The Barometer Online

In response to some of the comments written in the Feb. 27, 2004 article entitled, "EdAct scraps lecture budget" we must say we are disappointed in the way that Heather Reynoldson continues to depict the music department as being "unwilling to comply" with the guidelines of the Educational Activities Committee.

The numerous students involved in our bands, orchestra, and choirs have been hurt by the insinuation that our lack of compliance with EdAct rules seems to be a choice, or perhaps even negligence.

Whether right or wrong, the music performance organizations have been funded by EdAct for decades without being "in compliance."

A year ago, the Educational Activities Committee gave us notice that our funding would be cut severely for the 2003-04 school year, and completely eliminated the following year, if we did not meet their guidelines.

On the surface, that sounds like something we would very much want to do. We met as a faculty and with our student officers. The officers met with entire music organizations.

We took the EdAct guidelines and tried our best to be who they wanted us to be in order to get the funding we desperately need. This year they would not even grant us a hearing. Why? It boils down to this:

Music organizations are not the same as clubs. Neither are music organizations completely academic. We meet regularly as a class, give students academic credit and also give students grades.

Those are the reasons EdAct would not fund music. They asked us to give up the academic credit, give up the grades our students receive and act like a club!

But we are not a club. We are not entirely academic, nor are we entirely extra-curricular. We are music -- we are unique.

Do we have to hold auditions? Yes. Should our most advanced musicians have the opportunity to create advanced level music? Of course they should. Is there a place for everyone to participate in some musical ensemble? Absolutely.

Everyone who auditions will find a place they are welcome to sing or play, but it may not be the most advanced group. The Educational Activities Committee was not satisfied with this. They wanted a promise than any student could participate in any ensemble regardless of gender or ability.

Do we have to offer credit and give grades? Yes, we feel this is very important. Our students work hard, they learn a great deal, they have outside assignments to complete and they perform numerous times a year. They deserve academic credit for their work. Faculty should be able to assess their progress and achievement. The Educational Activities Committee was not satisfied with this answer. They want us to act like a club.

Music ensembles provide a huge service to the University, its alumni and associates, and the community. Our groups consist of students from all academic areas across campus.

You have seen us at football, basketball, swimming, gymnastics, volleyball, Martin Luther King, Jr. ceremonies, alumni receptions, OUS meetings, college luncheons, honors, awards and holiday events.

We provide a valuable service through our academically-centered AND performance-centered ensembles. If we are out of compliance, perhaps the "rules" we have been asked to comply with ought to be what is currently under the microscope.

Reynoldson is quoted in the Barometer saying, "We have a responsibility towards every OSU student to ensure that his or her student fees are spent responsibly."

We are very disappointed in the implication that music ensembles have spent money irresponsibly.

Perhaps the students of Oregon State should know the whole story. Perhaps they will question how responsible it is to deny the funding we have relied on for over 50 years so that we can give the University the musical celebrations it enjoys.

We are also disappointed that Ms. Reynoldson continues to publicly state that we were "warned" and we are still "out of compliance." We are not a club. We are music. Perhaps the committee needs to consider whether there are student organizations worthy of funding that do not fit their current narrow definitions.

Finally, we are extremely grateful to our dean, Kay Schaffer, our provost, Tim White, and our president, Ed Ray, who have stepped up to the plate and decided that music IS valuable and worth funding.

Tina Bull, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor and Coordinator of Music Education and Steven M. Zielke, Ph.D., is the Director of Choral Studies at OSU. The opinions expressed in their guest column do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Barometer.

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