Since we were together last we were in the midst of the Invitational Honor Choir and Honor Band events. Since then…  African American Music Heritage Institute  MLK Celebration with St Stephen Church  L’ Histoire du Soldat with KCCP and UofL  KMEA successes, including Pat Rafferty’s award as Ky ASTA teacher of the year.  Chorale to Bowling Green for Carmina Burana  And looking forward to Jazz Fest, Symphony Orchestra next week and Cardinal Singers at ACDA national meeting before we are together again.

 Department staff support and Development support staff, closes about the 24th  Music History Faculty Search, first candidate visit next week.  Music Theory Faculty Search, reviewing work samples to get to finalists for campus visit.  Choral Music Education Faculty Search, reviewing applicants.

 LL 65 re-fastening of ceiling / acoustic tiles should be completed over the weekend.  Website migration has begun and is anticipated for completion in May.  Includes increased use of Sharepoint for non- public faculty and staff documents instead of website.  To date, zero new faculty bios received, zero new photos requested.

 UofL Audiology grad students here in the school for no-cost faculty, staff, student hearing screenings on Tuesday and Thursday next week. Appointments available at Penny Brodie workstation.  University grading policies….the A+ initiative by Student Government.  Review of grading policies from the university  Prevalence of +,- grades from music faculty.

 Health and Safety Issues for Musicians: where, when and how do we cover these topics?  How can blended course delivery schedules and content change the way our students experience music instruction? And What alterations can be made in organizing major ensemble class schedules that may permit more flexibility in the student ensemble experience?  Revisioning in the undergraduate music education curriculum and clinical education observations.

 Graduation rate among undergraduate music students is about 60%. This is a stable number, as is our Fall to Spring Semester retention rate of 93% among UG and GR students. Students who drop out often do so because of academic performance after admission or because academic performance was not strong at admission (conditional admits).

 Report of the ad hoc committee. (See summary of draft report as distributed)

 The ad hoc committee is still trying to schedule a meeting time to convene.

 Faculty Committee members examining policy documents for implications of reorganization on personnel and other policies.  Consideration of duties of department chairs and division heads, terms, support, and selection.  Comment period from faculty is still open based on outline of proposal distributed in Nov.

Engaged in revisioning the current UofL circumstances and environment through a SWOT process, with some 5000 comments made from the university community. See Provost’s webpage for 21 st Century Initiative.  What about the SoM SWOT process?

 Autonomy and flexibility as a stand-alone school  Broadly based faculty and staff, serving a variety of graduate and undergraduate degree programs.  Fundraising initiatives / endowment provides a significant base of scholarship funding and qualitative enhancement funding.  Vision emphasizing programmatic excellence in every part of the school ensures that all faculty groups can feel a sense of engagement and value to the overarching work of the school.  Facilities of the school, including the library, are a significant asset in ongoing work, outreach, and student recruiting.

 Prescriptive degree program requirements, little student curricular flexibility, high number of clock hours required.  Few degree programs have strong enrollment momentum without financial aid support.  Limited options for general education students, but increasing choices for on-line course options.  Shrinking general funds budget stresses endowment and gift funding.

 Music is respected among constituent schools and university administration.  Good support for funding financial aid programs.  Potential for expansion in degree programs / enrollments through new programs, ie. undergraduate honors, doctoral study and multi-disciplinary programs.  Interest in showcasing the successes of the program regionally, nationally, and internationally.  International / non-resident / distance education initiatives / unit-based tuition /medical unit linkages have potential for enrollment and funding growth.

 Reputation of school facilitates partnerships with organizations outside the university.  Broad array of funding opportunities if general negative factors related to economy can be overcome. Reorganization of development office for the school may establish a stronger foundation for capitalizing on opportunities when the broader economic status becomes better.  Opportunity to develop new programmatic initiatives that will drive enrollments to new plateaus.  Opportunities for service, clinical experiences for students in region if we can integrate such work into our programs.

 Direction of university in determining unit budgets is uncertain.  State-based funding is flat or shrinking, sponsored research funding is flat or reduced, reduced capacity to continue to raise tuition, other expensive priorities for expansion within the university.  As university budgets more of its collective, over-realized tuition and reduced state support persists, there are fewer internal university sources to secure extra funding.  Modest alumni interest, support and resources, but reorganization of Friends with Alumni may provide new momentum for both organizations..

 Shrinking arts presence in general media, culture, and educational institutions.  Philanthropic interest in the arts generationally-based.  Communication outlets changing, need for expensive cross- platform advertising.  Continued economic weakness in the economy, reduced foundation and grant sources, and reductions in state spending for higher education.