APC budget recommendations: Reduction of organ 'would cause permanent harm'

UNL's professor of organ--who will remain to instruct organists and other students!

Credits: www.christophermarksorganist.com

After two weeks of anxious waiting on the part of Dr. Christopher Marks and many of his supporters, students, and colleagues at the School of Music, the Chancellor has announced his final decisions on the budget cuts at UNL. These cuts have been made based on the final recommendations made by the Academic Planning Committee (APC). In the committee’s letter of recommendation to the Chancellor, every single proposed cut was supported except for one.

Quoting from the letter sent to Chancellor Perlman by the APC: “The APC does not support and firmly recommends against implementing one proposed budget reduction as being too dear to the core mission of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.” The one reduction that will not be implemented is the proposed elimination of the study of organ.
Thankfully, the members of the APC had listened and heeded all the concerns put forth by faculty, alumni, and students of the School of Music, and gave these reasons for their recommendation not to cut the instruction of organ at UNL:

· This is an essential program
· The reduction would have far too great an impact on core study areas
· It would cause permanent harm to the college
· The repercussions could also have an effect on faculty recruitment in the future.

Early this morning, Dr. Marks sent an email to those who had supported him during this process thanking them for “prayers; letters, e-mails, cards, and phone calls to me; letters and e-mails to UNL officials; and coffee and frozen yogurt.” He added, “I can't tell you how much this has meant to me personally, and I believe that it all contributed to this unexpectedly positive outcome.”

Classical musicians and audiences in Lincoln and the state of Nebraska can be grateful that the instruction of this instrument, which is at the core of much of Western music, will continue at UNL for future musicians!

Continue to support the instruction of organ by writing letters of thanks to the APC and Chancellor Perlman as well as by supporting the School of Music and organ in particular by attending concerts and by donations.