SUU Joins 37 Universities Nationally in Arts Accreditation
Published: June 07, 2021 | Author: Ashley H Palmer | Read Time: 4 minutes
Southern Utah University became the 38th university in the United States to be a fully accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art & Design (NASAD), National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD), National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), and the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST). SUU is now the first public university in the state of Utah to be accredited by all four associations.
The National Association of Schools of Music (founded in 1924), National Association of Schools of Art and Design (1944), National Association of Schools of Theatre (1965), and National Association of Schools of Dance (1981) are organizations of schools, conservatories, colleges, and universities. These organizations establish national standards for undergraduate and graduate degrees and other credentials for art and design, dance, music, and theatre, and provide assistance to institutions and individuals engaged in artistic, scholarly, educational, and other arts-related endeavors.
“Seeking specialized accreditation with the arts associations is a completely voluntary process that evaluates our arts programs in terms of quality and the educational results we achieve, as judged by self-study reports, experienced evaluators, and by the Commission on Accreditation," said Shauna Mendini, dean of SUU’s College of Performing and Visual Arts. "The College of Performing and Visual Arts has long been committed to this process because it assures students and parents that SUU’s programs in the arts provide qualified faculty, appropriate and safe facilities, and first and foremost a curriculum that meets national standards.”
“Being accredited by the NASM ensures that SUU’s music department is operating at a high standard of teaching and performance," said Dr. Lawrence Johnson, chair of the Department of Music at SUU. "The accreditation process itself is a rigorous one that takes place every ten years and involves a year of self-study to identify the strengths and weaknesses in a music program and its several degrees. Then a site visit brings NASM sanctioned evaluators to campus to see in person how the music program functions and observe the level of teaching and performing. The evaluators then provide a summary to the music department noting any required changes or improvements needed in order to maintain their NASM accreditation.”
Dean Mendini went on to say, “Our music program was the first at SUU to receive specialized accreditation and has held its membership with NASM for nearly 30 years. With the recent approval of our theatre program for NAST membership, SUU joins 37 institutions across the nation and BYU within the state of Utah to achieve accreditation status with all four arts accrediting agencies. This accomplishment is a direct result of a faculty and staff who are dedicated to providing students with the finest educational quality and experience.”
To be a part of the choice few who have been fully accredited by all four associations, shows the commitment and determination of SUU and its arts programs. NASM has approximately 639 accredited institutional members. NASAD has approximately 363 accredited institutional members. NAST has approximately 189 accredited institutional members. NASD has approximately 83 accredited institutional members.
“Southern Utah University's accreditation by NASD is incredibly valuable for prospective students' assurance of quality and, in turn, for the dance faculty's recruitment efforts," said Nick Blaylock, associate chair of the Department of Theatre, Dance, and Arts Administration. "One only needs a brief look into NASD standards to recognize the extent to which the association goes to maintaining a healthy learning environment for their institutions - from standards of adequate movement space and facilities, to faculty-student ratio considerations. The process of full accreditation takes years of preparation and support at every level of administration to acquire, which reflects the University's appreciation for the arts. The dance faculty and I believe we are doing substantial and important work through our programs, and the NASD accreditation serves as a weighted, public stamp of acknowledgment that we have the tools as well as the best practices to do so.”
For more information about the College of Performing and Visual Arts at SUU, please visit www.suu.edu/pva.
About the College of Performing and Visual Arts
The College of Performing and Visual Arts (CPVA) at Southern Utah University comprises 26 academic programs including liberal arts (BA/BS) and professional (BFA, BM, BMEd) degrees in art, design, dance, music, and theatre. It includes graduate programs in the fields of arts administration (MFA, MA), music education (MME), and music technology (MM). More than 60 full-time faculty and staff are engaged in teaching and mentoring nearly 800 majors in the College. CPVA presents over 100 performances, lectures, presentations, and exhibitions each year and is affiliated with the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA), Utah Shakespeare Festival, and the Center for Shakespeare Studies. Southern Utah University is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art & Design (NASAD), National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD), National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), and the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST) making SUU the first public university in the state of Utah to be accredited by all four associations.
Tags: Art and Design Music Theatre Arts and Dance College of Performing and Visual Arts