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Supporting Our Community

Message from the Vice President of Student Affairs

Otis College of Art and Design is  continuously developing and sustaining programs and initiatives that  support our  global community of artists and designers. This work does not happen in a vacuum. The Otis Community maintains  a deep commitment to shared governance as it  works across all constituent groups to foster a collaborative  spirit among our committees, staff, faculty, students, alumni, and academic leadership.

The information that follows outlines our commitment to supporting students from pre-college to commencement.

Our Work

Meta College Program

  • In partnership with The Metaphor Club, Otis College launched this program in 2021 to expand upon outreach and recruitment of underserved students who have a desire to attend an art and design college.

Summer of Art

  • Scholarships are granted in collaboration with local community organizations to support underserved  youth, providing  an opportunity to develop their creative passions during this pre-college summer program designed for students aged 12-18 years that includes  a four- week residential experience.

Summer Language Program (SLP)

  • Students who do not meet Admission’s Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) requirements may be conditionally admitted to Otis College pending successful completion of the Otis College Summer Language Program, which provides a strong foundation for students to start their BFA studies.
  • In addition to improving their English language abilities, students have the opportunity to engage in a studio elective course and connect with other Otis College students prior to  the start of the Fall semester.

Summer of Style

  • Supported and sponsored by celebrity stylist Jason Bolden, this six-day program for high school students introduces the worlds of fashion, product, and interior design, in an effort to widen the pipeline to these creative industries for underserved  youth.

BIPOC Student Summit

  • Launched in January 2021, this one day summit focuses on creating a community space for students of all backgrounds, allowing them  to connect around their shared experiences as emerging creatives.
  • This program uplifts and empowers student voices through dialogue on topics of personal development, professional growth, and opportunities beyond graduation.
  • More information about this program here: otis.edu/bipoc-student-summit

Black Creatives Institute

  • Open to all students, this  three day program builds community among incoming Black-identified creatives and provides holistic support for personal growth, identity formation, cultural development, and career development to create a strong  sense of belonging within the Otis College community.
  • More information about the program is here: otis.edu/black-creatives-institute

Charles White Scholarship

  • Open to all prospective students, this four-year  full-tuition scholarship is designed for young artists and designers from Los Angeles and beyond. The Scholarship is awarded to one  incoming first-year or transfer art and design student from California and one from anywhere in the United States.
  • More information can be found here: otis.edu/charles-white-scholarship

Engagement and Belonging

  • All incoming students, both undergraduate and graduate, are required to complete a Community Engagement and Belonging  course, providing foundational knowledge that supports a welcoming and supportive community.  
  • The First-Year Experience program, Take FLIGHT, centers Community Engagement and Belonging  as a part of its six core modules.

Preferred Name and Pronouns

  • The College has a Pronoun and Preferred Name Policy that allows students to use their desired name and pronoun and incorporates this within class rosters, platforms, and other college systems.

Veteran Student Support

  • Otis College regularly invests  in support offerings  centered around community engagement for our veteran students, allowing them to connect and engage around their unique experiences returning to college.
  • Sustained financial support from the Ahmanson Foundation has allowed Otis College to fund programs and initiatives to enhance the experience for veteran students. 
  • Otis College  participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which helps finance college education for veterans, in addition to providing a privately-named scholarship funded through the Ahmanson Foundation.

Employee Resource Groups

  • Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) provide faculty (full-time and adjunct) teaching in the College’s BFA/MFA programs and staff (full-time and part-time) with a platform to foster community, share experiences, and support professional and personal growth. Current faculty and staff can find more information on ERGs in their MyOtis portal.

Accessibility Committee

  • Committee focused on developing resources for faculty to engage in best practices and learning opportunities on accessibility and student experiences around disability and neurodiversity.
  • Small learning sessions have been launched to help faculty connect and share resources to better support the student experience.

AICAD BIPOC Academic Leadership Institute

  • The Student Affairs office and Community Engagement and Belonging sponsored seven faculty and staff to participate in the second annual Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD) BIPOC Academic Leadership Institute, providing professional development and mentoring opportunities.

Diversity in the Curriculum

  • Support faculty development through grants to encourage infusing diversity in the curriculum. Additionally, the DEIB Curriculum Subcommittee continues to work toward the goal of creating an inclusive curriculum and approaches to pedagogy that is culturally responsive.
  • DEIB PechaKucha-style presentations are infused in Academic Assembly to provide faculty with a variety of examples on how to integrate and leverage DEIB practices related to curriculum development and pedagogy.
  • Revision of course evaluations to include DEIB assessment as an accountability measure for faculty to work toward developing, improving, and/or enhancing their current practices in the classroom.

Implicit Bias Training

  • Inclusive practices training for all faculty and staff who serve on hiring committees in order to mitigate bias in the hiring process.

LGBTQIA+ Inclusion Committee

  • Committee focused on policies and practices toward supporting LGBTQIA+ community members.
  • This committee develops  a progress report that is  reviewed and assessed by the Campus Pride Index. In prior reviews, Otis College was awarded 4 out of 5 stars on its  efforts to create a supportive community.

Teaching and Learning Center Resources

  • Resources and training developed for faculty to be able to engage in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) efforts in order to optimize classroom accessibility for students.
  • Teaching and learning resources provided on Anti-Racism, Black Lives Matter, and Gender Identity and Expression.

Community Museum Visits

  • The division of Student Affairs offers complimentary entry to exhibitions throughout Los Angeles focused on the region’s creative communities and rich cultural history.

While we have made progress in our community engagement work, there is more to be done. These initiatives and ideas are not an exhaustive list of future goals we hope to accomplish, rather a beginning that will serve as a launchpad for future initiatives. Community-Focused Programming

Similar to our Black Creatives Institute, research and develop additional  programs that will  benefit students of all  communities and implement programs/services that are right-sized and focused on their pathway to student success.

Faculty Development

  • Develop and implement a comprehensive and continuous faculty development program for teaching and critiquing all  students.