Small music courses find themselves on the chopping block as part of the University’s budget cuts.
The University is increasing music class sizes from three to 10, axing 12 music courses that don’t meet the mandated minimum course enrollment of 10 students, according to an email obtained by The Journal. The cuts include mandatory and elective courses offered to music and non-music majors across all four years of a student’s degree programs.
In place of the year-long mandatory and elective courses (MUSC x21/x24) will be two semester long courses (MUSC x22/x18 and MUSC x23/x19), resulting in a significant increase in student to faculty ratio from 3:1 to 10:1 per class, Julia Brook, director of the DAN School of Drama and Music confirmed.
Students will still receive private lessons from instructors, allowing them to refine their musical abilities, but it remains unclear whether students will receive less one-on-one time with their professor because of the changes.
Brook described individual lessons with instructors as a “core” part of these courses.
Course changes, which Brook describes as “restructuring,” haven’t been finalized. Brook will honour the course learning hours outlined by the University.
During the DAN faculty meeting on Jan. 16, faculty had various reactions to the changes, explained Brook. All faculty are committed to providing students with the best musical experience possible.
“Students will have the same level of opportunity to study applied music with these courses,” Brook said in an interview with The Journal. “We will find ways to ensure our student experience continues to be the high caliber that it is.”
Drama student, Deanna Cervi, ConEd ’24, worries how increases in class size will impact drama and music students’ education.
Cervi took a drama class last year with eight other students. The smaller class size helped her grow as an individual artist.
“Drama and music classes are catered towards a smaller group so each individual student can really grow as an individual artist,” Cervi said in an interview with The Journal.
Cervi worries about adjunct professors who will be the first faculty to be terminated, according to leaked memos from faculty .
“All of the best courses I have taken in the DAN school are by adjunct professors. They have so much experimental knowledge, allowing us to grow as artists and setting us up for success,” Cervi said.
While she appreciates faculty have acknowledged cuts are happening, she hasn’t heard any productive suggestions to ensure the quality of students’ education remains the same.
Brook sent out a form to the DAN School where students can ask questions about course changes. She is keeping student leaders informed about the ongoing situation.
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