The Butte College Ceramics Program offers a solid foundation in the technical as well as aesthetics aspects of clay construction. Although ceramics as a creative art medium is emphasized, students also study the interrelationship between industry, business and ceramics. Our staff strives to offer a well-rounded art education including instruction in the skills needed to develop a working portfolio for employment and higher education purposes.
The ceramics program has recently undergone major curricular revisions to align with the new C-ID Descriptors and to eliminate course repeatability. Beginning in Fall, 2013, we have been offering four courses: ART 50, 52, and 56, Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Ceramics, and ART 54, which focuses on low-fire glazes and surface treatments. Beginning classes introduce and develop fundamental skills, while Intermediate, Advanced, and Low-Fire classes offer students the opportunity to develop techniques and a body of work that will prepare them for transfer and upper-division work and/or employment as artists. Students can earn a Certificate of Achievement and/or an A.A. degree in Ceramics. Classes are offered in a spacious classroom (ARTS 140) and Glaze Room, which includes an outdoor state-of�the-art laboratory. The Arts Department Chair, three Associate faculty members, and a lab technician are responsible for the operation of the area.
Therre were no recommendations made in our Program Review Validation Report that specifically focused on Ceramics. However, the following commendations were offered in support of successes achieved by the Ceramics area:
The Validation Team commends the Art Department on maintaining a high level of quality instruction. Full-time and associate faculty and department staff engage in professional development. They obviously work hard and strive toward making Arts-related subject matter interesting, relevant, and accessible to our students.
Since the retirement of Idie Adams over 5 years ago, this area has been largely managed by Associate Faculty and Scott Bryson, lab tech., with oversight of Department Chair David Cooper. Lynn Facchini, Margie Allen, Cathy Hudin, and Scott are to be commended for carrying an inordinate load in keeping this highly successful program going strong.
The Validation Team commends the department on its efforts to enhance learning opportunities for students, including making strategic decisions relating to “piggybacked” classes and “split” classes in Ceramics. The program is inclusive and attracts and serves a diverse student population, including older and disabled students. Students’ safety is protected, efforts are made on an ongoing basis to increase consistency in students’ experience in multiple sections of courses, and students experience high persistence and success rates.
Strategy 1 - Increase AA-Degree Completion
From previous Unit Plan: Work within the State Transfer Model Curriculum frameworks to develop and offer an AA-T degree program in Studio Art with an emphasis in Ceramics. Mentor students to increase their awareness of these majors to encourage them to think of graduation as a meaningful goal.
Update: We developed and received approval for an AA-T Degree in Studio Art. It became available to students as-of the start of the last academic year. Because State approval was too late in being granted for the degree to be listed in the catalog, a supplement was produced by Heather Rau, and is currently in use by counselors advising students. Within the Art Department we have been disseminating this information and encourage students to work towards achieving this degree.
Ongoing...
Students who complete an AA-T degree in Studio Art are more likely to successfully transfer to a 4-year institution, where the completion of Upper division and/or Graduate study will enhance their position when seeking employment.
Strategy 2 - Portfolio Development
Better prepare students to market their creative products.
If we develop our curricula further in the areas of photo-documention of artwork and organizing a portfolio for presentation through traditional venues and the digital marketplace, we will enhance our students ability to capitalize financially on their work.
Ongoing...
Strategy 3 - Improve Lab Support
Work to ensure that all support tasks needed in Ceramics are able to be accomplished within the assigned hours of the Laboratory Technician.
The position of Laboratory Technician Scott Bryson was reduced from 11-month to 10-month with no reduction in workload. Consequently, he is unable to perform all the tasks that he is responsible for. This request has not yet been granted. We ask that it be reconsidered.
Strategy 4 - Maximize Student Success
Work to ensure that all equipment and supplies are sufficient to maximize student success.
Student success should never be impeded by lack of fully functional equipment and adequate supplies to complete required projects.
None.
About a year ago one of the Ceramics Lab’s most valuable electric kilns had a literal melt-down resulting in its complete destruction. This kiln, because of its “front loading” design, was funded through ‘Disabled Student Services’ so that students with disabilities would have the opportunity to learn the process of loading and unloading electric kilns. We've sourced a new kiln that is considerably smaller in size and less in cost than the original, but will still be effective as an accessible tool and learning opportunity for disabled students, while also being an overall asset to the efficiency and quality of the ceramics studio. We would like to investigate if there may be funding, or even partial funding available from DSPS for a new kiln.
| Original Priority | Program, Unit, Area | Resource Type | Account Number | Object Code | One Time Augment | Ongoing Augment |
| Description | Supporting Rationale | Potential Alternative Funding Sources | Prioritization Criteria | |||
| 1 | Ceramics | Equipment | 1-000-512-1-061460 | 56411 | $15,241.00 | $0.00 |
| Bailey Front loader Thermallogic Kiln | About a year ago one of the Ceramics Lab�s most valuable electric kilns had a literal melt-down resulting in its complete destruction. Because of its �front loading� design, it was funded through �Disabled Student Services� so that students with disabilities would have the opportunity to learn the process of loading and unloading electric kilns. Our other �top load� designed kilns do not offer this opportunity. This primary request for this year�s unit plan is a similarly designed kiln to replace the one that was destroyed. The kiln we have sourced is considerably smaller in size and less in cost than the original, but will still be effective as an accessible tool and learning opportunity for disabled students, while also being an overall asset to the efficiency and quality of the ceramics studio. |
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| 2 | Ceramics | Equipment | 1-000-512-1-061460 | 56411 | $1,400.00 | $0.00 |
| Full set of replacement heating elements for 3 of our electric kilns | A full set of replacement heating elements for 3 of our electric kilns. These elements have a relatively short lifespan and I am certain will need to be replaced in the near future. |
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| 3 | Ceramics | Equipment | 1-000-512-1-061460 | 56411 | $250.00 | $0.00 |
| 5, 11�x22� x1� Cordierite kiln shelves | 5, 11�x22�x1� Cordierite kiln shelves for our smallest gas kiln. As it is now we only have 4 shelves that properly fit the hearth of the kiln, severely limiting its efficiency |
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