FROM THE DESK OF THE DEAN | | |
Greetings from Bloomington and the start of the 2023-24 academic year!
The students returned to town a few weeks ago, and the sound of music is again permeating our hallways and offices. It is wonderful to have everyone back on campus after a summer away. I am pleased to write to you with some updates regarding the start of the year. | | |
2023-24 Student Demographics | | |
We are happy to welcome a spectacular new class for Fall 2023. As of the fall census, we have welcomed 208 undergraduate students (including 187 first-year students) and 346 graduate students.
The incoming student class represents 41 different states (only Arkansas, Delaware, Louisiana, Maine, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, and Vermont are not included). Besides the United States, students come from 22 different countries, including Colombia, Finland, the Philippines, and Romania. The top countries represented among international students are China (30%), South Korea (29%), Taiwan (17%), and Hong Kong (6%). This is the fourth year in a row that China has had the largest number of international students in the incoming class, and this trend appears to continue. This year, we saw a 30% increase in applications from China alone!
Overall, the percentage of incoming international students is among the highest in Jacobs’ history, with nearly 30% of new students coming from countries outside the U.S. As a result, the percentage of international students in our total school enrollment continues to grow. In all, nearly 29% of our total students are now international, and at the graduate level, nearly 42%.
Among our domestic incoming students, 13.25% have reported their ethnicity as Asian, 1.25% American Indian/Alaska Native, 4.5% Black/African American, 10.25% Hispanic/Latino, and 69.75% White. The gender distribution of the incoming students is 48.5% Female and 51.5% Male. This is consistent with school history, although last year’s class (Fall 2022) saw a slightly more balanced distribution.
Our incoming undergraduate classes continue to be exceptionally strong academically. The median GPA of our first-year undergraduates this year is 4.0; in fact, 56% of the students had a GPA above 4.0 in high school. If looking at IU as a whole, the comparable median is 3.89.
We look forward to another great recruitment season. Please note that the audition weekends this year are January 12-13, February 2-3, and March 1-2. | | |
We are thrilled to welcome 13 of the finest scholars, artists, and performers in the world this fall as new faculty members at the Jacobs School of Music. This includes new colleagues in jazz studies (Natalie Boeyink), music library (Jeanne Case), voice (Tichina Vaughn), piano (
Sofya Gulyak), audio engineering and sound production (Aaron Hynds), organ (Andrew Jirele), guitar (
Jiji Kim), trombone (
Brittany Lasch), violin (Kyung Sun Lee), music theory (Noriko Manabe), orchestral conducting (
Jeffrey Meyer), horn (
Denise Tryon), and band (Ryan Kelly, associate dean for academic affairs and student success).
Additionally, Catherine Compton (acting managing director of IU Jacobs School of Music Opera and Ballet Theater, and lecturer in voice) and Michelle DeYoung (professor of practice in voice) have been appointed to new roles.
Please join me in welcoming this extraordinary new group of faculty! | | |
The first phase of the school’s strategic planning process concluded over the summer. Aligning with the university’s IU 2030 plan and IU Bloomington’s IUB 2030, the Jacobs plan will ensure that we have clear goals for the school, a blueprint to achieve them, and metrics by which to evaluate our success.
Among the work done by hundreds of faculty, staff, students, alumni, and members of our Dean’s Advisory Council, we have revised the JSoM Mission Statement and developed a set of values. They are as follows:
Mission Statement
The Jacobs School of Music provides distinguished instruction and outstanding opportunities for majors and non-majors to realize their full potential. We foster an equitable and inclusive environment in which students, faculty, and staff have boundless opportunities through creative activity and scholarship at the highest professional levels to shape their own unique paths in the arts.
Values
Excellence: Fostering performance, teaching, collaboration, and scholarship at the highest level.
Study: Cultivating and nurturing a student-centered environment that inspires personal accomplishment, expression, and fulfillment.
Connection: Nurturing a community of shared values and respect within the Jacobs School of Music.
Justice and Inclusion: Ensuring the commitments to inclusion, equity, and social justice are woven into the fabric of the school.
Impact: Expanding and cultivating a multinational community with innovative initiatives in Indiana, nationally, and internationally.
Our second phase of work will involve the development and establishment of metrics, action steps, resources, and timelines needed to meet our goals over the next seven years. More information may be found online at our Strategic Plan website. |
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During the last academic year, we were able to increase the funding for lifecycle replacement for faculty and staff desktop and laptop computers, printers, and related hardware and software. This enabled us to complete the recovery from many deferred replacements that should have taken place during the pandemic. While there are always new requests for more and newer technology, this got us back on the regular renewal and replacement cycle for most faculty and staff hardware and software.
Similarly, during the summer, 11 classrooms were upgraded, which catches up our classrooms to again be on a regular lifecycle replacement. We now turn our attention to upgrading technology in conference rooms and spaces not designated as classrooms but where instruction regularly occurs, including performance halls and rehearsal spaces.
In addition, structural work on the infrastructure of our facilities is also ongoing. Recently completed projects include:
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New windows in Ford-Crawford Hall and the stairwell in the back of Simon
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A new generator for the MAC, to provide basic power in the event of a power failure
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Phase one of rigging reinforcements in the MAC. This phase included securing and restoring the ceiling to the orchestra shell.
Projects in the planning phase include:
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Sound and light enhancements to MAC 036/040
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Repairs to the controls and banners in Auer Hall
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Recently approved and funded infrastructure renovations in the Music Annex
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Sound renovations in the MAC.
We are grateful to be able to continue to maintain our wonderful spaces and make upgrades to them. | | |
A delegation from the Jacobs School, including myself, faculty members Simin Ganatra, chair of the Strings Department; Norman Krieger, chair of the Piano Department; piano professor Émile Naoumoff; cello professor Brandon Vamos and J-CDR Assistant Dean for External Affairs Melissa Dickson, traveled to Bangkok, Thailand, in late August to forge and deepen partnerships with several, regional music education organizations. The trip was an expansion of work that began during my visit in May.
The United States enjoys its oldest diplomatic relationship in Asia with Thailand, at 190 years, so it was a natural extension for IU to establish the IU ASEAN Gateway in Bangkok in 2019, further cementing bonds and introducing opportunities for both countries.
Together with my colleagues, we wish to extend a special thanks to IU ASEAN Gateway Director Peter Boonjarern, for facilitating the “IU Jacobs Week in Bangkok.” In addition to Professor Naoumoff’s performance of the Grieg Piano Concerto with the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, Peter assisted with the arrangement of Jacobs School faculty master classes at the Royal Bangkok Symphony School, the Piano Academy of Bangkok, Mahidol University, and the Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music, a private concert by the Thai Youth Orchestra, and a reception for 200 in which the U.S. ambassador to Thailand, Robert F. Godec, was in attendance.
While there, we announced the Dr. Saisuree Chutikul Music Scholarship.
Dr. Saisuree attended the IU School of Education and the IU Jacobs School of Music, studying with the late Distinguished Professor of Piano Menahem Pressler beginning in 1956. She has become one of IU’s most accomplished and honored alumni, after serving the Thai government and on local and national committees as a tireless advocate for women and children. She served on multiple United Nations committees, including the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women and the Committee on the Rights of the Child, and represented Thailand for 12 years on the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women. In addition, she actively participated in the founding of the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra and the Thai Youth Orchestra.
The scholarship, in Dr. Saisuree’s honor, will be available to any student from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries who is admissible to the Jacobs School, demonstrating the school’s and Indiana University’s commitment to Thailand and other ASEAN nations, and guarantees at least 50% tuition scholarships.
We are delighted to be able to further strengthen the vital relationship Indiana University and the Jacobs School of Music have enjoyed with ASEAN for the past 75 years. We are also grateful to connect with eager young students. And, of course, the establishment of the Dr. Saisuree Scholarship will remain a testament to our thriving, committed partnership with our sister nation and to the future of global music education. We look forward to returning to our ASEAN friends and to placing a world-class IU Jacobs School of Music education within reach of talented ASEAN students. | | |
New Addition to the Jacobs Leadership Team | | |
Beginning this semester, we’ve been joined by Ryan Kelly as our new associate dean for academic affairs and student success, and associate professor of music in bands. He is the first appointee to this new position, and we are very pleased to have him with us.
Ryan comes to us from The University of Texas at Austin, where he was associate director of bands and associate professor of practice in conducting. Prior to joining the Butler faculty, he was associate director of bands and director of athletic bands at the University of Central Florida, where he served as director of the Marching Knights, conducted the Symphonic Band and taught courses in music education.
Ryan’s focus as associate dean for academic affairs and student success includes evaluating and supporting academic programs, new degrees and curricular initiatives, and matters of accreditation. He is responsible for providing oversight and strategic direction to enhance both undergraduate and graduate student success and has been tasked with helping to close the equity gap for underrepresented students as well as oversee health and wellness initiatives for our students.
Please join me in welcoming Ryan to Jacobs!
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Launch of Office of Wellness and Arts in Health | | |
I am delighted to introduce you to the Office of Wellness and Arts Health Initiatives (OWAHI) at the Jacobs School of Music. Under the skilled leadership of Frank Diaz
, associate professor of music education and an expert in musicians’ wellness, OWAHI was launched in mid-June with a focus on enhancing the physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing of our students. Supported through the Dean’s Office and private philanthropy, the initiative was born out of a pressing need to respond to both local and national trends on student wellbeing.
OWAHI’s key focus areas are programming, partnerships, and advocacy. In just a few short months, we’ve already had a significant impact. For example, OWAHI’s snack stations have proven to be an instant hit, serving hundreds of snacks to students and winning enthusiastic praise. We’ve also distributed over 100 high-quality earbuds, shared hundreds of pieces of swag and wellness-related information at our recent Jacobs ice cream social, and hosted wellness drop-in events at the MAC focused on mindfulness and deep relaxation techniques.
The proactive approach of OWAHI extends beyond these immediate services. Next week will mark the launch of our partnership with the School of Social Work to offer individual and group wellness coaching for students. We have also joined forces with IU Health Bloomington Hospital, planning a concert series featuring Jacobs students for Spring 2024, among other collaborative programs. Our robust online presence now includes websites and social media platforms to keep the community informed and engaged.
On the organizational front, the team now includes an administrative assistant and an intern, ensuring that operations continue to expand and run efficiently. We are incredibly excited about the initiatives lined up for the future, including our walking group that aims to get JSoM students, faculty, and staff physically active together. We are looking forward to expanding on this initial momentum in promoting a holistic approach to wellness within our talented Jacobs community.
With so much going on at the Jacobs School of Music, I hope you will consider stopping by this fall, joining us for a concert, or finding your way to IUMusicLive!, our live and on- demand streaming platform. We look forward to seeing old friends, making new ones, and introducing others to the incredible opportunities at the Jacobs School.
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Abra K. Bush |
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David Henry Jacobs Bicentennial Dean |
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