Music program in discord
Members of music therapy program rally against moratorium
James Forger, the dean of the College of Music, addresses students, alumni, professors and community members at a meeting to discuss a proposed moratorium on the music therapy program Monday night at the Music Practice Building. Another meeting is scheduled for tonight at 6 p.m. in the Music Practice Building with the provost to further discuss the future of the program.
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A discordant note has interrupted the harmony within MSU’s College of Music in recent weeks. On Feb. 6, the College of Music submitted a moratorium — a freeze on admissions — that could eventually lead to the disbanding of the college’s music therapy program, said James Forger, dean of the College of Music.
The program was the first of its kind when it began in 1944. MSU’s music therapy works with special needs individuals and children in the community to express themselves through music, said Virginia Anderson, a graduate student in the program who is currently working on her thesis.
“We’re advocating for those who don’t have a voice,” Anderson said. “We provide opportunities for community mental health to come to campus and do therapy and celebrate the ability that they have instead of focusing on the disability that they have.”
The freeze on admissions would take effect in summer 2009 and will affect undergraduate and graduate levels of the program. Forger said calls are being placed to notify students who had been planning on auditioning for the program.
The program currently has 34 students — 21 undergraduate and 13 graduate, he said.
Photo: Music therapy master’s ...
“Basically, they’re acting in good faith and not wanting to mislead students, but they’re assuming that their request (for the moratorium) will be honored,” said Linda Stanford, associate provost for academic services.
The moratorium must make its way through the governance system and then the provost to be approved, Stanford said.
Provost Kim Wilcox said the moratorium is part of a wide variety of adjustments that will have to be made throughout the university to adjust to the current financial climate.
As of last week, Wilcox said the music therapy moratorium was the only one his office had received, but he wouldn’t be surprised to receive others.
Financial problems
The College of Music needs to cut around $800,000 from its approximately $8 million budget. The elimination of the music therapy program will save about $220,000, Forger said.
Other reasons for the freeze include declining enrollment and the future retirement of two of the program’s professors, Frederick Tims and Roger Smeltekop.
These reasons have failed to convince students like Anderson and Eve Andrus, a music therapy graduate student.
“It would be a huge loss to the community,” Andrus said. “Students from all over the world come here to study music therapy. The job market is increasing. It’s not a decreasing occupation.”
Students who currently are enrolled in the program will be allowed to finish their degrees, Forger said.
“We will take all measures so they can complete their degrees unimpeded and unaffected, but no new students will be admitted,” he said.
Andrus said she and others in the program felt blindsided by the decision.
“None of us had any clue that this was going to happen,” she said. “You can’t prepare speeches and prove that this is something to keep going if you don’t know.”
Although it is possible for moratorium to be reversed, Wilcox said in this case it is unlikely.
“The moratorium could be lifted, but I would not be optimistic in this situation, given the funding reality over the next two to three years,” he said.
Call to action
Students within the program and campuswide have been distributing calls for action and sending letters to university officials in an attempt to save the program.
“The students currently in the program have been very heartfelt, very strong and have represented democracy at its best in terms of engaging the deans of the college of music,” Forger said.
At a meeting Monday night, supporters of the program expressed ideas to save it, including asking for donations from alumni and fundraising.
The cost to endow one faculty position is $1.5 million, Forger said.
Mark Sullivan, chair of composition in the College of Music, said the cuts weren’t about the quality of the program but if something wasn’t cut the entire college would be at risk.
Another meeting, this time with the provost, is scheduled for 6 p.m. today in 103 Music Practice Bldg.
Commentary
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student
(02/17/09 12:13am)Report
Although I am not a student in the College of Music, I certainly share the sentiments of those students in the Music Therapy program. On the other hand, Granholm caused this and its time for MSU to adjust its budget. So, now its the moment for the students and alumni of that program to move around and raise money to maintain the existance of the program.
In general terms, it is very important for alumni to step up. They are crucial for MSU in terms of sustaining and improving this institution. Also, as part of the financial crisis that we are living today it is necessary the financial support of the alumni. MSU has been doing an excellent job in taking advantage of opportunities to receive grants and money from the federal government and private foundations and corporations. So, I encourage all the alumni to show their Spartan Pride in difficult moments and help their alma mater.
GO GREEN!!
Bob
(02/17/09 2:00pm)Report
student —
Granholm “caused” what? The College of Music made the decision to eliminate the program. The Governor had only so much money to work with and she cut everything in the budget that just came out.
Granholm caused this as much as she caused the rain that flooded the state last year.
Townsend
(02/17/09 2:34pm)Report
MSU and its College of Music is responsible for this: a terrible travesty. Universities worth their salt don’t shut down their most prestigious units just to save a few sheckles: $250,000/year in this case. Let’s not play the political, Granholm finger-pointing game here. This is an East Lansing decision, period, and on-campus officials responsible should feel the heat for it…
… did it occur to anybody that MSU’s 2-year-old decision to “elevate” the Music School to a College — with the expense of a dean and other administrative bennies — may be more wasteful than an internationally respected program like Music Therapy. Last I looked, U-M still has a Music “School” and it’s considered more prestigous than MSU’s upgraded “College.” … I don’t know about you, but I’d much prefer downgrading the College back to a School to save the money and keep Music Therapy than the latter proposal. Sounds typically MSU penny-wise/pound foolish…. I understand MSU, years ago, tried to close prestigious James Madison College just to save a few bucks… When will this crazy University every GET IT?
student
(02/17/09 3:29pm)Report
No! This has to do with alumni donations and the external support that MSU receives. MSU and UM do the same administrative practices. The difference is in that they have a substantial larger amount of endowment funds. Still, with the size of the endowment of MSU we are improving and the results of this campaign have not been seen completely but MSU needs more endowment funds. As a student, I say that we need more chairs, more scholarhips, better facilities… we should never stop improving. I am a student and I hope that the future classes that graduate increase significantly their philantropic activities. Personally, I want to support this U. The academia is a cycle. Specifically, the quality of pool of applicants depends on your facilities, your profs, and scholarhips. And, I would say, that scholarhips does not matter that much when you provide top notch faculty and facilities. So, MSU has to maintain and improve its facilities and keep hiring better and prominent (EXPENSIVE) faculty.
So, if you want to sustain something in the U in times when the State is reducing its funding, give up some money, endow a chair… Making phone calls wont do anything.
This is Granholm’s fault. Not supporting higher ed indirectly provokes the cancellation of some academic programs because MSU has to allocate its resources better. Look at the facts: 2 profs of the dept are retiring, only 34 students, shortage in the budget, thousands of students to satisfy in other depts… i’m just saying.. either open the check book or say goodbye
Mental Health Advocate
(02/17/09 4:23pm)Report
Not surprising — mental health is taking a hit right now across the board. And right now Mich. is facing higher rates of substance abuse and depression because of the crap economy. Just great.
Another student
(02/17/09 6:03pm)Report
Just to clarify, UofM’s school of music is a separate college with its own Dean’s office. One advantage U of M has, however, is a long history of successfully meeting fundraising goals.
To claim that Granholm is the reason for the lack of higher ed funding in the state of Michigan is too simplistic of an argument. While she certainly shares much of the blame over the recent cuts to education, she only sets the budget with the approval of the state legislature. Where was the opposition? Republicans, especially those in Michigan, do not have a history of supporting education, particularly higher education in this state. So to lay the total blame at Granholm’s feet is not entirely fair.
SteveL
(02/17/09 10:09pm)Report
You hear of all these so called cuts coming to departments like music therapy, so where is all this $1.5 billion dollar endowment going? Can’t it be tapped to help worthwhile programs such as this survive these lean times?
student
(02/17/09 11:24pm)Report
Steve, as many students in this campus, you don’t know anything about the financial aspect of this U.
The endowment in all the universities is a fund that already has a specific use, which is determined by the person who donated the money. It is not a savings account. That 1.5bi fund is destined for specific uses that have already been determined, like endowing profs chairs, creating scholarhips… for eternity..
Eve Andrus
(02/18/09 12:31am)Report
Hello
First off thank you to those who stuck up for our department in this story. Second, I don’t think anyone anticipated these kind of problems when the School of Music became its own College last year. Tonight at the meeting facts were revealed that we have NOT declined in enrollment because students are taking our courses that are considering or are currently transferring over to Music Therapy as their major. Our occupation is one of the few jobs that is hiring and creating new jobs and is not on a decline what so ever! Although we seem small in number, we are powerful. WE are one of the few occupations that give people that are disabled, impaired, and not included in the “normal” society a voice and a CHANCE for life! Without this program MSU, Lansing and Michigan will suffer for years to come! Money is a problem every where, and every department at MSU is going to have cuts, we are just being proposed as the first. We will continue to fight for what we believe in. We are planning fundraisers and creative ideas for raising funds, plus ways to save our program. Thank you!
William Payne
(02/24/09 6:04pm)Report
This is not Gramhold’s fault! The state only has so much money to work with. You could blame the UAW and unions more then you could blame her for driving business out of Michigan due to high wages and benefits. You cannot substain a program at a state university with this few students. Plain and simple.