Last night I get home from church and my roomie tells me that he needs to tell me something, and I had probably better sit down for it....

What's this bad news I wonder... I soon find out and wish I had never heard... Well.... Here's the tale:

This past week two of our adjunct faculty in the music department were fired, and then on Friday Dr Valentine, our music dean, was put on "administrative leave" effective immediately, basically, he can't be fired yet because of his contract, so they have removed him until may when he CAN be fired.

But wait! That's not all... On top of this already atrocious act, Kennedy (the president of the college) is nixing the instrumental music program and in May Mr Young will be out of a job as well! Not to mention the band will be GONE along with half of the department!

WHAT ON EARTH IS THAT STUPID IDIOTIC ARSE OF A MAN THINKING????? I dunno.....

Today was a bad day for our department. The feeling overall was a sense of dread. The office was barren as most of the decor and some of the furniture was V's, and his office is empty and the door open. That barrenness is exactly how myself, the other students, and the faculty are feeling. Empty, alone...

Now, let me explain something, this music department, unlike most departments at our college (and indeed, many other colleges) is a tight family. We love each other and we support each other. There's no competition, only mutual support and encouragement. We care when our friends hurt, and we cry with them or laugh with them when that's what they are doing. This cuts deep. Firstly, the faculty who are axed are hurting very much and so we are all hurting very much. Secondly, there are students who will be virtually left in the cold with no more instrumental program. Thirdly, there's the fear that the entire department will follow.

This family relationship doesn't exist with the students and faculty alone, no, it extends to all the past alumni as we recently found out at the music homecoming, NOT EVEN A MONTH AGO.

As I have said a few times, when Kennedy decided to mess with the music department he didn't know what he was getting into or he wouldn't have done it. It would have been better for him to spit in the eye of the head of an Itallian mafia family! We stick together and we are, right now, all very, very angry, and getting more angry with him. We are looking for a course of action and will soon act. We will have the support of the alumni, many of the faculty in other departments, most of the students on campus, and probably a lot of the trustees. Kennedy, you are going down.

One thing that angers us so much is just how it was DONE. First, sometime in the past two weeks or so The Antichrist asked V to fire the two adjunct faculty members. V resisted, I am not sure if he finally gave in or if The Antichrist fired them on his own. Then on Friday, unbeknownst to most everyone, V was asked to leave. Even Shar, his secretary did not know! Most people found out THIS MORNING. Valentine moved his stuff out Saturday. Some found out last night, so some of us were prepared for the shock. My question is thus: If the contracts were going to expire in May, and the new contracts were being made up to be signed in a couple of weeks, why fire them like this? Why not just let them go at the end of the current contract?

We are all sure there is more to it than money, which is The Antichrist's stand on the whole deal. "Enrollment is down and we are losing money, we've got to cut something." That's The Antichrist's line. If enrollment is down why cut a program that is going to cut students, and also in cutting that program anger alumni who are in the education field, educating students who will one day be looking for a college? Those alums are angry and at this point are ready to advise their students never to go to WCC for any degree. Smart move Kennedy! Real smart! It's already cutting students, people who are instrumental, incoming instrumental, and even incoming music therapy students who were going to have instrumental concentrations. Studetns (And for your fatarse Antichrist's sake, MONEY) that won't be going to this school anymore.

I vote that the band, which is accepting all past members right now for it's last season, play Haydn's "Farewell Symphony" in honor of this occasion. For those not familiar with the story here it is: Haydn and his musicians were employed by the prince Esterházy. The had two homes, a summer home and a winter home, the summer home kept the musicians away from their families and homes when the prince was there, but since it was only for the summer months this was accepted. However one year the prince decided to stay longer, thanks to very nice weather. Haydn asked the prince if they could return home please because they missed their homes and loved ones. The prince said no. Haydn, always fond of musical jokes, composed a special symphony, to be called the "Farewell Symphony." The symphony was played as normal for the prince, but at the end the instrumentalists began to get up and leave, one by one, until the last musician had left. The prince got the point and everyone returned home for winter. I think this would drive an even stronger point home in our situation. When the instrumental department leaves, what's going to be left? I dunno if he'll take my suggestion or not. But it sure would be neat.
- posted by Nick @ 2/25/2003 12:30:00 AM | 0 comments