Academics in Myers School of Art

Located in Folk Hall, the Mary Schiller Myers School of Artis one of 22 schools in the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences.

Students benefit from the guidance of our on-site academic adviser and full-time faculty members who serve as mentors. Class sizes average 14:1 student/faculty ratio.

Undergraduate degrees

Foundation Program

"Foundation" is defined as the base on which something rests or the fundamental principle on which something is founded, a basis.

The courses of the Foundation Program at the UA Myers School of Art are the basis upon which a career as an artist or graphic designer will be built. The content covered in this series of classes will serve as a resource for students to draw on as they move into upper-level classes and then into their professional careers. This groundwork is established to enable students and faculty to focus intently on the interaction between media and content as applied to specific upper-level fine and applied arts disciplines.

The many concepts, media, and concerns covered are basic, but should never be considered simple. They are in many ways the most complex topics with which art students struggle. The concepts investigated in these classes are the language and grammar that are the conventions of visual literacy. As the elements of our common language, these are concepts students must know fluently. As the convention of our discipline, their history must be understood and their application to contemporary art considered.

The Myers School of Art's Foundation Program provides a unique and invaluable groundwork of knowledge and experience for the beginning art student.

University and Myers School of Art Policies

The University Code of Student Conduct, Ethics and Standards

UA code of student conduct defines academic misconduct, it is your responsibility to know what constitutes academic misconduct and to seek clarification directly from the instructor if necessary.

All instances of academic misconduct are taken with utmost seriousness, and will be reported to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards as required by university procedures.

Student Conduct and Community Standards

The Department of Student Conduct and Community Standards believes in a commitment to advancing the following values: Integrity, Accountability, Respect, Advocacy, Learning and Personal Growth.

UA is an educational community of diverse peoples, processes and programs. While all of us have our individual backgrounds, outlooks, values and styles, we all share certain principles of personal responsibility, mutual respect and common decency.

Our campus culture requires that we maintain and extend those principles, for without them we cannot thrive as a humane and worthwhile university.

We share an expectation to uphold the following principles of culture as part of our responsibility to promote a civil climate for learning on our campus: Intellectual Culture, Culture of Diversity, Caring Culture, Culture of Civility and Responsible Culture.

Behavior that is disruptive to teaching or learning (in or out of the classroom) cannot be tolerated and students who exhibit these behaviors may be subject to disciplinary procedures as described by UA Undergraduate General Bulletin and available on the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards website.

Myers After Hours Access Policy

Use of access to studios outside of designated hours is a privilege afforded to the Myers School of Art students. After-hours access must be requested in the Myers Main Office, Folk 103. Activation takes 24-48 hours and must be requested at the beginning of each new semester, as access is deactivated upon conclusion of a given term. Note: Not all studios/courses allow after-hours access; see your class instructor for inquiries.

Myers School of Art Attendance Policy

Students are required to attend all class meetings. Students may not miss more than one week’s worth of class time without a penalty. For each absence in excess of one week, your final course grade will drop by one grade (e.g., from B to B-). Students traveling on Myers supported trips will not be penalized for missing class, but must inform faculty prior to leaving and will be expected to fulfill class requirements. Attendance is recorded each class period. For grading purposes, three late arrivals or early departures will equal one absence. Each faculty define how many minutes constitute a late or early departure on their individual syllabi. These timing stipulations are at faculty discretion.

Title IX Information

The University of Akron-Title IX is committed to providing an environment free of all forms of discrimination, including sexual violence and sexual harassment. This includes instances of attempted and/or completed sexual assault, domestic and dating violence, gender-based stalking, and sexual harassment. If you (or someone you know) has experienced or is experiencing sexual violence or harassment, know that you are not alone. Help is available, regardless of when the violence or harassment occurred, and even if the person who did this is not a student, faculty or staff member.

Confidential help is available. If you wish to speak to a professional, in confidence, please contact:

• Rape Crisis Center – 24 Hour Hotline: 877-906-RAPE
  Located in the Student Recreation and Wellness Center 246, 330-972-6328
• University Counseling and Testing Center – 330-972-7082
• University Health Services – 330-972-7808

Please know the majority of other University of Akron employees, including faculty members, are considered to be “responsible employees” under the law and are required to report sexual harassment and sexual violence. If you tell me about a situation, I will be required to report it to the Title IX Coordinator and possibly the police. You will still have options about how your case will be handled, including whether or not you wish to pursue a law enforcement or complaint process. You have a range of options available and we want to ensure you have access to the resources you need.

Title-IX provides information, resources, support and the University of Akron protocols for responding to sexual violence.

Accommodations | Office of Accessibility:

In accordance with University policy, students with a documented disability for which accommodations may be required should contact the Office of Accessibility:

Simmons Hall 105
The University of Akron
Akron, Ohio 44325-6213
Phone: (330) 972-7928
TDD: (330) 972-5764
Fax: (330) 972-5422
E-mail: access@uakron.edu

Students should be certain their instructor has been notified of accommodations at the beginning of the term, since accommodations are not retroactive.

Given the nature and structure of all courses within the Myers School of Art, it is not always possible to offer flexibility for those with attendance accommodations. Accommodations must not fundamentally alter a course or degree program. Attendance is imperative to successful completion of courses, especially those with a studio format. The Myers School of Art will adhere to our stated attendance policy reported to NASAD, our accrediting body. Our policy states that a specific number of class hours must be met, and this must be enforced, regardless of accommodation or disability. Students should discuss concerns with faculty on a case-by-case basis.

Myers school-wide studio use policy

Students are permitted to use the studio/lecture workspace, equipment, materials and faculty instruction for a course in which they are enrolled. The School policy restricts student's studio access and use to the corresponding room listed on their class schedule. If a student is not enrolled in a course, they are not permitted to use studio workspace, equipment, materials or faculty instruction. This policy exists to protect everyone's safety, and to preserve the financial resources obtained in the form of tuition and fees, paid by the students enrolled in courses.