NAAB Architecture Program Report (APR) 2013 - Tulane School of ...

Tulane UniversityArchitecture Program ReportSeptember 2013Tulane School of Architecture’s low student/faculty ratio allows most members of the faculty to becomeacquainted with the majority of students and to advise them informally on academic matters as well asprofessional and general concerns. First and Second Year students often need special advice onarchitecture as their career choice. The design faculty of these years is particularly sensitive and responsiveto these needs. Students are given ongoing feedback on their progress throughout this period, and acomprehensive design review concludes the spring semester of Second Year.The School of Architecture alumni are another valuable resource in career advising and facilitation. Ouralumni practice throughout he United States, in architecture and a variety of related fields. These successfuldesign professionals often prefer to hire Tulane graduates, and are effective area contacts for the studentseeking employment. Further information on the TSA’s Career Advising activities can be found here:http://architecture.tulane.edu/careers/advisingSupport of Field Trips and Other Off-Campus ActivitiesThe Dean has supported numerous student field strips and off campus activities including AIASparticipation in Quad Conferences and the National Forum, with as many as ten Tulane students inattendance in the latter and many more in the former. The Rome field trips are entirely funded by theSchool as part of that program. Several recent study abroad programs have been subsidized substantiallywith private donor funds.Students also participate in the yearly “Day of Caring” program of public service, working in the communityon improvement projects alongside faculty, staff and community non-profit partners. Many individualstudent organizations have their own programs off campus and ASG has funding from the central StudentGovernment through student activity fees which gives them significant autonomy in deciding how to directtheir own funding for these purposes.Participation in Student OrganizationsThe School of Architecture has its own student government organizations. They plan student activities,hold student meetings, attend faculty meetings, and administer the annual Faculty Award. Tulane studentsare active in campus and national student affairs.Architecture Student Government (ASG)ASG is an organization representing the entire architecture student body and funded by Tulane’s governingUniversity Student Government (ASG). They organize and empower the student body of TSA in the spirit ofresponsibility to the community and the public. They are involved in organizing lectures and social eventssuch as TGIF, Beaux Arts Ball and the annual Faculty Auction. One of ASG's main focus of the school yearis planning Architecture Week (http://architecture.tulane.edu/outreach/architects-week). ASG is made up ofan executive board (President, VP, Treasure, Secretary and Senator to USG) and class representativesfrom each year. General elections are held in the spring semester and elections for First Year occurs at thebeginning of the fall semester.School of Architecture Graduate Government (SAGG)The Tulane School of Architecture Graduate Government is an organization committed to the strengtheningof the graduate student community. Its main purpose is to facilitate a relationship between graduatestudents, faculty, the administration, the University, alumni, professionals, and the community at large.Additionally, SAGG is equipped to further empower the graduate body and provides the resources neededto reach their greatest creative potential. The funding of Student Initiated Projects (SIPs) is but one toolSAGG utilizes to meet this goal. Any graduate student can prepare a proposal to improve something at theSchool of Architecture and present it to the government. One recent example of this is the graduate workpublication, "Recto Verso," the publishing of which is funded by SAGG. Finally, SAGG has an importantrole in the Graduate Colloquium. Though there is a separate committee dedicated to the organization andexecution of the Colloquium, SAGG is a major partner in funding it. SAGG hosts a social gathering forgraduate students and visiting prospective graduates during the Colloquium weekend to help prospective33