Department of Creative Arts Therapy

A. Mission Statement

The mission of the Department of Creative Arts Therapy is to prepare students as ethical, competent, and culturally humble practitioners. Students will be able to apply psychosocial and systemic approaches to gain understanding of diverse clinical, social, and cultural issues that present in clinical and community-based practice. Programs will prepare students to employ the use of creative expression in individual, relational, and societal contexts to depict personal emotions and circumstances while serving as a catalyst for personal and social change, community development, and public health.

Programs will provide a hybrid low-residency approach to increase access to a wider variety of students by reducing barriers to education that some students experience with attending a traditional on-campus program. Through participation in experiential learning opportunities and engagement with curriculum that represents historic and contemporary practice issues, students gain self-awareness, insight, and skills regarding how to use their creative abilities and interests as practicing professionals in their field of study.

B. Vision Statement  

The Department of Creative Arts Therapy maintains a three-pronged vision:

1. To lead in online education and telemental health practices in creative arts therapy through initiatives and innovation in research, scholarship, and teaching.

2. To offer on-demand programs and learning opportunities in creative arts therapy that prepare students for professional and advanced practice.

3. To be recognized nationally as a leading institution for training creative arts therapy practitioners to work with military connected populations.

A. Membership

The faculty of the Department of Creative Arts Therapy consists of the following titles:

1. Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty

Tenure-track full-time faculty members are those holding tenured or tenure-track appointments and the title of Professor, Associate Professor, and Assistant Professor. Tenure-track full-time faculty have full voting rights in the Department and may serve as Chair and on all Departmental committees for which they are qualified.

2. Full-Time Non-Tenure Track Faculty

a) Professors of Practice

The title of Professor of the Practice is available for full-time, non-tenure-track faculty who are highly accomplished individuals with significant and substantial experience in a relevant field of professional practice and who can provide effective, practice-oriented instruction.

 b) Professors of Teaching

The title of Assistant Teaching Professor, Associate Teaching Professor, or Teaching Professor is given to full-time, non-tenure track faculty, and it implies appropriate qualifications and appropriate educational degrees.

3. Part-Time Instructors

Adjuncts United (AU) is affiliated with New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) and represents Syracuse University’s part-time instructors. These appointments are made to teach classes as needed in the Department. Part-Time Instructors do not have voting rights and attend faculty meetings except by invitation. As Part-Time Instructors, these individuals are eligible for the privileges accorded by collective bargaining agreements.

B. Responsibilities of the Faculty

1. Research

Scholarly activity is the cornerstone of excellence for tenure-track faculty. Tenured and tenure-track faculty are expected to have a contemporary approach to practice and must be research-active at the regional/national/international level (as appropriate to rank). A record of strong, sustained scholarship/research allows faculty and the program to grow in professional and institutional status. Scholarly activities include those that (a) require a high level of expertise, (b) break new ground or are innovative, (c) can be documented, (d) can be replicated or elaborated upon, (e) can be peer reviewed, and (f) impact the field, profession or a community of people.

 Faculty may take research, teaching, and personal leaves, as described in College and University guidelines. Faculty will be eligible for research leaves every six years.  Faculty must apply to the Chair for research leaves, which are granted based on the value of the proposal and available funding. These proposals shall also be made available to the rest of the faculty. Once they return, faculty shall submit a report to the Chair on their practice and research developments during their leave.

2. Teaching

All faculty are expected to teach all classes with full involvement and at the best of their ability, providing a maximal learning atmosphere and student experience.

If a faculty member expects to miss a class, they must notify the Chair, and either provide the students with sufficient out-of-class assignments to cover the missed contact time or provide for the class to be covered by another faculty member.

A faculty member’s teaching load shall be determined by the Chair, and shall depend on the faculty member’s focus (teaching or research) as well as their other duties, such as being a Coordinator or having other significant service or administrative work. An average of 4 hours of service per week equals a 10% service commitment and an average of 8 hours of service per week equals a 20% service commitment. The following table can be used as a reference for load assignments. The normal teaching load for full-time faculty members is determined by each individual academic unit of the College with the approval of the Dean. Compensation for additional assignments or projects for the University or any of its units requires both the faculty member’s consent and administrative approval, up to and including the Dean.

3. Service

All Faculty except Part-Time Faculty are expected to be engaged in service to the Department, College, University, and/or their professional fields.  This may include service within the College leadership; service on committees; advising; mentoring; participation in external regional, national, and international associations and activities; community service; internal and external guest speaking engagements; and other duties. The type and extent of faculty service loads will vary, depending on their other responsibilities and job titles, and are determined in consultation with the Chair.

4. Advising

All Faculty except Part-Time Faculty will have advising roles. They will meet with their Advisees at least twice per year. Faculty are required to document advising sessions using the department advising form and to file the form in the student’s electronic department file. Faculty are responsible for advising students about on all courses, including Fall and Spring. Faculty are responsible for attending to advisee needs as they arise, including during the summer months and during breaks on the academic calendar.

 Students, in consultation with their faculty advisors, are responsible for maintaining steady progress toward completion of all degree requirements. Faculty Advisors should alert the Chair and the College Office of Student Affairs when a student is not making adequate progress toward their degree. Additionally, Faculty Advisors should alert the Chair of any other concerns that may arise that may impact the student’s participation in the program.

Advisors shall strongly endeavor to make sure that students enroll in their classes at the appropriate registration times in the fall and spring (see the Registrar’s Academic calendar for details). Students should be strongly urged to not wait until the semester begins to enroll in their classes, or to attempt wide-ranging changes of their schedules. 

5. Professionalism and Citizenship

Faculty members are expected to act as professionals and good citizens of the Department. This includes being courteous, respectful, and reliable to other faculty, staff, and students; being on time to Department events and completing tasks on time; being informed and prepared regarding current Department issues; staying in timely communication with faculty, staff, and students; and actively participating in Department matters. Faculty members will create a welcoming, inclusive space for people of all backgrounds, identities, and interests within their classes and the Department in general and will be considerate of the independence and vulnerability of staff and students.

A. Administrative Positions

1. Department Chair

The Department Chair is responsible for the creative and academic leadership of the department, in consultation with the faculty, and for communicating to the Dean the educational and administrative matters of the unit. 

The Chair is either recommended from within the ranks of the existing faculty or hired as a result of an external national search. Chairs serve a five-year term. A shorter term may be negotiated with the Dean. Terms are renewable, based on effective performance of duties. The Dean consults with the faculty in the department and appoints the new Chair.

2. Internship Coordinator

The Internship Coordinator will provide management and have oversight of the internship placement process. They will manage field placements for all graduate art therapy students, including working with faculty and field site supervisors to resolve potential problems with student placements. In addition, they will prepare internship placement materials, plan and conduct site supervisor workshops or orientations for students. Internship Coordinator is selected by the Chair or is the result of an external national search.

B. Department Committees

The Department has the following standing committees. The Chair is an ex officio member of all committees. Committees shall optimally have three to five faculty members per committee. The Chair may create additional permanent and ad hoc committees as required.

1. Tenure and Promotion Committee

The Tenure and Promotion committee participates in the tenure and promotion of faculty members, as well as pre-tenure annual reviews. The Department Tenure and Promotion Committee is comprised tenured faculty from the Department, as well as tenured faculty from across the University including units across the College and partner disciplines, such as Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

A. Voting Privileges

1. Unless otherwise specified, all faculty (as defined in section III.A.1.) have the right to vote on all department matters.

2. All motions are passed by simple majority votes of all those present and eligible unless otherwise specified. 

3. At least half of all active voting members must be present (or, in the case of email votes when agreed, must respond) in order to have a quorum and conduct business. Faculty members who are on leave for the semester are not considered active and do not count towards quorum counts.

4. The Department shall have faculty meetings on a regular basis, as determined by the Chair, with a minimum of 4 per semester. Additional meetings may be requested by the Chair or the faculty.

5. All full-time faculty and administrative staff are expected to attend department meetings. Part-time instructors may attend meetings.

6. Agendas to meetings shall be distributed beforehand. Action points will be collated by administrative staff for circulation prior to the next meeting. Members of meetings are expected to take a note of agreed actions that they are responsible for.