Studio Culture Policy
The School of Architecture maintains a list of building rules--rules about how we treat and interact with our physical surroundings. The Studio Culture Policy, by contrast, addresses the things that we value as a community and how we treat one another. This policy is a living
document developed through the contributions of faculty, staff, and students.
We value collaboration and integration.
We recognize the importance of connections between courses, between classmates, between students of different levels, and between different colleges and departments.
We value constructive criticism, open minds, and rigorous intellectual inquiry and exploration.
● We view feedback from faculty and visiting critics as central to design education and are eager to learn from the variety of perspectives offered. Whether positive or negative, we expect that feedback is given respectfully, in good faith.
● We encourage students to engage actively in their education (by asking questions, through in-class discussion, by seeking out faculty and others outside of class, by engaging with the library and all of its resources, and by seeking opportunities beyond the required curriculum).
We value diversity and inclusivity in our community and in our work.
● We recognize that individuals and students from different backgrounds may have different needs and experiences. We seek to be considerate of differences and work to avoid making assumptions and generalizations.
● We recognize that diversity of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, age, and socioeconomic status are essential to the richness of our community.
● We work to use gender neutral language and preferred pronouns and terminology.
● We recognize that as professionals, our work can have a positive impact on a wide variety of communities locally and globally. We seek to support social justice, equity, and accessibility through our academic and professional work.
We respect one another’s space and belongings.
● We ask before borrowing items from others and return them promptly.
● We don’t take watercolor boards from others’ desks without asking.
● We are thoughtful about the amount of space we take over, particularly as deadlines approach.
● We clean up after ourselves--picking up paper from the floor, washing out watercolor jars and coffee cups, etc.
● We do not “flick” watercolor brushes, particularly in the vicinity of other people’s work.
● We conserve, recycle, and reuse materials wherever possible.
● We remove leftover food and food containers from studio when we’re finished with our meals.
● We log out of computers, take our things off of light tables, and remove belongings from breakout spaces when we’re done (and when we’re going to be gone for more than a few minutes) so that others can use them.
We recognize that the studio is a workspace.
And because in many cases studio work has to be done in the studio space, we avoid loud socializing, playing music without headphones, talking on the phone, and other distracting activities both during class time and after hours. We know that the studio environment is a preparation for professional life.
We look out for one another.
The School of Architecture is a family within the Notre Dame family. When we see someone struggling, looking “off ”, not caring for themselves, or not showing up, we say something to them, to a faculty member, or to an advisor. When we become aware of any sort of discrimination or harassment, we say something. We each play a critical role in the support network of our classmates and colleagues--we are in this together.
We value self care as a critical component to personal, academic, and professional success.
● We value regular sleep and good nutrition.
● We value good personal hygiene.
● We value taking time for oneself outside of classwork to refresh and recharge.
● We will not hold all-nighters and other extreme behavior as a badge of honor.
We engage and empower all members of our community to maintain our space and our studio culture; and we hold one another accountable to create a supportive, productive environment.