Design Institute of San Diego (DI) has something to boast about and you should know about it!  We have received our 2017 annual Federal Student Loan Default Rate and it is at Zero percent - a perfect score.  We want to explain what that means to you as a current or future student at DI, or for students attending other colleges and universities.

How is the Three-Year Cohort Default Rate Calculated?

Every year the US Department of Education calculates a default rate for all private-nonprofit and for-profit colleges that participate in federal student aid programs.  A cohort default rate is the measurement and calculation of repayment data pertaining to a group of student loan borrowers who graduated, or had to leave school and withdrew, in a one-year timeframe called a cohort. The cohort data reviewed includes if they are paying back their student loans per their repayment plans or keeping them in a good standing by utilizing a deferment or forbearance.  The cohort of student data is compiled for three consecutive years, and that is why in 2020 we receive our “2017 Cohort Default Rate”.

The Default Rate is important information for students to know while choosing a college.  If the default rate is high, it means the students who attended before you are not paying back their debt or keeping their loan repayment in good standing.  Students who defaulted on their student loans usually say things like “I could not get a job or afford my student loan payment”.

How the Undergraduate and Graduate Curriculums Contribute to a Low Default Rate

Design Institute has a history of low default rates and has always loved sharing it with prospective students and parents.   Many factors contribute to our history of low default rates, beginning with providing a quality education, taught by outstanding faculty who are connected to the interior design industry.  As we like to say, “We fill our student’s tool belt with skills to prepare them for the competitive field of Interior Design”.  All students have access to the Student Success Center, an initiative of the DI library, and to free tutoring available on campus to provide extra assistance with classes. Tutoring is provided by select students nominated by their faculty based on high academic achievement or may often be provided by the faculty themselves.

DI’s externship and practicum course which are built into the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) and the Master of Interior Design (MID) curriculums gives students an advantage in many ways.  In the BFA program, the externship provides students with real life experience in a design or architectural firm and many times leads to the opportunity of employment if the firm and student create a good working relationship during the externship. The graduate practicum experience, part of the MID program, provides advance opportunities for students to further their design practice, teach, or continue in-depth research studies.  Both externship and practicum experiences lead to the possibility of securing a job before graduating - the best situation for any student! 

Debt Management for Interior Design Students

The financial aid office starts talking about debt management from the first prospective student meeting.  The Director of Financial Aid discusses the importance of making payments on student loans whenever possible while in school, to not only reduce their debt at graduation, but also to promote good habits such as minimizing student debt, and making loan payments.  This is a great plan! We also offer a Money Management Workshop so students can learn about the importance of good credit with the opportunity of one- on -one student budget planning. Each student has unique circumstances and challenges and personal budget planning offers the best opportunity for success. College students who learn to live on a budget early, and continue with it as a life tool, have less financial stress the rest of their lives. Developing good habits as borrowers increases the likelihood that they will continue these great habits when they have entered repayment of their loans upon graduation.

Graduates Have the Skills and Tools Needed to Succeed

DI strives to provide personal support to all students and focuses on positive student outcomes. The commitment to supporting our students continues after graduation. Our Financial Aid Director is available to provide student loan, consolidation, and budgeting support to DI graduates at any time. Graduates who are prepared with the skills and tools needed to be successful in their personal and professional careers are able to pay back their student loans and are the key to great default rates for Design Institute.

Dear DI Community:

Welcome to the fall 2020 semester! While this fall semester may not look how we imagined it would, what remains constant is how collaborative and supportive our community is, and I know that we will all rise to the occasion and succeed. As all good designers know, or will learn, there should always be a plan B. Over the past six months DI has pivoted and redesigned elements of each semester with successful plan B’s. Some of these adjustments have been so successful that they have found their way into our plan A’s.

Back-to-School Plan Updates

As you are aware, our original Back-to-School Plan included limited in-person campus meetings for many of your first class sessions. Monitoring San Diego County COVID cases, and with the health and safety of our campus our primary concern, we felt it was best to begin the semester with live virtual class sessions.  We encourage you to join your first classes on Zoom with video, to make connections and to collaborate as if you were in-person.

San Diego County was recently taken off the State of California’s watch list and we have been provided with new State COVID-19 industry recommendations for colleges, as well as new orders from San Diego County, that enable us to proceed with our plans to begin opening campus for limited services and in-person experiences. We anticipate that this transition will be complete by the end of September barring any further orders from the State or San Diego County and as long as we feel we can safely open campus.

We have put into place a rigorous cleaning and sanitation program. Hand sanitizer dispensers have been added to all buildings and classrooms and sanitizing wipe dispensers have been added to many areas. Campus furnishings have been placed to encourage social distancing, and signage has been posted throughout campus to inform the community of best practices for correct face covering placement, hygiene, social distancing and other educational messages. Complete details are included in the DI Back-to-School Plan (the Plan), and all members of the DI community will sign a Pledge acknowledging receipt of the Plan and adherence to contributing to a healthy and safe campus. The Plan and Pledge will be emailed to all of you through DocuSign, and our receipt of the signed Pledge will be the first step required for anyone to enter campus or to participate in any in-person experiences or field trips.

Once the signed Pledge is received and campus is reopened for limited services and in-person class sessions, the following steps will need to be taken to enter campus for each visit and the App screening will be utilized prior to attending any field trips:

1. Download and utilize the campus App to initiate and complete the daily health screening questions. (Instructions and more details about the App will be provided shortly.)
2. Receive a “clear to enter campus” message from the App daily screening.
3. Show evidence of your specific “clear to enter campus” indicator on the App at the reception area touchless temperature screening kiosk or another kiosk location that may be announced or available.
4. Receive an all clear ticket which will allow you to enter your classroom, office, workspace or meeting.

Any questions or concerns about the Plan, Pledge, your health or safety may be directed to campus.wellness@disd.edu.

It is important to re-emphasize that while we are able to make the decision to initiate a limited return to campus, San Diego County is still operating under stay-at-home orders. We are also closely monitoring universities across the country who are reversing decisions to bring students back on campus, and hope to learn how best to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and reduce the likelihood of a similar scenario from happening at DI.

A successful return to campus starts with personal responsibility and recognizing how your actions impact those around you. It is imperative that we all comply with the protocols outlined in the Plan and Pledge to embrace all health and safety measures for the benefit of the DI community as a whole. We feel confident that we will all approach this with the seriousness it deserves so that we can slowly bring our community back, in-person, to experience the collaboration, warmth and family atmosphere that DI is known for. In the meantime, we will continue with live virtual classes and support services with the same level of care and concern you would receive in-person

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Updates

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council

The DI Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Council introductory meeting was held on August 10, 2020. The meeting was facilitated by Dr. Charlita Shelton who provided expertise on a consulting basis to assist DI with creating a framework for the institutionalization of DEI initiatives including the formation of the DEI Council. The meeting was thoughtful, insightful and powerful. Chimamanda Adichie’s TED talk was watched and all members introduced themselves and shared responses to the Adichie’s TED talk. I encourage everyone to take the time to watch it, as it highlights unconscious bias and macroaggression. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Ihs241zeg&vl=en

The Council will meet seven times a year and will begin with development of the Council and learning and development opportunities for administrators, faculty and students. Updates will be provided to the community after each meeting. Council members include the following:

Current students – Sarah Burch, Learha Burke and Crystal Taylor

Current faculty – Michele Brewster and Victoria Simmons

DI Staff – Rebecca Wollner

DI Administration – Margot Doucette and Natalia Worden

At the direction of Dr. Shelton it was determined that Alumni representatives will serve as ad hoc committee members as needed and requested by the Council.

DI Equity and Inclusion Scholarship

Applications have been submitted for consideration for the Design Institute of San Diego Equity and Inclusion Scholarship for the inaugural award for the BFA program this fall. This scholarship is designed to help make attendance at Design Institute of San Diego obtainable and to promote equity and inclusion for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) students who are underrepresented in the interior design profession. The scholarship will have a maximum award of up to $25,000 or the equivalent of $3,100 per semester for a full-time student and $2,067 for a part-time or evening student. The scholarship will be applied equally to the student’s account for each semester enrolled and attended, and the exact amount of the scholarship award will be determined upon enrollment and evaluation of any transfer classes with a maximum award of $25,000 per recipient. We look forward to announcing the recipient very soon. A similar scholarship is being formed for the MID program and will be offered beginning spring 2021.

Communication

Keep an eye out for the welcome back newsletter that will include more information as well as some upcoming events that you will not want to miss. Weekly emails from our communications team will share ways to connect, resources, news, and more campus opening updates.

While we are on the topic of connecting – did you know, we now have a DI student group on Facebook? We hope you will join the conversations and connect.

Wishing you a healthy and successful fall semester!

Be well,

Margot Doucette

Dear DI Community,

I want to thank all of you for your flexibility and patience during this time of uncertainty.  As we watch the news daily, we are faced with the reality that COVID cases in California and San Diego remain at high levels. State and local ordinances require a decrease in cases for over 14 days prior to re-opening campus and our staff are currently observing shelter-in-place orders, with the exception of essential campus functions. Furthermore, the health and safety of the DI community is paramount and remains my first priority.

For these reasons, I am sharing that as of today, we will have to postpone first class meetings or in-person experiences scheduled for the first several weeks of classes and possibly beyond. As we have shared previously we will be offering all classes virtually. We will continue to assess the situation and because we have the ability to be nimble and adapt as needed, we will have campus ready and waiting and we hope to offer in-person classroom experiences, and open up student services and campus facilities, on a limited basis as soon as it is safe and we are permitted to do so.

If you have moved home, or live outside of Southern California and wish to stay throughout the semester, we will be accommodating virtual instruction throughout the Fall semester.

We have created a list of FAQ’s that have been shared by many of you through email or surveys. We hope these help answer some of the questions that you might have.

Thank you for your understanding as we continue to modify our plans and adjust based on current conditions, ordinances and safety concerns. I will continue to provide updates as I have them.

Stay well,

Margot Doucette

CEO

Design Institute of San Diego (DI) is proud to announce a consulting agreement with diversity expert, Charlita Shelton, PhD, to join the DI Team in furthering diversity, equity and inclusion holistically and campus-wide.

“While diversity is welcomed and embraced in all aspects of our operations, we believe that Dr. Shelton has the experience and expertise to help us reflect, evaluate and re-commit to initiatives that will elevate diversity, equity and inclusion at Design Institute,” said Margot Doucette, CEO at Design Institute of San Diego.

"It pleases me greatly to consult with Design Institute of San Diego on matters of diversity, equity, and inclusion,” said Dr. Shelton. “The arrangement of this work exemplifies the commitment that the leadership of this Institute has undertaken, and the importance of an intercultural diverse experience for its staff, faculty, and students during this process."

While at Design Institute, Dr. Shelton will provide a full evaluation of the school’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts and initiatives, and will develop a strategic plan for improvement.

In addition to her accolades in the areas of diversity, inclusion and equity, Dr. Shelton has an extensive background in higher education and has served as Campus President for Argosy University in Atlanta, Executive Director of the Dallas Nursing Institute, and President of University of the Rockies in Colorado.  She has served in other roles including Vice President of Academic Affairs, and Organizational Diversity Officer. Currently, Dr. Shelton is engaged as a Special Consultant to the President at Gonzaga University.

Dr. Shelton gives presentations across the U.S. on topics related to structural inequality, social justice, first-generation African American college completion, women in leadership, and institutional climate. In 2014, she was appointed a visiting scholar at both the University of Bradford in England and Ankara University in Turkey. Dr. Shelton has been featured numerous times in Profiles in Diversity Journal as an award winner, including the Women Worth Watching and Diversity Business awards in 2011, and as a Champion of Diversity in 2010.  

Dr. Shelton holds a Master’s degree in educational administration from National University, as well as Master’s and doctorate degrees in human development from Fielding Graduate University. Dr. Shelton also is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.

Design Institute of San Diego (DI) has been educating award-winning interior designers for more than 40 years. The WSCUC- and CIDA-accredited Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design degree program focuses on developing outstanding creative and technical skills. DI’s 35-member faculty of top working professionals teach students to think and design critically, globally and sustainably. DI alumni include many of the region’s most prominent interior designers. The Institute’s Classroom Without Walls initiative gives students hands-on professional experience while serving the needs of nonprofit community service groups throughout San Diego. For more information, visit www.disd.edu and follow us on social media Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

DI welcomes all. The college does not discriminate against individuals on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, geographic region, religion, abilities/disabilities, age, veteran status, ancestry, or national or ethnic origin, or other categories in the administration of educational services, policies, admissions policies, employment or employment policies, financial aid programs, or other college-administered programs and activities.

Dear DISD Community,

Juneteenth Independence Day commemorates African American freedom and the emancipation from slavery that occurred 155 years ago. Yet, with the recent and horrific deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, we find ourselves asking what “freedom” means and really understanding that the definition is different for everyone.

I am privileged as the CEO of a locally owned and operated institution of Higher Education to be in a position to lead by example, enact change immediately, educate all stakeholders (staff, faculty, students and alumni), and to sincerely communicate to all that we are an ally.

At Design Institute of San Diego, we begin by acknowledging that we have not done enough and that we will do more. This is a commitment that is not taken lightly. It is a commitment that must be ongoing and become a part of who we are. This is not about how and what we post on social media, who we support financially, or even what we say we will be doing.

So here is what we are doing, as I know many of you have been waiting patiently, have reached out asking for updates or have shared suggestions.

• We are interviewing diverse candidates who specialize in consulting with institutions in higher education to promote equity, diversity and inclusion to retain to conduct a full evaluation of Design Institutes diversity and inclusion efforts and provide a strategic plan for improvement. This will be a comprehensive evaluation including, but not limited to a review of the curriculum, recruitment practices, marketing efforts, including the website, workforce development, student support, and community service efforts.



• Design Institute will be offering the DI Diversity Scholarship. This scholarship will assist students who have been traditionally underrepresented in the field of Interior Design to obtain an education at Design Institute of San Diego. More details regarding the scholarship will be announced next week and will be offered for the BFA and MID programs for eligible awards this fall and for all future semesters.



• Instead of a task force we are establishing a Diversity Council - With excellent input and advice from Charlita Shelton, this permanent initiative is seeking members comprised of alumni, students, staff and faculty who consider themselves allies and influencers with a passion to facilitate development and inclusion at DI.



• In the next few weeks we will be announcing the opportunity to engage in a listening session. We want to hear, listen and understand.

June 1, 2020

Dear Members of the DI Community,

We are sad and we will not forget the Black lives and the names of all those taken from us too soon due to racism. My heart goes out to all of you who are suffering and may not feel safe. Like many of you, I reflected this weekend on the acts of violence and racism across the United States and studied the response, or in some cases the lack of response, by protestors, people in positions of power, influencers, business owners and more.  I searched within myself about how to craft an appropriate message and what action we could take in the DI and local community.

I want to start by saying that DI condemns racism and anti-Blackness. We acknowledge that racism is not new and that it is a part of the very foundation of this country. With that said, DI remains committed to our Diversity Statement shared below as well as to find ways to work together to connect and address racism and injustice on our campus and in our society.

Design Institute of San Diego is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive design community that supports and enhances the educational experience of its students and the workplace environment of its employees. Diversity is welcomed and embraced in all aspects of the school’s operations including employment, recruitment and admission efforts, and exposure to diverse instructors. The curriculum at DI has been built to include opportunities for students to increase awareness of diversity, to provide learning opportunities and experiences that will encourage students to consider inclusivity and design in the widest possible context, as well as to foster a realistic understanding of their responsibility, role and potential, as professional interior designers, in making thoughtful contributions to improve their community, the nation and, finally, the current and future condition of the world.

DI welcomes all. The college does not discriminate against individuals on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, geographic region, religion, abilities/disabilities, age, veteran status, ancestry, or national or ethnic origin, or other categories in the administration of educational services, policies, admissions policies, employment or employment policies, financial aid programs, or other college-administered programs and activities.

We are here to talk to you, learn from you, support you, and collaborate with you, on how we can take action as a collective. If you would like to join a DI task force to promote diversity and plan community activities please email jhouchins@disd.edu.

If you would like to research this issue, learn how to be an ally, or prefer to engage privately please visit a few resources that we felt worthy of sharing:

Learn More and/or Take Action

https://www.naacpldf.org/https:/

www.obama.org/anguish-and-action/

How to be an Ally

https://www.maxwellboise.com/read

https://sojo.net/articles/our-white-friends-desiring-be-allies

https://www.theroot.com/12-ways-to-be-a-white-ally-to-black-people-1790876784

Healing

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/healing-through-social-justice/201903/the-psychology-radical-healing

With Sadness and Hope,

Margot Doucette, CEO

STUDENT UPDATES

March 24, 2020

Dear Students,

The last few weeks have certainly been challenging for many of us and throughout the world.  We empathize and we are here to support you the best we can while we all navigate the next several weeks together as we all stay home and do what we can to flatten the curve of COVID-19. What we do know is that no-one is immune to this and that even those that feel healthy could be transmitting this to others.  Please only leave your house if necessary! Only see friends and family members outside your home if required. The sooner we can all do our part, the sooner we can be back to campus and resume our lives.  For those of you who have family, friends or others who are battling this virus, we send positive thoughts for healing and recovery.

We continue to remain informed by your faculty and with many of you.  Many of you are settling into a routine and finding your way virtually. We know it has not been a flawless transition and we thank you for your patience and understanding.  We have also enjoyed hearing, and seeing, some of the positive aspects of remote learning, so keep sharing. We are working on some ideas to help us all stay more connected via social platforms and  Zoom, so stay tuned for more information

Updates will come out by Friday of each week going forward.  As always, please feel free to reach out to me or another member of the administration directly if you have a pressing need, or simply would like someone to help problem solve. We remain dedicated to helping all of you achieve your goals this semester.  The following information will hopefully  answer some of the most pressing questions and concerns:

Status of Spring Semester

The Spring semester will continue virtually until further notice.  Your faculty are, or have, reviewed their syllabi and are making plans to conduct classes virtually through the end of the semester. While we hope we can return to campus sooner, we feel it is best to be prepared and to set realistic expectations. We want to reiterate that if we find it necessary to offer follow-up workshops, presentations, or other ways to support student learning outcomes, we will address those as they arise and share information as we have it.  Please trust that all students will be provided with the tools to be successful and we are fortunate to be able to work one-on-one with all of you to ensure that.

Spring Break

Since we are all safer at home, we decided it was best to leave the decision about Spring Break up to all of you and your Faculty.  Assuming all students and your faculty member are in agreement, it will be up to each class individually to determine if make-up or regular classes are held.  Members of the Administration will remain available to continue providing student services and technology assistance during Spring Break. We will share a modified schedule with instructions of who to contact for what by the end of this week.

Status of Summer Semester & Registration

We hope to be back on campus by May and to conduct summer courses in person. We are developing a plan for summer classes if that is not possible.  We will update this more in the next week or so.  We are also looking at conducting registration by telephone and possibly on-line. 

Financial Aid

Jackie Gloria, Director of Financial Aid, has been in touch with many of you. We are currently waiting for final emergency regulations due to COVID-19 and these will be shared shortly.

Commencement

Due to the stay at home order and the concern that large gatherings will not resume as quickly as we would have hoped we determined that it would be best to postpone Commencement until Sunday August 23, 2020. At 6:00 PM.  Graduates will arrive at 5:00 PM.  Commencement will still be held at the Natural History Museum. We will share more details with those students who were scheduled to participate in Commencement shortly.  The new date is the Sunday following the last day of the Summer semester and appears to align well with our year-round schedule.

Technology Tips

VPN – Connection issues - We understand that the VPN client for Mac is not working for all Mac users. If you need access to the files or software that you don't yet have, please let us know so that we can provide access through OneDrive.

Resources

Library Social Hour - Do you miss stopping by the Library before or after class? Please join Rebecca for Virtual Library Social Hour on Zoom every Monday-Friday from 12-1 and Monday-Thursday from 5-6. Say hi, see who else is around, chat, or work on homework in a social environment. See you there! Meeting ID: 229 738 3647 – See graphic attached

Electronic Resources - Look for an email from the Library about new online resources by the end of the week

Student Support through the IBH Assistance Program – This is a free resource offering assistance for you and your family members. If you are experiencing increased anxiety or stress, please take advantage of the free confidential counseling offered to all students through the EAP by calling 800-395-1616 or logging in to ibhsolutions.com with the username DesignISD and the password Institute

Virtual Classroom Support for Students

The health and well being of all of you is are primary concern.  If you become ill or need support of any kind, please feel free to reach out.

Be well,

Margot Doucette, CEO

Keep Calm as we Begin Week One of DISD in the Cloud - We are Here to Support Each of You!

March 15, 2020

Dear Students,

We understand this is an unknown and stressful time.  Please try to keep calm and trust that DISD faculty and staff are here to support you.  No student will be left behind during this transition or for as long as we maintain a virtual classroom.  We will work with any student individually who needs extra support, an extension in completing work, or any other circumstances during this time period. Your faculty will also be supportive and understanding.

Computers and methods for connecting to the internet are being put together for those who have requested them through the survey or directly by contacting support@disd.edu We will reach out to you individually to schedule a time to pick those up over the next few days.

Drafting tables are also being prepared and we will contact those students who have asked to check out drafting tables to set up an appointment to pick them up over the next few days.

Your incredibly dedicated and caring faculty are preparing classes as we speak. All of your faculty will reach out to each of you and you will find out the details about how your classes will be held and what modifications have been made to the modes of instruction, project requirements, presentations, exams, etc. to ensure that all learning outcomes are met.

A few questions have come up and we are preparing a list of FAQ’s and answers that we will send shortly.  We can tell you that for the immediate future you will not need a printer or a plotter as we are virtual.  Additionally, materials for all classes will also be either virtual or we will ensure that mail order samples or materials will be accessible. More to come shortly.

Campus is closed to all students at this time unless they have a specific appointment, so please do not show up to campus without an appointment.

Administrative staff are continuing to work from campus for the time being and we are also preparing to work remotely and we will share more as we have it.  There will be no interruption in support from us. Each student will receive a personal phone call from a member of the administration this week and we will continue to share how we can be reached by phone and video appointment.

Additionally we have some online resources that we will continue to update over the days and weeks to come:

https://www.disd.edu/news/article-latest-news-on-the-coronavirus.php

https://www.disd.edu/library/virtual-classroom-support-for-faculty-and-students.php

DISD is known for putting students first and for our ability to provide individual support.  This will not change and we will work through any challenge that any of you encounter.  We ask that you trust us, communicate with us, and embark on this journey with us as we design a temporary virtual campus and complete the semester.  We are all in this together and we will emerge stronger than ever.

Stay healthy, practice social distancing, and use the lack of commute time to seek inspiration.

Be well,

Margot Doucette, CEO

General Information, technology survey, and resources for transitioning to a virtual classroom.

March 13, 2020

Dear DISD Students,

The health and safety of the entire DISD community is our primary focus. As you know already, beginning on Monday, March 16, 2020, our campus will be transitioning to a virtual classroom/distance education model, due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). This is a temporary emergency measure intended to help us successfully navigate through the next few weeks and, if necessary, the remainder of the spring semester. Each faculty member is working on a plan that will allow you to continue your studies without coming to campus.

During emergencies such as this, open and consistent communication is critical and it is imperative that you read your email and respond to messages from DISD and your faculty. Please know that administrative staff and faculty are here to support you, and please keep us informed about any need, accommodation, or other issue that arises so that we can problem-solve with you. Stay connected and communicate with your faculty – ask them if you have any questions or confusion about what their expectations are.

 Technology Needs

• You will need reliable internet service. If you don’t have it, let us know and we’ll help figure something out.
• DISD will provide needed resources to students based on this survey, and we will loan out necessary equipment if needed.
  • Click here to complete this brief (2-minute) survey
• Email support@disd.edu or call us at 858-566-1200 if you have questions or need any assistance.

Accommodations

• Students who currently have accommodations – we understand that you may need different or additional accommodations in a virtual environment. Tena Moiola, Director of Student Services, will reach out to you individually next week, but please feel free to reach out to us and to your faculty right away.
• Students who do not currently have an accommodation but may need accommodations for a virtual environment – please contact Tena at tmoiola@disd.edu now, and communicate your needs directly to your instructor as well.
• As always, and very important during a virtual environment, communicate with Tena and your instructor should you need any support at any time.

Library Reference & Research Assistance

• Lisa & Rebecca are currently on campus and in the library and can scan anything you need from the books and magazines.
• Lisa & Rebecca are also available by email (library@disd.edu) and by telephone to help answer questions and find good online information.

Tutoring

• We will work with our tutors to determine the best way to get assistance, and we will send further information about that next week.

Academic Support

•  Natalia Worden, Program Director,  is also available for academic support during this time.

COVID-19 DISD Webpage

Please also visit the DISD Coronavirus (COVID-19) web page where we will share updates, information and resources.

The DISD library page also has Virtual Classroom Support for DISD Students.

Spring break is scheduled from March 30 - April 3, 2020 and we hope that face-to-face classes can resume after the break. We will let you know when your courses will resume as soon as possible.

Stay healthy and stay safe.

Margot Doucette, CEO

Information for the DISD community related to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

March 11, 2020

Due to the elevation of the Coronavirus to a Pandemic classification, as well as the intimate nature of our classrooms and campus, DISD has determined that in the best interest of everyone’s health and safety that we will transition to virtual instruction beginning Monday 3-16-20 until further notice.  In order to best support faculty during this transition, classes beginning today Wednesday 3-11-20 at 5:00 pm (through Friday 3-13-20) will be cancelled.

A teaching continuity plan and resources will be shared shortly. Please check your emails, website and social media regularly as we will be sharing information through these platforms. A webpage dedicated to this topic is currently under development.

The Staff will remain on campus through this week and perhaps longer as necessary to ensure a smooth transition and support of students and faculty.

Technology resource surveys will be emailed to students and faculty to ensure access to the virtual learning environment.  As always DISD is committed to student success and outcomes and we will work together during these extraordinary times to meet academic and other programmatic requirements.

We ask everyone to remain calm and understanding as we navigate through this transition together.  We know you will all have a lot of questions and we will be sharing information soon.

Stay well,

Margot Doucette, CEO

Support Documents

• Virtual Classroom Support for DISD Faculty and Students 

Archived Communications

• Message from the CEO 03.13.2020 
• Message from the CEO 03.10.2020 

Other Helpful Links and Resources

• Centers for Disease Control
• Centers for Disease Control – Stigma and Resilience
• Centers for Disease Control – Information for Travel
• World Health Organization
• San Diego.gov – Coronavirus Disease

Congratulations to Design Institute of San Diego student Mary Kristofich for winning a $5,000 scholarship in the IIDA Southern California 2020 Best of Design – Student Competition. One of eleven finalists selected to present her project to the panel of judges, Mary won the Social Relevance in Interior Design category for best addressing social or cultural issues through creative design.  Her design for a safe injection facility for drug users to prevent overdose and protect the surrounding community was inspired by growing up in an area where heroin use is prevalent. The award will be formally presented at the 32nd Annual IIDA Calibre Design Awards on Friday, May 15th, 2020.

 Our Assistant Librarian Rebecca Wollner asked fourth-year student Mary a few questions about the competition. 

Can you tell us a little about your project?

During Interior Design V, we focused on institutional design and were given a site at North Park's Community Park. Being that drug addiction is an epidemic in this country, I wanted to design a safe injection facility. A hot, and controversial topic, safe injection facilities prevent overdoses, create a positive environmental impact, and protect surrounding communities. Nurses supervise heroin users during injection, intervening at any point of an overdose, or giving tips how to properly inject to reduce harm to the body. Staff are there to listen to users, while providing resources for help. During the time of this project, this concept was being tested in various cities, such as San Francisco, Baltimore, and New York City. Just last week, Philadelphia has now opened the first official safe injection facility in the US.

I can’t resist a library question. I know you did your research; were there any library resources that were particularly helpful?

Yes! Unfortunately being such a new topic, there weren't any books on the subject (yet). This led me to read scholarly articles from researchers analyzing needle exchange program statistics, and outcomes of safe injection facilities in other countries. 

I came across an article on a facility called Insite, located in Vancouver, and reached out to the architect Sean McEwan, who allowed me conduct an interview. Besides case studies, I learned in an article on the handy DISD Library database OmniFile that California had approved needle exchange programs 20 years ago. Inspired, I volunteered for San Diego's Safe Point Clean Needle Exchange Program (CSEP) located in Downtown/North Park.

Did volunteering for the CSEP contribute to you design decisions?

It did contribute to some design decisions. A woman came by to get amenities such as alcohol pads to wipe her feet. When she took her shoe off, the entire sole of her foot was peeling. We talked about how she was gifted this necklace she was wearing from Mexico. It inspired an adaptable space in the facility that can hold donation days, such as having a clothing drive. Other volunteers mentioned some of the users are on medications for illnesses such as Hep-C, and their medications are typically stolen. In turn, lockers were implemented at the entrance of the facility.

Did presenting to the judges feel different from presenting to guest judges in class?

Yes. When you are presenting to judges in class, you are not only presenting to them, but your instructor and fellow classmates. In the classroom, you tend to compare yourself to the other projects presented. 

Due to the nature of this event, you were not allowed to bring guests, and only come in during your time frame to leave space for the other contestants. What I liked about this format is it's only yourself and judges. You can't get into your head during the presentation, because there is nothing else to distract you.

Has this experience motivated you to consider entering more competitions? 

Yes! 

What other take a ways do you have from this experience and is there anything you might share with current or prospective students?

Find a topic that brings you interest, research through multiple outlets, and form your concept based on your evidence.

Photos provided by IIDA Socal, taken by Chris Hatcher Photography

Alumni who attended the meeting gathered for a photo

A great group of Design Institute of San Diego graduates gathered at Cutwater Spirits on October 3^rd for the 2019 Alumni Network Mixer. Graduates from the class of 1998 through 2019 came together for an evening of networking and mingling. They enjoyed tasty bites and equally tasty beverages and also took advantage of a tour of the distillery.

The Design Institute of San Diego and Humble Design teams before the day begins. Photo credit: Humble Design San Diego

Every year, Design Institute of San Diego students have several opportunities to give back to the community through volunteering. On July 26^th, the school partnered  with Humble Design of San Diego for a Day of Service, giving our students the wonderful chance to help a local family in need and show off some of their interior design skills at the same time.