Syllabus

Course description

The official course description is as follows:

Brings senior graphic design students together in a collaborative design studio, simulating a "real world" professional studio situation. Students work directly with on-campus and nonprofit off-campus clients. Under the supervision of the faculty member, the students assume complete responsibility for the concept and development of multiple design solutions, production, printing, scheduling, maintaining client relationships, billing, etc. Required for graphic design majors.

We will be doing a version of this, but I would also like to take the time to consider a bigger, or different question: What is community?

Synopsis

In order to accomplish this, we will:

• Work on projects collaboratively in groups. Groups will be determined by non-deterministic means as well as according to the needs of specific projects.
• Work with clients: receiving briefs, discussing an approach, iterating, and distilling outcomes and deliverables.
• Engage with readings, viewings, and guests that examine the central question of the class.
• Conduct non-client projects and exercises as a way of addressing that question.

Learning objectives

• Increase your proficiency and experience in managing client relationships and related professional practices.
• Increase your proficiency, sensitivity, and awareness when working collaboratively and collectively.
• Increase your proficiency, sensitivity, and awareness regarding the societal role of graphic design and its applications beyond work that is primarily commercial or capital-oriented.

A note on teams

Part of this class is working in teams. For grading, your individual contributions will be considered whether or not they are selected for the final piece. Make an effort to record or track chats and other communication, especially if you are involved in organizing your teammates. For each project, provide a .txt file that notes each group member's contributions.

If you are having an interpersonal issue with members of the class, or do not wish to work with a specific person or persons, please contact me discreetly.

Expectations

• You will be on time for class On class does not simply mean being in the classroom when class starts, but in the room and physically and meantily prepared to engage with the material. This may require you to be effectively five minutes early.
• Limited phone usage Please refrain from checking your phone during class time. If you have an urgent or persistent personal matter please let me know.
• Ask questions (early!) . You will not understand everything in class. Thatistotally okay. Asking questions will help you to understand things as well as help me assess what it is you are understanding or not. Disregard the idea that you are stupid” if you ask questions.
• Do homework I am structuring the class in such a way that I expect you will work outside of class to develop your understanding of the concepts and technology we explore.

Structure (Individual Classes)

We will begin each class with one of the following

• Show 'n' Tell you will be asked to talk about anything for five minutes. This could be your favorite tv show, a trip you went on, work in another class. If you take longer than five minutes I will ask you to continue next class.

• Stoopid Time This is new idea I am trying this semester. People will be assigned to ask and answer "stupid" or absurd questions.

• Warm-up We will take some time to look at a concept or technique in TouchDesigner and triage any problems that appear in class.

• Discussions We will take some time to talk through a reading, viewing, or piece of art/design. You will be asked to make a designed response to it, or get into small groups and talk and then talk to the class.

• Presentations/Reports/Meetings/Work Time We will take time to update each other on our progress on projects, or work on them. I may also use this time to talk about specialized topics.

• Review Homework We will review what is due next week, and what things may have been forgotten or moved around.

Required materials

If obtaining any of these presents a problem, speak with me so that we can determine what is possible.

• A computer with Adobe Creative Cloud
• Access to Adobe Fonts, and similar type libraries
• A method for documenting your process, such as a digital or analog sketchbook.

Attendance

The School of Art + Design attendance policy states:

There are no excused absences in the School of Art+Design. Three or more absences in any course will result in a failing grade. Excessive tardiness may count as absences. Please see your course syllabi for more details.

This policy places emphasis on being in class together. The following practical rules apply to this class:

• Being on time means you are ready to start at the designated class time. Arrive several minutes early to set up your workspace and computer.
• If you arrive more than five minutes after the class start time, you are considered late.
• Three latenesses equal one absence.
• Leaving class before dismissal without a valid reason counts as a lateness. A valid reason means letting me know before class that you must leave early.
• Leaving without explanation more than one hour before dismissal counts as an absence.
• If I am in danger of being late, I will email the class as far in advance as reasonably possible.
• I will not repeat material already covered because you arrived late. If you are absent or late, contact me individually or work with another student during open class time; do not distract other students in the middle of a lesson or discussion.
• If a medical condition, job, or other circumstance regularly affects your arrival, your ability to complete work, or your ability to remain for the full class, discuss it with me.

Assignments and evaluation

My general policy for grading is as follows:

When you don't give an "eff", that's when you get an F!

Your grade for the class is based on the following breakdown:

Component	Weight
Exercises, notes, and presentations	20%
Projects	40%
Participation	40%

The following adjustments may also apply:

• Attendance and banked je ne sais quoi points: up to +/-10%
• Project multiplier: applied according to the number of projects in which you participate
• Collaboration multiplier: a proprietary measure slightly above 1.0, but no higher than 1.1

The breakdown is designed so that you participate in class discussions actively and meaningfully while completing the work. Participation is based on meaningful contributions expressed through your work, conversations, writing, and other communication. Absences reduce this component of your grade.

Exercises and notes are weighted lower so that class projects receive the appropriate importance; projects will be the primary focus of your work outside class. Exercises will largely be evaluated on a pass/fail basis. Projects will use criteria specific to each assignment.

Projects may receive subjective bonuses called je ne sais quoi points. At the end of the semester, points earned above 100% on projects will be added to your grade. Projects may also receive a small multiplier relative to the number of projects in which you participate.

Purchase College's general grading guidelines are available here.

Assignment grading and deadlines

Projects are graded individually, and each project grade will include an indication of how it was determined.

Assignments are due on the date shown on the project sheet and project webpage. Upload work that is as close to final as possible at least 24 hours before class so that I can review it in advance.

An assignment is late when:

• You do not have the project with you in any form.
• The project was required to be sent in advance, such as by email, and you did not send it.
• An extenuating circumstance prevented you from completing the assignment, but you did not communicate with me at least 24 hours before class or arrange an alternative method of delivery.

Late work is subject to the following conditions:

• The work will not be critiqued that week.
• You may submit the assignment in a subsequent week, but it will lose one full letter grade for each week it is late.

Due dates are almost always attached to a critique. Critique is important and valuable to your development as a designer and as a person. A good critique requires everyone to bring work, talk about each other's work, and make a suitable effort to generate conversation. I understand the reality of working close to a deadline; however, submitting on time, planning, and communicating effectively with clients and colleagues are part of your job.

Scheduled projects

The schedule can change quickly and new projects may appear. The class website will be amended each week. The known projects are:

• MFA Show Catalog a running collaboration between The Dolly Maas, The MFA Program, and Arts Management.
• Collaboration with Tanya Chernyak Purchase alumni and ownder of Red Hook Books
• @purchasegraphicdesign social media posts this could include both the individual posts and a system to make posting more visually engaging.
• @purchasegraphicdesign logo/branding system
• Theatre Conservatory posters for upcoming productions
• What is Community? viewings, readings, and discussions: approximately five pieces of media, spaced throughout the semester according to timing

Required statements

The college statements required for this syllabus, including accessibility, financial equity, tutoring, counseling, Title IX, academic integrity, and community health information, are available here. I will also explain how to locate this material in class and in the printed syllabus.