The SPTL Committee commenced its work as a special committee in Fall 2021 after the summer 2021 ‘Multi modal special committee’ was disbanded.  Many of the members of the task force stayed on the newly formed committee to continue this critical work. 

During AY21-22 the SPTL committee focused on these three priority areas of review and analysis:  
1. To review the current College Mission and begin to draft a Mission, Vision, and Values for MassArt, with the intention to clarify in person, online, and hybrid- teaching and learning.   
2. To review curriculum delivery platforms and expectations.  
3. To review Systems of Grades and Student Assessment/ College-wide critique models.  

As a result of this work, we had the opportunity to engage with faculty at different points throughout the academic year, to listen and collect feedback. In particular, the committee focused on the selection and adaptation of a Learning Management Software (LMS) for MassArt. As an introduction to this report, we shared the SPTL committee presentation on MassArt Day 2022, and the concerns, hopes, and ideas that are shared by the faculty members who participated in the May 2022 Faculty Forum, “Learning and Engaging on LSM”, facilitated by the SPTL committee faculty members.  

We presented our findings at MassArt Day 2022  
I designed the presentation for the day including all information graphics and custom slide templates.

## [MassArt Day 2022 Presentation](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CBcDu3R7yJi3PSM36xe5cwW5bz1M8hW2/view?usp=drive_link). 

## [Our Working Group's Shared Value Report](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qybcNwcRuuQFLjLf-R2mhyZgb4-XsGaH/view?usp=drive_link)

large_SPTL_0011_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.29 PM.jpg

medium_SPTL_0011_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.29 PM.jpg

small_SPTL_0011_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.29 PM.jpg

thumbnail_SPTL_0011_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.29 PM.jpg

SPTL_0011_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.29 PM.jpg

large_SPTL_0009_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.24 PM.jpg

medium_SPTL_0009_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.24 PM.jpg

small_SPTL_0009_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.24 PM.jpg

thumbnail_SPTL_0009_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.24 PM.jpg

SPTL_0009_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.24 PM.jpg

large_SPTL_0006_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.58 PM.jpg

medium_SPTL_0006_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.58 PM.jpg

small_SPTL_0006_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.58 PM.jpg

thumbnail_SPTL_0006_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.58 PM.jpg

SPTL_0006_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.58 PM.jpg

large_SPTL_0007_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.51 PM.jpg

medium_SPTL_0007_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.51 PM.jpg

small_SPTL_0007_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.51 PM.jpg

thumbnail_SPTL_0007_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.51 PM.jpg

SPTL_0007_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.51 PM.jpg

large_SPTL_0010_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.31 PM.jpg

medium_SPTL_0010_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.31 PM.jpg

small_SPTL_0010_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.31 PM.jpg

thumbnail_SPTL_0010_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.31 PM.jpg

SPTL_0010_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.31 PM.jpg

large_SPTL_0012_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.33 PM.jpg

medium_SPTL_0012_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.33 PM.jpg

small_SPTL_0012_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.33 PM.jpg

thumbnail_SPTL_0012_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.33 PM.jpg

SPTL_0012_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.33 PM.jpg

large_SPTL_0003_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.30.56 PM.jpg

medium_SPTL_0003_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.30.56 PM.jpg

small_SPTL_0003_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.30.56 PM.jpg

thumbnail_SPTL_0003_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.30.56 PM.jpg

SPTL_0003_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.30.56 PM.jpg

large_SPTL_0008_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.41 PM.jpg

medium_SPTL_0008_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.41 PM.jpg

small_SPTL_0008_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.41 PM.jpg

thumbnail_SPTL_0008_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.41 PM.jpg

SPTL_0008_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.41 PM.jpg

large_SPTL_0005_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.19 PM.jpg

medium_SPTL_0005_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.19 PM.jpg

small_SPTL_0005_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.19 PM.jpg

thumbnail_SPTL_0005_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.19 PM.jpg

SPTL_0005_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.31.19 PM.jpg

large_SPTL_0001_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.32.27 PM.jpg

medium_SPTL_0001_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.32.27 PM.jpg

small_SPTL_0001_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.32.27 PM.jpg

thumbnail_SPTL_0001_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.32.27 PM.jpg

SPTL_0001_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.32.27 PM.jpg

large_SPTL_0004_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.37.11 PM.jpg

medium_SPTL_0004_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.37.11 PM.jpg

small_SPTL_0004_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.37.11 PM.jpg

thumbnail_SPTL_0004_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.37.11 PM.jpg

SPTL_0004_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.37.11 PM.jpg

large_SPTL_0000_Layer 1.jpg

medium_SPTL_0000_Layer 1.jpg

small_SPTL_0000_Layer 1.jpg

thumbnail_SPTL_0000_Layer 1.jpg

SPTL_0000_Layer 1.jpg

large_SPTL_0002_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.32.15 PM.jpg

medium_SPTL_0002_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.32.15 PM.jpg

small_SPTL_0002_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.32.15 PM.jpg

thumbnail_SPTL_0002_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.32.15 PM.jpg

SPTL_0002_Screen Shot 2024-09-29 at 4.32.15 PM.jpg

Special Committee on Shared Practices of Teaching and Learning

###### Chair Communication Design Curriculum Committee 2016–2021 & 2024

In the fall of 2016, I was elected chairperson of the Graphic Design Department’s Curriculum Committee, taking over from Jan Kubasiewicz. Since then our committee has successfully changed our department’s name from Graphic Design to Communication Design to better reflect our evolving curriculum and the professional field. 


Our second big priority was to rethink the senior year curriculum. Based on student feedback and the rapidly widening field of design we believed students needed more customizable and focused courses their senior year. We proposed and implemented a more agile and modular system of 1.5 credit courses. The proposed Advanced Projects courses allowed students to develop two portfolio projects in areas of personal interest, and to choose different focuses and faculty based on industry expertise. These courses allow students to customize their portfolios with specialized knowledge in specific topics and give the department flexibility to hire top industry professionals to teach the shorter courses. These courses were successfully added to the curriculum in the spring of 2019, after a year of consultations with the registrar, curriculum committee, and academic affairs. 


In Spring of 2019 the Communication Design experienced a surge in incoming Sophomores and needed to add a fourth section to our 6-credit Sophomore Studio course. As a result, we needed to hire many new adjunct faculty to staff the course. To help manage, monitor, and mentor the new faculty, we proposed and implemented a co-teaching structure. We paired new adjuncts with our full-time faculty, scheduling them to teach the same projects on the same day. Team faculty give group lectures and collaborate on critiques and in-class activities. This strategy of team teaching proved effective, enabling faculty to co-teach and share their strengths with the entire class, not just one section, as well as providing a more equitable experience for students from lectures, to critiques, to grading. In the spring of 2020 we expanded this strategy throughout the department and developed a block schedule. This new schedule aligned all course sections on the same day and time. In addition to providing a more equitable experience for students, this format (especially during our rapid move to remote teaching) unburdened faculty from rewriting entire syllabi and preparing new lectures weekly. By team teaching, three to four faculty members are able to work together with a single schedule. As a mother of a four and six-year-old when the pandemic started (and still goes on) this allowed us to carry the load for each other when needed.


Communication Design Curriculum Committee

###### Budget Committee Governance, 2023-2024

The committee has met infrequently, and I am actively working towards formalizing it as an official governance committee. In the interim, I have been in regular contact to try and ensure faculty representation in relevant discussions and decision-making processes.

Martha Rettig

2024 Promotion Application

Massachusetts College of Art + Design

Budget Committee

Budget Committee Governance, 2023-2024