Equity in the Review & Artifacts and Pedagogies
January 23, 2026 @ 14:00 - 15:00
Join us to explore rethinking and designing the art and design school experience.
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Equity in the Review: Rethinking the Portfolio Review and Submission Process for Inclusive Art and Design Students
Presenter: Summer Doll-Myers (Associate Professor, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania)
This session explores the student portfolio review as a critical gateway to art and design program admissions and its implications for equity. Drawing from standards and frameworks established by organizations such as NASAD (National Association of Schools of Art and Design) in the U.S., NPDA (National Portfolio Day Association), as well as international bodies like EQ-Arts (Enhancing Quality in the Arts) the presentation analyzes how socio-economic factors, high school curricula, and varying levels of access to resources impact portfolio scores and admission outcomes. By examining disparities in how artistic potential and teachability are assessed—particularly in online formats—the session reveals how review processes may unintentionally disadvantage students. Using a range of data, case studies, and institutional review practices, the session presents findings on the complex relationship between portfolio evaluation and student success. Attendees will be invited to reflect on their current standards and explore insights and best practices to refine their portfolio review methods through an equity-centered lens.
Artifacts and pedagogies: the crafting of a new design school
Presenter: Lorenz Herfurth, Associate Professor (École de technologie supérieure)
This contribution is centred around the ongoing effort that is currently taking place at a university in Montreal, Canada, of establishing the first UX Design program in the province of Quebec.
This is a project that encompasses the establishment of a new design school including the construction and equipment of built infrastructure and the hiring of professors. In this session we will share observations and test initial hypotheses on how the process of planning a new program is characterized by a continuous flow between strategic thinking, the adherence to pedagogical principles and the real-world affordances that are represented by existing built infrastructure and collaborative online tools.
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What is DEL in Between (PR)?
DEL in Between (PR) is a monthly peer-reviewed webinar series exploring emerging topics in art and design higher education. It is organised by DEL Conference, a collective of colleagues across Parsons School of Design, Penn State, Texas State University, University of the Arts London.