Undergraduate Student Policies
Division of Music
College of Creative Arts
West Virginia University
(Revised, April 2003)
General
Photocopies
The Division of Music leases a photocopy machine to provide services to the music faculty for university business. Photocopy service for personal business, for students, and for the general public, is prohibited. Violation of the Copyright Law is prohibited. Students are expected to purchase their own music materials for study and performance. Students must own at least one non-library, non-photocopied score/set of parts before the work in question may be performed for an applied music jury, an upper-level performance, or in a public recital. Students performing from photocopies of out-of-print, copyrighted material must receive the publisher’s permission.
Telephones
Telephones provided by the Division of Music are to be used by faculty and staff for university business only. Long distance calls by students or by the general public are prohibited.
Tickets
Music students may receive one complimentary ticket for each ticketed music event. Students will not receive a second ticket for repeat performances of the same event. Students must obtain a concert voucher from the division administrative associate in room 416A.
Academic Items
Accompanists
Students with keyboard skills often provide accompanying services to other students during lessons, at juries, and for recitals. A small number of accompanists may be assigned (based on assistantship, or instructional obligations), while most accompanying is negotiated between the students involved.
Accompanying expense for most recitals and associated rehearsals will have to be paid by the student, due to lack of Division resources.
Advising (undergraduate)
All undergraduate students majoring in music are assigned to an advisor who
is a member of the music faculty. These assignments are overseen by Division of Music Assistant Chair John Hendricks. Questions about undergraduate advising should be directed to Prof. Hendricks.
Change in Course Requirements
Course requirements for degree programs are printed in the University Catalog, which can be accessed on the University web site. Substitutions are normally not permitted, although the Division Chair will consider requests in extenuating circumstances. The student’s advisor must determine if a request for a course substitution is warranted and, if so, forward the request to the Chair in writing.
Instrumental Rental
The Division of Music maintains a limited inventory of instruments to supply music students and participants in performing ensembles with certain instruments, and to provide instruments for music education pedagogy classes. The Instrument Control Office, overseen by Timothy Richards and his Graduate Assistant, is in room 237A. The hours are posted on the door. Some “special” instruments (such as English horn, D trumpet, and contrabassoon) may be borrowed at no charge through an applied faculty member. “Regular” instruments of professional quality may be rented through the Instrument Control Office with permission from an applied faculty member. It is recommended that students rent instruments for only one semester, since the WVU Undergraduate Catalog states that all music majors (except pianists) should own their own instruments.
Student-quality instruments are rented in the following priority: (a) students in pedagogy classes; (b) music majors – students playing secondary instruments and students experiencing financial hardships may rent instruments (at the director’s discretion) for use in marching or pep band; (c) students enrolled in the Community Music Program. The rental fee per instrument per semester is $25.00. Students enrolled in pedagogy classes that require more than one instrument during the semester may exchange related instruments for no additional fee. For instance, a trombone may be exchanged for another brass instrument, a clarinet for another woodwind instruments, and a violin for another string instrument. This exchange policy is not applicable to the rental of guitars.
In addition to the $25.00 rental fee, students who rent instruments over the summer must pay a $50.00 security deposit in cash. The deposit will be returned to the student when he or she returns the instrument.
Students who fail to return instruments in a timely manner will receive a letter of warning indicating that if the instrument is not returned by a certain date, the result will be the suspension of University services (grades, transcripts withheld, etc.) and the notification of the police that state property has not been returned. Students will be billed for lost and unreasonably damaged instruments and accessories.
Juries
All music majors, music minors, and non-majors on music scholarships enrolled in Music 106-127, Music 500, or Music 700 in the Autumn and Spring Semesters must take a jury. Exceptions will only be allowed in the event of illness (a doctor’s statement is required) or by the approval of the Chair upon receipt of a written petition. Students should consult the jury policies of their performance area.
Practice Room Assignments
Each full time undergraduate or graduate student majoring in music is routinely assessed a Practice Room Fee of $15.00 per semester as part of his or her tuition and fee charges. Payment of the fee entitles the student to sign up for one hour per day in a specific practice room for the semester. To sign up, students should email their preferred practice times to CAC Assistant Director Mark Oreskovich at Mark.Oreskovich@mail.wvu.edu.
Additional space may be reserved at the rate of $5.00 per hour (an hour is defined as one hour per day for fifteen weeks). Payment should be made to Theresa Scafella (room 401A), and the student should contact Mark Oreskovich via email (see above) to sign up for additional practice time. Music minors or part-time music students may be assigned space upon payment of the fee. After the second week of class, some practice space may be made available to Community Music students at the regular rate on a limited basis.
Probation and Suspension—Academic
Students must maintain a grade point average of 2.0 or better. Students who do not meet the requirement will receive a letter of warning stating the terms of probation. If these terms are not met in the prescribed time, the student’s enrollment in the music program will be discontinued. Please refer to the West Virginia University Undergraduate Catalogue for further clarification.
Probation and Suspension—Applied Instrument or Voice
Each student identified as a music major or a music minor shall perform a jury examination on their principle performing instrument or voice for members of the Applied Music faculty at the end of each regular semester of study. After each jury, students who are below the expected level will be placed on applied music probation and will receive a letter from the Music Committee on Academic Standards stating the terms of probation. If these terms are not met in the prescribed time, the student’s enrollment in the music program will be discontinued.
Applied faculty may invoke a warning (rather than probation) ONE TIME in a student’s undergraduate career in the Division of Music if a) the student has been doing good work in principal applied study all semester, AND b) the student barely missed a level because of a substandard jury performance, OR c) the student was admitted with a deficiency that is being corrected but is no yet up to standard.
Scholarship Policies
The Division of Music Undergraduate Music Scholarship Committee (comprised of faculty representatives of each performance area) is responsible for awarding music scholarships to students. Final decisions are based on results of student auditions, the specific needs of the Division’s performing organizations, and criteria associated with certain scholarship endowment funds. Auditions are held for new students in February and March of each year. Provision is made for taped auditions and individually arranged auditions when necessary. Students must meet the terms of the Music Scholarship Award Agreement to maintain scholarship eligibility. This means maintaining a grade point average of at least 2.5, participating in ensembles as stipulated in the agreement, and advancing in performance levels as required by the degree program.
Teacher Assignment in Applied Music
Students wishing to study applied music with a private teacher must complete an application for a teacher assignment in applied music (forms available in room 416A), in addition to the normal course registration procedure. Most incoming freshmen music majors are given an opportunity to complete these form during summer Orientation. These requests will be forwarded to the appropriate Area Coordinator, and, if teaching time is available, an assignment will be made (after an audition has been completed). Music majors receive first consideration for assignments. If teacher time is not available, requests by non-music majors will be denied, in which case the course registration must be dropped by the student.
Transfer of Credit
Music credits earned by students at other institutions will be evaluated by Assistant Chair John Hendricks, with recommendations made to the Dean of the College. Transfer of applied music credits will be based upon proficiency levels attained by students at West Virginia University.
Undergraduate Overloads
Normally, undergraduate students may enroll for no more than 19 credit hours per semester. Students with strong academic records may petition to enroll in additional credit hours.
Recitals and Performances
Recitals
Please refer to “WVU CCA Division of Music Student and Faculty Recitals Policies and Procedures” on this web site.
Recordings of Performances and Studio Sessions
Please refer to the “WVU Sound Productions Recording Price Guide and Policy” available in room 416A or on this web site.
Young Artists’ Competition
Announcements of this annual competition are posted (usually mid-October) and forms are available from your studio teacher or from the secretary in room 416A.
Music Library
The music library is housed WVU’s Evansdale Library, which is about a 10-minute walk from the Creative Arts Center. The collection in the Music Library (books, scores, recordings) is available to faculty, students, and the general public, subject to Library regulations. Questions about the music holdings may be directed toward Creative Arts Librarian Beth Royall at Beth.Royall@mail.wvu.edu.