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WORONI The Australian National University Newspaper Since 1948
NO. 7 VOL 64
MAY 24
School of Music Chaos
The ANU is in talks with Canberra businesses to provide additional funding for the School of Music, as massive protests last week forced a number of concessions by ViceChancellor Ian Young. The University has changed its methods, but not its goal, with regards to staff cuts at the School of Music: backing down from a “spill” of all staff, as well as, initial proposals to halve the amount of one-on-one tuition received by students also look set to be rethought. Importantly, however, the proposal to sack half of the School’s full-time staff and overhaul the curriculum to a more “professionally oriented” one remains unchanged. It has emerged the ANU misled students in claiming the proposed curriculum changes have been drafted over several years, with Adrian Walter, head of the School of Music, telling students at a consultation session that in “No way or shape has the [proposed] curriculum been developed over three years”. This follows allegations from members of the School of Music Executive Committee such as Mike Price, a senior faculty member since 1990, that the Executive Committee had never seen the proposed curriculum restructure plans. Whilst the University has emphasised the importance of the consultation process, Pro-
TOM WESTLAND & NAKUL LEGHA
VC absent as thousands protest changes Head of School jumps ship No consultation over new curriculum Businesses may step in to bolster budget Uni forced to back down on sacking methods, one-on-one tuition cuts fessor Walter admitted to students that how the consultation process would proceed was “not clear” to him. He conceded “the new curriculum will not attract or produce elite performers” but did not elucidate the position he was advocating to ANU management. This comes after the announcement last week that Professor Walter has been appointed Director of the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts (HKAPA), a position he will take up in September. Woroni understands
that Chancelry sent Professor Walter a letter advising him to go on leave and to carefully weigh his options, following an indication from Professor Walter that he would like to take a few days’ leave. It had been widely rumoured that Professor Walter was deeply uncomfortable with the proposed changes; however, he had announced them and publically defended them when they came under attack from staff, students and the national music community. The position of Director at HKAPA had
been advertised since the beginning of the year, with applications closing in February; and Professor Walter said that his move to HKAPA was a case of unfortunate timing, At the consultation session, music students expressed disappointment and betrayal at the move, with one telling Professor Walter that “There is now a fundamental problem with us trusting you”. Meanwhile, considerable concern still exists amongst many staff in the Music School that the proposed changes to the curriculum have been poorly thought through and will see a worsening standard of music education offered to students at the ANU. However, in an interview with Woroni, the Education Chair at the School of Music, Dr Jonathan Powles, said that the curriculum was designed to be more flexible, and that the proposed changes responded to student demand. He said that while the Bachelor of Professional Music Practice was not well-subscribed, many Music students had been eager to take electives in subjects outside the traditional performance degree, and the new curriculum was designed to allow this. He also said that it was unlikely that music
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