The Performing and Fine Arts Department makes changes after accreditation visit
By Melissa Nip
In response to recommendations from its accreditation association and low enrollment, the Performing and Fine Arts Department will discontinue the music graduate program and the music education program effective fall 2010.
"There have only been one or two students in the graduate music program in the last three years," Performing and Fine Arts Chair Michael Connolly said. "And less than 10 music education majors this year."
These changes are in response to an accreditation visit in March from the National Association of Schools of Music. The NASM, founded in 1924, is an organization that establishes national standards for undergraduate and graduate programs.
Once a university or college seeks its accreditation, the association visits the campus every five years and offers constructive criticism of various programs in hopes of offering the best education for the students.
Twenty years ago, the graduate program director for music, Roger Doyle, sought out NASM accreditation and it has visited the UP campus three times since then.
"They write a report every five years and watch three departments at UP: social work, theatre and music," Connolly said.
After the NASM visit, the music faculty met every week and had a retreat right after school got out, brainstorming possible revisions in response to NASM's comments.
They wrote a report about their ideas and potential revisions and sent it to the Rev. Stephen Rowan, the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Provost Brother Donald Stabrowski, C.S.C., and President, the Rev. E. William Beauchamp, C.S.C.
In addition, the faculty wrote a progress report to NASM, and next week they plan to meet with NASM and discuss the changes they are making.
Freshman Tim Blaydon is a music education major and wants to teach music to high school students. He chose UP because of its small class size and thought it was a great environment for learning.
Fortunately, Blaydon will get to graduate with his music education major because students currently in the program will get their degree. However, the major will not be offered to students starting fall 2010.
"I thought it was unfortunate but I understood why they needed to do it," Blaydon said.
Other changes include reducing the total number of required credits to 120 to 123, which is a decrease of 8 to 11 credits from the current program.
Courses such as the Joy of Music and Analytical Techniques in Music have been dropped from the BA requirement. In addition, the music credits have been limited to 48 to 51 credits or fewer.
This makes it more practical for music minors and double majors to fulfill their coursework and better manage their schedules.
Junior Dawn Pomare, who is majoring in biology and music, likes the new changes because it they allow more room in her schedule to take other classes.
"I'm happy because now I have time to take genetics and biochem," Pomare said.
The goal of the music program is to make music electives more accessible and appealing to all students on campus, not just music majors.
Junior Kolleen Uppinghouse is a nursing major and music minor. She thinks the changes are great because they'll leave more time for students to cultivate their talent and not worry so much about requirements.
Uppinghouse is excited about the addition of new courses such as Music 303, whichcoversvarious music eras in history.
"It won't just appeal to music majors and minors," Uppinghouse said. "It opens it to other people and their interests."
Connolly introduced the new revisions to students who are enrolled in the choral union and ensembles, which are music electives open to non music major students. Many of them expressed interest because the requirements are more manageable.
The curriculum committee for CAS approved the revisions last week. Connolly still needs to notify the UP curriculum and academic regulation committee and seek approval for the changes.
Connolly's next project will be revising the school bulletin and making sure it is accurate as possible.
"It's like a contract between the University and the students," Connolly said.
The NASM spent a lot of time with the faculty and the students. They met with the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Provost Brother Donald Stabrowski, C.S.C., the faculty and the students without the faculty so that they could speak freely about their likes and dislikes of the program.
In addition, they attended classes, watched two performances and surveyed the music facilities.
"They were very thorough," Connolly said. "They looked through every room, every storage closet."
They expressed concern about the music library because the lighting is dark and there is a leaking pipe. In response to their comments, the faculty has since fixed the pipe leak and cleaned the room from top to bottom.
They also said the music library was a little overcrowded, so the faculty had 25 percent of the choral music sent to other schools.
Furthermore, they expressed concern about the lack of soundproofing in the practice rooms, which will cost several thousand dollars to implement.
In the midst of their constructive criticism, the NASM had many praises as well.
"They liked the students and said they were energetic and hardworking," Connolly said.
In spite of the reduction of credits, some music majors and minors still continue to take lots of music electives simply because they enjoy it.
"Most students are taking up to 23 credits," Connolly said. "They build up credits that are more than the requirement because that's what they want."
Connolly says that the faculty and students are a little sad about losing some programs and courses, but the future of the music department looks bright.
"It's hard to give up programs you love, but it's for a good thing," Connolly said.
He was grateful to the people in NASM because they were able to look at the music program from an objective viewpoint and offer advice to improve the program for both students and faculty.
"It's easy to stick to patterns and get into the same habits," Connolly said. "But an objective viewer forces us to make hard decisions that are needed."
