Department/Program Review
Self-Study Report
2012 - 2013
Department: MUSIC
Program:
Associate of Arts
Section I: Overview of Department
A.
Mission of the department and its program
The mission of the Sinclair music department is threefold:
1.
To create an environment that fosters an appreciation of the
musical heritage of mankind.
To provide leadership for cultural development of students and
community members.
To initiate musical programs and activities involving faculty
artistry for the benefit of the greater community.
2.
3.
This mission is carried out by serving five constituencies:





B.
a population of music majors: students in the A.A.
degree program who plan on transferring to
baccalaureate institutions to complete their educations
and find employment
the general student population who elects to take music
courses as a fulfillment of their OTM (Ohio Transfer Module)
general education requirements
community musicians who wish to participate in music
ensembles
senior citizens who desire to start or continue their
involvement with music by taking appreciation courses,
in person or online, or by taking applied music lessons
the greater public who attend Sinclair concerts but are not
involved in Sinclair courses or ensembles
Description of the self-study process
Coincidentally, the music department is preparing for its 10-year
accreditation review from the National Association of Schools of
Music (NASM) in the 2013-14 school year. Since this review (the
third such review undertaken by the department) will be coming on
the heels of the Sinclair 5-year review, preparations for both reviews
have been occurring simultaneously over the past year. The
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department has weekly Tuesday morning meetings from 8:00 to
10:00, in which the various issues comprising the self-study process
have been systematically discussed.
In addition to these weekly meetings, two full days were set aside
prior to the starts of both Fall and Spring Semesters to specifically
address these self-studies.
The primary strength of this process has been the considerable
experience of the fulltime faculty in higher education, and specifically
at Sinclair. With 32, 26, and 24 years respectively at Sinclair, three of
the five fulltime faculty have been through self-study processes
before. The two remaining faculty are nearing their ten-year marks,
and have voluntarily served on committees within Sinclair that
evaluate other departments’ self-studies. Additionally, the chair of the
music department has served on the NASM national commission on
accreditation for many years and has a fairly broad perspective on
the self-study process in general. Of 1300 community colleges in the
United States, only 22 have achieved accreditation by NASM. The
rigorous standards provided by NASM, it is no exaggeration to say,
form the backbone of department activities and vision, and have been
valuable in this Sinclair departmental review.
An additional strength of the process was the large array of data
available from RAR and elsewhere on campus with which to turn a
magnifying lens on the department to see where we’ve been and
where we are going. It is the ongoing, semester-to-semester usage
of this data that will become an activity the department utilizes
between 2013 and the next review five years from now.
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Section II. Overview of Program
A.
Analysis of environmental factors
(Please see the Appendix for the environmental factors surrounding
the program.)
An overview of the music program includes the following factors:
Size and scope
Currently, the music department employs five fulltime faculty and,
depending on the needs of the current semester, approximately thirtyfive adjunct faculty. Five of the adjunct faculty also do double duty
as paid staff accompanists. Sheri Fazzari is the department’s
administrative assistant. As many as five students are employed
each term as student workers, music librarians, and for ensemble setup. The following chart conveys the general enrollment picture and
pattern for the music department over the last five years, using the
most currently available data:
07-08
08-09 09-10
10-11
11-12
12-13
headcount
(unduplicated)
1025
1074
1205
1141
1052
1078
FTE (yearly total)
n/a
350
473
455
458
n/a
music majors
n/a
97
113
135
117
124
music AA graduates
10
8
10
5
9
2784
2766
3507
3413
3327
seat count
(duplicated)
2301
Music course registrants represent a good cross-section of ages,
ethnicities, gender, and natural musical abilities. 2011-12, the most
recent year for which complete figures are available, is typical for the
music department:
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enrollment by race:
black
American Indian
Asian
white
mixed race
no information
159
10
10
692
19
162
15%
1%
1%
65%
2%
16%
total # students
1052
100%
0-16 years, age
16-19
20-24
25-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
60-72
72+
49
584
1047
258
341
242
239
270
297
1%
18%
31%
8%
10%
7%
7%
8%
9%
total course registrations
3327
100%
enrollment by age:

It would appear that each student is registering for an average of
three courses.

Of the 1,052 unique students taking music department courses last
year, 117 of them (11%) were music degree-seeking students.

These age distribution figures are in line with music department
expectations and goals: just a little under half (49%) of our
students are traditional college age; nearly a quarter (22%) are over
age 50.

All age and racial groups are being well-served.
The department offers 27 classroom courses, many of which involve
performance; 13 ensembles; applied (one-on-one) music instruction on
28 instruments; and 2 online course offerings.
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Music courses within the music degree include:
Music Technology
Music Theory I, II, III, IV
Aural Skills I, II, III, IV
Piano for Music Majors I, II, III, IV
Ensemble (4 semesters)
Applied Major Instrument (4 semesters)
Applied Minor Instrument (4 semesters – voice for piano majors, piano for
everyone else)
36 credit hours of OTM electives also form part of the 69-credit hour A.A.
music degree.
Two other courses, which the department cannot list as required courses
for music majors because of OBR credit-hour limitations—but which the
department strongly suggests for all music majors to take—are Vocal
Diction and Fundamentals of Conducting.
Music Appreciation and History of Rock/Pop Music afford the general
student population survey courses in both of these interest areas and
have proven to be popular online offerings. They will be joined in 201314, by World Music (online), and in 2014-15 by Jazz Appreciation (also
online).
Music majors are required to have hour-long lessons on their respective
major instrument. The department also offers 30 or 60 minute lessons to
non-music majors who simply desire to study an instrument or voice.
The ensemble program at Sinclair is rich and varied. From its inception in
the mid-1970’s, the department has encouraged community members to
participate in certain ensembles, free of charge. Wind Symphony, Concert
Band, and Jazz Ensemble all operate in this fashion. The six choral
groups—Chorale, Chamber Choir, Women’s Ensemble, Men’s Ensemble,
Vocal Jazz, and Opera Scenes—are all by-registration-only ensembles.
Smaller ensembles include the Concert Handbell Choir, Jazz Combo,
Classical Guitar Ensemble, and Piano Ensemble. The size of these
groups varies from 2 (piano ensemble) to 60 (concert band). Additionally,
Professor Kenneth Kohlenberg has directed a Youth Wind Ensemble for
many years. This Sinclair ensemble affords talented high school players
from the Miami Valley region the opportunity to perform in a high-level
honors ensemble each year. Approximately 4000 people attend Sinclair
concerts in both on-campus and off-campus concerts in a given year.
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Selected enrollment figures:
average class size, yearly overall:
average class size, yearly online:
sections offered, yearly
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
16.46
22.73
274
15.33
24.35
279
13.70
26.63
299
The unusually large number of sections offered is due to the fact that, prior
to semester conversion, every applied musical instrument offering had as
many as three sections associated with it, resulting in approximately 35 or
so sections of applied music every term, or approximately 130 per year.
Finances
The departmental budget for 2012-13 is $1,089,218.76, which is adequate
for department needs. There is a two-tier scale of compensation for
classroom teaching and applied instruction, with applied instruction being
paid at a rate 2/3 that of classroom instruction. This is a national norm
which Sinclair has followed for quite a long time. Currently, applied
adjunct instructors are earning approximately $31/clock hour.
Accompanists are compensated at $16/clock hour.
Equipment purchases, primarily of a replacement nature, are a regular
part of music department life. Departmental equipment needs have often
been addressed through Tech Grants and Capital Equipment Requests
when purchase prices were beyond the regular department budget.
Occasionally, very expensive purchases (such as concert grand pianos
and our Allen organ) have been given presidential approval at the times of
their purchase. A computer laboratory, where all theory and aural skills
courses are taught, was added to the department in 2004.
The
department has recently requested, through the capital process, a 21instrument piano lab to replace the aging and technologically out-of-date
piano lab it is using.
The department receives $20,000 for scholarship assistance to students,
which funds ten $2000 scholarships. Scholarship auditions are held three
times per year—in February (for high school students), in April (for current
students), and in August (for anyone). Additionally, scholarship stipends
totaling $6000 are awarded to selected ensemble participants each year.
Handbell Choir and Youth Wind Ensemble participants are tuitionsubsidized by the school.
$7500 is allotted to the department’s instrumental maintenance budget,
the majority of which is spent on piano tunings.
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Funds within the “Special Events” line item fund the appearance of guest
artists—soloists and composers—who perform with our larger ensembles
each year.
The department has long felt that an essential aspect of voice and
instrumental lessons for music majors involves the presence of a paid
accompanist at lessons. A little over $27,000 is allotted to this expense
each year.
Each fulltime faculty member receives approximately $800 in travel money
each year. The chairperson travels to the NASM annual conference every
November.
Faculty and Staff
With the retirement of fulltime faculty member Bruce Jordan in 2008, the
music department lost a tenure-track line. The fulltime/adjunct ratio of
credit hours taught in the music department is currently 38% FT/62%
adjunct. The replacement of this tenure-track line could go a long way in
strengthening the department. If it should become mandated that adjunct
instructors are limited in the amount of instruction they are allowed to do,
the music department—already highly dependent on specialized adjunct
instruction—could find itself in a real predicament.
Sheri Fazzari came onboard as the music department administrative
assistant in August, 2012. Hers is a ¾ time position, which she handles
with great skill.
Three of the fulltime faculty hold the doctorate, and the other two have
doctorates in progress. Nearly all adjunct faculty hold master’s or doctoral
degrees. Several have bachelor’s degrees. In the area of bluegrass
music instruction, we rely on instructors’ musical experience to suffice as
necessary credentials. (This is a common music department scenario, in
which a masters-minimum is preferred, but occasionally, experience in the
field suffices.)
Facilities
Nearly all music instruction takes place on the Dayton campus. (Courses
in music appreciation and rock/pop music are offered at Courseview, and
at the Huber Heights and Englewood learning centers.)
The lower two floors of Building 2 comprise the music department. This
includes classrooms 2020, 2022, piano lab 2030, 2031A/B/C, 2L15, 2L21,
2L23, and computer lab 2L31. Additionally, there are eight practice rooms
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in 2L32 on the “L” level, and five more practice rooms housed in 2330 on
the 3rd floor. Several of the 2L32 practice rooms have been converted to
teaching spaces due to space constraints. Also due to space limitations,
the women’s and men’s dressing rooms adjacent to Blair Hall are utilized
for instructional purposes. The department also has two small spaces
(storage closets) which are used as music libraries. The music department
office is room 2220 on the 2nd floor.
The department has 17 upright pianos and 8 grand pianos, including two
concert grands in Blair Hall. Other instrumental possessions include: a
three-manual Allen organ; a Dupree harpsichord; a wide array of
percussion equipment including a 5-octave marimba, celesta, xylophone,
and Yamaha timpani; a 21-station Yamaha piano laboratory; a 22-station
computer lab with associated equipment; a wide array of PA equipment
including wireless mics; a digital recording system; choral risers; band
risers; a Wenger acoustical shell for Blair Hall; and Kenwood sound
systems for five classrooms or studios. Rooms 2020 and 2030 are
“smart” classrooms.
Although the department owns a few brass and string instruments, it does
not rent or loan instruments to students.
The department complies will all OSHA rules and regulations. Terry
Stump, theatre manager, has for many years provided student help as
well as personal assistance in the moving and maintenance of much
music department equipment, and in the upholding of all safety and fire
code regulations. Additionally, he notifies campus security of every music
department event that takes place during the year.
Library, Website
The department makes adequate use of the library, where it has
approximately 1400 music books and quite a number of reference
materials, including the newest edition of the multi-volume Grove
Dictionary.
Since the time of the last department review, the
department—through the library—has subscribed to the online Naxos
Music Library. Students now do all their listening assignments—from any
location—through the Naxos online site rather than listening to CDs in a
central location at Sinclair.
In both the areas of publications and departmental website, the
department feels that it needs to expand and come in line with what other
music departments currently do. Publicity brochures, similar to the old red
and white departmental tri-folds, are a real need. Likewise, developing an
attractive and student-friendly website is a current goal. In fairness to the
music faculty, it truly does seem as though each fulltime faculty member is
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completely maxed out in terms of their Sinclair commitments, and these
particular endeavors always seem to “kicked down the road”, so to speak,
for lack of available faculty time.
Advising
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About ten years ago, the music department, in an effort to cut down on
attrition of students as well as to provide the best possible Sinclair
experience for music majors, instituted a two-step advising process.
Music majors—numbering approximately 120—are assigned a music
faculty advisor upon entering the program. Each term, prior to registration
for the following term, they first meet with this faculty advisor (each faculty
member is assigned 20-25 advisees) for a half-hour to discuss their
progress in music courses, their overall progress in the program, and to
discuss career goals. After this, they meet with an advisor in Advising to
finish their registration for the next term, re-discussing their progress,
going over their individual MAPS, and deciding on Gen Ed electives. This
advising system, subsequently also adopted by the Theatre Department,
has resulted in greater retention of students from spring to fall each year.
Ten years ago, it was not uncommon for the music department to have
two or three students present graduation recitals each spring. This year,
nearly twenty students were eligible to present graduation recitals.
Nearly every student who graduates from the music department transfers
to a four-year institution. Our articulation agreement with Wright State is
particularly strong. Starting fall 2013, new students will be given a
checklist of courses indicating their progress in completing Sinclair
courses with WSU equivalents listed alongside.
B.
Statement of program learning outcomes and linkage to courses
The department has four learning outcomes, with which every single
course offering in the department is aligned. These are:

Identify and describe aural, analytical and compositional techniques
used by composers from 900 AD to present time; demonstrate
computer literacy with interactive music theory software.

Perform standard level solo and ensemble repertoire.

Articulate the historical style characteristics of Western European
music as they changed from medieval to modern times.

Sight-read (on piano), harmonize, perform in ensembles, improvise
and demonstrate piano technique equivalent to established
sophomore levels.
C.
Admission requirements
Prospective music majors must audition for the music faculty on their
respective major instrument at the time of their entering the program. This
determines whether they are admitted at the collegiate level on their
instrument (or voice) or whether they need to register for further study to
attain collegiate level. They also take a short assessment test involving
rudimentary theory and aural skills. No student is denied admittance to
the department based on these tests. Rather, they are placed in the
appropriate course(s) depending on how they have done. No changes to
this policy are anticipated.
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Section III: Student Learning
A.
Evidence of student mastery of general education competencies
The critical areas of math, communication, and English are all
addressed within the music program, in a necessarily limited way.
The musical notation of rhythm is all about math and duration
relationships; no student can go through a music program without
developing and using, each day, basic math skills.
English
composition is addressed, within the music program, primarily in the
Music Styles, which has numerous writing assignments. Music
Appreciation classes are also characterized by the writing of many
reviews of concerts attended. Music performers need to able to
speak to audiences about the music they are performing. This is
primarily addressed in a student’s graduation recital, a capstone
event that interweaves spoken commentary with music performance.
Since the success or failure of a student in the music program is
ultimately dependent on their mastery of these general education
competencies, the evaluation of them is an intrinsic part of a student’s
overall assessment as a musician. Every graduating music major,
without exception, has demonstrated mastery of these competencies
to the satisfaction of instructors.
B.
Evidence of student achievement in the learning outcomes for
the program
Verified assessment of student achievement of the music
department’s learning outcomes occurs in three ways:

Assessment tests. At the conclusion of every series of
courses, summary assessment tests are given. Over the
course of a degree, students would be assessed at the
conclusion of 1st and 2nd year Theory, 1st and 2nd year Aural
Skills, Music Styles, Piano for Music Majors (two year
assessment), and Vocal Diction.
Records of these
assessment tests are kept in the music office. On average,
they show that students are understanding the content of their
courses in the 85%-90% range.
Tweaks are made in
instructional methods and materials according to the results of
these assessment tests.

Applied lesson grades. The music department places a high
premium on music performance. In some manner, everything
that a student learns in his core courses—music theory, aural
skills, knowledge of music styles, and ability to perform in an
ensemble—comes to light in weekly applied lessons.

Each graduating student presents a solo recital in Blair Hall in
which memorized repertoire is performed in a public setting
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(average attendance would be about 75-100 people). This
performance, which also involves speaking to the audience
about each work being performed, is regarded as a capstone
course by the department. (Sophomores at other institutions
are, as a rule, not required to perform solo recitals.)
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Grade outcomes for all music courses also serve to inform the
department of its instructional success.
A’s
B’s
C’s
07-08
08-09 09-10 10-11 11-12
1467
372
178
1426
352
193
1575
483
227
1603 1399
544
501
226
274
Success rates (grades of A, B, C, P, S) for all music courses for the
past four terms have averaged 83.4%.
No changes—additions or modifications—to the music department
learning outcomes are being planned.
C.
Evidence of student demand for the program
Enrollment in the music department has, in general, fluctuated
according to the overall enrollment patterns of the institution. Current
FTE stands at 134, down 3.5% from last year. The departmental high
a year ago (fall, 2011) was 158 two years ago; in fall 2007, it was
108; in the late 1980’s, department FTE was around 75 (this last
figure is an approximation).
The evidence for student demand, from the perspective of the music
department, is reflected in the increasing numbers of new students
we see from year to year, which are always incrementally higher than
the year before. The auditions held in the weeks before fall 2012
were yet another peak, with nearly 60 new music majors auditioning
and/or registering. At present, the department has no reason to feel
that future enrollment—demand for the degree program—will lessen.
The department has mixed feelings, at the moment, regarding
activities designed to increase the demand for new students. Such
efforts, when successful, necessarily compound the difficulty of
finding adequate instructional spaces, especially for applied lessons.
The department takes part in career nights (and days) at various high
school locations, and has a strong working relationship with Stivers
High School for the Performing Arts. It is the public presentation of
concerts, however, that serves the department best in terms of
widening its scope, establishing a regional presence, and ultimately
attracting students. The Choral Invitational concert, for example, held
each November, draws an audience of about 700, an audience
comprised of individuals who would otherwise have no idea about
Sinclair’s music program.
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D.
Evidence of program quality from external sources (e.g.,
advisory committees, accrediting agencies, etc.)
As noted, the music department has been an accredited member of
the National Association of Schools of Music since 1998.
The music department is recognized among other Ohio music
departments. The chair of Sinclair’s department has been an active
member of the music TAG committee for the OBR, and has
developed good ties with most state-subsidized music departments,
which bodes well for Sinclair students who transfer.
A very strong relationship exists between the Sinclair and Wright
State University music departments, based on mutual respect and
common goals. An articulation agreement with Wright State was
recently re-negotiated after both schools moved to semesters. A
similar agreement is currently being re-negotiated with the University
of Dayton, and a brand new agreement was just worked out with
Central State University. The chair of Sinclair’s music department
was recently contacted by Bowling Green University to work out an
articulation agreement.
Beyond our immediate region, our transferring students have been
welcomed at CCM-U.C., Ohio State University, Ohio University, the
Cleveland Institute of Music, DePaul University, the Manhattan
School of Music (New York), Wheaton University, Belmont University,
Vandercook University, and quite a number of others as well. The
validation that comes from the success of these transferring students
is, for the music department, the best evidence of program quality.
High schools routinely invite our instructors to guest-conduct or give
master classes. Without exception, every fulltime faculty member
(and most adjuncts) is an active participant in professional-level
musical performing organizations and societies, where their work is
highly valued. A listing of these organizations would fill another page
of this self-study; suffice to say, the recognition given to all the music
faculty is substantial and goes deep into the community.
Faculty member John Parcell was recognized as Ohio Professor of
the Year in 2010, a very distinctive honor which reflects well upon the
department as a whole.
Finally, there has always been a mutual recognition and admiration
between the Music Department and the Theatre Department. Many
impressive collaborations between the departments have occurred
over the years. This year, a spring musical—Godspell--will be jointly
presented by both departments.
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E.
Evidence of the placement/transfer of graduates
With the relatively low number of music students who graduate each
year, it has not been difficult to ascertain what institutions they are
transferring to. Although no formal alumni questionnaire has yet
been devised, the department routinely gets voluntary positive reports
from many alumni who report their pleasure at doing well in their
educational or professional life as a result of having gone through
Sinclair’s music program. Although the A.A. degree in music is not a
terminal degree—it is a transfer degree--the department is aware that
there are large numbers of employed music educators in our region
who have started their studies at Sinclair.
F.
Evidence of the cost-effectiveness of the department/program
The music department, as already indicated, relies heavily on adjunct
instruction, which is an inexpensive resource for the institution. The
department feels that it utilizes its equipment and all physical
resources in the best way to maximize longevity. All of the fulltime
faculty have, sometimes for extended periods of time, taught courses
at their full duration (say, 3 times a week for 50 minutes) while
receiving independent study pay. This is absolutely routine for the
department, and even though it essentially means that faculty are
giving their time to the school, it has always guaranteed that secondyear classes--which sometimes do not meet the minimum numbers
needed for “full” classes--nevertheless continue to meet and that
these students are never prevented from graduating.
Section IV: Department/Program Status and Goals
A.
List the department’s/program’s strengths, weaknesses and
opportunities
Strengths

Well-qualified, dedicated fulltime and adjunct faculty,
committed to success, with a diversity of backgrounds

Student advising – a two-tier, time-tested system ensuring
student retention from spring of one year to fall of the next

Successful transfer of students to a variety of institutions, from
those with local notoriety (WSU, UD) to those with national
reputations (Manhattan School of Music, College-Conservatory
of Music at University of Cincinnati, Cleveland Institute of
Music)

Strong curriculum, accredited by National Association of
Schools of Music

Outreach to community – Urban Nights involvement; Cityfolk
and Dayton Philharmonic associations; community bands
program which involves 150 musicians; strong collaboration
with St. John’s Lutheran and Kettering Seventh Day Adventist
churches; utilization of high school music faculty as adjuncts

Strong financial and morale support, from decade to decade,
from administration; the institution also relies on music
department to provide music for many functions

Institutional scholarships available to qualified students;
donation of scholarship money from individuals and
organizations:
Val Hattemer, Donald Moeller, Carolyn
Regensberger, Murlin Heights church, Dayton Chamber Music
Society

Low tuition, affordability, and accessibility – subsidy for seniors

A strong Theatre Department with which to collaborate

Fine facilities – band equipment, celesta, harpsichord, organ,
concert grand pianos, computer lab, piano lab, risers, sound
shell, percussion equipment

Guest artists and composers who collaborate with students

A beautiful and well-cared-for environment in which to work
and study
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Areas for Improvement

Space concerns:
o a music department the size of ours needs to have two
ensemble rehearsal rooms. Otherwise, with the only
possibility being the scheduling of one ensemble
rehearsal at a time, the scheduling of rehearsals is
inconvenient for many students. This was an issue
raised in the 2004 accreditation-renewal visit by NASM
visitors, and for which the department has submitted a
number of “progress reports”, all indicating that an
additional rehearsal room is still needed.
o with 30+ adjunct instructors in the department, having a
central place for them—just a room, equipped with a
phone, and a few lockers would create a positive
change in the morale of the adjuncts. Many of them
stay the entire day at Sinclair, and move from room to
room to room while here. It has been the observation
of the music chair, who has visited about 20 community
college music departments, that such a shared space
creates a priceless bond among instructors, and goes a
long way in establishing the camaraderie that
characterizes the most successful departments.
o storage space for music library(s). Most of our
ensembles have a 35-40 year accumulation of music.
The two small rooms (2L15A and 2L17) which are
currently being used as music libraries are packed to
the rafters with music. Storage space for music is sorely
needed.
o a percussion studio—a separate room is needed to
house all the department’s percussion equipment. The
side room in 2L15 which houses the percussion
equipment is absolutely crammed with equipment, not
even allowing entrance into the room without first
moving equipment out.
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o studio space—with one-on-one applied music lessons
being given to hundreds of students on 28 instruments
six days/week, the department long ago ran out of
adequate studio space—spaces where students can
have lessons in an environment that is neither
physically or acoustically confining. We are fortunate
to have the two dressing rooms in building 2 to utilize,
but doing so has been an inadequate long-term
solution.

Personnel
o In 2008, with the retirement of Bruce Jordan, the music
department lost a tenure-track line. As previously
mentioned, the fulltime faculty now shoulder about half
the workload of the combined adjunct faculty. Restoring
the fulltime faculty to six would provide stability to the
department by providing a needed pillar of instructional
capability.

Safety
o 2L15 is our largest room and is used as the ensemble
rehearsal space. Four ensembles—Wind Symphony,
Youth Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, and Jazz
Ensemble—create such high volume levels of sound
that they are, without question, harmful to the hearing
of participants and especially of conductors. The
department is hopeful that a future second rehearsal
room will be large enough that this situation will be
alleviated.

Equipment
o The Theatre and Music Departments have long shared
the use of Blair Hall Theatre. As a result of this
practice, the use of the theatre is given to each
department on an alternating basis: the music
department has access in alternating months, starting
with September. In the off months, the department
must use the stagelift to bring pianos and other
equipment down to 2L15 for recitals, classes, and so
on. This results in an enormous amount of wear and
tear on very expensive equipment—replacement values
for Steinway concert grands is $125,000; the Allen
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organ is well above this figure. Even during times of
theatre “ownership”, when the department is free to use
the theatre, a certain amount of equipment moving from
the “L” level to the stage must still occur. This is, at the
moment, an intractable problem, and may have only
one solution—at a much later time in the history of the
institution—when an arts center might be established.
For now, the premature aging of equipment will
continue to result in funding repairs and replacement
costs.
B.
Describe the status of the department’s/program’s work on any
issues or recommendations that surfaced in the last department
review.
Issues that the department is facing now, especially those regarding
space needs, are ongoing issues that were similarly addressed in the
last review.
C.
Based on feedback from environmental scans, community needs
assessment, advisory committees, accrediting agencies,
Student Services, and other sources external to the department,
how well is the department responding to the (1) current and (2)
emerging needs of the community? The college?
The department is responding well to both current and emerging
needs of the community and of the college.
D.
List noteworthy innovations in instruction, curriculum and
student learning over the last five years
Since the last review the department has established online learning
as a priority. Four to six sections of appreciation-type courses are
offered every term. The department sees this area of instruction as a
continually growing endeavor.
E.
What are the department’s/program’s goals and rationale for
expanding and improving student learning, including new
courses, programs, delivery formats and locations?
Long-term goals for the department in terms of student learning will
be to expand online offerings; to add an Introduction to Music
Education course to the music major curriculum; to initiate an
orchestral ensemble; and to offer applied lessons at the satellite sites.
All of these endeavors should serve the dual purpose of educating
students and strengthening the department’s FTE.
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F.
What are the department’s goals and rationale for reallocating
resources? Discontinuing courses?
At present, particularly on the heels of the conversion to semesters,
there are no plans for discontinuing any courses or reallocating
resources.
G.
What resources and other assistance are needed to accomplish
the department’s/program’s goals?
Not to be completely redundant, but the department needs more
space.
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