Executive Report
FY 2013 Budget
Attached you will find the final Financial Summary for the FY 2013 Music SIFC budget. This was an
important year for us as we worked to solidify our accounting and reporting responsibilities. The
OSU Music budget is a complex mix of funding from E & G, College of Liberal Arts, course fees,
OSUF, and SIFC.
FY 2013 Actual Financials
Revenue: The financial report includes only revenue from SIFC, and not other resources, such as
E & G funds from Central Administration, the College of Liberal Arts, OSUF, and course fees.
FY 2013 SIFC funding includes the approved $294,846, as well as an additional $146,948 in
contingency funds to replace resources lost for the FY 2014 funding request. Because these
funds were voted for by the 2012-2013 SIFC, the funds were added to Music during the FY 2013
year.
Expenses: The FY 2013 approved Music budget did not provide budget lines for specific
activities, but rather submitted budgets for different organizations/operations. For that reason,
this report does not include an approved line-by-line budget under expenses. Next year’s
executive report will have these numbers included.
Operations: SIFC funding for operations remains vital to the success of Music activities,
particularly for sheet music, student workers, and concerts costs. In particular, the rental of oncampus and off-campus venues for concerts due to the lack of performance space in the School
of Arts and Communication is a large part of the budget.
Travel: FY 2013 travel by the OSU Chamber Choir and the OSU Marching Band exhausted
available funding, but the OSU Wind Ensemble under-spent available resources to stockpile for
future international travel in FY 2015. Additional discussion of this issue can be found in the
section, “Working Capital”.
Equipment and Instruments: The purchase of musical instruments continues to be a huge area of
need as the instrumental area grows in size and older instruments continue to need to be
replaced.
Stipends, Salaries, and Wages: Wages are spent on numerous student employees who serve as music
librarians, student workers, office assistants, and accompanists. In addition, stipends are a vital
component of the athletic bands area. During spring 2013, funding restrictions interrupted the
legal disbursement of student fees in the form of stipends. This has resulted in the delay in
spending a portion of these funds. A solution has been found and is in process. More
information on this can be found in the section entitled, “Working Capital”.
Concert Series: The Music ala Carte series is poorly funded and manages to stretch $3,756 to
administrate an entire music series covering three terms. It is a goal of the Music Advisory
Board to request additional resources for this budget line in the future.
Working Capital
OSU Music currently has an unusually high amount of working capital ($192,146). The large
amount has resulted from several factors, all of which are temporary. First, $28,807 in athletic
bands stipends have has not yet been disbursed due to funding restrictions. Strategies to pay out
the money have been devised that fulfill funding requirements and it is expected that the funds
will be disbursed by the end of October. A long-term solution has been devised so that this will
not be a problem in the future.
An additional $146,948 was disbursed by SIFC in late June, the result of a contingency request,
which replaced the reduced amount authorized in our January 2013 request. Because of poor
reporting by Music, SIFC only approved one half of the requested funding for FY 2014. Per
request of the committee, Music supplied the requested reporting and in May 2013, the
remainder of the FY 2014 funding was authorized and disbursed to Music in late June in the
form of contingency funds. The money will be used by Music during the FY 2014 year.
The third factor influencing the high amount of working capital is the decision by the Concert
Bands to reserve a portion of their travel funds to accrue and use the larger amount in a single
year. In the original decision packet, SIFC suggested that the 60K in travel funds could be saved
for several years, and then used for a larger single project such as international travel. This plan
results in larger amounts of working capital and creates complications. The intent of stockpiling
resources results in problematic amounts of working capital, but the decision to save combined
funding from multiple years to use on large projects is consistent with the original decision by
SIFC. Perhaps, a schedule of using such funds by the choirs and band could be worked out so
that working capital was limited.
As a result of the above factors, Music currently is in excess by 61% the amount of working
capital allowed by SIFC. The additional working capital is a temporary condition and will be
eliminated by the end of the fiscal year. Without the 28K of athletic bands stipends and the
146K of contingency funds, the actual amount of working capital is $16,391.
Summary
The FY 2013 Music Financial Report reveals an increasing amount of accountability and
reporting transparency. In the winter of 2013, The SIFC expressed dissatisfaction with the
financial reporting of Music. Since that time, significant steps have been taken to increase the
quality of financial accountability and reporting.
In the FY 2015 budget request, the Music Advisory Board is planning to submit a decision
packet to return Music to the level of funding of FY 2013. The board is grateful for the
contingency funding in the spring of 2013 that has allowed Music to continue this year with full
funding.
Student Music Advisory Board
Garrett Elzie, chair
Geoffrey Bishop
Sarah Massey
Melissa Simpson
Steven Zielke, faculty advisor
SIFC Music Advisory Mission
Mission Statement: To provide distinctive musical opportunities for the OSU student body,
support the mission of the university, and build bridges to the Corvallis community.
Mission Rationale: After athletics, perhaps no organization has the ability to attract participation of
OSU students, contribute to campus culture, and reach out into the surrounding community.
Music is an ambassador for OSU, providing both student opportunity, campus pride and
community outreach.
Strategic Goals
Provide musical opportunities for OSU student for all interests and abilities: Providing musical
opportunities for OSU students, either as participants or attendees at musical events is a key goal
of OSU Music and the Music Advisory Board. Musical opportunities not supported by SIFC,
but significant contributors to the student experience include the Native American Flute
program, led by internationally recognized flutist Jan Michael Looking Wolf. Almost 1000 OSU
students each year learn under the instruction of Jan Michael. OSU students also have access to
lessons, voice classes, piano classes, and guitar classes. These courses are supported through a
course fee.
Contribute to the culture of pride and spirit at OSU: OSU Musical groups contribute to the campus
atmosphere, pride, and spirit through participation at athletic events, on-campus concerts, artist
series, and performances at important OSU campus events.
Bring regional, national, and international distinction to Oregon State University: OSU Music ensembles
bring distinction to Oregon State University through national and international tours,
distribution of recordings, and performances at festivals and conferences.
Outreach into the OSU Community: Musical activities supported by SIFC funding are key toward the
relationship between Oregon State University and Corvallis, helping bridge the gap between the
community and the University.
Overall OSU Music Short/Medium-Term Goals:
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Submit a decision packet requesting a return to regular full funding for the FY 2015
budget. Continue to set a standard of excellence in financial reporting and transparency.
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Increasing scholarships for qualified musicians is a key short-term need. Oregon State
University possesses the quality faculty and programs to be a leader in undergraduate
music programs in the Northwest, but lacks the sufficient scholarship resources to
compete for the finest talent. Past efforts have focused on campaigns through the
OSUF, but institutional support will be needed to allow OSU Music to grow in quantity
and quality.
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Interest in updating OSU programs with 21st century approaches to music learning and
performance include the development of music production, music technology, and
performance technology programs. Past successes include a state of the art music
production program, as well as performance technology collaborations with past
performances, such as the OSU Opera performance of Mozart’s Magic Flute, and the
SIFC supported NYC Alice Tully Hall performance of Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis
Pacem.
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Past efforts to increase OSU student participation has resulted in successfully attracting
large numbers of students to join OSU music ensembles and attend performances.
Continuing to reach out into the OSU community is a key goal for all of the music
programs, including the continued growth of the OSU Marching Band, the large number
of instrumental ensembles, and participation in OSU’s five different choral ensembles.
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Past international touring by the OSU Chamber Choir and the OSU Wind Ensemble
supported by SIFC funds, has brought international attention to OSU and provided
students with invaluable international experiences. Furthermore, these tours have
contributed to the development of significant relationships between other academic
institutions and OSU. Most recently, the Sichuan Conservatory, one of the big four
music conservatories in China, signed an MOU with Oregon State University to
collaborate on summer programs and academic exchanges. Supported by SIFC funding,
the OSU Chamber Choir visited and performed at Sichuan Conservatory in March 2011.
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Past SIFC funding has resulted in the creation of several new percussion ensembles, the
OSU Bell Choir and the OSU Steel Drum Ensemble. Both ensembles have completed a
year of performances and will continue to attract student participants, as well as recruit
students to OSU to take advantage of these unusual opportunities. In particular, the
OSU Steel Drum Ensemble is unique in the Northwest and provides compelling
performances in the OSU community and throughout Oregon. This past September,
they performed in the Foundation Skybox for OSUF donors as an example of
exemplary student activities on the OSU campus.
Long-Term OSU Music Goals:
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OSU music facilities are unequal to the needs of our activities, both terms of quantity of
space, as well as quality of space. It is a vital long-term need of OSU Music to move to
a space that will allow the programs to grow into the size and quality of which they are
capable. We remain hopeful for the future.
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The development of significant on-campus cultural events is a key goal of OSU Music
and the School of Arts and Communication. The intent is to build on the tradition and
success of the Music ala Carte series through the hiring of a Director of Performing
Arts, who will administrate a comprehensive performing arts program for the OSU
campus and Corvallis community.
SWOT Analysis:
Strengths: Strengths include excellent student involvement from across the student body. While
many universities limit musical opportunities to music majors, OSU’s ensembles include nearly a
thousand students from academic disciplines across the university. The quality of faculty is also
a strength. Excellent and regionally distinctive leadership is found throughout the program.
Diversity of student opportunities is also a strength. From nationally recognized bands and
choirs, to the oldest, and one of the largest marching bands in the PAC 12, to remarkable
opportunities for attending concerts, we have amazing musical opportunities for our students.
Weaknesses: Size, quality, and availability of facilities are a major problem, which is limiting each
of our programs. Also, availability of appropriate concert venues for choral ensembles and
chamber groups is a significant obstacle to being completely engaged on campus. Often
performances are held off campus at a religious facility. Finally, lack of adequate scholarship
funding limits OSU from competing with other significant music programs in the Northwest.
Opportunities: Success in the programs have gained regional and national attention, resulting in
invitations to perform at distinguished events. Furthermore, the anonymous donation of five
million dollars to support the performing arts at OSU, the largest gift to support the arts in the
history of the institution, plus the million-dollar challenge match, has opened new fundraising
opportunities.
Threats: Funding always remains a key challenge, as does the inability to meet program goals due
to lack of facilities. Additionally, lack of scholarship money is a serious threat to the ongoing
growth of the programs.
Area Goals
OSU Athletic Bands/OSU Marching Band: This past spring saw the transition of leadership from
Dr. Brad Townsend to Dr. Dana Biggs. Dr. Biggs, who was highly recruited from a position at
the University of Colorado, comes highly qualified. OSU is fortunate to have such excellent
leadership and can look forward to continued excellence from the athletic bands program at
OSU events.
Goals for the Athletic Bands Program:
Short Term Goals:
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Take the full marching band to one away football game
Put on 6 great performances for all the home football games.
Increase the retention for next year's marching band
Have the full marching band perform in downtown Corvallis on the nights before
home football games.
Long Term Goals:
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Increase the size of the marching band to 300
Get new uniforms for the marching band with new athletic logos.
Create an endowment for the band to fund the renewal of all equipment on
recurring basis
Have the marching band perform overseas at some point, like for the St. Patrick's
Day Parade in Ireland.
OSU Choral Program: The OSU Choral Programs consists of five ensembles, serving more than
300 students annually. The programs are led by Director of Choral Studies, Dr. Steven Zielke
(OSU Chamber Choir), as well as Dr. Tina Bull (Bella Voce), Mr. Russ Christensen (OSU
Meistersingers), and Mr. James Davidson (OSU Glee). In addition, student run ensembles, OSU
Outspoken, Divine, and Power Chord, are sponsored by the OSU Choral Program. OSU choral
ensembles have achieved significant regional and national recognition through tours and
conference programs, including a performance by our top three choirs at Lincoln Center, NYC,
this past May.
Goals for the OSU Choral Program:
Short/Medium Term Goals:
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International tours by OSU Chamber Choir to China, and Bella Voce to Europe.
Increase scholarship support for OSU singers to defray the cost of fees, lessons, and
tuition.
Increase participation of OSU students to 350.
Continue service projects to support charitable organizations. Past service projects
have included Corvallis Community Outreach and St. Baldrick’s Foundation.
Innovative use of performance technology and movement in concerts.
Participation by the OSU Meistersingers at Foundation and Homecoming events.
Long Term Goals:
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Invitations to perform at national conferences
The creation of a new chamber vocal ensemble devoted to innovative and cuttingedge new works.
Secure additional funding to decrease reliance on SIFC funding and student fees.
Concert Bands: OSU currently has 3 concert bands, serving 150 students, led by Director of
Bands, Chris Chapman (OSU Wind Ensemble and Chamber Winds), Dr. Dana Biggs (Associate
Director of Bands/Wind Symphony), Dr. Jason Silviera (Instrumental Music Education/Wind
Symphony), and Dr. Bob Brudvig (Director of Percussion Studies/Campus Band). OSU
Concerts over the past years have achieved regional and national recognition through tours and
conference performances. Their 2010 recording “The Five Changes” was given Grammy
consideration. In 2012, the OSU Wind Ensemble achieved international recognition with their
tour to Japan.
Short/Medium Term Goals:
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Involve more students from disciplines from across campus in our Campus Band.
This non-auditioned concert band meets once per week and was designed to allow
students from through-out campus the opportunity to continue performing.
Involve more students, both music majors and non-music majors, in studying
privately with one of our applied instructors.
The OSU Wind Ensemble is currently being talked to about being the honored
guest concert band at the All-Japan Band Contest in Tokyo next year. The Yamaha
Corporation will be paying for three days and nights. The students will have to
come up with the remainder of the funds for the 10-day tour. SIFC funding is
expected to support this trip.
Long term goals:
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Thanks to the SIFC, we have been able to purchase instruments for our concert
band program. This has allowed us to reach out to high school students who may
not have come to OSU in the past due to us not being able to supply them an
instrument. We will be making a concerted effort to let all high school band
students in the state know of these opportunities to play with a new instrument at
OSU
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There will need to be another non-auditioned concert band on campus. As the
university continues to grow in population, more and more band students will want
the opportunity to play in a concert ensemble outside the marching band season.
Concert Bands at OSU must be seen as an integral part of the university life. Since
all students and faculty get free admission to all concert band performances, it is a
goal to see more and more university students at concerts.
Corvallis – OSU Symphony Orchestra: The Corvallis-OSU Symphony Orchestra, led by Dr. Marlan
Carlson, is the longest continuous running orchestra in the state of Orchestra. The ensemble
combines profession players, community musicians, and students to produce a profession level
orchestra. Students often number more than 30 musicians in any given term. Many of these students
will be receiving scholarship from the Symphony Society, which has an active scholarship program.
Short Term goals:
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Increase the number of instrumentalists playing in the orchestra by 10% in the next
year.
Increase the number of students attending regular concerts by 15% this season
Stabilize the current annual scholarship program, budgeted at $30,000 per year for
the next two years, 2013-14 and 2014-15
Feature more students in solo capacities on major concerts in LaSells Stewart
Center.
Intensify marketing efforts to attract more high school seniors who plan to major in
science or engineering and who are accomplished instrumentalists. Many of these
students have many, many options and often overlook OSU as a possibility to
provide them with an array of opportunities not necessarily available at other
competing institutions.
Long Term goals:
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Increase the number of students receiving orchestra scholarships from around 18
this year to 25 in the next 3 years
Increase the annual orchestra scholarship budget by 25% for the biennium 2015-17
Increase the number of non-music majors participating in the orchestra by 25% by
2016
Provide more scholarship funds for students receiving studio instruction
Find funds for the purchase of essential orchestra instruments, such as string basses.
Currently the orchestra relies on private individuals to buy such instruments on an
ad hoc basis. This solution is not reliable or dependable over the long haul. The
orchestra cannot rely on the band program to provide instruments.
Music ala Carte Performing Series: The Music ala Carte series has been operating since 1969, and
over the past decades, the OSU campus has enjoyed hundreds of concerts by local musicians,
student groups, and professional musicians. In 2012-13, the series included 24 concerts for more
than three thousand audience members.
Goals for the Music ala Carte Performing Arts Series:
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Increase student awareness and attract greater student attendance.
Maintain the tradition of a full house this year despite parking challenges presented
by the new student center building site.
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Develop additional sources of funding.