TO: Beth Dobkin, Provost

FROM: Mindy Thomas, ChairAcademic Senate

DATE: March 9, 2017

RE: Senate Action S-16/17-41CACOMM 132, Audio ProductionChange in Prerequisites

At the March 8, 2017 meeting of the Academic Senate, the proposal for a change in the prerequisites for COMM 132, Audio Production was accepted on the Consent Agenda. This item was approved by the Undergraduate Educational Policies Committee at its February 27, 2017 meeting by a vote of 8-0-0.

This action was assigned Senate Action # S-16/17-41CA.

Attachment

Cc: President James A. Donahue Dean Sheila Hassell Hughes

§

February 17, 2017

Dear Committee Members:

The Communication Department hereby requests that the Undergraduate Educational Policies Committee (UEPC) approve the following change to our curriculum: we would like to the have the prerequisite for Comm 132: Audio Production removed.

This prerequisite is a fairly recent addition to our curriculum. It was put in place to provide what seemed at the time a more professional and articulated sequence of courses which built upon each other, growing in complexity of production technique and theory. This decision was made well after the course had been established as an upper division course, and had no bearing on distinguishing the course from its lower division counterparts or on meeting the UEPC criteria for establishing a course as an upper division course. In the time since its implementation, the prerequisite has proven to be a hindrance to our students based on competing course offerings and scheduling conflicts. The prerequisite course Comm 125: Media Technologies and Culture is chronically over-enrolled and serves several populations on campus – core, business, and communication – making it difficult for students in our major to complete the prerequisite course and progress to Comm 132 on a timeline that facilitates timely completion of major graduation requirements. Our department feels that maintaining Comm 125 as a prerequisite for Comm 132 is undermining our curricular stability and is not serving in the best interests of our students, and this is why we are proposing to eliminate it.

As you are aware, the UEPC’s “Procedures for Proposals for New Permanent Courses” outlines four criteria which characterize upper division courses and stipulates that upper division courses must meet at least two of the four criteria. While having college-level prerequisites is the first of these, the other three are that the course must:

b)require an in-depth study of a subject rather than a survey or introduction, and presume the necessary introductory work has been completed;

c)demand rigorous reading/writing/discussion skills as well as an intellectual readiness and personal maturity in handling complex issues that are characteristic of advanced students; [and]

d)include course objectives that entail high levels of cognitive, affective, or psychomotor achievement

Removing the prerequisite for Comm 132 should have no impact upon the course’s designation as upper division, as the course still meets all three of the remaining criteria, exceeding the minimum requirements for upper division designation established by the UEPC.

Saint Mary’s College of California

1928 St. Mary’s Road, Moraga, CA 94575

mobile. 310.779.4908 office. 925.631.8151

www.stmarys-ca.edu, dleopard@mac.com

Communication Department

Comm 132: Audio Production provides students with instruction in a specialized topic. In our curriculum, courses which have specialized topics are by their very nature more advanced than classes that have general topics as their core content, and Comm 132 is no different. In this manner, the course clearly meets Criterion B listed above: it is not a survey or an introduction to the general field of Communication but is, rather, an in-depth exploration of the sonic arts, including acoustical theory, musical concepts, and sound design.

In addition, while Comm 132 does not have a standard or static reading list, each time it is offered, the professor assigned to the course draws upon his or her expertise to identify rigorous literature to inform the course content and uses these readings as the intellectual launchpad for the course. In addition, as an application-based course, Comm 132 is based upon student production – students are required not only to read and understand high-level concepts but also to apply them in new and novel ways. In the process of translating theory into practice, students are required to engage in high levels of writing and discussion in order to achieve the quality of production that we expect of them. As you know, media products are, by their very nature, complex in both their intended and actual messages, and our students’ projects in this course are no different. In order to navigate the topics with which they engage, they must demonstrate both intellectual readiness and emotional maturity in order to produce effective final products. In this manner, Comm 132 also clearly meets Criterion C listed above.

Finally, the course objectives for Comm 132 entail high levels of cognitive and affective achievement, satisfying Criterion D. As noted in the previous paragraph, the complexity of the media documents produced for this course require both intellectual and emotional engagement, both on the part of the student authors and on the part of their intended audiences. In order to be successful, students must demonstrate high levels of mastery in both areas in the communication media documents that form a significant portion of the assessment for this course.

It should be noted that, other than our methodology courses and our senior capstone, Comm 132, Comm 133, and Comm 143 are the only courses in our department that have required prerequisites. (We are submitting similar requests for Comm 133 and Comm 143 under separate cover.) When we established Comm 125 as a prerequisite for Comm 132 and Comm 133, and Comm 132 and Comm 133 as prerequisites for Comm 143, we conceived of Comm 125 as providing a foundation for the other courses, but in practice the courses actually cover discrete and distinct topics in production. Comm 125 focuses on a survey approach to the field of media studies (which includes aesthetics and practice); Comm 132 focuses on audio production; Comm 133 focuses on video production; and Comm 143 on advanced topics such as gaming and social media. Each of these areas of production overlaps with regard to practical procedures to some extent, but each also develops within an essentially autonomous set of historical and theoretical constraints (think radio industry versus movie industry).

In addition, in our Comm 132 course, we routinely provide a review for our students in the basics of production and scaffold instruction throughout the course (building upon all of the skill sets and background knowledge that the students as a

whole bring to the classroom and the production setting). The desire for articulation, although common in professional programs of media instruction, has limited what we can provide in the more general setting of a small communication department in a liberal arts college.

In short, by removing the prerequisite, we will be able to provide access to the course for students who need it to graduate while still allowing students to gain the full knowledge of the instructional content designated for the course and maintaining the rigor required of it as an upper division course.

Here is the course description copy as it appears in the current catalog:

132 Audio Production [Application]

Recognizing the importance of the sonic arts in contemporary forms of media, this course introduces students to: (1) basic

acoustical theory, (2) musical concepts as related to media production, (3) aesthetic and technical elements of sound design,

(4) audio field recording, and (5) non-linear audio editing and post- production techniques. Prerequisite: Communication 125.

And here is how it should appear in the 2017-18 course catalog:

132 Audio Production [Application]

Recognizing the importance of the sonic arts in contemporary forms of media, this course introduces students to: (1) basic

acoustical theory, (2) musical concepts as related to media production, (3) aesthetic and technical elements of sound design,

(4) audio field recording, and (5) non-linear audio editing and post- production techniques.

Sincerely,

Dan Leopard Chair Communication

Note: Since, as noted above, the argument is same for all three course from which we wish to have prerequisites removed, the letters are in large part the same for all three, with the specific course for which we are requesting the change featured therein.

Attachments:Exhibit 1 – Sample Syllabus, including Learning Objectives Exhibit 2 – Dean’s Approval

SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE OF CALIFORNIA

COMMUNICATION 132AUDIO PRODUCTION:INTRODUCTION TO THE SONIC ARTS

SPRING 2009 SYLLABUSMONDAYS 02:15PM – 05:15PMAssumption 100B

Dr. Edward E. TywoniakAssociate Professor, Communication Office Location: Sichel Hall 105D Office Telephone: x4718Email: tywoniak@stmarys-ca.eduAdministrative Assistance: Libby Bernard (x4048)

OFFICE HOURSMON: 10:30AM – 12:00PM (ON ALTERNATE MONDAYS)WED: 10:30AM – 12:00PM(or by appointment)

Sound is a very special modality. We cannot handle it. We cannot push it away. We cannot turn our backs on it. We can close our eyes, hold our noses, withdraw from touch, refuse to taste.

We cannot close our ears though we can partly muffle them.Sound is the least controllable of all sense modalities.

We are therefore looking at a problem of considerable depth and complexity.

~ Julian Jaynes, Psychologist ~

COURSE DESCRIPTIONThe words above from psychologist Julian Jaynes greet the reader with the declaration that sound is “a problem of considerable depth and complexity.” Although sound is certainly not necessarily a problem, it is indeed a unique phenomenon that plays a critical role in our ability to interact with, and communicate within, our immediate environment. In the contemporary age, we tend to take for granted the importance of our oral/aural nature. This course, in part, provides the opportunity to focus our attention on our ability to generate and receive acoustic sensations and use these sonic artifacts for communication and entertainment, as well as to recognize the complex set of physical, psychological and aesthetic constructs that comprises our acoustic perceptual modality. The development of this understanding will require an equal engagement with scientific, philosophical and aesthetic principles, theories and practices.

This course facilitates this understanding of the forms, functions and effects of the sonic arts through the study of the principles of acoustics, the operation of various audio hardware and software systems, classroom discussions on the personal and cultural dimensions of aural

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environments, and the production of programs through narratives that are communicated through the medium of sound. Through a reflective process of exploration and analysis, student projects are structured so that there is a simultaneous development of technical skill-sets and production aesthetics that rely heavily on individual “hands-on” activities that reinforce the conceptual and aesthetic development of the many and varied ways sound is created, perceived, manipulated and shaped. These concepts will be practiced and underscored in laboratory and practicum activities designed to provide students with opportunities to develop an understanding of a full spectrum of skills including the pre-production, production, post-production and distribution aspects of audio design.

Although the course is not designed to teach any industry-specific skills or systems, students will leave the course with the ability to design and produce programming content in the three primary audio application areas – spoken word, sound design, and music – and then apply these skills to a broad array of broadcast and web-based distribution media. Students will also be conversant in contemporary technical and conceptual terminologies pertaining to the audio industry.

COURSE OBJECTIVESThis course has two broad learning objectives:

1. To provide an intermediate understanding of the aesthetic and technical skills requisite to produce vocal, sound design and musical narratives and then post these narratives to some distribution medium

2. To learn key theories, approaches, and terminology for analyzing and deconstructing the effects of sonic artifacts and systems on the creation and development of culture and society

LEARNING OUTCOMESEach student will be expected to be able to demonstrate at the end of the course a general degree of competency of knowledge and application in each of the above course objectives. These competencies will be graded based upon a standardized list of general assessment rubrics in which students are expected to demonstrate an intermediate-level of understanding and ability to:

1. Define, discuss and apply key theories and terms concerning how we communicate with sound

2. Utilize the skills needed in the pre-production, production and post-production phases of story creation to produce short-form and long-form, socially relevant narratives using only the medium of sound

3. Use hardware and software systems needed in the creation of audio programming including the capture, creation, shaping and editing of voice, sound effects and music

4. Distribute audio programming to an audience via contemporary distribution media including radio and podcasts

I still am victim, as we all are all our lives, of some damn tune that won’t shut up. Sometimes it’s my own; sometimes it’s another one; sometimes it’s a brand new one – which I

suppose to be new. I don’t know where they come from.

~ Lou Harrison, Composer ~

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PRIMARY ASSESMENTThere are 500 possible points. All assignments and quizzes must be completed and turned in to pass this course. No late work will be accepted for submittal unless PRIOR approval from instructor is granted. Following are the five primary areas of assessment:

1. Homework Assignments [(x10)@5 points each] 502. Audio Projects [(x5)@20 points each] 1003. Quizzes [(x4)@50 points each] 2004. Classroom Discussion 505. Portfolio (Final Project, Reflection Paper, Support Documentation) 100

TOTAL POINTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500

GRADING SCALE

GRADE % of POINTS POINT TOTAL

A 93 –100 % 465 – 500

A- 90 – 92 % 450 – 464

B+ 87 – 89 % 435 – 449

B 83 – 86 % 415 – 434

B- 80 – 82 % 400 – 414

C+ 77 – 79 % 385 – 399

C 73 – 76 % 365 – 384

C- 70 – 72 % 350 – 364

D+ 67 – 69 % 335 – 314

D 63 – 66 % 315 – 334

D- 60 – 62 % 300 – 314

F 59 % and below 299 and below

Be aware that education is a dynamic process that transcends formula.Every attempt will be made to objectify the grading process.

However, the instructor reserves the right to adjust a grade up or down based upon

warranted subjective reasons.

GENERAL DEPARTMENTAL GRADING GUIDELINESExcerpted from the 2001-2002 Communication Department Handbook

The major in communication requires substantial commitment. Therefore, working hard in your communication classes must be a standard practice. Although the workload for some courses is heavier than others, you are expected to do significant out-of-class preparation for each meeting of every course. You are expected to budget your time so that you can adequately prepare for each class. When you have an assignment such as a paper or exam that requires a heavier than usual time commitment, you should plan ahead so that this does not adversely impact your performance in other classes.

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Our intent in the grading process is to provide students with a fair evaluation of their academic progress. We understand the dangers of inflated grades – grades that are poor measures of academic accomplishment.

The final outcome of your effort in each class is a letter grade indicating mastery of material. Precise criteria for achievement are designated by each instructor and can be found in each course syllabus. In addition, the department has general guidelines listed below to assist you in understanding what is required to obtain specific letter grades.

Before describing the guidelines for specific letter grades, let us consider minimum requirements for your work in any communication class. To achieve C or better in any course, students must fulfill the following criteria, and maintain a balance in all of these areas rather than excellence in one or two:

1. Students must have a command of substantive material.

2. Students must have the ability to diagnose strengths and weaknesses in written and oral communication.

3. Students must creatively engage in an exploration of relevant ideas and concepts.

4. Students must actively participate to enrich the experience of both students and faculty in the classroom.

Course letter grades are as follows:

“C” is an average grade indicating that you have an adequate command of the substantive material of the course and that you have engaged in the exploration of the ideas and concepts. This is generally demonstrated through class participation and through satisfactory completion of class assignments and examinations.

“B” is a good grade, indicating your involvement with the course and its material has been more than just adequate. “B” work is very good – significantly above average.

“A” work is more than simple mastery of course material. It represents a very active and sophisticated engagement with every aspect of the course, demonstrated through sophisticated analysis or creative treatment of the ideas and data covered in the course.

“D” work is less than adequate. For instance, a “D” may indicate that you failed in one or more areas of the course or that you have slipped below a satisfactory level of work in all areas.

“F” indicates a failure to meet the requirements described above.

REQUIRED TEXT AND MATERIALSA course reader is supplied as part of the lab fee as well as all recording media.

ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATIONEach student is expected to attend all classes (two absences are allowed for the semester with certain exceptions made) and participate significantly in class discussions. This type of experiential learning through conversation is critically important to this discussion-based course.

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GV250 OPEN LAB HOURSMonday - Thursday, 5pm - 11:30pm Friday - Sat, CLOSEDSunday, 5pm - 11:30pm

STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDSStudents with any special visual, auditory, cognitive or other learning needs should let the instructor know as soon as possible. Students experiencing difficulty in any of these areas, or with test anxiety, should also contact Advising Services early in the semester for help. The instructor is very sensitive to students with learning differences, so please make sure that any special circumstances are communicated early in the semester.

QUIZZESThere are a total of four quizzes, each worth 50 points for a total of 200 points for this portion of your overall assessment. The quizzes will be based upon the readings, lectures and discussions during that particular section of the course. Quizzes will generally not be cumulative, and will vary in type (True/False questions, definition of term, short essay, etc.) depending upon the material to be mastered at that portion of the course. There will be preliminary preparation in the class period preceding each quiz to ensure that students are aware of the expectations for each assessment.

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTSThere are a total of 10 homework assignments throughout the semester, each worth five points for a total of 100 points. Each homework assignment will be correlated to the reading for that particular day and will comprise one of three types of content: (1) key questions and concepts of theoretical texts, (2) key concepts and terms of technical texts, or (3) pre-production materials to be used for your final project. All homework is text-based and must be typed – no exceptions – and is due the day of the class it is assigned – no exceptions.

AUDIO PROJECTSThere are a total of five mini audio projects designed to familiarize you with the various hardware, software, conceptual and design aspects of the course. Each project is worth 20 points for a total of 100 points for this portion of your overall assessment. Some of the audio projects will be generally assigned to each student in the course, while others will be customized to each individual student and their particular interest area (e.g. music composition, sound design, short- form documentary, podcast, etc.).

CLASSROOM DISCUSSIONSA total of 50 points are assigned to your engagement with classroom discussions of the readings for that day. It is expected that each student will be a vibrant contributor to class conversations and will come prepared to each session by having done quality reading of the assigned texts for that day.

FINAL PORTFOLIO PROJECTThe Final Portfolio Project has a combined point allocation of 100 points. The points are allocated across the following three areas:

1. The Final Audio Project 75 points2. Reflection Paper 25 points3. Support Documentation 5 points

The Final Audio Project will be delivered in the portfolio on a CD format. Each topic will be individually designed for each student.

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The Reflection Paper is a short, 2-3 page reflective analysis of (1) how well your project matched your particular learning outcomes, (2) how well your final project matched the specific course learning outcomes, and (3) the personal lessons you learned from the experience

Support Documentation refers to copies of all pre-production, production and post-production notes including original project overview, scripts, song-lists, technical notes, edit-decision-lists, correspondences, production notes, MIDI patch charts, etc.

Some years ago, audio pioneer Tomlison Holman began a lecture on building film soundtracks by showing the opening scent of the first Star Wars movie without the soundtrack,

Declaring it “the real sound of a space battle in space.” What he said was absolutely true, but how

Well do you think that would play at the box office?

~ Larry Oppenheimer ~

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COURSE SCHEDULE

DAY/DATE THEME / ACTIVITIES READING ASSIGNMENT

WEEK 1

MON 02/09

1. Review syllabus

2. Personal Introductions

3. Intro into the sonic arts

4. Intro into lab equipment

5. Review of Audio Project #1

S. Alten: Audio in Media (chap. 1)

WEEK 2 1. Discussion of reading(s)-- The iPod Culture

2. Review Digital Field Recorder

3. Intro Digital Editing

4. Review for Quiz #1

S. Levy: The Perfect Thing (chaps. 1, 2)

1. Homework Assign #12. Audio Project #1

MON02/16

OFFICE HOURS

WEEK 3

MON 02/23

QUIZ #1

1. Discussion of reading(s)-- Physics & Psychophysics

2. Introduction to Logic and Pro Tools (pt. 1)

3. Review of Audio Project #2

S. Alten: Audio in Media (chap. 2)

1. Homework Assign #2

WEEK 4 1. Discussion of reading(s)-- What is Music?

2. Introduction to Logic and Pro Tools (pt. 2)

3. Review for Quiz #2

D. Levitin: This is Your 1. Homework Assign #3Brain on Music (chap. 1)

MON 2. Audio Project #2

03/02 3. Final Project Proposal

OFFICE HOURS

WEEK 5

MON 03/09

QUIZ #2

1. Discussion of reading(s)-- Physics & Psychophysics

2. Introduction to Logic and Pro Tools (pt. 3)

3. Review Audio Project #3

S. Alten: Audio in Media (chap. 2)

1. Homework Assign #4

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WEEK 6

MON 03/16

OFFICE HOURS

1. Discussion of reading(s)-- Music & the Mind Machine

2. Introduction to Logic and Pro Tools (pt. 4)

D. Levitin: This is Your Brain on Music (chap. 3)

1. Homework Assign #5

2. Audio Project #3

WEEK 7

MON 03/23

QUIZ #3

1. Discussion of reading(s)-- Communication & Music

2. Intro to Podcasting (pt. 1)

3. Review Project #4

R. Albrecht: Mediating the Muse (chap. 1)

1. Homework Assign #6

WEEK 8

MON 03/30

OFFICE HOURS

1. Discussion of reading(s)-- The Media Ecology of Music

2. Intro to Podcasting (pt. 2)

3. Discuss Final Project Pre-Production Overview

R. Albrecht: Mediating the Muse (chap. 2)

1. Homework Assign #7

2. Audio Project #4

3. Final Project Pre Production Overview

WEEK 9 APRIL 4-13 EASTER BREAK NO CLASS

WEEK 10

MON 04/13

TRAVEL DAY EASTER BREAK NO CLASS

WEEK 11

MON 04/20

OFFICE HOURS

1. Discussion of reading(s)-- Sound Recording and

Technical Extensions

2. Intro to Podcasting (pt. 1)

3. Discuss Final Project Production Overview

4. Review Project #5

R. Albrecht: Mediating the Muse (chap. 4)

1. Homework Assign #8

2. Final Project Production Overview

WEEK 12

MON 04/27

QUIZ #4

WORK ON FINAL PROJECT

NO ASSIGNED READINGS

1. Homework Assign #9Draft of Portfolio Essay

2. Audio Project #5

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WEEK 13 WORK ON FINAL PROJECT NO ASSIGNED 1. Homework Assign #10 Draft of Portfolio Production Materials

READINGS

MON05/04

OFFICE HOURS

WEEK 14

MON 05/11

WORK ON FINAL PROJECT NO ASSIGNED READINGS

NO HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT

WEEK 15 FINALS WEEK SUBMITTAL OFFINAL PROJECT

May 18-22 ANDPORTFOLIO

Friday, Feb 17, 3:33 PM

Re: Changes to Course Pre-Requisites

by Sheila Hughes | smh21@stmarys-ca.edu

Hi Dan,

These proposals seem very reasonable to me and I am happy to endorse the removal of the Comm 125 course as a pre- requisite for all three courses in question (Comm 132, 133, and 143). I do not believe this merits SOLA-wide consultation.

cheers, Sheila

Sheila Hassell Hughes Dean, School of Liberal ArtsSaint Mary's College of California

At Saint Mary's College, we take the Liberal Arts out of the box!