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Boldly Reimagining Our Undergraduate Curriculum

Boldly Reimagining Shenandoah Conservatory’s Undergraduate Curriculum

 

Core Focus

 

The Dean’s Twofold Commitment

  1. Ensure we avoid common PITFALLS:
    1. Process is quick but investigation remains shallow
    2. Ideas and proposals don’t build on shared faculty insight and ownership
    3. Ultimate changes are heralded as “innovative” or “radical” even while they are superficial, representing only tweaks to the edges of curriculum
    4. Changes don’t truly strengthen financial integrity and the school’s core identity
  2. Ensure our accelerated process not only has depth and integrity, but is also DOABLE
    1. Employ a strategic two-semester process that engages all faculty and provides rich opportunity for building of shared knowledge, while also strategically engaging leadership of smaller and representative faculty group

TASKFORCES

BEING WELL TOGETHER TASKFORCE

Comprising ten Shenandoah University faculty and staff and two Shenandoah Conservatory students, the Being Well Together Taskforce exists to strengthen a conservatory culture of holistic wellness through proactive student, faculty and staff development. The taskforce will build on work done to date by the Futures Group, and identify and recommend a select series of co-curricular conservatory events or initiatives for the 2020/21 year that will complement and supplement existing university resources.

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Peter and the Starcatcher
Student Performance Week

ShenCoSKILLS TASKFORCE

Comprising twelve Shenandoah University faculty and staff and two Shenandoah Conservatory students, the ShenCoSKILLS Taskforce exists to develop ways to supplement conservatory coursework in order to help first- and second-year undergraduate conservatory students better integrate into the conservatory, as well as to further knowledge and skills in key areas impacting their overall well-being and academic and professional success.

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TIMELINE & PROCESS

 

FALL 2019 – CURRICULUM SUBMISSION

SUBMISSIONS TIMELINE: FALL 2019 SCHEDULE FOR CCC MEETINGS

 
SEPTEMBER 27 (DUE SEPTEMBER 20)
  1. Music Theory New Core (14 credits): KS
    1. Submission of New Course Proposals (titles, descriptions, rationale)
    2. Further strengthen student success by addressing:
      1. Relevance to 21st Century Career Preparation
      2. DFW rates
      3. Completion rates
    3. Music Literature: LM
      1. Submission of Revised Course Proposals
        1. Adjust equated hours (no increase in credit total – 3,3,3)
    4. Ensembles/Productions: CC (with rep from Music TR, Theatre KT, Dance EH)
      1. Submission of Editorial Change Form
      2. Credits move from 1 to 2
    5. CONS 101 & CONS 201: TBD (Identify team during Welcome Week)
      1. Submission of New Course Proposals
      2. Submission of Inactivation Form for Performance Forum
    6. Music Minors: JM, SFB
      1. Submission of Revised Program Form
      2. Building on changes from Music Theory, Music Literature, and Music Ensembles
 
OCTOBER 4 (DUE SEPTEMBER 27)
  1. Music Education: SS
  2. Jazz Studies: RL
  3. Composition: JN
  4. MPRT: GO
  5. BA in R & AA: GS
  6. Songwriting Certificate: TBD

☐ Submission of Leaner & Stronger Affirmation Form

☐ Submission of Revised Program Form Submission

☐ Submission of Revised/New Course Proposals as needed

 
OCTOBER 25 (DUE OCTOBER 18)
  1. Theatre Design & Production: JA
  2. Acting: SH
  3. Musical Theatre: KC
  4. Dance: MF
  5. Dance & Theatre Minors: MP & CC

☐ Submission of Leaner & Stronger Affirmation Form

☐ Submission of Revised Program Form Submission

☐ Submission of Revised/New Course Proposals as needed

 
NOVEMBER 1 (DUE OCTOBER 25)
  1. Church Music: TM
  2. [B.A. in Collaborative Arts:
    DELAYED TO ENSURE IDENTIFICATION OF ALL POSSIBLE COURSES IN NEW CURRICULA]

☐ Submission of Leaner & Stronger Affirmation Form

☐ Submission of Revised Program Form Submission

☐ Submission of Revised/New Course Proposals as needed

 
NOVEMBER 8 (DUE NOVEMBER 1)
  1. Music Performance: TBD
  2. Music Therapy: AM
  3. Musical Theatre Accompanying: KK & PB

☐ Submission of Leaner & Stronger Affirmation Form

☐ Submission of Revised Program Form Submission

☐ Submission of Revised/New Course Proposals as needed

 
DECEMBER 6
  1. Semester Clean-Up
 
 

FALL 2018 – Investigation

 
REVEALING CORE VALUES
  1. Core Values Exercise Findings from Faculty (Welcome Week Faculty Meeting)
  2. Core Values Exercise Findings from Student Council (September)
 
AFFIRMING BUSINESS MODEL REQUIREMENTS
  1. Business Model Checklist (as reviewed during Welcome Week Faculty Meeting # 1)
 
GATHERING INFO & BUILDING SHARED KNOWLEDGE
  1. FULL FACULTY
    1. Focused Interviews with Thought Leaders/Innovators via Zoom
      1. October 1 Faculty Meeting (Mark Rabideau & Jennifer Edwards)
        1. Faculty Reflect: Biggest Takeaways from October 1 Conversation
      2. October 29 Faculty Meeting (Justin Kantor & Kendra Whitlock Ingram)
      3. November 19 Faculty Meeting (Helena Gaunt)
    2. “Career Preparation Gap Analysis” Survey to Alumni
      1. Survey Findings, when available, will be posted HERE
  2. DIVISION MEETINGS or PROGRAM-SPECIFIC
    1. November 26 Division Meeting devoted to curriculum discussion. (All music performance divisions gather?)
      1. Career Prep Gap Alumni Survey Findings
      2. Core Articles for Discussion (3 articles, plus any recommended by division chair/program director)
      3. “What are the 2 to 3 most important changes that should be made to undergraduate curriculum across the entire Conservatory given emerging ideas/revealed opportunities?”
        1. (Findings, when available, will be posted HERE)
 
CONNECTING THREADS / DEFINING BIG OPPORTUNITIES
  1. 1-day retreat of Futures Group (Friday, November 30 at Cool Spring)
    1. Agenda
    2. Readings
 
 

SPRING 2019 – Curriculum Mapping

 
COMPILING GATHERED INFO into THEMES/OPPORTUNITIES
  1. 2-day retreat of Futures Group (January 14 & 15 at Cool Spring)
    1. Agenda
 
SHARING & DISCUSSING EMERGENT CORE RECOMMENDATIONS
  1. February 6 Special Conservatory-Wide Assemblies – 2 p.m. with faculty, 3 p.m. with students: Presentation and Overview of Emergent Core Recommendations from Futures Group (with Dean and Futures Group Facilitator Prof. Montressa Washington) for faculty and student feedback
    1. Presentation
  2. Emailed Survey to Students and to Faculty soliciting feedback
  3. Follow up work by Topic Group to further refine Core Recommendations
    1. Futures Group Meeting Agenda (March 6)
  4. Preparation for submission to Conservatory Leadership Group (Division Chairs, Assistant/Associate Deans, Dean)
  5. Presentation at Faculty Meeting (March 25)
  6. Student Focus Groups led by Focus Group members for each of the Core Recommendations on Wednesday, April 3
    1. Email invitation to students to RSVP for focus groups
    2. Notes from COLLABORATION & ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET Student Focus Group Meeting
    3. Notes from BEING WELL TOGETHER Student Focus Group Meeting
    4. Notes from CONSERVATORY 101 Student Focus Group Meeting
    5. Notes from B.A. IN COLLABORATIVE ARTS Student Focus Group Meeting
 
RETREAT TO INVESTIGATE EQUATED HOURS COST CENTER (incl. ENSEMBLE & PRODUCTION CREDIT)
  1.  Full Conservatory Curriculum Retreat
    Saturday, April 13 from 1:30 p.m. to  5 p.m.
    Sunday, April 14 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
    Lounge/Cafeteria
    Lower Level, Health Professions Building

    Dr. David Cutler, Facilitator

  2. Update on Futures Group & Upcoming Retreat (March 8, 2019)
 

READINGS & RESOURCES

 

GENERAL & ILLUSTRATIVE RESOURCES/READINGS

 

OTHER RELEVANT REFERENCES

 

This is a developing list. To recommend additions, please contact Alisa Daum at adaum12@su.edu.

NOTE: Music is heavily represented here for a simple reason: it is the curricular area most removed from the changed performing arts career marketplace (hence most in need of change).

FUTURES GROUP

MEMBERSHIP & CHARGE OF FUTURES GROUP

The Futures Group is a representative Shenandoah Conservatory faculty group pushing conversations and thinking for this initiative. Members are recommended by Divisions Chairs and selected by the Dean with additional consultation from Associate Deans. These are individuals who can learn, listen, argue and take risks.

THEATRE 

Jenn Adams
(Theatre Design & Production)

Will Ingham
(General Theatre)

Scott Hudson
(Acting)

Matt Edwards
(Musical Theatre)

*Carolyn Coulson
(Assistant Dean for Student Learning, Theatre) 

DANCE

Maurice Fraga

*Ting-Yu Chen
(Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Dance)

MUSIC PERFORMANCE

Byron Jones

Matt Oltman
(Vocal/Choral, Large Ensemble)

Garrick Zoeter

Tim Robblee
(Instrumental, Large Ensemble)

*Ryan Romine
(Assistant Dean for Recruitment, Music)

MUSIC ACADEMICS

Stephanie Standerfer
(Music Education)

Bronwen Landless
(Music Therapy)

Golder O’Neill
(Music Production & Recording Technology)

Keith Salley
(Music Theory & History)

David Zerull
(General)

*Jeff Marlatt
(Associate Dean for Faculty & Academic Affairs, Music)

* Assistant/Associate Deans are regular members of Futures Group

 

CONVERSATION PARTNERS

 

OCTOBER 1

Thought Leaders in Music/Dance/Entrepreneurship

Mark Rabideau
Director, 21st-Century Musician Initiative (DePauw University)

21stCM remains one of the country’s most forward-oriented and comprehensive efforts to reimagine the training of classical musicians for changing careers in the current marketplace.

Jennifer Edwards
Consultant & Educator

Edwards has served as a consultant on dance curriculum (including recently on the design of the new dance curriculum at USC’s Glorya Kaufman School for Dance), and has designed and taught semester-long courses for Skidmore College and Point Park University in entrepreneurship as applied to the arts, as well as bootcamps and workshops on entrepreneurial thinking for The Juilliard School, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Slippery Rock University, and the University of Colorado at Boulder.

 

Mark Rabideau & Jennifer Edwards

QUESTIONS

You have gained significant familiarity with many core issues surrounding the performing arts (dance/music in particular), and are aware of many of the challenges facing young and emerging performing artists.

  1. If you had to pick just one or two, what do you sense are the most significant changes related to classical music / dance audiences that will continue to impact the job prospects for conservatory students in the years ahead?
  2. If you had to pinpoint just one or two things, what do you think our conservatories and performing arts schools should do differently to better prepare our students for general success in the performing arts marketplace
  3. ADVICE FOR OUR STUDENTS: If there was one piece of advice you could give a young musician/dancer aspiring to a career as a performer, what would it be?
  4. ADVICE FOR US: You have an opportunity right now to talk to music, theatre, and dance faculty seeking to boldly reimagine undergraduate degree programs, not only with an eye strengthening general program integrity where appropriate (including fiscal integrity) but to also strengthen the ability of those programs to support student preparation for successful 21st century careers in the performing arts. Is there anything you’d especially like to share with them as they tackle that challenge?
 

Jason Kantor & Kendra Ingram

OCTOBER 29

Thought Leaders among Performing Arts Presenters

Justin Kantor
Co-founder & Director of Operations, (Le) Poisson Rouge

Co-founder, Director of Operations at (Le) Poisson Rouge, one of the country’s most innovative, intimate and genre-busting performance venues.

Kendra Whitlock Ingram
Executive Director, The Robert & Judi Newman Center for the Performing Arts

Executive Director, The Robert & Judi Newman Center for the Performing Arts, University of Denver. Previously, she held senior management positions at Omaha Performing Arts (overseeing all performing arts programming), Shenandoah Conservatory, Baltimore Symphony, and Detroit Symphony.

QUESTIONS

You have gained significant familiarity with many core issues surrounding the performing arts marketplace, audience preferences/tastes, and the types of skills that young artists bring with them from intensive conservatory training.

  1. If you had to pick just one or two, what do you sense are the most significant changes related to audiences or the general entertainment marketplace that will continue to impact the job prospects for conservatory performing arts students (music/dance/theatre) in the years ahead?
  2. If you had to pinpoint just one or two things, what do you think our conservatories and performing arts schools should do differently to better prepare our students for general success in the performing arts marketplace?
  3. ADVICE FOR OUR STUDENTS: If there was one piece of advice you could give a young performing artist aspiring to a career as a performer, what would it be?
  4. ADVICE FOR US: You have an opportunity right now to talk to music, theatre, and dance faculty seeking to boldly reimagine undergraduate degree programs, not only with an eye strengthening general program integrity where appropriate (including fiscal integrity) but to also strengthen the ability of those programs to support student preparation for successful 21st century careers in the performing arts. Is there anything you’d especially like to share with them as they tackle that challenge?
 

NOVEMBER 19

Thought Leaders in Music/Theatre/Conservatory Education

Helena Gaunt
Principal, Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

Principal of Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. Formerly the Vice Principal and Director of Innovation at Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Has led the international Innovative Conservatoire conference focusing on innovations/changes in the USA and Europe for many years.


Helena Gaunt

QUESTIONS

You have gained significant familiarity with many core issues surrounding performing arts training within the higher education field, including innovative work being done internationally in conservatory settings in response to changes in audience preferences/tastes and a fast-changing marketplace.

  1. If you had to pick just one or two, what do you sense are the most significant changes related to either Music/Theatre/Dance audiences or the general entertainment marketplace that will continue to impact the job prospects for our Conservatory music/theatre/dance students in the years ahead?
  2. If you had to pinpoint just one or two things, what do you think our conservatories and performing arts schools should do differently to better prepare our students for general success in the performing arts marketplace?
  3. ADVICE FOR OUR STUDENTS: If there was one piece of advice you could give a young musician, actor, or dancer aspiring to a career as a performer, what would it be?
  4. ADVICE FOR US: You have an opportunity right now to talk to music, theatre, and dance faculty seeking to boldly reimagine undergraduate degree programs, not only with an eye strengthening general program integrity where appropriate (including fiscal integrity) but to also strengthen the ability of those programs to support student preparation for successful 21st century careers in the arts. Is there anything you’d especially like to share with them as they tackle that challenge?