Below you will find two documents - the text of an opinion piece from The Canberra Times, and a basic fact sheet that addresses some of the questions that have been frequently raised.

Opinion piece:

A lot has been said and written about the proposed changes to the ANU School of Music over past weeks.

Much of the talk has revealed the passion our students have for their music, for their school and for their teachers, and that is a passion to be celebrated.

Passion has also been on display in the community about the future of our school, and the very important role it plays in Canberra’s cultural life. The over 100 letters and comments that have come to me as part of the consultation process are all written by people who care deeply about music, and the critical role it plays in a rich cultural life. There is no disagreement about that.

What I ask students and staff, and the ACT community to do at this time is to direct that passion towards assisting the University to secure a sustainable educational and financial future for the School of Music. Many good suggestions and ideas have already come in and I welcome all contributions.

Many in the community will know that this is not the first time that the School of Music has faced serious challenges. Restructures in 2004 and 2008 allayed those difficulties for a short time, but they have returned and are even more significant now. Providing even the core curriculum is becoming increasingly difficult, and options must be contemplated now to prevent further decline.

In 2008, the annual deficit for the School of Music was around $1.5 million. That figure now stands at $2.7 million. The University will continue its annual subsidy of $1.4 million, and will shoulder the majority of costs associated with the management of Llewelyn Hall. Any subsidy above that figure means that staff and students in other disciplines – particularly in the arts and social sciences – miss out on educational activities.

To be clear, every dollar that is moved to music is moved away from students and their teachers in disciplines such as the languages, classics and archaeology. Every discipline has a value above money, but staff must be paid, classrooms must be functional, and student equipment must be maintained.

ANU is not alone in struggling with this issue. Other Australian universities are facing the same underfunding problems, and a corrosive cycle of reviews of music programs is doing little to help.

As Vice-Chancellor it is my job to ensure the health of the whole University. I want a School of Music that provides world-class education and results for students. Given the constraints that the School has been working within for some time, it is therefore very pleasing that new approaches to music education have been proposed.

Staff and students have been keenly involved in discussions around change since at least 2010. A wide range of data and research has been considered including different approaches to music education, student outcomes and destinations and feedback, changing uses of technologies and global and national expectations about the nature of bachelor degrees.

The proposed new model includes performance, with a new $600 per semester Professional Development Allowance (PDA) that allows students to buy an hour-long, one-on-one lesson every fortnight. Under this new model students can choose how to spend their PDA, and could opt to attend a summer course, master class or conference, or learn a new piece of music software. The beauty of this model is that the amount awarded to students in the allowance might be increased through external financial support. Indeed, with the right level of support, students might even be able to access more than the 13 hours of lessons per semester they receive under the current curriculum.

The proposed new subject offerings are also designed to appeal to a wider and perhaps different group of students. Streams in music and media technology, the music industry, music education and performance will support graduates in the pursuit of a portfolio of activities. The proposed curriculum will also strengthen opportunities for students who are talented in music, but who have not had access to as many musical experiences because of their economic circumstances or because of where they live.

Connections with the community will also be different and broader under the proposed model, but I believe no less profound. Areas for collaboration will include pre-tertiary music training, school based music and engagement with regional areas. ANU will also provide community access to high quality videoconferencing technology allowing national and international links, and provide artistic leadership and support for local cultural events.

For existing students we guarantee they can finish the degree they started, with arrangements in place to allow completion of subjects, including one-to-one tuition. Sessions for students are being run now to discuss individual circumstances.

The School’s doors will always be open to individuals, businesses, arts organisations and government to explore ways to support and enhance the work of the School of Music and music generally in the ACT community.

I acknowledge that this is a very stressful time for ANU music staff and students.

But I also feel confident that the proposed curriculum captures new and emerging approaches to learning and to the ways students approach careers.

Change is critical at the School of Music to ensure a healthy future – as both an innovative school and as a financially stable and sustainable one.

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Fact sheet

Why is this proposal being made now?
This is not the first time that the ANU School of Music has faced serious challenges. Restructures in 2004 and 2008 kept those difficulties at bay for a short time, but they have returned and are even more serious now. Providing the curriculum is becoming increasingly difficult, and options must be contemplated now to prevent further decline. The current proposal sketches out a future for music at ANU that aligns with new approaches to learning and with the decisions students make after graduation.

How is the proposed curriculum different?
The proposed curriculum will focus on the education of 21st century music professionals. It aims to develop the higher-order skills that are needed to manage a range of activities, including:
•    performance;
•    music education;
•    use of music technologies; and
•    contribution to music policy.

It will draw on new approaches to learning, including the use of technologies and global partnerships.

The proposed curriculum includes a $600 per semester Professional Development Allowance. With this, students can opt to take individual lessons, attend a master class, or learn a new piece of music software. The model allows for the allowance to be raised if external financial support is secured. Indeed, students might be able to access more than the current 13 hours per semester.

The proposed new subject offerings are also designed to appeal to a wider group of students. In particular, it will strengthen opportunities for students who are talented but who have not had access to as many musical experiences as others because of their economic circumstances or because of where they live.

Will the proposal be affected by the departure of the Head of School?
The period of consultation will continue. This is designed to seek a broad range of feedback concerning music education at ANU. After that period, the University will consider the appropriate way to ensure the future of the School.

What does this mean for existing students?
ANU guarantees that existing students will be able to complete the degree they enrolled in. More information is available at http://cass.anu.edu.au/node/2958.

What does this mean for the pre-tertiary music program?
The ANU pre-tertiary music program is outside the scope of the proposal, and will continue.

What does this mean for staff?
The proposed curriculum requires fewer staff. Subject to the outcome of the consultation period, if the proposed curriculum is implemented a new staffing structure and profile will be required. The University will seek expressions of interest from existing staff for positions in the proposed staffing profile. For staff who are not able to be redeployed to other areas of the University, the redundancy provisions of the University’s enterprise agreement will apply.

Thanks to everyone for your questions for the Q&A session here on this website – we appreciate hearing your thoughts and having the chance to address the issues raised.

The request for questions for the Q&A produced a wide range of responses, all of which are reproduced below with my answers following.

As you may have heard, School of Music Head Professor Adrian Walter has taken leave, which he does with the full support of the University. In his absence, all the responses below are mine.

Maree writes:

1) I think that the recent announcement will seriously damage the School of Music’s highly successful brand.  Can you please tell me how this risk will be managed?  In particular the appalling treatment of much admired and respected staff.  To many the School of Music is all about the highly professional, committed and talented staff.  Without them the brand is seriously damaged.  To rebuild a brand is costly.  How will this be achieved?

I know this is a very stressful time for many who make a great contribution to music here at ANU and in Canberra more broadly. I also feel the curriculum model is a very exciting one that will be embraced by students because it reflects new and emerging approaches to learning and to the ways that they approach careers. Once we are through this very difficult time – we will know we have ensured a healthy future for music at ANU.

Change is critical at the School of Music to ensure a healthy future – as both an innovative school and as a financially stable and sustainable one.

2) I’m confused about the process whereby it was decided that the proposed curriculum and staffing changes would be the best solution to the $2.7 million annual deficit.  To help me better understand could you please outline other business models considered over the last three years?  Also, can you please confirm whether or not costs associated with Llewellyn Hall are included in the School of Music budget?

For the past three years the School of Music has been working towards new and innovative ways of teaching music, and towards a revised curriculum. A wide range of options and models have been debated and considered in staff and student forums. The discussions have considered approaches to music education, insights from music research, student outcomes, destinations and feedback, changing uses of technologies and global and national expectations about the nature of bachelor degrees.

Total costs associated with Llewellyn Hall have not been counted in the proposed model.

3) Can you please let me know whether or not you have assessed the availability of teachers in the Canberra community with sufficient expertise to satisfy the demand created by the new arrangements for one-on-one tuition? 

 My son’s guitar and piano teachers currently are in high demand.  They have waiting lists and only accept students for full terms.  The professional development allowance of $600 would not cover the tuition costs for a semester.

 What will students do if there are insufficient teachers to meet the new demand?

We expect there will be sufficient teachers to run one-on-one classes.

4) I note you claim that the new curriculum will attract a “different type of student” and not necessarily the “cream of the crop”. Given this claim, will the proposed curriculum be suitable for gifted, talented and passionate musicians or should they apply elsewhere?  If so, do you have any recommendations about where the “cream of the crop” should pursue their studies?

Gifted, talented and passionate musicians will always be welcome and nurtured at ANU. At the same time, we are aware that other, gifted students have not been able to access the program because of delivery constraints. That group includes students who possess talent, but who have not had access to experiences by virtue of where they live or because of their socioeconomic background.

Melina writes:

1. What academic and educational evidence is this proposed curriculum based on?

2. The new curriculum has been purported to put students into real jobs when they leave university- jobs within the music sector. However, what evidence is there that there are real jobs such as these waiting to be filled? And how is it that these positions are supposedly more guaranteed by the new curriculum?

3. To conclude with some comments…

ANU in reality will not be preparing students for better careers in music education, in concerts and music recording, in mental health projects and in work with young disadvantaged Australians. The drive for the people in these areas is surely not derived from a curriculum filled with a number of general options of study within the music industry. I would suggest that the people most successful within these industries are driven by music. A university does not produce innovative and strong music educators without teaching them how to make music in the form of one-to-one tuition. Giving them courses about music is fine and well, but without the central component of one-on-one teaching the music industry and all those who work within it would be lost.

The thing is, those of us studying music performance are not studying this because it is a secure career choice. It was never a secure career choice. We study music because the exemplary making of music matters to us. Whatever we choose to go on to do after university, performing, finding other jobs in the industry, finding jobs in a totally different industry, none of that is relevant. The future of music in Canberra that is being proposed is one of a life with music. The shaping of music itself through exemplary performance will no longer take place. Although the Deputy Vice-Chancellor may claim that the ANU is not a consumer industry that mass-produces standard outputs, this is precisely what the School of Music will become. The high-quality performance of music is essential to every single role within the entirety of the music industry. Without the presence of such musicians the ‘drive’ which is being so lauded in the new curriculum, a drive which currently manifests itself predominantly in the much enjoyed performance of quality live-concerts at the ANU, will dissipate. The ANU School of Music will fast become the school that one goes to if one has not been offered a place at one of the more serious music schools in Australia.

See above on the genesis of the proposed changes.

Donna writes:

With a large proportion of the teachers having to re-apply for their jobs it is no wonder the students are angry.  They do not want to see their teachers lose their jobs. They have built a rapport with their teachers and are concerned that there will be no strong foundations in their instrumental teaching. I know my daughter relies on focused training with someone who provides musical expertise and guidance. Is Hannah going to receive that with intensive workshops and videoconferencing sessions?  She received those at her Performing Arts High School!

The reason a student chooses a University is by its reputation and is the standard that is expected when choosing that facility whether written or not.  The achievement of past graduates is the class that an industry, current and future students expect from its teachings.  For their future the downgrading of faculty and restructuring will downgrade not only the current view of your graduates but over time will lower the past graduates value of degrees handed out, in comparison to other Universities.

The students have chosen excellence from you for this very reason and have accepted the terms and conditions by accepting Debt for Services.

Not only is this unfair but if this were to happen in Business it would be considered a breach of trade practices, as students are not getting what they have paid for.

While a restructure may be necessary, I believe that it has to be done at the completion of all current obligations, not excluding future studies depending on the student’s career choice.  For example, when completing a degree a student may want to continue on to their Honours or Masters.

If trading insolvent this should have been seen quite some time ago and steps taken. 

If the paper that your Degree is not worth what it is inscribed on then charge accordingly and be upfront with everyone affected.  This will give students the opportunity to choose a University that has a better reputation consistently and help them transition to those locations.

We understand and applaud students’ passion about their studies and their teachers and welcome their suggestions. At the same time, action is needed now to ensure a sustainable future for the School of Music

Existing students will be able to complete the degree they enrolled in. Information has been made available to existing students, as have individual meetings. More information for students can be found at: http://cass.anu.edu.au/node/2958

Steven writes:

It is common for businesses to subsidise cost-ineffective departments with profits from more cost-effective departments, and the ANU is no different.  However, compounding the ANU’s problem is the moral obligation it has to maintain high quality education in music and the arts.  The ramifications of cutting back ANU’s music education program from its current high standard include a loss of internationally recognised teachers and the subsequent loss of interest by potential students (including international students) who come to study at the ANU SoM solely because of its teachers (note also that a loss of students results in a further loss of income to the ANU which then puts the ANU back in the same financial position it is in now).  Other potential ramifications include a drop in quality of musicians coming out of the ANU, leading to a poor reputation for the school (and ultimately for the ANU).  Such a poor reputation could then lead to a decline in interest in music at the   secondary level in the ACT as many parents could consider there to be no point in studying secondary music if there are no worthwhile study and career prospects.  Thus music teachers at the secondary school level and even the primary school level could be impacted by the flow-on effects of cutting back music education at the ANU.  On the other side, musicians are renowned for their ease of mobility and, if career prospects for quality music teachers at the ANU dry up, even partially, these teachers may leave the ACT – and given the small population in the ACT, this could significantly impact the whole of the ACT music community with flow-on effects to the whole of the ACT’s music appreciation community.  In summary: 1) cutting back music education at the ANU could cripple all aspects of music education and many forms of music enjoyment in the ACT.  2) If education in music and the arts was cut back every time there was financial tightening, they would have long become extinct.  3) The ANU has a moral obligation, regardless of cost!, to ensure that neither 1) nor 2) are allowed to happen.

The University will continue its annual, $1.4 million subsidy to the School of Music, and to manage the majority of the budget for Llewellyn Hall. Any subsidy above that means that staff and students from other disciplines, including the arts and social sciences, must forego activities. It is within this context that the University is working with the School to achieve a sustainable budget.

One of the features of the proposed model is a more explicit focus on the many activities that musicians engage in professionally, ranging from performance, to teaching and policy formation.

Liam writes:

As part of the proposed transformation process of the School of Music, is Llewellyn Hall to be either sold or leased to a non-ANU entity?

No. Llewellyn Hall will continue to be managed by the University. There have been some wild rumours circulating about this, and I would like to make clear that there is no move to sell Llewellyn Hall. We regard it as a very valuable asset for ANU and the community.

Keira writes:

How is it possible to guarantee that current students will finish their degree the way that they started, when most of the students, including me, came to ANU for the specific teachers and 13 one on one lessons per semester? How does this work if the staff that were here when we started are no longer here? I add that when I originally started, third years were promised two hours of one on one lessons a week, whereas they now only get an hour one on one, and half an hour of group lessons per week.

Existing students will be able to complete the program they enrolled in. A series of advisory sessions for students are being run throughout this process, allowing students to have a detailed discussion about their specific circumstances. More information can be found at: http://cass.anu.edu.au/node/2958

A number of students have also provided feedback on transition issues they experienced between 2010 and 2011 in the BMus, and some of their suggestions have already been implemented. Students who would like to report transition issues during the period 2010-11 are welcome to provide that feedback to somconsult@anu.edu.au. I have also emailed students directly and invited feedback on those past transitions.

Simon writes:

Many people in the Canberra community, particularly those from the ACT music community have raised grave concerns that this proposal will significantly cut the quality of music in the city. Given the important role the School of Music plays in the community, doesn’t this proposal significantly harm the reputation of the University in Canberra and the wider Australian community?

We know there are very, very close links between music at the ANU and the community, and have been since the inception of the school in 1965. That contribution will no longer be exclusively in the area of elite performance. It will be broader, and may include:

• Provision of high level Professional Development programs;
• Contributing to the delivery of pre-tertiary music training;
• Working with the Department of Education and Training in the delivery of School based programs;
• Provision of a pool of students who can offer performance-based activities;
• Engagement with regional areas;
• Providing access to high quality videoconferencing technology that will allow national and international linkages; and
• Providing artistic leadership and support for local cultural events.

The School would be pleased to work with individuals, businesses, arts organisations and government to explore ways to support and enhance the work of the School of Music and music generally in the ACT community.

Craig writes:

Will the School of Music continue to offer performance degrees?  If so, will there be any one-on-one lessons?

If there are no one-on-one lessons, can the Vice-Chancellor explain how this could possibly be beneficial to advanced music students, as opposed to focused, individual attention from an expert teacher?

The ANU School of  Music will continue to teach performance.

There has been much talk about the end of one-on-one lessons, this is not the case.

For new students there will be a Professional Development Allowance (PDA) of around $600 a semester, allowing students to choose between specialist one-to-one tuition, attending a summer course, master class or conference, or learning a new piece of music software. This is an approach followed by a number of other universities.

For existing students their one-to-one specialist classes will be continued until they complete, unless they opt to transfer across to the new program of study.

Andrew writes:

1) Have any alternative funding models been considered that could maintain teaching at its current standard? If so, what are they, and why have they been put aside in favour of the current plan?

The proposal of any model is within financial constraints set down for Federally-funded student places, as well as other funding sources. As has been acknowledged, there is an ever-widening gap between funding received to run music programs, and the costs associated with running conservatorium-style education. The proposed model would put the School of  Music on track to financial sustainability. It also has the benefits of strengthening connections with the community, of offering students the right to choose the performance teaching they need through a performance development voucher, and to select options that match the skills they would like to develop.

2) As a non-Music student, I am concerned that this plan could set a dangerous precedent for any other department that gets into financial strife. Do you think the current plan for Music could ever potentially be repeated in other schools?

The proposal reflects trends in music education, and relates to the discipline of music alone at ANU.

Jesse writes:

 How can you justify notifying the staff and students, out of the blue, of your radical reforms midway through a semester? Is Adrian Walter acting in the interests of the student body and the staff?

There is no good time to begin a change process of this type. Staff in the School of Music have been talking about options for change and financial sustainability since at least 2008 and know there are no easy answers. I know this is a very stressful time for many who make a great contribution to music here at ANU and in Canberra more broadly.

Erin writes:

How can you claim that current undergraduate and post-graduate music students will not be affected when their instrumental teachers are losing their jobs? Who will teach them?

Existing students will be able to complete the program they enrolled in. A series of advisory sessions for students are being run throughout this process, allowing students to have a detailed discussion about their specific circumstances. More information can be found at: http://cass.anu.edu.au/node/2958. At present, we are in a period of consultation.

The staffing structure and profile will be dependent on the outcome of the consultation on the curriculum.

Postgraduates are unaffected by these changes.

Rohan writes:

I am a second year jazz student. How can the ANU promise current students that they will be able to complete their degrees unaffected by the new regime, when, obviously, there will be nobody qualified to teach us the courses we are studying, at least not any of a quality comparable to the world-class teachers we already have?

If the ANU admits it was wrong to make that promise, what compensation will the ANU afford students who cannot complete the degrees they enrolled for?

See answer above.

Tom writes:

How can you promise to current students that the quality of musicians produced by this school in the future will be the same as we are currently receiving?  What with less teachers and no individual lessons provided by the university?

The $600 will not enable us to get the same quality of instruction, the video conferencing is not a suitable replacement for anything (it may be a good supplement), and the individual lessons are the most valuable part of the degree.

We believe the proposed new offerings represent a very exciting new approach to music education, incorporating performance with other critical elements of music education such as streams in music technology and the music industry as well as teaching, which will more fully prepare graduates for a range of jobs.

Felicity writes:

From the Go8 indicators web page:

” What matters most  for Australia is how well the best national universities compare with the world’s best. It is not possible for a nation to have a “world  class higher education system” without some world class universities.”

Question:  Will the program of study on offer at the “new” School of Music be something that ANU (and Australia) can be internationally proud of, confident that its graduates and staff are held in the highest regard on a global stage because of their proficiency and technical abilities, the cornerstones of excellence in the arts?  Or has the arts become so undervalued that these students are no longer able to be confident of the support of its highest halls of learning in the pursuit of their highest goals?

From the Go8 Strategic Plan 2011-14:

“enhance their contributions to Australia’s social, economic, cultural and environmental well-being and prosperity;” and “expand opportunities for domestic and international students, regardless of background, to participate in higher education at the frontier of world practice.”

ANU is confident that the proposed new program is a very exciting one that will offer students great opportunities, and produce high-quality results. It will focus on the training of broadly skilled 21^st century music professionals and is the first of its kind inAustralia. It will draw on cutting-edge pedagogical practice, educational technologies, and national and international partnerships to provide world-class education in both elite practice and scholarship. It will offer more broadly-based educational pathways to meet the needs of the institution, the local and regional community, and the nation’s creative industries.

Peter writes:

Could you please advise the level of staff consultation which took place before the announcement, specifically answering these questions:

. were reductions in staff numbers foreshadowed?

. was staff input sought on how to address the budgetary situation?

. were the changes in proposed one-to-one teaching arrangements canvassed?

If not, why not?

If not, how does Prof Walter propose to maintain the morale, and trust, of the staff through the next steps of the process?

Staff have been engaged in discussions in the School about the future of the curriculum since at least 2008, with discussions gaining pace from 2009. Those discussions have included information on the budgetary position of the school, curriculum options and staffing.

Jessica writes:

In recent days following the announcement of the cuts and proposed changes to both the School of Music’s staffing and the Bachelor of Music, there has been an enormous amount of students expressing feelings of resentment, and ultimately a loss of faith in the ANU. These students have, for the most part, gone on to say that if the proposed changes are carried out, then they will leave the School of Music in a mass Exodus. Although it seems that with the new Music program the Vice-Chancellor and those responsible for the program’s creation feel that it will attract a “new cohort of students”, how do you expect to run a School in which the entire body of current students have left and gone to other colleges around Australia? I must underline this with the knowledge that mass exoduses were a result of the same sort of funding cuts at the Victorian College of the Arts.

We would hope students do not leave the School, and would like to reassure them that all students will be able to complete the degree they enrolled in.

We are unable to comment on activities at other universities. At this stage the proposal is out for consultation. At the same time we have commenced individual meetings with students to discuss their particular needs and circumstances. For more information see: http://cass.anu.edu.au/node/2958

John writes:

I have a question. What do you think of these comments?

There isn’t consultation. It is a sham.

Declaring positions vacant is contrary to the enterprise agreement and industrial law and is an attempt to bully and intimidate staff to leave.

The damage done to the University is irreversible.

Withdraw the current plans for the School of Music illegal retrenchments and the 150 job cuts planned for elsewhere.

The mood is so angry among staff that strikes could break out soon.

We will have to shut down the University temporarily to save it permanently.

I cannot comment on details of the change process or industrial matters.

I would like to stress, however, that we take the consultation period very seriously, and welcome contributions at somconsult@anu.edu.au. Many staff, students and members of the community have made valuable suggestions, and I urge others to add to this as we work through the process.

Thomas writes:

The ANU already offers a Bachelor of Professional Music Practice – a degree which is aimed at industry training and vocational skills. The highlight of the changes to the Bachelor of Music was that it would become aimed more at vocational training and less on theory, thus costing less to obtain. Why does the ANU need to change the theory and performance based Bachelor of Music to make it more applicable to the Music Industry when ANU already offers a degree that does just that?

The proposed drawing together of the BMus and the BProfessional Music makes it easier for students to access courses, particularly when they are enrolled in combined degrees. In combination, the options seek to address the higher-order learning outcomes expected of bachelor degrees.

Joshua writes:

This is rubbish. There is no need for the school of music to have all these cuts. There are other ways to fund the tuition of students. Is it possible to apply to have the HECs band from its current level to the next level up?

No. The Federal government designates the funding band for disciplines, not the University.

The comments I’ve received so far highlight the strong feelings people have towards the school and its future, and illustrate concerns about what the changes might mean for staff, students and the community. All of these comments are very welcome, and they will be considered along with all others as a part of the consultation process over these changes.

In addition I would like to open a less formal question and answer session to be run here. So, Professor Marnie Hughes-Warrington and Professor Adrian Walter will later this week take part in a Q&A, answering a representative selection of the questions posed.

This will not form part of the official review process. But it does give staff, students and the community the chance to put their questions and comments directly to the key people involved.

If you wish to take part, and have a question about the proposed changes, please leave your question at the bottom of this page before 9am on Thursday 10 May.

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Music Thrives with Drive

By Marnie Hughes-Warrington

These are tough times for university music schools.

The 2011 Lomax-Smith review of higher education funding confirmed what we have long known: that government funding does not meet the costs of teaching music, let alone the purchase of instruments or the soundproofing of rooms.

Experiences offered to students at the Manhattan School of Music or the Julliard School in New York seem an unobtainable dream. Support just to keep core activities going has to be found from other sources, and that support gets harder and harder to find as the gap between costs and income increases.

This has set many music schools across the country into a seemingly endless cycle of reviews that shakes the confidence of staff and students alike. Shaping the future of music in Australia becomes a tall order when self doubt gains hold.

That effect is magnified in cities like Canberra where the connections between music education and music in the community run deep and one cannot exist without the other. Tough times indeed.

Yet in tough times, creativity also takes flight, and creativity bestows insight. Music born of acute circumstances has the power to provoke thought as well as to comfort and inspire, and to do so long after the moment of composition. Music education is no different, and we are witness to a moment of creativity and insight at ANU right now.

The ANU School of  Music has educated musicians whose performances across the globe have made us all proud. But the ANU School of Music has also educated many more musicians whose contributions to primary and secondary music education, to concerts, festivals and music recording, to occupational therapy and mental health projects as well as critical work with young Australians from disadvantaged communities should make us equally proud.

These two groups of students share the need to experience and to make music beyond the University. Moreover, they share the potential to drive their own development of the technical, intellectual and social capabilities needed to create, perform, appreciate, and to research music. Parents know only too well how hard it is to encourage children to ‘practice’ when they don’t want to. Music thrives with drive, but fully formed drive is a rare gift.

Staff at the ANU School of Music have been working for the past three years to strengthen the emphasis on student autonomy and community connections in curriculum.

Under the changes proposed in recent days students will, for the first time, get credit for contributions to musical activities in Canberra and beyond. ANU will build on the already significant technological advances that connect students with master classes, other students and innovations at world-class music schools, here and overseas. Opportunities for students to demonstrate leadership towards one another in classes will be amplified.

Will the suggested changes in music mean fewer jobs for staff? Yes. Will they mean changes in the way that one-to-one musical education is offered? Yes. But they will also put students in the driving seat of their own development and acknowledge a wider range of pathways to a life with music.

An emphasis on student-driven, higher-order skill development is expected of universities under new federal regulatory arrangements. On this measure, ANU sees itself in the company of the world’s best. The world’s top universities are the progenitors of innovation and creativity, not the consumers of them. We are not consumer industries that mass-produce standard outputs, but communities that sustain individuals. World-class music education is the result when nurturing student drive sits at the heart of the curriculum.

Under these changes ANU will be the master of its own destiny. We want to shape the future of music inAustralia and internationally, not just be subject to changes imposed by circumstances. That not only means setting out what you want to teach and how, but recognising that the best gift you can give students is the chance for them to shape the future too.

Announced jointly by Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Marnie Hughes-Warrington, and School of Music Head Professor Adrian Walter, the proposed program aims to be more flexible, more connected with the community and offer more student choice.

Under the proposed new model students can, for the first time, receive academic credit for contributions to musical activities in Canberra and beyond. ANU will also build on the already significant technological advances that connect students with master classes, other students and innovations at world-class music schools, across Australia and overseas.

This curriculum refresh has been in the making for the past three years, but has been accelerated by financial circumstances. The proposal suggests a model that is financially sustainable.

The 2011 Lomax-Smith review of higher education funding confirmed that government funding does not cover the costs of one to one music tuition, let alone buying instruments or providing appropriate teaching rooms.

Change is essential if music is to survive at a tertiary level here and across the rest of the sector.

The ANU School of Music has taken a creative and comprehensive approach to regeneration and devised what I believe will be a sector-leading curriculum model.

I would like to thank Professor Adrian Walter and his team for their intense and considered approach to the identification of educational options. His leadership in recent intense weeks, but also over 3 years of this curriculum change and review, has put ANU in the best possible position to adapt to present circumstances.

The revitalised program will strengthen opportunities for students to develop skills needed across a range of music jobs. Other unique features are proposed as well:

• a Professional Development Allowance (PDA) that will be allocated to students, allowing them to choose between specialist one-to-one tuition, attending a summer course, master class or conference, or learning a new piece of music software, and
• real-time, video-linked lessons and sessions.

I understand that these changes will cause significant stress and disruption for staff.

A change management process will run alongside the new curriculum, to ensure that staff and student needs are met. A smaller group of staff will be required to run the new offerings. To achieve this reduction all academic and general staff positions in the School of Music will be declared vacant, and applications invited for the new positions.

Existing staff have the option to apply before outside applications are invited. Those who do not secure a position, or who choose not to apply for one, will be paid their full entitlements.

Importantly we also guarantee that existing students will be able to finish the degree they started, with arrangements made to ensure they can complete.

Information sessions for staff and students will be run in coming weeks to discuss the changes and how they impact on individuals.

The boost, awarded by the Health and Hospitals Fund, is an important step towards improving the quality of medical care in the Canberra region. The funding provided to ANU and our partners will allow us to work together to benefit the whole community.

The $31 million funding will go towards upgrading clinical and training facilities in Moruya, Bega and Cooma. The project will also develop e-Health infrastructure to support shared medical records, local workforce education and specialist tele-health services for patients.  

Construction of the new training facilities will commence this year and is expected to be completed by 2014.

The feedback consistently indicated a strong belief that the University could make savings and assist staff in doing their jobs by removing administrative duplication and generally improving our business processes. Therefore, we will commence a program of administrative business process re-engineering, as proposed. This will take up to 2 years to complete. The challenge will be to retain a sharp focus on quality service while making savings; improved systems are bound to be a part of the solution. It is likely that this process will result in significant shifts in the mix of skills of our staff. Retraining and redeployment are potential outcomes. It is also possible that there may be a reduction in staff numbers. Should this be the case, then this would be achieved using a range of processes including: natural attrition, agreed separations and early retirement. Redundancy may still be necessary, but we would aim to explore other processes where feasible. All actions will follow the processes specified in the ANU Enterprise Agreement 2009-12. This will not simply be a “cost saving” exercise. The aim is to improve the quality of our activities, enhance services provided to students and staff as well as finding financial saving through the removal of duplication. At the conclusion of the process we will have invested in better systems and developed structures which assist both the University and its staff and students.

The proposed process of rationalisation of academic activities and areas within Colleges generated much debate. In addition, it was believed the proposed timelines were too ambitious to allow careful consideration of implications. However, to ensure that we maintain the focus on work of the highest quality, I believe such a process still needs to be progressed. It is important to remember that the aim is to allocate our resources so that academic areas function at the highest level.

I will work with each of the College Heads to determine what is possible to achieve in each area and the best way to achieve this. This process will also take into account expected revenue growth and the principles that will be used to shape the internal budget distribution in coming years. I envisage the approaches to be used in each College will differ, depending on their structure and financial imperatives. Initial meetings with Heads of College will be held over the next month. Any staff reductions would occur over a longer timeline than originally proposed and would be achieved in a manner consistent with University policy and the Enterprise Agreement. Again natural attrition and early retirement will be the preferred methods to achieve such reductions. Redundancy would be used only if these processes cannot achieve the required outcomes.

Importantly, the reason for making such rationalisation is to apply resources to support academic programs that are truly world-leading. As a result, all savings made through such College rationalisation will stay within the Colleges to be re-invested in our education and research.

The process outlined above will achieve the original aims. That is:

• Focus resources in our academic areas to further enhance quality
• Achieve administrative simplification, which will free up further resources and reduce the administrative burden on both general and academic staff
• Enable the University to reinvest annual surpluses in capital items such as better buildings, teaching spaces, IT systems and equipment.

Reaching these aims may take longer than originally proposed, but will be achieved with significantly less disruption to the activities of the University.

Specific change proposals on the administrative process review and specific academic area changes will be subject to separate change proposals and affected staff and the NTEU will be consulted about these in accordance with our managing change policy and procedures.

In conclusion, I would again like to thank all staff for their contributions and the NTEU for the constructive consultations. I will keep you informed on major developments as we progress through these matters using the revised approach I have outlined.

Earlier this year the National Health and Medical Research Council announced that from 1 July, all funded researchers will need to deposit their work into their institutional repository within 12 months of publication.

Making ANU research available to the wider community is part of the University’s vision to engage researchers, policy makers, businesses and the wider community with our research findings.

The ANU Research repository is a valuable way of sharing a broader range of research undertaken at ANU, including digital PhD and masters theses.

All work in the ANU Research repository is freely available online and fully indexed by Google. You can search the repository at http://research.anu.edu.au/access

The Academy’s annual election honours a small number of Australian scientists for their outstanding contributions to science. This year, the 21 new Fellows include:

Professor John Norris of the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics for ‘discoveries that changed several concepts in astronomy, including the formation of galaxies’.

Professor Patrick De Deckker of the Research School of Earth Sciences for ‘linking the patterns of environmental change on land and at sea’.

Professor Greg Stuart of The John Curtin School of Medicine for ‘making seminal contributions to understanding how information is processed by individual nerve cells within the brain’.

Professor Robert Charles Williamson of the Research School of Computer Science for ‘developing powerful new methods and theoretical arguments for analysing data’.

I would like to congratulate all 21 new Academy Fellows across the nation, but especially the four from ANU. It is a great honour to be elected to a learned academy by ones peers. This is a great result for the individuals involved, but also for the whole ANU community.

Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Lawrence Cram issued congratulations on behalf of the University.

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Colleagues, I would like to congratulate, on behalf of the ANU community, two ANU academics who have today been elected to the Royal Society of London, the longest standing scientific academy in the world.

Professor Brian Schmidt of the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics and Professor Hugh O’Neill, Associate Director of the Research School of Earth Sciences, are among 44 scientists from around the globe who have been honoured by the Society for their contribution to science.

Professor Schmidt was elected for his part in the discovery that the Universe is expanding at an accelerated rate; this work was also recognised with a Nobel Prize last year.

The Society elected Professor O’Neill for his contribution to the field of geology. Professor O’Neill’s work includes research into the chemical composition of the Earth and how the Earth differs from other possible planetary compositions, the origin of the Earth-Moon system, and how melting in the Earth’s mantle relates to global tectonics and Earth history.

Professor O’Neill said he considered such recognition to be a reflection on everyone at the Research School of Earth Sciences.

Dr Trevor McDougall, who worked in the ANU Research School of Earth Sciences in the 1980s, has also been named as one of the 1,350 Fellow of the Royal Society.

Election to the Royal Society is the gold standard in the sciences and a testament to Hugh and Brian as well as to the dedicated and talented teams they work with. The ANU community celebrates and wishes all three men our warmest congratulations on this wonderful achievement.