Display of Work Policies – by Department

Student exhibitions support learning, celebrate accomplishment, and showcase the quality of the College’s academic degree programs. As a requirement for degree granting program graduation, the display of student work recognizes the culmination of a student’s academic experience and provides an opportunity to publicly present creative achievement. Exceptions to this requirement may be granted at the discretion of the Department Chair. Each department has outlined their display of the work selection process.

Student Information: When displaying student work, the College may include only student information designated as directory information in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and institutional policy. Any non-directory information or information beyond directory information should only be disclosed and included in work displays with the student’s written consent.

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS

Art Education

The Art Education department faculty juries all work submitted by the students in the department. Students whose work embodies the pedagogical principles, educational concepts and personal artistry are invited to submit work for consideration. The Chair consults with faculty but ultimately makes the final call based on space and hanging limitations.

Business for Creative Industries (BA)

The exhibition featured industry-sponsored projects and internship work, along with selected capstone work that demonstrates excellence in entrepreneurship, marketing, brand strategy, financial planning, creative consultancy, and other areas of business practice. Eligible work includes business plans and pitch decks, visualized data and infographics, collaborative projects developed with studio majors, and creative consultancy work produced through partnerships or internships.

Work is reviewed by business faculty and the Department Chair. Selection is based on successful completion of program requirements and the professional quality, polish, and presentation of the final work.

The Senior Capstone is the culmination of the Business BA. Students present work developed individually or in collaboration with studio majors, industry partners, or community organizations which demonstrate readiness for professional practice. Work is reviewed using the following criteria:

Professional Quality: Work is polished, clearly communicated, and meets industry standards of presentation
Strategic Thinking: Work demonstrates evidence-based problem-solving and business acumen
Creative Integration: Work reflects the intersection of business and creative practice distinctive to CCS

Communication Design + Strategy (BFA)

All student work is selected by review teams of one full-time faculty and one adjunct faculty during the week of student reviews at the end of each Academic year.

End-of-the-Year Student Review forms are the rubric used to assess and identify work that meets standards set by the department. The review forms have been developed with content sensitive to ILO’s, Department PLO’s and CLO’s.
Working with a 3-point scale, 2 being normative, any body of work that scores 2 or better may be requested for submission for possible inclusion to the show. Departmental “Core Skills” become the primary focus of assessment when identifying work for SEO. Core skills reflect our department PLOs and are based on expectations/benchmarks set for each academic year of study.
During SEO installation, student work is further vetted, by full-time faculty. Consensus is the goal of this curation phase. If something is identified as not meeting our standards we will edit the piece. Additional work not selected during reviews maybe added. Any additions are approved for inclusion by the Department Chair and at least two full-time faculty.

Entertainment Arts (BFA)

Entertainment Arts full-time and adjunct faculty select student work (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior) during year-end reviews. Those select pieces go through a second round of jurying by full-time faculty, as a group. Final pieces are selected and placed into the Student Exhibition Opening.

Seniors are required to submit a SEO request form approximately four weeks before the end of the semester indicating equipment or space requirements that would be needed for that student’s display. These forms are reviewed by the department and appropriate allocations are made based on the available resources. Students are also required to submit a Mock Layout of any work display setups. These mock layouts are also reviewed by the department and adjustments are made if required.

During SEO setup, Seniors are required to have a Fulltime Faculty sign off on their final display setup.

Underclassman work is set up by the department.

Fashion Business Management (BA)

Graduating students in the Fashion Business Management program are required to participate in a public presentation of their culminating work as part of the degree completion process. The exhibition will primarily feature industry-sponsored projects, along with selected capstone work that demonstrates excellence in branding, marketing, merchandising, entrepreneurship, retail strategy, and other areas of fashion business. Work is reviewed by the full-time Fashion Business Management faculty and the Department Chair. Selection is based on the successful completion of program requirements and the professional quality, polish, and presentation of the final work. The exhibition may include physical displays, digital presentations, or interactive exhibits. Exceptions may be approved at the discretion of the Department Chair.

Fashion Design (BFA)

Work is juried by the Chair and two other faculty members using the following criteria:

Clarity – The work has to be focused and have a right balance of quality materials with clear, personal handwriting.
Creativity – Utilizes innovation either in the design or execution of the product.
Craft – Executed to the highest possible level of craftsmanship.
Overall Impression – Culturally appropriate and expresses course design principles and learning outcomes.

Work that is not accepted is:

Unfocused, unclear
Middle of the road, commercial
Badly or sloppily made
Inappropriate, illegal

Film (BFA) and Film Studies (BA)

All Film (BFA) and Film Studies (BA) students regardless of rank are eligible for inclusion in the annual student exhibition. Student work is juried by the Film Faculty during Review Week at the end of each Academic year and selected for exhibition in relation to the established review criteria and in terms of suitability for exhibition, with production value, personal aesthetics, novel ideas, and practical installation limitations being key factors. Pop-up exhibitions and screenings may occur throughout the year, often tied to specific courses or concepts, and are subject to the same jurying considerations. Senior Thesis work is screened/exhibited as a graduation requirement.

Illustration (BFA)

The Student Exhibition celebrates the highest standard of artistic and technical achievement in the Illustration BFA program. Entry is competitive and judged on individual merit, technical execution, and alignment with course learning outcomes.

For Underclassmen & Non-Graduating BFA Students

Work Selection: During Review Week, faculty will “flag” exceptional projects from student coursework that best demonstrate mastery of course outcomes.
Submission: If student work is flagged, bring it to Room W313A between Monday and Thursday of Review Week. Students are advised to place work on the table corresponding to your class year (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior).
Faculty Judging Panel: Each morning during Review Week, a panel of full-time and adjunct Illustration faculty will discuss, review, and vote on all submitted non-graduating student work for inclusion in the Taubman Center exhibition.

For Graduating BFA Seniors (December & May)

A student’s Senior Wall is the culmination of your BFA studio practice. We stress the following in order to ensure work is presented at a professional industry standard:

Studio Mentorship: Students work directly with their Senior Studio instructors to curate, critique, and layout their senior gallery wall.
Final Approval: Before purchasing frames or materials, students’ wall concepts must be approved by full-time faculty and the Department Chair.
May Exit Reviews: Graduating seniors will present their final body of work to their peers in their senior studio class, and have the option of inviting guest reviewers such as other illustration faculty or faculty from other programs.
December Graduates: Students will receive submission timelines from the Program Manager. These student’s work may be displayed for the December graduation showcase and have the option of participating in the spring-time annual CCS Student Exhibition.

Illustration (BA)

The CCS Annual Student Exhibition showcases creative visual work across the Illustration BA program. Submissions are selected by faculty to highlight strong creative concepts, successful problem-solving, and core course learning outcomes.

For Underclassmen & Continuing BA Students

How Work is Selected: During students’ end-of-semester reviews, instructors will identify and “flag” projects that stand out or effectively meet course goals.
Where to Drop Off Work: If an instructor flags student work, they are asked to drop it off in Room W313A anytime between Monday and Thursday of Review Week. We instruct them to place their work in designated class areas (Freshman, Sophomore, etc.).
Faculty Judging Panel: Each morning during Review Week, a panel of full-time and adjunct Illustration faculty will discuss, review, and vote on all submitted non-graduating student work for inclusion in the Taubman Center exhibition.

For Graduating BA Seniors

Our students final presentation is an opportunity to share their unique creative voice and visual journey:

Faculty Guidance: Throughout the student’s final year, they will collaborate with their Senior Studio instructors to select and organize their best work for display.
Wall Planning: To help students avoid unnecessary costs (like framing), we stress to students to get their wall plan reviewed and approved by faculty before finalizing their setup.
Graduation Presentations:
- May Exit Reviews: Graduating seniors will present their final body of work to their peers in their senior studio class, and have the option of inviting guest reviewers such as other illustration faculty or faculty and or staff from other programs.
- December Graduates: Students will receive submission timelines from the Program Manager. These student’s work may be displayed for the December graduation showcase and have the option of participating in the spring-time annual CCS Student Exhibition.

Interdisciplinary Art + Design (BFA)

All Interdisciplinary Art + Design (IA+D) students regardless of rank are eligible for inclusion in the annual student exhibition. Student work is juried by the IA+D Faculty during Review Week at the end of each Academic year and selected for exhibition in relation to the established review criteria and in terms of suitability for exhibition, with production value/craftsmanship, personal aesthetics, novel ideas, and practical installation limitations being key factors. Pop-up exhibitions may occur throughout the year, often tied to specific courses or concepts, and are subject to the same jurying considerations. Senior thesis work is exhibited as a graduation requirement.

Interior Design (BFA and BDes)

At the end of each academic year, student work is reviewed by the Interior Design faculty during Review Week. Course learning outcomes, established at the beginning of each semester, serve as the primary criteria for evaluating student work. Faculty collectively review projects with the goal of reaching consensus on work that best demonstrates the department’s learning outcomes, academic standards, and design excellence.

Following Review Week, selected work is curated for the Student Exhibition Opening (SEO). During the SEO installation process, the Department Chair and full-time faculty conduct a final review to ensure the exhibition represents the quality, diversity, and breadth of the Interior Design program. Consensus is the goal of this curation phase. If a selected project requires minor revisions to improve presentation or meet exhibition standards, students may be asked to complete those revisions before installation.

Additional work not initially selected during Review Week may be included if it strengthens the overall exhibition or better represents the department. Any additions must be approved by the Department Chair and a full-time Interior Design faculty member.

Students are responsible for retaining all required project materials—including presentation boards, physical models, material (CMF) trays, and other assigned deliverables—throughout the academic year. These materials must remain available for Review Week, the Student Exhibition Opening (SEO), accreditation documentation, departmental exhibitions, recruitment, and promotional activities until students receive notification from the department that they may remove or dispose of them.

Selection for exhibition is determined through faculty review and should not be interpreted solely as a reflection of a student’s course grade. The department reserves the right to curate the exhibition to best represent the range, quality, and objectives of the Interior Design program.

Photography (BFA)

All Photography students regardless of rank are eligible for inclusion in the annual student exhibition. Student work is juried by the Photography Faculty during Review Week at the end of each Academic year and selected for exhibition in relation to established review criteria and in terms of suitability for exhibition, with production value, personal aesthetics, novel ideas, and practical installation limitations being key factors. Pop-up exhibitions may occur throughout the year, often tied to specific courses or concepts, and are subject to the same jurying considerations. Senior thesis work is exhibited as a graduation requirement.

The subfloor photo gallery in the lower-level of the Kresge-Ford Building (C side) currently organizes themed exhibitions with open calls to Photography students. Sometimes coursework from current classes is featured, and from time to time faculty and staff work is featured. The goal is to make this a student-run space in the near future.

Product Design (BFA)

The Product Design Department Chair and Full Time Faculty jury work for SEO during end of year reviews. The work is evaluated according to criteria/categories listed in the attached review form. Should any material be considered offensive, students will be asked to remove the inappropriate content.

Studio Art and Craft (BFA)

Selection Process for the Student Exhibition Opportunity (SEO)

Preliminary selection of student artwork for the SEO occurs as part of the annual Student Review process.

Year-end student reviews are scheduled according to students’ academic levels. Each student is assigned an installation space and is responsible for installing their work prior to the start of reviews on their designated review day. Before the daily review schedule begins, full-time (FT) faculty review all exhibited work and conduct an initial selection of artwork that demonstrates the standards of excellence established by Section Area Leads within their respective disciplines, in alignment with competency levels defined by SAC Program Learning Outcomes.

During each student review, a review team of three to four FT faculty members evaluates the pre-selected artwork and conducts a comprehensive assessment of the student’s annual performance and learning outcomes. Using the rubric outlined in the annual review form, the review team either confirms or denies the preliminary selection. Artwork approved for inclusion in the SEO is documented on the student’s review form. Following the review, students deliver the selected work to a designated area in the KFB, where they complete the submission process and provide label information for each accepted piece.

Freshman Reviews

Freshman reviews are conducted in a group format rather than as individual reviews. Students are divided into two cohorts, with one group participating in the morning and the other in the afternoon. Faculty complete the selection of artwork prior to the start of each group discussion. Freshmen whose work is selected for the SEO are required to deliver their artwork immediately following their assigned review session.

Senior Reviews

Senior reviews follow a separate process and occur after artwork has been curated by Senior Studio faculty in collaboration with the Chair of SAC. This curatorial process takes place throughout the Winter Semester. The off-campus Senior Thesis Exhibition also informs the curatorial framework for the May senior exhibition.

Seniors work closely with Senior Studio faculty and the Chair to develop the layout and design of the exhibition. Once this process is complete, SAC FT faculty are invited to review the exhibition as a whole. Students who have successfully completed Senior Studio and who are scheduled to graduate in the subsequent fall semester are required to exhibit in the May senior exhibition.

Additional Exhibitions

Student exhibitions take place throughout the academic year across SAC program areas. These faculty-curated exhibitions are intended to showcase exemplary student work produced in SAC courses.

Studio Art and Craft full-time and adjunct faculty select student work (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior) during year-end reviews. Those select pieces go through a second round of jurying by full-time faculty, as a group. Final pieces are selected and placed into the Student Exhibition Opening.
Seniors are required to submit a SEO request form approximately four weeks before the end of the semester indicating equipment or space requirements would be needed for that student’s display. These forms are reviewed by the department and appropriate allocations are made based on the available resources. Students are also required to submit a Mock Layout of any work display setups. These mock layouts are also reviewed by the department and adjustments are made if required.
During SEO setup, Seniors are required to have a Fulltime Faculty sign off on their final display setup.
Underclassman work is set up by the department.

Transportation Design (BFA)

Graduates in BFA are required to show their work upon graduation. Exceptions can be made at the discretion of the Chair.
The work is screened for quality, content, and professionalism and the students are advised accordingly.
Non-graduating BFA student work is screened and curated for quality, content, and professionalism. The department reserves the right to not show work from non-graduating students

Graduate Programs

Color and Materials Design (MA/MFA)
Design for Sustainability (MA/MFA)
Interdisciplinary Design and Media (MA/MFA)
Transportation Design (MA/MFA)
User Experience Design (MA/MFA)

Participation in the student exhibition is a requirement for MFA programs and encouraged for MA programs. Non-graduating MA/MFA student work is carefully selected. The department reserves the right to not show work from non-graduating students. Student work is reviewed by Graduate Studies faculty throughout the year and in review week. The final decision on the inclusion of work in exhibitions and industry day lies with individual Program Chairs.

User Experience Design (MPS)

The MPS in User Experience Design is fully online and due to its remote nature, students are invited to participate in a virtual exhibition. The final decision on the inclusion of work lies with the Program Chair.

Non-Degree Areas of Study

Community Arts Partnerships

Student work is submitted for consideration by CAP Teaching Artists. Selections are based on the pieces that best represent CAP programming for the year. Students and their families are notified that they have a piece/multiple pieces on exhibition and are invited to attend the SEO.

Foundation

The Foundation Department uses this process in selecting works for the SEO:

Faculty select student work in each class for submission to the SEO jury.
The day following the end of classes, faculty from each discipline meet and jury all of the entries in that discipline.
Work is then returned to students for “Review Week” if a request is received in advance by the student, for matting/preparing for student show.
Works are then returned to the Foundation office, for SEO.
Works are hung by the Foundation Faculty. Given limited available space, all accepted works will not be in the show.
Final selection/deselection in the SEO rests with the Department Chair.

Liberal Arts

The Department Chair primarily selects the SEO work to be presented in consultation with appropriate faculty, as needed. Liberal Arts makes an attempt to feature Concentrations and Minors. We also feature the contest winners for the Brewer Smallenberg Nonfiction Writing Contest and the Goldwasser Writing Contest. Finally, we feature the work created in new, promising classes, for example, the Graphic Novel Writing Workshop.