, and the pleasures and educative capacities of the arts - Enhance our leadership role in the exhibition and critical appraisal of contemporary arts
- Deepen our involvement in local communities to achieve positive change and to understand the impact of the arts on society.
IV. CONTEXT AND CHALLENGES
Changing Role of Art Education
The world of art education has changed significantly over the last several years. There is now
widespread recognition that people have very different cognitive styles or ways of learning,
and that for many people the process of making is an effective vehicle for liberal education.
Thus, while many who apply to California College of the Arts will intend to continue their
artistic practice as a way of earning their livelihood, many students who have found creative
endeavors satisfying through their high school years will now consider art school as a college
choice, even though they may not be certain that they want to be professional artists. The
traditional role of a liberal arts education has been to provide students with a broad
understanding of their cultural context and prepare them to make informed judgments about
their future; today, an art college can perform this role as well as a liberal arts school. CCA
can build on the strengths of its studio environment to provide this potential audience with a
place for dedicated studio work and considered judgments of the highest order.
In addition to creative practice, students require a variety of contextual skills to make their
education as profound and productive as possible. At CCA, a rigorous exploration of
historical, literary, and other cultural issues is an essential facet of an education through the
arts. Coursework in the liberal arts provides students with the skills they need to engage the
culture around them and find a meaningful role in it.
Rising Importance of Design
In recent years, design has become a field of intense concern among an increasingly broad
sector of the public. Quality design and concerns about design aesthetics are now part of
popular culture, and there is widespread recognition of the problem-solving capacities of
designers and artists. At CCA these capacities can be deepened and sharpened, and
designers and artists can work together in intense, productive collaborations.
Economic Factors
CCA’s business model is based on continued enrollment growth as the primary source of
funds for facility and program improvements, and for the annual increased costs of basic
operations, including financial aid. However, the rate of enrollment growth that CCA has
experienced over the last four years (from 1,100 students in 1999 to 1,500 in 2003) may not
be sustainable if we control financial aid costs. Without robust enrollment growth, there will
not be sufficient funds for scholarships, technology, improved student life programs, and
increased faculty salaries.
Fundraising must expand significantly to bridge this gap, creating a financial aid endowment
and a fund for capital improvements. The planned fundraising initiative in conjunction with
CCA’s centenary celebration is a crucial part of this plan.
Enrollment Growth
The college has the flexibility and scrappiness of a young institution, with the tradition and
stability of a school that is almost one hundred years old. CCA has a strong educational
model that emphasizes the role of creativity in the world. This, combined with a more recent
emphasis on education through the arts, presents us with opportunities to attract a diverse
and talented pool of students—both freshmen and transfers. The college has achieved high
retention rates over the last few years, and it has been able to add first-rate professors and
visiting artists to a strong group of teacher-practitioners.
Over the last five years the college has directed a consistent growth strategy, led by a
cohesive management team with faculty and trustee support. As an enrollment-driven
institution, we have used financial aid as an important recruitment tool, but we have seen the
discount rate climb as a result. The college has a growing endowment, but it is relatively
small. A major goal of this strategic plan is to establish a framework for diversifying the
revenue base through increased endowment and contributed support.
The facilities in San Francisco and Oakland are attractive and flexible, combining increased
technological resources with more traditional studios. The CCA Wattis Institute for
Contemporary Arts and Center for Art and Public Life have had a dramatic impact on our
curriculum and on our relations with the San Francisco and Oakland communities. We can do
more to bring their success to a wider audience, which should lead to increased enrollment.
Location
The San Francisco Bay Area presents enormous opportunities. It is a center for first-rate
institutions of higher education, and there is a deep history of support for artistic
experimentation in the region. Northern California is at the core of creative economies, and
the possibilities for partnerships with design, technology, cultural, and entertainment
organizations are extensive. As part of the Pacific Rim, the Bay Area offers possibilities of
mutually productive exchanges with Asia and Latin America. Although this is a very
expensive region in which to live, it remains attractive because of its natural beauty, diverse
economic opportunities, rich cultural life, and numerous individuals and organizations that
actively encourage and support the arts.
Other Challenges
There are several challenges that we must meet. Alumni support has improved over the last
few years but still needs to expand to make us competitive with peer institutions. Student
engagement is strong within programs but needs to grow to include allegiance to the larger
CCA community. As CCA attracts a broader range of students who learn through making, we
have a greater responsibility to provide a rigorous academic component in the humanities
and sciences. We have made a series of excellent faculty hires in this area, but more needs
to be done.
V. GOALS
GOAL 1: Enhance national visibility through academic excellence
Characteristics:
- California College of the Arts acknowledges and draws attention to the creative work
of its students, alumni, faculty, and staff, and underscores the ways that education in
the arts has made a difference in their lives - CCA faculty continue to combine excellent teaching with active, visible professional
work in their respective fields - The CCA curriculum is rigorous and diverse
- The facilities at the college support academic program development
- The CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts presents dynamic, original
exhibitions that attract international attention - The Center for Art and Public Life documents its work in community to draw national
attention to how the arts can positively address important issues in society - The college clearly articulates how its resources and achievements make it a leader
in education through the arts - The college draws on the particular cultural, economic, and natural resources of the
Bay Area to attract quality students and faculty and to launch their work in the world.
GOAL 2: Maintain a sustainable business model
Characteristics:
- The college is a tuition-driven institution but has growing budgetary support from
endowment and contributed revenue sources - The college funds an increasing percentage of facilities and program enhancements
through fundraising to supplement the economic margins created by increased
enrollment - Student recruitment aims to create a mix of traditional first-year students, transfers,
and second-degree students - Tuition increases allow the college to keep pace with increasing costs and to reinvest
in programs - Contributed sources for scholarships provide significant relief to the operating budget
- The college improves the efficient, year-round use of its facilities with schedule
changes and increased summer programming.
GOAL 3: Strengthen internal and external community relations
Characteristics:
- CCA offers a small college educational experience in which students develop close
relationships with faculty and peers - Students are devoted to the college as a whole as well as to the specific programs in
which they major - Recently increased housing capacity results in more student life programs
- Faculty are deeply involved in the governance of the college
- Staff and faculty value their participation in the college’s mission
- Staff, faculty, and students are often deeply involved in community projects
- Students and alumni often go on to first-rate graduate programs and are eager to
participate in the creative economy - Alumni are actively involved in the life of the college
VI. OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES
The following are some of the general objectives and strategies California College of the Arts
will put in place in order to make progress on our three overarching goals. Specific
departments will develop annual targets and standards of measurement by which to evaluate
success. CCA managers will use the priorities established in this plan to guide the annual
budget process. At the end of each fiscal year, management will evaluate whether funds
were spent in accordance with these priorities. This evaluation will be shared with staff,
faculty, and trustees.
GOAL 1: Enhance national visibility through academic excellence
Objective A:
Recruit, retain, and support talented and motivated students who are
prepared to benefit from an education in the arts.
Strategies:
- Increase the size, quality, and diversity of the applicant pool
- Offer financial aid at a level to ensure that CCA recruits and
retains its desired student population - Create a student experience and campus culture that values
diversity, increases yield on recruitment, and strengthens
retention
Objective B:
Develop a distinctive CCA curriculum with clear, cross-college
standards, strong individual programs, and compelling electives.
Strategies:
- Empower a strong curriculum committee for the systematic
evaluation of departmental and cross-college programs - Develop compelling first-year program, all-college junior review,
and all-college capstone experience with clear learning
outcomes - Enhance curriculum that promotes diversity, leveraging CCA’s
location in the Northern California economic and cultural context
Objective C:
Recruit, retain, and support faculty whose professional work is highly
visible and whose teaching effectiveness is first-rate.
Strategies:
- Increase faculty salaries, technological support, and library and
facility resources - Attract highly qualified faculty for permanent, adjunct, and
visiting positions - Cultivate strong faculty governance and participation within the
campus community
GOAL 2: Maintain a sustainable business model
Objective A:
Increase enrollment to 1,850 by 2009 through enrollment
growth and improved retention while maintaining academic quality.
Strategies:
- Increase freshman enrollment by 20 students annually, maintain
transfer enrollment, and increase graduate enrollment in newer
programs - Increase first-year retention to 82 percent and continuing (yearround)
student retention to 83 percent through enhanced student
life and student housing - Expand Extended Education programs
Objective B:
Control costs
Strategies:
- Increase efficient use of facilities, resources, and personnel
- Maintain tuition discount rate under 30 percent and increase
revenue per FTE - Develop partnerships with off-campus entities that can extend
our mission
Objective C:
Sustain annual fundraising and launch centenary initiative.
Strategies:
- Increase endowment fundraising, especially for scholarships,
while sustaining unrestricted giving - Increase capital fundraising, especially for technology and
facilities improvements - Increase donor base, especially individuals and alumni
GOAL 3: Strengthen internal and external community relations
Objective A:
Enhance student life activities and create
community-building experiences.
Strategies:
- Create facilities that promote the development of a student
community on each campus, including co-curricular aspects of
the residence halls - Recognize college wide student achievement
- Develop an extensive career planning program for students
and alumni
Objective B:
Strengthen faculty, staff, and alumni participation in campus culture.
Strategies:
- Increase participation in faculty and student governance and in
alumni volunteer opportunities - Recognize and make visible the achievements of faculty, staff,
students, and alumni - Enhance communication to faculty, staff, and alumni concerning
educational and outreach initiatives
Objective C:
Enhance community outreach program and promote diversity and
respect for difference on campus.
Strategies:
- Unify program around expertise in education through the arts
- Underscore and support diversity across the curriculum
- Enhance geographical and socioeconomic diversity among
board of trustees, students, faculty, and staff
VII. PEER INSTITUTIONS
With the vision to be a leader in education through the arts, California College of the Arts will
compare itself with a set of peer institutions for the purpose of assessing CCA’s
competitiveness. For collegewide benchmarking, the following characteristics were identified:
- Independent college of art and design
- Undergraduate-graduate mix
- Quality across subject areas
- Geographical distribution
- Location in major metropolitan center
Art Center College of Design
California Institute of the Arts (CalArts)
Maryland Institute College of Art
Otis College of Art and Design
Pratt Institute
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Specific programs may choose additional institutions—e.g., Southern California
Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) or San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI)—with which to
compare themselves.
VIII. BENCHMARKS
Input Measures
- Net tuition per FTE
- Diversity
- Grade point average
- Portfolio ranking
- Percentage of international students
- Percentage of out-of-state students
- Percentage of Southern California
students - Student-faculty ratio
- Class rank percentile
- Number of donors at all giving
levels - Dollars donated from all sources
- Cost per dollar raised
- Percent of operating budget
covered by contributions - Endowment value
- Output Measures
- Reduce percentage of operating
budget financed from tuition - Reduce facilities cost per FTE
- Increase retention and graduate
rates - Improve career and graduate school
placement - Appear consistently on national
rankings of programs - Improve faculty and alumni
recognition - Expand visiting artist/scholar
programs - Increase endowment value
- Create technology capital fund
- Increase percentage of alumni
donors - Increase percentage of alumni
volunteers - Increase percentage of donors who
renew and upgrade