i. institutional support and commitment to continuous improvement

School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Department of Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects
Master of Architecture
Master of Architecture with emphasis in Interior Architecture
III. PROGRESS SINCE THE LAST SITE VISIT
III.1. SUMMARY OF RESPONSE TO TEAM FINDINGS
This section presents the changes it has implemented in response to the review received during SAIC’s
site visit in 2009. Deficient conditions are excerpted from the VTR and addressed broadly.
A) Responses to Conditions Not Met
This section responds to the to the specific assessments of the 2009 Visiting Team Report for Student
Performance Criteria not yet met and explains where those topics are now taught, given the reorgani-
zation of some topics into newly defined SPCs.
1) Criterion A.3 Visual Communication Skills
2009 Visiting Team Assessment: Not yet met.
The team felt that the lack of variety, creativity, and quality of graphic work prevented students from
fully expressing the depth of idea and thought that their work was intended to illustrate. Hand drawing
and use of various media was extremely limited, undeveloped, and generally did not express itself in
subsequent studio work. Physical models were limited and lacked the quality expected. The opportu-
nity to improve the graphic presentation of architectural thought is readily available for this program,
which is situated within a fine art school with both the facilities for and the commitment to making.
2010 AIADO Response to Criterion A.3, not yet met in 2009 Visiting Team Assessment
This is taught in the boot camp class ARCH and INARC 5005 Graduate Design Communications;
and in all subsequent required design studios in both tracks. Case study presentation examples are
examined in class, and techniques are taught that are required for use in the final presentation of
these design studios. In addition, a new first year elective course, AIADO 5020 Graduate Spatial
Computer Imaging is aimed at giving beginning students significant time to learn to integrate the
theory, design, technology, graphic diagramming and presentation techniques that are taught in the
first year. If this experimental elective is successful, it will be integrated firmly into the curriculum.
2) Criterion A.4 Technical Documentation
2009 Visiting Team Assessment: Not yet met.
The level of ability to produce technically precise drawings and write outline specifications for a
proposed design is not yet met in the evidence provided within the team room.
2010 AIADO Response to Criterion A.4, not met in 2009 Visiting Team Assessment
This is being taught in ARCH and INARC 6212 Choreographed and Ambient Systems, with an as-
signment that emphasizes a small set of technical documents. AutoCAD 2010 licenses have been
purchased by SAIC for use by students in classes starting in July 2009.
3) Criterion A.10 Cultural Diversity
2009 Visiting Team Assessment: Not yet met.
Students are asked to explore these issues in a variety of courses including ARTHI 5120 Modern/
Postmodern Architecture and Design and in the 4th semester studios Families, and Event Spaces.
However, the evidence presented was limited to unique examples; it was not consistently present in
all work available to the team. Therefore, the team cannot determine that all graduates are achieving
at the level of ability for this criterion. It should be noted that in the previous VTR (2007), this crite-
rion was met through student work presented in AIADO 5003, ARCH/INARC 5118, ARCH 5110, ARCH
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