(Revised; October 25, 2006)

Juries are established by the Department of Theatre and Dance as a central element in the assessment of progress for the individual Theatre and Dance BFA candidate.

The formal jury will be an “open session” presented during the last two DA/TH 105/305 “Rehearsal & Production” classes each semester, convened by the advisor of record in conjunction with the Department of Theatre and Dance, and includes the individual student, his/her scene or dance partners as needed, the faculty, and the R & P students.

Juries are allocated no longer than 5 minutes per each student, with additional time as needed.

Jury Procedures

• All students will be juried at the end of their designated semester as follows:

o Sophomores/Seniors (usually 2nd & 4th year students)  Fall Semester
o Freshmen/Juniors/Transfers (usually 1st & 3rd year students)  Spring Semester

• A quorum of faculty MUST be present for the jury to proceed.  A quorum consists of no fewer than FIVE full-time faculty members, INCLUDING the advisor of record. 

• The content of individual juries is determined in consultation with the advisor and with Theatre and Dance faculty.  In addition, all students must wear professional audition attire appropriate to their discipline, clearly and articulately introduce themselves and the pieces they will be presenting, and carefully rehearse and time out their presentation according to the following guidelines:

1. B.F.A. Acting/Directing students shall prepare two contrasting acting pieces (two monologues, or one monologue and one song) of not more than 90 seconds total.  The student’s prepared presentation must be accompanied by a properly edited résumé and head shot.

2. B.F.A. Dance students shall perform designated choreography of not more than four minutes from one (or more) technique classes, or a solo (or solos) from DA330 “Choreography I” or DA485 “Choreography II” class. The student’s performance must be accompanied by a properly edited résumé and a head/body shot.

3. B.F.A. Design/Technology students shall prepare and lay out their updated portfolio, a properly edited résumé, and speak in a detailed and specific manner about their work over the last year for no longer than four minutes.

4. B.F.A. Musical Theatre students shall prepare a presentation that includes excerpts from one ballad and one up-tempo song (each must be no longer than 16 measures; accompaniment shall be provided as needed) and an excerpt of one dancing piece between four and six 8-counts (32-48 counts total).  The entire presentation must last no longer than four minutes, and must be accompanied by a properly edited résumé and a head/body shot.

Jury Grades

During the juries the faculty will individually record their comments on the applicable jury matrices and send their finished copies to the B.F.A. Jury Coordinator within three days. Areas of strengths and weaknesses in rehearsal, performance, academics, and career planning will be highlighted for each student.  Faculty will also include their written vote concerning the student’s work based on one of the following three choices:

Pass:  The student is progressing satisfactorily toward completion of the B.F.A.

Probation: The student has resolvable issues impeding successful completion of the BFA. The advisor of record will present the student with specific and detailed written “Suggestions from the Faculty” within one business week of the jury.  The student must implement those suggestions during the next one or two full semesters prior to the next scheduled jury.

Fail: The student has irresolvable issues preventing successful completion of the BFA. (For example: An individual student has failed to make satisfactory progress after being placed on official probation.) The student is removed from the BFA degree program.

• BFA candidates will be notified in writing of the voting results and recommendations within one week of their jury.

• Students will be juried once per year of enrollment, at the end of the fall or spring semesters.  Dates of juries will be announced by the Chair.

• Exit Interview and Jury:  The senior student’s final jury (prior to graduation) will be in the form of an exit interview with the Chair of the Department.

Appeals Process

Every student has the right to appeal a FAILING rating from the jury board.  No other appeals will be considered. (For example: An appeal to shift the jury assessment from PROBATION to PASS is not permitted.)

1. First, the student must meet with the advisor of record to discuss the appeal and the appeal process. 

2. Second, the student must meet with the chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance along with the advisor of record. The student is responsible for convening this meeting; chair and advisor MUST both be present.
 
3. Third, the student must submit a FORMAL letter of appeal to the Department of Theatre and Dance in which the student presents a plan for dealing with the issues and problems which led to his/her rating of FAIL. 

4. Fourth, the Department of Theatre and Dance, acting as a committee of the whole convened by the advisor of record, by the start of the semester following the jury rating of FAIL, will vote to: (1) Change the current rating to PROBATION, or (2) Maintain the rating of FAIL. 

5. No other outcome will be considered.      

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