I am delighted to welcome our students, faculty, and staff to another exciting academic year. I would like to extend a special welcome to Cohort 9, the Academy’s largest cohort yet. As with every Academy cohort, this group is exceptionally talented and represents a broad range of backgrounds, skills, knowledge, and perspectives. 

 As the fall semester approaches, I would like to share new developments that are underway. Faculty and staff have been working diligently to make significant upgrades to enhance student learning experiences for this fall and in years to come. These changes are inspired by the many conversations we have had with Academy students and come after careful consideration with leadership, faculty, and staff. 

First, I am pleased to share that the Academy has been approved for substantial growth by the USC administration which demonstrates great faith in the Academy’s mission, capabilities and potential for impact; as well as recognition of the increasing market demand for the Academy’s degrees. This opportunity to scale will allow the Academy to expand access to our remarkable educational model for larger cohorts of students with diversified knowledge and skills.

As part of the Academy’s growth plan, faculty and leadership have deeply reflected on the Academy’s learning framework and curriculum and how we can best prepare our students to work and thrive at the forefront of an ever-changing global economy.  To this end, the Academy will be retooling our undergraduate curriculum to provide greater flexibility and opportunities for students to pursue varied customized learning pathways and allow us to scale our impact and build student cohorts with a wide range of skills and interests which will lead to more diverse collaborations and related innovations.

Over the next 12 months, faculty will continue to refine the curriculum and will work with key USC internal stakeholders and mechanisms for final approval. We plan for these curricular enhancements to be available to incoming freshmen beginning in Fall 2023. All current student degree requirements pathways are still governed by the current catalogue.  Once a new catalogue description for the Academy degree is published, current students can meet with their academic advisors if they would like to discuss changing to the new degree requirements at that time. 

Pending final university curricular approval, the Academy core will be reduced and streamlined to allow greater accommodation for students to pursue concentrations that are at the intersection of technology, business, and design and aligned with personal strengths and broader career opportunities. The Academy plans to offer the following concentrations in these growing sectors of the 21st century economy starting in Fall 2023: 

Purpose-Driven Innovation and Entrepreneurship

 A key component of the enhanced learning experience will be the Academy’s Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) approach and inclusive learning framework to cultivate an educational environment that respects diversity, encourages equitable participation, and reduces barriers to learning, wherever possible.

The Academy is also exploring joint degrees with USC’s top-ranked schools which include Viterbi School of Engineering, Marshall School of Business, Keck School of Medicine, and Annenberg School for Communication to provide students with greater opportunities to combine the Academy’s integrative framework with USC’s disciplinary specializations.

This June, the Academy welcomed Jon Koegler, associate director of Career Services and Industry Relations. A seasoned career services professional, Koegler will provide dedicated career services including 1:1 career coaching, professional development workshops, networking events, company information and recruiting sessions to support Academy talent in pursuing their career aspirations. Koegler will be reaching out to all students in the near future with details about the Academy Career Services offerings for the fall semester. 

The Academy is committed to investing in facilities improvements that will benefit and enhance the student experience. I am pleased to highlight the new upgrades which address student feedback and insights shared throughout the past year. 

Student Lounge: Many Academy students expressed the need for a dedicated communal space for Academy students to gather, study, and rest between classes. In support of this student need, the facilities team has converted IYH 112 into a student lounge furnished with comfortable furniture, computers, TVs, refrigerator and microwave. This space will replace the dedicated cohort structure to encourage cross-cohort mingling and community.

Updated Locker Storage: To accommodate student growth, increase accessibility and minimize classroom disruptions, all lockers are now consolidated in IYH 107. Students will receive information at the start of the fall semester about the updated locker request/assignment process. 

Increased Classroom Capacity: With the consolidation of lockers, classroom capacity has increased. IYH 110 now has four additional TV displays with lecture capture/streaming capabilities; seat cushions and backrests have been added to existing stools in IYH 111 to provide comfortable seating during extended class sessions. 

Extended Hours: The Academy is developing a  plan to extend hours of access to IYH. Students will be notified once  details have been finalized. 

Podcast  Booth: We are excited to announce  the newly opened podcast booth is available for students’ sound-based,  creative activities. Reservations for the space can be made with the Mixed  Reality Studio staff.

Communication is a distinguishing feature of the Academy’s culture. Open, respectful discussion among students, faculty, staff and leadership is highly valued and necessary for continuous improvement toward positive change and the Academy’s success. I would like to encourage students to reach out to me, senior leadership and the academic advisors to share your insights, thoughts, and concerns so that we can learn from each other and together build a community and learning experience that reflects all perspectives.

To facilitate this essential dialogue, I will continue to hold my regular office hours on alternating Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 12 noon. Please sign-up using this link. Additionally, Academy leadership will hold twice a semester town hall meetings, in person for undergraduates and virtually for graduate students, to engage in meaningful conversation about issues or concerns that are top of mind for students. The Academy’s first town hall meeting will be scheduled in the next few weeks to give students an opportunity to discuss the updates outlined in this memo. 

I am grateful to our students, faculty, and staff for your continued partnership in building an educational experience and community like none other. I look forward to seeing you all on campus and to the many exciting events, activities, and learning opportunities planned for this year.

Welcome Back Fall 2022

I am deeply honored to be joining you as the second dean of USC Iovine and Young Academy. I am grateful to the Academy community and the USC administration for the confidence you have placed in me to lead the Academy and to continue the mission of advancing new models of integrative and inclusive learning for higher education and beyond.

The Academy is an extraordinary community. In recent days, I have had the pleasure of meeting students, faculty, and staff and I am impressed by the level of cross-disciplinary talent, intelligence, and creativity, and also the deep sense of community and belonging. It is clear that the Academy is a true community with rich diversity in background, experience, learning, and perspective. It also shares a common purpose of making a positive impact through solutions rooted in multi-dimensional understanding as well as empathy. 

One of the most pressing societal issues that the Academy is addressing is the need to diversify learning. Expanding and diversifying the definition of knowledge can expand the ways we learn what we learn. It can then expand who is included in the learning and eventually in a knowledge economy. The Academy is already one of the few places in the world to recognize with a prestigious degree the ability of people to integrate diverse types of knowledge. The Academy also values the combination of practice and theory-based learning and in the process elevates knowledge based on everyday experiences. 

The Academy is so ahead of the curve in expanding learning because of the bold vision of Jimmy Iovine and Andre “Dr. Dre” Young, the leadership of the founding dean Erica Muhl, and the support of President Folt and the USC administration. Leadership on the ground is provided by faculty and staff with significant experience in integrating arts, technology, business, and communication and by students who are eager to learn and work across sectors. I am grateful for the opportunity to join this thriving community and would like to acknowledge that our future work together will “stand on the shoulders of giants.” 

I have dedicated my whole educational career in advancing transdisciplinary learning paradigms. I have previously served as associate director of the Computer Music Center at Columbia University, founding director of the School of Arts, Media and Engineering at ASU, vice provost for Integrative Design, Arts and Technology at Carnegie Mellon University, and executive vice president and provost at Virginia Tech. Most recently, I spearheaded the launch of the Calhoun Discovery Program (CDP) that is focused on inclusive and adaptive, lifelong learning. My research focuses on systems design with a special emphasis on interactive neurorehabilitation, adaptive learning and cyber-human intelligence. 

I am excited to join the Academy with a sense of service and a willingness to learn. I look to our students and for faculty across USC for inspiration as we together discover next frontiers of integrative learning and collaborative work. Over the next few months, I look forward to getting to know you and hearing your thoughts and ideas. I can’t wait to see what we build together. 

Message to the Academy

Message to USC Iovine and Young Academy Faculty, Staff, and Students

From: Charles F. Zukoski, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

On behalf of President Folt, I am pleased to announce that we will welcome Dr. Thanassis Rikakis as dean of the USC Iovine and Young Academy for Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation, effective August 23, 2021...

Provost Memo: Introducing Thanassis Rikakis as IYA Dean

I write to you to express shock and sadness at the horrific attacks in Atlanta that resulted in the deaths of eight people, including six Asian women. As President Folt wrote clearly and definitively in her memo of March 19th, USC stands with the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) community in condemning these hateful acts, as well as the alarming rise in anti-Asian violence in the U.S. The Academy, too, stands in solidarity with all who have been affected by these tragic events, and denounces all forms of racism, misogyny, bigotry, and xenophobia.

Our community was founded on and is committed to upholding the principles of inclusivity, diversity, and respect for others. We have always sought to create an environment in which all feel welcome, safe, and free to reach their fullest potential. Uniqueness and individualism are among our greatest gifts as human beings, and as a community we will continue to stand firm against any and all threats to the promises inherent in these ideals. 

I know many of you may be feeling confused, afraid, angry, and outraged. The Academy is here to support you in any way we can. Should you feel the need to seek help, I also want to encourage you to reach out to the USC resources below: 

Student Counseling and Mental Health Services 

Students, faculty and staff can report incidents of bias and discrimination via the USC Office for Equity, Equal Opportunity, and Title IX.

CC: 
 Davina Wolter, Diversity Liaison, IDEA Initiatives
 Tanisha Senaratne, Coordinator, IDEA Initiatives
 Jessica Vernon, Associate Dean
 Patrick Dent, Associate Dean
 Raul Petris, Associate Dean

Standing with the APIDA community

With the recent surge of COVID-19 cases in California, we are carefully monitoring public health conditions in Los Angeles and continuing to take steps that relate to the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff.

At this time, the Academy is continuing to work toward the plan to provide in-person academic instruction this fall. As we do this, the health and safety of our community is paramount, and we are implementing protocols and guidelines provided to us by the university, city, state, and CDC. As was confirmed in the July 15 COVID-19 Health Advisory from the Office of Student Health, when practiced diligently, these measures have been effective in preventing the spread of the illness.

We do want to reiterate for all students that, in addition to courses offered fully online, all-online options remain available for courses currently scheduled for in-person class sessions. As was clarified previously, in the cases of ACAD 376 Discerning and Making and ACAD 240 Materials, while we are unable to offer these courses online, students may opt to delay taking them to a later semester while still staying on track for graduation. All students, including students who will be either on campus or commuting to campus in the fall, are welcome to select these options on a course by course basis.

For planning purposes and to assist our faculty in preparing the student learning experience, we are asking students who are already intending to go fully online in a course that is currently scheduled for in-person class sessions to officially opt-in to the all-online modality through surveys that will go out to students from our faculty this week. Students who select this option now will be able to change their selection at any time, as will students who are currently opting for in-person. IYA majors will also receive a more generic survey from IYA Student Affairs. WE URGE YOU TO PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL REGULARLY AND RESPOND TO EACH SURVEY WITHIN 24 HOURS OF RECEIPT. Faculty and staff are working hard on your behalf, and this is an important time as they work to finalize your fall experience.

In addition to the safety measures discussed above, faculty are continuing to creatively apply and maximize all learning modalities — in-person, online, or mixed — based on course needs and what works best for learning outcomes. For example, faculty may opt to take individual class meetings planned for pure lecture or presentation online for that day, to allow students to attend the lecture/presentation without the need to be masked or distanced, or to offer access to additional guest faculty and/or student and alumni reviewers. Such efforts will allow in-class and in-studio making days to be prioritized for IYH facilities as needed, while reducing overall numbers in the building on a week-by-week basis. Reducing overall building density allows us to offer more available off-hours working space for our students, and greater individual options for access to cohort studios, conference rooms, and the Creator and Mixed Reality Studios.

We appreciate your ongoing understanding of the fluidity of this situation, and the classic IYA adapt- and-overcome mindset you have shown throughout these challenges. As you have seen, plans can change at a moment’s notice, but our commitment to providing our students the highest academic experience remains constant. In the event we are required by university and city officials to modify our plans again, we will notify our community as soon as possible. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Academy’s Student Affairs team.

Be well, stay safe, and continue to Fight On!

Letter to Students: Covid-19 Learning Update

I hope this finds you all well and safe, and enjoying a beautiful summer.

We know that many of you have additional questions about the Fall after reading Provost Zukowki’s letter from July 1st. I am writing to update you on our progress and current plans for launching Academy fall classes, and hope once again to reassure you about what has remained the same for the Academy, and the careful adjustments we will be making based on this latest guidance from the university.

First, I want to reiterate that the health and safety of our community is paramount, and we have been working diligently over the past months to align with all guidelines and recommendations, while adjusting our curriculum and our facilities as needed to also maintain the core of the Academy experience.

As we wrote to our majors in June, the Academy learning experience relies on group and team communication, collaboration, and making. The university understands the special nature of our programs and is allowing us to continue to plan for instruction that provides our students with many of the same unique opportunities that are the hallmarks of an Academy education. All instruction plans include strict protocols for maintaining recommended safety practices and procedures.

The provost’s July 1st letter explained that, while the majority of coursework across the university will be moving online, courses that are reliant on specialized facilities or performance-based experiences will still be offered on campus. The letter specifically stated: We anticipate that 10-20 percent of our classes will be conducted in person, on campus. These will be primarily face-to-face labs, studios, performance, and other courses involving hands-on work, and independent research studies that require facilities and equipment only available on campus.

1. In accordance with the above, ACAD courses that rely on access to specialized equipment in maker facilities, design studios, workshops and labs will still be offered on campus in IYH, in two instructional modalities:

All sessions on the ground in IYH, with online options available for distanced students in all classes, excluding ACAD 376 Discerning and Making and ACAD 240 Materials: Denim to Nanotubes (see below).

‘Hybrid’ sessions, with students alternating on-the-ground sessions with online sessions as course needs and safety dictate. Hybrid courses will also be available fully online for distanced students.

2. Also in alignment with the most recent guidelines from the university, to maximize availability of IYH facilities for classes that require them, and learning outcomes and ease of access to classes that don’t, we will be moving some of our undergraduate requirements and electives to all-online modalities, with no on-campus component. Specifically, we feel that students in the following courses will have a better and more fluid educational experience online, without the need for masks, distancing, and density caps:

ACAD 176 Rapid Visualization: Sect. 10242

ACAD 188 Digital Toolbox: Modeling Products I

ACAD 499 Story Building for Inventors and Entrepreneurs.

As of the writing of this letter, one additional IYA minor program requirement that may not require access to IYH facilities is under consideration for a move to online. As we work to ensure the best possible experience for all our students, we will update you as soon as we can on any additions to the list above.

3. As referenced in 1. above, we have determined that we will not be able to offer an online-only option for distanced students in ACAD 376 Discerning and Making and ACAD 240 Materials: Denim to Nanotubes. These classes offer unusually high levels of applied learning and require field and lab work that can’t be easily duplicated online. Both courses will run on campus only in Fall 2020. For sophomores, ACAD 240 will be available again in Spring 2021, and juniors will be able to complete ACAD 376 in Fall 2021 (concurrent with ACAD 475a Garage Experience). Options to replace ACAD 376 with Industry and Impact Labs, and other industry-focused experiences are also available, and can be discussed with your advisor.

1. As we wrote on June 23 in our letter to Academy majors, all IYH facilities are planned to be operating, with carefully scheduled access for classes and individual students to the Creator and Mixed Reality studios that follows recommended guidelines for safe use of spaces. IYH will not be open to the general public, and overall building density is planned to be reduced in alignment with recommended safety protocols.

2. Currently, all classrooms, student conference rooms, maker facilities, and communal spaces have been set up for appropriate distancing and density caps, and the school will continue to comply with all recommended guidelines for cleaning and other measures designed to protect the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff. We have complete layouts, floor plans, flow charts and procedures for all spaces based on the most current university guidelines, and will be adjusting as necessary as we get closer to the fall, and are able to finalize plans based on the most recent updates and recommended protocols.

Once again, we are working hard to ensure a great academic experience for all of you this fall. We appreciate your understanding of the constraints under which we are operating, as well as the fluidity of the ongoing situation. As with everything we have done so far, everything we will be able to do in the fall will be based on the guidelines provided to us at that time by the university as they work with the city of Los Angeles, the State of California, and the CDC.

Please reach out to the following members of the Academy Student Affairs team with any additional questions or concerns:

Jessica Vernon, Associate Dean for Admission and Student Affairs (jvernon@usc.edu)
Amber Bradley, Senior Academic Advisor (aebradle@usc.edu)
Bria Bourgeois, Academic Advisor (briabour@usc.edu)

You are all in our thoughts every day. Be well, stay safe, and continue to Fight On!

Covid-19 Update from the Dean

We write with deep sadness and solidarity for the grief and anger so many of us are feeling in response to the tragic death of George Floyd. We stand in support of the African American community, and all those who have been on the front lines of protests nationwide.

Like many of you, we are grieved and searching not just for answers but agency, and the means to finally address the underlying issues that allow such brutal acts to persist against African Americans. In a recent history that includes Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, it is impossible to perceive how we, as a community, can be asked to overcome once again something so horrible — and, yet, we must. Not merely as an act of overcoming, but rather as an act of unifying determination to confront the conditions that continue to allow horrific events like these to take place.

As a school, our diversity makes us better. So, too, does a mindful and deliberate inclusivity that leads to kindness, tolerance, equality, equity and parity. The empathy, and therefore the compassion that arises from a human-centered focus on change can provide the very viewpoint that is essential to envisioning a culture of universal respect, and one that protects the dignity and safety of every individual. As we move forward, truly forward, we, as a school, re-commit ourselves to this long-standing principle, and commit our every resource to making it so.

We are all restless for change. And, as members of this unique community, we know we must drive the change we seek. Further, we know at our core that change can be fragile and temporary, and what must be sought now is a genuine and lasting transformation. We, all of us, together and as individuals must choose to harness anger, sadness and disappointment into new ideas, and new paths to transformational change. And while doing so, remember that the most important choice we make every single day is the choice to see and care for each other as human beings, without bias or limitations, as we are. We are here with you.

Erica Muhl, Dean
Jessica Vernon, Associate Dean for Admission and Student Affairs
Amber Bradley, Assistant Director, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access

Dean's Communiqué

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