Spring Semester Dean’s Forum Questions
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
1. Are there any plans to extend CCM practice spaces around the CCM
village?
Some people have suggested the use of classrooms, but they seem to be
used by studios and grad students. It’s even more difficult for
undergraduate students to obtain one of the classrooms because most of
them don’t have keys. It will also be important to reiterate the fifteenminute rule. This will open up more rooms, and make things more
efficient. The Dean is still in conversation about the YMCA and the old
law school. A year ago, he took people through the YMCA and it turned
out to be health hazard. It would be $5 million to fix all of the health
hazards. The Law School is talking about moving downtown, so this
could be a possibility. The Law School might also just tear it down.
Dean Landgren is still looking for spaces! It is important to keep in mind
that there are lots of different departments in CCM. Allocating a large
portion of money that would just benefit the music department is very
serious because it only benefits one part of CCM.
2. In what ways is CCM involved in the greater Cincinnati non-arts
community?
The work that the Dean does off-campus is primarily in the arts
center. He has broken out of this a little bit by joining Leadership
Cincinnati, run by the chamber of commerce. They do a lot of outreach
programs in the city, which has opened his eyes to a lot of different things in
the city. The focus is still mostly on the arts community, especially with
recent alums and current students. The exciting thing about these groups is
that CCM money goes toward these programs, making it possible for them
to hire more teachers. We are also reaching out to a number of political
people, and these are important connections to make. The manager of the
new casino has already been to CCM, and they know the importance of a
relationship with the arts community.
3. What are ways we can market CCM Tribunal to CCM students and UC?
It is important to make sure that other colleges know how special we
are, but it also to make sure that we can play in the sandbox with everyone
else. The student government has talked about trying to have meetings right
before performances in CCM. It’s all about trying to get people to see the
many sides of CCM.
4. How can current students reach out to future students to ensure a smooth
transition for them?
Drama department has an ambassador program set up to talk to new
students. Facebook groups are a good way of getting in touch with
incoming students.
5. The CCM computer lab gets crowded and busy at times. Is there any
possibility of an additional lab opening at some point? Could the hours
be longer or open on Saturdays?
The IT committee has said that since so many people carry laptops
and iPads, there are less people using the computer lab. The students
definitely disagree with this.
6. Is there a possibility of getting copying machines in the computer lab?
Dean Landgren has asked for an assessment of how we use copiers,
printers, cartridges, etc. We are very sinful at the school about this. If we
could return half of the money we save in efficiency, there would be a lot of
extra money. A copy machine in the computer lab could then be an option.
7. Is it possible to have the bearcat card option and cash option at all of the
copiers around CCM?
The Dean is going to look at the under utilized copiers, and he’ll look
into the bearcat card option.
8. Non-music majors don’t have many places to practice. Memorial isn't a
necessary the best place for them to practice, as it is intended for use by
musicians (who already have to compete for practice rooms) so is it
possible to make CCPA 3640, 3650, 4735, and 4755 more accessible for
use? Signing them out is a hassle and they need to practice as much and
as impromptu as music majors for scenes, monologues, dance pieces,
show rehearsals, and combat.
Drama majors have gotten into trouble for staying late in those rooms
to practice, but no one patrols memorial after 11:00pm. The Dean says that
they are very protective of our buildings from the rest of the university, so
we have to keep this in mind. He will ask questions about why the rooms in
CCPA are looked at differently from Memorial.
9. Is there any way to open up more student jobs in CCM?
Dean Landgren would have to ask the powers at be about this. It has
to do with how money is allocated to each university and graduate students.
The increase in the student fee will give an extra quarter of a million dollars
to the school. This money will go directly back to the students. For
instance, next year we will be adding a production manager to the OMDA
department. There will be an ensemble library staff added at some point.
This doesn’t mean that these positions will go to students because workstudy always goes into play.
10.Is there any way to work with the scheduling and the lack of educational,
student, and practice space in CCM? Would decreasing the number of
accepted students make this problem any easier?
Dean Landgren is looking at building more student congregation
areas. He’s working with the university architect to build permanent
furniture on the 3000 and 4000 levels. He’s also looking at the scrounge in
DVAC, the CCPA area, and the faculty mailroom. Dr. Fitzgerald and Dean
Landgren have created a flat enrollment program for the next four years, so
there will be no growth in student life. We are going to be adding certain
majors during this time, such as music therapy. This would not increase the
number of students in already established programs. Faculty will have to
keep in mind the target enrollment numbers. Any changes in this will need
to be communicated. Decreasing accepted students would impact the CCM
budget. Dealing with less income from tuition would decrease the number
of faculty and staff members at the school. The University is talking about
right bright sizing. CCM is definitely at the top this heap because we have
six or seven top ten programs in the nation, incorporating 57% of the student
population. We are definitely a good investment for the university.
11.Are we functioning at mass population in order meet our budgetary
needs?
The student numbers and the budget are definitely related. When we
have larger years, the university expects this from us every year. The Dean
is trying to get rid of this cycle. He is spending much more time on
fundraising and entrepreneurial endeavors, so that we don’t have to rely so
much on student income. Thus far, we have fundraised about $17 million
this year. Although, the basic budget from the university is based on student
enrollment. If we were to tell the university that we were enrolling less, we
would get less money budgeted for us.
12.Is there anyway to split up Concert Orchestra or Philharmonia to have
live music for the dance department? This would be similar to how they
split up for the musicals.
In the last few months, Dean Landgren has been having faculty
meetings to join dance with the OMDA department. This would give dance
a uniformative administration oversight. This would leave TD&P out of
OMDA. Right before spring break, there will be two open forums about
creating a school of musical arts, a school of theatre arts, and a school of
media arts. The question is where does each department fit within each
these schools. From what Dean Landgren understands, this will give dance
one performance a year in Corbett with live music. This should also open up
the eyes of the dance faculty to new collaborative ideas with other
departments.
13.Is there any way to ease the growing pains of the increase in studio size?
Is there any way to add chamber ensembles? Would something like this
work for voice majors too? There is not enough ensemble performance
time, especially for music education majors.
This was a planned growth in the studio. There are also times when
people over-confirm their acceptances. This can definitely throw off the
ensembles. Chamber ensembles are on the table with faculty. It has been
shot down by the brass and percussion studios. Voice majors already have
so many different degree requirements, but the semester system has
decreased the number of electives needed for graduation. It could be
possible to make something like this work. With the change to semesters,
there are had to be a lot of compromises made. The state also said that every
curriculum had to have a maximum credit limit of 120. Unfortunately,
chamber music was something that was eliminated.
14.Will DVAC be affected by the expansion of the football stadium?
No, they are going to be building on the West side of the stadium.
The way they have bridged it from two levels of TUC, it will not affect
DVAC and CCM at all. Fundraising for the stadium should also not affect
fundraising for CCM. People donate to what they care about.
15.Is there any way to increase financial aid for out of state students?
The increased student fee will go toward giving financial aid to out of
state students. This is one of the top priorities for this school. Talk to
Andrea Fitzgerald if you have any other questions.
16.Why do the doors to CCM by Starbucks lock to non-CCM students at
7:00pm?
Dean Landgren will check who sets the time. It may be the
university, but it may be the college.