Proposal

Narrative

The funding of this proposal will allow FAU to continue and grow its BFA and MFA programs in Graphic Design. This will enable the program to equip its graduate and undergraduate labs and studios with the latest computers and licenses needed for this field. The Graphic Design program currently has 80+ students enrolled in classes at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The MFA in Graphic Design is a competitive terminal degree at FAU's Department of Visual Arts and Art History, which attracts a large number of talented domestic and international students every year seeking a graduate degree at FAU. Graduates of this program are usually hired as design educators and professionals by higher education institutions and companies, which are excellent representations of FAU. The program in Fort Lauderdale hosts BFA and MFA students in undergraduate and graduate labs and studios. Eight brand-new computers, four extra monitors, and a small number of user licenses are needed to equip the studio classroom and graduate lab on FAU's downtown campus. Technology plays a critical role in Graphic Design education and practice. Graphic designers are people who shape our experience as users interacting with digital/physical worlds. To stay at the forefront of designing and prototyping in the rapidly changing world around us, we need to equip our labs and elevate our students' experience working with the latest computers and technology. In our graduate labs and studios, we have computers dating back to 2012, which leads to widespread complaints from our students, particularly international students who compare us with other institutions in the US and abroad. To achieve our mission at FAU, we believe our students deserve a better experience working with technology to foster not only future professionals and leaders but also committed citizens in modern societies.

Facilities

No facility renovations or upgrades are necessary.

Hardware Requirements

- We need to replace our old iMacs in the graduate labs and studios. The most recent software in graphic design is no longer compatible with these files because they belong to the year 2012-13. $35711.25 - We also need two PCs to support software and equipment specific to Windows. It will be possible to cover all the needs of our graduate students by having eight new computers in total. $5349.96 - Additionally, we need four brand-new monitors in our undergraduate classroom studio so that students can plug in their laptops and work there. $1247.96 Total requested money for hardware: $42309.17

Software Requirements

Our current software licenses used by students in labs are Adobe suites. This request is for the three-year Maxon's Cinema 4D/Red Shift bundles used for graduate students and faculty. $5898

Personnel Costs

None

Other Costs

None

Timeline

March /April 2023: New computers in the graduate lab will be replaced March /April 2023: New monitors in the undergraduate studio classroom will be installed August 2023: begin new Maxon licensing for Graphic Design - Fort-Lauderdale August 2026: requested three-year licensing funding ends.

Sustainability

In fact, the requested computers and hardware are the latest models for graphic design projects and practices, with the expectation of a 10-year lifespan with proper maintenance and upgradation of hardware such as memory and hard drive. Subscription-based software licensing models can be challenging for educational institutions, requiring a continuous budget flow. By working with Maxon software, we are able to explore the latest trends in graphic design far beyond the traditional 2D environment. By designing new courses using Maxon software in this program and starting productive correspondence with the company, we hope to receive a substantial discount on a group license for use in the labs, which can be covered after the fund has ended by future funds or students.

Resource Matching

N/A

Implementing Organization

N/A