studio culture policy

A+A Studio Culture Policy

School Mission Statement: Meaning and Making

To offer many opportunities for experiential learning and reflection. The School explores in many dimensions ‘the meaning of making’ and ‘the making of meaning’. The School reinforces the student’s ability to think creatively and independently, and reflects the University’s ideals to develop citizens with integrity, conviction, and self-respect; educated and motivated to be leaders in service to the community.

Part 1 The Studio Process

The architecture studio is the heart of your education as an architect.  It is where the diverse threads of your classes, your experience, and your intellectual growth come together.  It is a place to develop a process for discovery, exploration, and integration of ideas.  It is a place to think critically and synthesize a design intention with complex and often conflicting information from multiple sources.  An important part of the studio culture at Norwich University is to develop a strong community of practice. Self reliance, professional judgment, openness, a willingness to take risks, and an attitude of inclusion towards diversity of thought and creativity are essential elements of our learning culture.

The A+A Studio Culture Policy undergoes a dynamic review process by the Student Advisory Board with the Dean and the Faculty.  It is presented at all-school meetings, reviewed and discussed in studios, and posted on the school blog.

Part 2 Professional Conduct and Responsibility

Students are expected to behave in a manner which is conducive to a respectful and open learning environment. It is the responsibility of all students to tolerate diversity of thought and creative ideas.  It is expected in a professional environment that no one will be discriminated against for reasons of ancestral background, race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and cultural or religious beliefs. 

Non-professional conduct, inappropriate behavior including bullying, vandalism, use of alcohol, inappropriate dress, the display of inappropriate images or text, and offensive language will not be tolerated. In the event of an incident of inappropriate behavior it will be the responsibility of the entire class with the direction and assistance of the professors to resolve the issue in a way that is fair and which prevents a repeat occurrence.

All student work, be it a written paper, a drawing, a painting, a model, a digital project, etc. MUST include (easily accessible and permanent) the following information: student name; class; semester/year; faculty name.

If you need adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information to share with your faculty, or of you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with each of your faculty and your faculty advisor as soon as possible.

Part 2 A The use of Electronic Media in the Studio

Our mission states that we encourage thoughtful “reflection” both on the process of design and the meaning of architecture. It is becoming apparent in our larger society that opportunities for contemplation and reflection are diminishing from our daily experience. Nicholas Carr, author of The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to our Brains , reports that “Constant multitasking is associated with shallower thinking, weakened concentration, reduced creativity, and heightened stress.” These  ideas are backed up by research done by Gary W Small,  a professor of psychiatry and bio-behavioral sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California. He states that , “When paying partial continuous attention [people] no longer have time to reflect, contemplate or make thoughtful decisions.”

“The only way to stop is to stop … turn off the BlackBerry and the iPhone, … check e-mail two or three times a day rather than every three minutes,  spend a few hours reading a novel or immersed in a hobby or having a real conversation. If you regularly give your brain an opportunity to relax, by concentrating on one thing instead of a dozen, the cognitive and emotional costs of multitasking will decline.”- Nicholas Carr

While in class, you will not check e-mail, send or receive text-messages, participate on social networking sites such as Facebook, use cell-phones for any reason other than an emergency, or watch movies or videos on your computer. You may listen to music or pod-casts as audio(using head-phones or ear-buds)only when you are in studio and class is not in session. You may use your computer for internet research during class time but only as it pertains to your design projects.

Part 3 Assessment

1.            Student Performance Assessment

Individual student grades and evaluations will be generated using the A+A Assessment Evaluation Form.  This criteria for project evaluation will be reviewed and discussed at the beginning of each studio.

A Exemplary This work exceeds all criteria and project requirements at the very highest level.  The full potential of the project has been explored, developed, and communicated with great quality and care.  The process shows great autonomy.

B Good This work meets all criteria and project requirements at a high level and demonstrates a high degree of understanding of the issues involved with the project.

C Competent This work meets all criteria and project requirements at a basic level, but demonstrates no achievement beyond that point.  It expresses moderate imagination and shows an adequate minimum of understanding of the issues involved with the project.  The presentation shows basic reinforcement of the ideas expressed by the project

D Needs Work This work does not meet all the criteria and project requirements and demonstrates a weak understanding of the issues raised by the project. The presentation exhibits a lack of thoughtfulness and care.

F Fail This represents work that is not of acceptable quality.  The work does not meet criteria and project requirements and is poorly presented.

Attendance at all class meetings and School lectures is essential and required  The University absentee policy will apply unless otherwise indicated by the faculty member responsible for the course.  Please contact the instructor, if possible, before the date of an absence.  It is the responsibility of the student, however, to follow up with their fellow students to be brought up to date with all the information that was presented in the missed class; including but not limited to, obtaining the class notes, assignments, handouts, etc.   Attendance on all class field trips is highly recommended. 

Many projects require independent research at Kreitzburg Library

2.            Studio Culture Assessment

Studio Professors will annually review the A+A Assessment Evaluation Forms to calibrate curricular outcomes as they relate to the School’s mission.

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