Thank you again for all of you who were able to make it last night for the meeting with Linda Comeaux. The comments I heard were very helpful to better understand the immediate needs of lutherie students who are concerned about completing respective certificates over the next few semesters. That said, I need to compile some info, quickly to ensure that I know what specific needs you have, and determine if i can still add/modify the fall schedule to accommodate.
Jeremy,
My recollection of one of the meeting points regarding the schedule was that, first and foremost the Administration acknowledged that they must provide a 2 year teach-out plan to students. Your post seems to imply the plans are only to adjust the class schedule for the first year of the teach-out. I think this is very confusing to students. Are you trying to say to luthier students that they must re-configure their class plans to fit in all luthier classes by Spring 2018? While I do not believe this is your intent, this is how I am reading your post.
Violin is not a “guitar” build class, but is an essential instrument build class and provides a pathway for luthier employment, just by way of the demand for repair of stringed instruments in the area, via the extensive elementary, middle and high school stringed instrument programs. Do you mean to imply a guitar class might not be offered if the violin class is, or the reverse? My further understanding that the reason the violin class was off the schedule for so long, was more a factor of locating a qualified instructor, which we now have. I trust the historical data you use includes notes regarding instructor availability as an explanation for the lack of class demand.
My recollection also was that (and for the purposes of simplicity, I am including you as a decision maker in the term Administration) the Administration has a target # for the credit hour cuts, but that number can be met with a number of changes in the schedule and you stated there was time to that. It is my understanding that the luthier classes have been long-standing core classes, and do not fall into the recent "blossoming classes", and students expect a reasonable path to complete those classes without undue burden and hardship.
It is my further understanding from the meeting, the urgency to immediately address class issues for luthier students is their inability to re-locate to other programs on such short (no) notice, as well as to ensure financial aid is not lost as a result of this short (no) notice. Have you used the emergency contact information provided by the luthier students through the instructors as a more efficient way of gathering this information? Many students do not use the google group.
Last, for students who applied to the Luthier program for the upcoming academic year, are they included as part of that teach-out period since they were accepted to the school under the current published 2017-2018 catalogue and certificate program?
While your post demonstrates the Administration is hard at work on these issues and that work is much appreciated, it seems to raise a lot of concerning questions as well. We trust the Administration is working as urgently on the issues for our VA students and for all of us lacking a path for classes for the next academic year. Laura.