Boston University College of Fine Arts School of Music: Music Education Department 855 Commonwealth Avenue Boston, Massachusetts 02215 Ph. 1.617.353.6888 www.bu.edu/cfa
Interim Dean Susan Gano-‐Phillips College of Arts and Sciences University of Michigan, Flint 516/517 French Hall 303 E. Kearsley Flint, MI 48502-‐1950 September 14, 2015 Dear Dean Gano-‐Phillips: This letter comes to you on behalf of Dr. Karen Salvador, a candidate for tenure at your institution. I have known Karen for almost a decade as she has transformed from doctoral student to leader in the Society for Music Teacher Education, a national organization of which I am the chair. In 2005, our society restructured, and we formed twelve Areas for Strategic Planning and Action (ASPAs). Our membership had too many experiences with research that was disconnected from practice, and with plans that never resulted in productive action on behalf of music educators and their students. Now we are engaged in conferences where the majority of our time is spent ASPA working groups, collaborating on projects that have immediate impact. Karen leads our Cultural Diversity and Social Justice ASPA, which has perhaps been the most productive of all the ASPAs. Karen has collaborated with others in the development of a thoughtful and provocative webinar series on social justice issues in education. This webinar series continues to receive national acclaim and recognition. Karen also has actively participated in the blind peer review of over 300 proposals for our national conference that will be held next week on the campus of University of North Carolina-‐Greensboro, where she will facilitate meetings of the Cultural Diversity and Social Justice ASPA. But perhaps the most profound example of the work of this ASPA has been Karen’s research with Dr. Jacqueline Kelly-‐McHale from DePaul University, Music Teacher Educator Perspectives of Social Justice, presented at the American Educational Research Association annual conference in April 2015. Dr. Salvador’s generous spirit, attention to detail, and scholarly insight set her apart as one of our profession’s emerging leaders. As a senior faculty member, I feel confident that music education is moving in a positive and productive direction because of individuals like Dr. Karen Salvador.
Sincerely,
Susan Wharton Conkling, Ph.D. Professor of Music, Music Education