Faculty Governance
The Jacobs School of Music strives to follow the pattern of faculty governance that characterizes most other academic units of Indiana University. Faculty members are asked to assume an active role in the decision-making processes of the school and should take this as a serious responsibility.
Central Administration of the School
Ultimate responsibility for the Jacobs School of Music rests with the Dean. The Dean appoints as an advisory body an Administrative Committee consisting of the Executive Associate Dean, the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, Research, and Creative Activity, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Student Success, and the Directors of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies. Three faculty members are elected by the School of Music Council each year to serve on the Administrative Committee. The 2024-2025 members of the administrative committee are:
- Abra Bush, Dean
- Brenda Brenner, Executive Associate Dean
- Judah Cohen, Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, Research, and Creative Activity
- Ryan Kelly, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Student Success
- David Cartledge, Director of Graduate Studies
- Kyle Adams, Director of Undergraduate Studies
- Joe Gramley, Faculty Representative
- Pete Miksza, Faculty Representative
- Ayana Smith, Faculty Representative
The Dean is directly responsible for the budget of the school, for negotiating with and hiring new faculty, and for all personnel assignments. The Dean serves as the general manager of the IU Opera/Ballet Theater and chairs several committees, including the School of Music Council.
The associate deans coordinate faculty appointment procedures and reappointment, promotion, and tenure decisions. They are also responsible for the coordination of admission, financial aid, scheduling, curriculum planning and review, and faculty and AI training and evaluation.
The directors of graduate and undergraduate studies are responsible for implementing all degree and diploma programs in their area and for coordinating all academic advising and record keeping.
Complete job descriptions for these positions are included in the School of Music Council by-laws.
School of Music Council
The faculty governing body of the school is the School of Music Council, an elected body with legislative authority over both policy and procedures of the institution. The Council generally meets on Thursday mornings at 8:00-9:00 a.m. whenever classes are in session during the academic year, and once during the summer session at 8:30-9:30 a.m. The bylaws of the Council are available online here.
Representation
The Council is made up of representatives from each of the departments (or, in the case of small departments, groups of departments), the deans and academic directors (the associate deans are non-voting members), and two student representatives, one graduate and one undergraduate. Normally, faculty representatives are the chairs of their respective departments, but departments may choose to elect someone other than the chair as their representative. Any member of the faculty may attend Council meetings with prior approval of the Council chair.
Standing Committees
Admissions and Recruitment Committee: The Admissions and Recruitment Committee guides policy concerning these two areas of the school's activities, especially with respect to identifying trends and areas of concern.
Performance Coordinating Committee: The Performance Coordinating Committee recommends policies concerning performance and performance facilities. The committee is also charged with approving the School's composite performance calendar, and with reviewing and approving the repertoire proposed for the School's major ensembles. It may initiate reviews of performance programs.
Opera Committee: The Opera Committee considers and approves repertoire and schedules for Jacobs School of Music Opera Theater productions.
Ballet Committee: The Ballet Committee considers and approves repertoire and schedules for curricular ballet productions.
Diversity and Equity Committee: The Diversity and Equity Committee considers issues of student and faculty diversity within the school. It will develop goals for recruitment and retention and monitor the performance of the school in these areas.
Faculty Issues Committee: The Faculty Issues Committee considers matters concerning faculty members and their relationship with the University, such as general criteria for promotion and tenure, the assessment of effective teaching, evaluation criteria for research and creative activities, teaching loads, faculty orientation and education, and similar issues.
Instructional Policy Committee: The Instructional Policy Committee functions as a curriculum committee for the school and reviews proposals for curriculum changes from departments. It also initiates program reviews.
Orchestra Advisory Committee: The Orchestra Advisory Committee advises the Executive Administrator of Instrumental Ensembles, the appropriate standing committees and the administration regarding consideration of repertoire, guest conductors, health and safety issues, and procedural issues.
The chairs of standing committees shall determine the order in which items are presented to the standing committee.
Student Representative Committee
The Student Representative Committee (SRC) exists to address matters pertaining to the academic, professional, and social climate, as well as the quality of life of the student body of the Jacobs School of Music. The SRC is made up of student representatives to the several faculty councils, and one student representative from each JSOM department.
Council Procedures
Current and archived documents from the School of Music Council can be found on the Council's website.
Presentation of Issues for Consideration
Faculty members may present items directly to one of the standing committees of the SOMC (as listed above).
Items being prepared for presentation that involve new or revised courses or curricula should first be discussed with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Student Success (who co-chairs the Instructional Policy Committee), and/or the directors of graduate and undergraduate studies.
Any issue that is expected to involve financial expenditure for the School should be accompanied by a completed Budgetary Advisory Committee (BAC) questionnaire, available in the Office of the Dean.
The SOMC Agenda Committee consists of the SOMC secretary and two faculty members elected by the SOMC at its final meeting in the spring. Items that have been approved by a standing committee shall be sent to the agenda committee. The members of the 2024-2025 Agenda Committee are David Cartledge (secretary), Simin Ganatra, and Tom Walsh.
Comment Period
All items referred to the agenda committee from standing committees will be posted to the Council website and a notice distributed by email to all faculty. A two-week Comment Period, during which faculty are invited to respond in writing to the issue placed before them, will be observed before the Agenda Committee will decide upon the disposition of the matter. Written responses from faculty will be made available to SOMC members at the time the issue is discussed.
At the close of the Comment Period, the Agenda Committee shall classify items as:
- Routine items affecting only one department or not requiring discussion by the SOMC. If there is no objection within the two-week Comment Period, a routine item will become policy without further discussion; or
- Major items affecting more than one department and/or requiring discussion by the SOMC. When major items are passed by the standing committees, the completed BAC questionnaire will be sent to the BAC at the beginning of the Comment Period. The BAC will have two weeks to prepare a report to be presented to the Council when the issue comes up for discussion.
Meetings of the Council
The SOMC Agenda Committee will determine the appropriate time for discussion of an item in the SOMC, but in no case will this be prior to the end of the two-week period set aside for faculty to respond (the Comment Period). An agenda will be distributed by email to all faculty and staff in the SOMC at least two days prior to the next scheduled meeting.
Implementation of Policies
In addition to routine items that receive no comment during the comment period and become policy automatically, items that receive final approval of the School of Music Council will become policy immediately after approval. The implementation of policy may, in some instances, be delayed to allow proper time for announcement of the policy. For example, most curricular changes will be announced at least a semester before they are implemented.
Minutes of the Council
Minutes of the proceedings of the SOMC are distributed to Council members together with the meeting agenda at least two days before the next scheduled meeting. After approval by the Council, the approved minutes are posted on the Council Canvas site and a notice is sent electronically to all Jacobs School of Music faculty and staff. Minutes of past meetings are available on the School of Music Council Canvas site. Contact the recording secretary of the SOMC for archived materials prior to 2009.
Bloomington and University Councils
Faculty governance beyond the Jacobs School of Music level is exercised by the Bloomington Faculty Council (BFC) and the University Faculty Council (UFC). The BFC is comprised of elected representatives from each of the university schools and departments. The Jacobs School of Music has three representatives each year; for 2024-2025, these representatives are Jeremy Allen, Roman Ivanovitch, and Tichina Vaughn. The BFC is concerned with matters of policy in the area of curriculum, faculty compensation, budgetary affairs, etc., which affect all schools and departments. The University Faculty Council (UFC) is comprised of faculty members from each of the faculty councils of the eight campuses of Indiana University and sets policy for the university as a whole.