Information for Current Students
December 2020
Music Student Bulletin
December 2020
12.22.220 Bulletin | 12.15.2020 Bulletin | 12.08.2020 Bulletin
12.22.2020: Spring Semester important info and dates | Influenza vaccine requirements | Early Detection Program requirements
Music Student Bulletin 12.22.2020
On Monday, President Stanley announced that, at the request of state leaders, MSU will delay the start of online and in-person classes at the start of the spring semester. Here is a summary of what we know at this time. Please note that this unfolded fairly quickly, so we may receive additional information over the next days.
- The following applies to all graduate and undergraduate classes
- The week of Jan. 11 will be a “Reading, Reviewing and Reflection” period that includes no online or in-person instruction. Faculty must provide you with syllabi and course schedules by Jan. 11 and be available during that week via email to answer any questions.
- Most students returning to campus to live in residence halls will begin to move in on Friday, Jan. 15. This will allow them to quarantine for at least 8 or 9 days before in-person classes begin. Residential and Hospitality Services will communicate with students about their exact move-in date to stagger students’ return and ensure appropriate physical distancing during the move-in period.
- Off-campus students should refrain from returning to the East Lansing area for as long as possible (closer to the middle of January) Those students must also quarantine for an appropriate amount of time upon returning.
- Mon, Jan. 18, is MLK Day. No classes.
- The remainder of the week, Jan. 19–23, all classes begin and must be taught virtually.
- Beginning Mon, Jan. 26, all classes will be taught in the mode for which they have been designed and advertised.
- Mar. 2–3 have been designated as ‘wellness days.’ Classes and lessons may not be held on those days. The purpose of these days is to provide students with much-needed breaks from their studies.
- The last day of class meetings will be Wednesday, Apr 21. Apr. 22–23 have been designated as ‘study days’ prior to finals. No classes or lessons may be held on these days.
- Finals week will begin Monday, Apr. 26
- The start date for orchestra, bands, choirs, and jazz ensembles will vary. Your conductor will contact you with specific information.
- Please contact your applied teacher about in-person vs. virtual lessons.
Influenza (flu) vaccine
Students living on campus or coming to campus or any university-controlled property at any point during the spring semester will be required to receive an influenza vaccine prior to arrival, with some exceptions. Please complete this form to verify that you received the vaccine or are exempt from the requirement.
Early Detection Program
Students either living on campus or coming to campus for any reason are required to participate in MSU’s COVID-19 Early Detection Program. This requirement is one of the ways we can protect our students and the broader community while we await the mass distribution of a vaccine. (If you were already registered for the Early Detection Program in the fall, please note that you must re-register for the spring semester.)
Saliva testing will begin Jan. 4 for anyone already in the East Lansing community. For those students moving into the residence halls, testing will begin once you arrive on campus. All participants must be registered by Jan. 11. This is the same link used to confirm your flu vaccination status. Please note you will be expected to have received at least one negative test and be up-to-date on your weekly testing before attending any in-person classes.
And finally…
Please understand that the pandemic and its health risks continue to evolve. If things change during the holiday break, we will email you and post that information.
Thank you for resilience and patience as we have together navigated the fall semester. We wish you a safe and healthy holiday break.
12.15.2020: Student survey | Ensemble requirement | Influenza vaccination requirement | Quarantine after travel | Mandatory COVID-19 testing | (S/NS) binary grade reporting
Music Student Bulletin 12.15.2020
Student survey
Student health and well-being is central to academic success. We would like your feedback in order to help the College of Music provide an active supporting role in the education of Music students. Please take a moment to fill out this brief survey. The survey will remain open until 8:00 pm on 12/25/2020. All responses will remain confidential and anonymous. Thank you for your time.
Ensemble requirement for Spring Semester
The guidelines for student ensemble participation/enrollment remain the same as they were for Fall Semester. You have the right to decide on the type of ensemble experience that is best for you at this time.
- Undergraduate students who have a curricular requirement to participate in an ensemble must enroll in an in-person ensemble or a virtual ensemble course.
- Undergraduate students who have met their curricular requirement but have an ensemble participation requirement tied to a scholarship must participate in an in-person or virtual ensemble.
- Master’s students who have not met the 2-semester curricular require to participate in an ensemble may choose an in-person ensemble or a virtual ensemble course or may delay ensemble participation until next year.
- Graduate students (master’s and doctoral) who have an ensemble participation requirement tied to a scholarship or GA may opt out of the in-person ensemble with no adjustment of funding and without any obligation to participate virtually. In that case, the expectation is that the student will not participate in any off-campus ensembles as well.
Influenza (flu) vaccination requirement
Students living on campus or coming to campus or any university-controlled property at any point during the spring semester will be required to have received an influenza vaccine. You will be asked to verify they have received the vaccine before coming to campus in January; more information on that process will be coming soon. Many pharmacies and local health care providers offer flu vaccines. Students also can receive a flu vaccine at MSU’s Olin Health Center.
Quarantine after returning to East Lansing
Traveling increases the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Students who are returning to East Lansing in January from outside communities — whether in-state, national or international — should quarantine for 10-14 days upon their arrival. During quarantine you are to remain in your local residence, leaving only for life-sustaining activities, such as seeking medical care, purchasing food or groceries or exercising outdoors. Classes begin Jan. 11. Most in-person College of Music classes will delay the start of in-person activities until January 25.
Mandatory COVID-19 testing
Undergraduate students living on campus or coming to campus any time this spring will be required to participate in MSU’s COVID-19 Early Detection Program. This requirement is one of the ways we can protect our students and the broader community while we await the mass distribution of a vaccine. Saliva testing will begin on Jan. 4. Information will be provided to you in the coming weeks on how to comply with this requirement.
Satisfactory/Not Satisfactory (S/NS) binary grade reporting option
(see undergraduate and graduate options below)
For Undergraduates:
- Available for both the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters
- You will have the option to decide on a class-by-class basis to have final grade in a class recorded as S rather than a numerical grade.
- You may choose to have 1.0 to 4.0 grades recorded as either a numeric grade or as Satisfactory (S).
- All 0.0 grades will automatically be recorded as Not Satisfactory (NS)
- At the end of the semester, you will have two weeks to view your grades and decide on a class-by-class basis to leave the numeric grade or change to the S grade.
- Any grade recorded as an S will not count toward your semester or cumulative GPA’s, they will be eligible to be retaken without impacting the students’ cap on course retakes, and you will earn credit for taking the class.
- We strongly encourage you to work with Ms. Wimberley to help determine if this option is right for you.
How to have your grade for a class recorded as S:
- If the course is eligible for the S/NS grade recording option, you may choose the option of S/NS beginning on December 23, 2020 (the day that grades are posted) and lasting for until 11:59 pm EST on January 5, 2021 (two weeks later).
- Login to StuInfo through student.msu.edu, click on “Grade Select.”
- Each of your eligible enrolled courses for the current semester will be listed. If you want to change your numeric grade to S for a class, check the box next to that class.
- Once you have evaluated each course and have checked appropriate boxes, click on the “Submit” button at the bottom of the page.
- If you do nothing, your grade will be recorded as the numerical grade that the instructor reported.
- For students in programs with secondary admissions processes or course progression requirements (such as Music Education), even if you have your grade recorded as S, programs may consult the underlying numerical grade to make decisions about secondary admission or progression in the major.
For Graduate Students
- You have the option to have your final grades in each of your courses transcribed on a binary S/NS scale.
- The threshold between S and NS is 2.0.
- At the end of the semester you will have two weeks (December 23, 2020 through January 5, 2021) to view your grades and decide on a class-by-class basis if you would prefer to have your grades recorded on your transcripts with the numerical 1.0-4.0 grade or changed to S in any class in which your numerical grade is 2.0 or higher.
- All 0.0 grades will be recorded as NS.
- If you do nothing, your grade will be recorded as the numerical grade that the instructor reported.
- You are strongly encouraged to work with Ms. Hoekstra to determine possible implications of your choices.
- Grades recorded as S/NS will not be calculated into your official cumulative GPA, but the College of Music will use your numerical 0.0-4.0 grade to apply degree progression policies: whether a course will count toward your degree or will count as meeting pre-requisite requirements.
Instructions on accessing the option to have your grade for a class recorded as S:
- Login to StuInfo through student.msu.edu, navigate to Grade Select
- Each enrolled course for the current semester will be listed in a table
- The option to record a S/NS grade will be available depending on pre-defined eligibility criteria
- If the course is eligible, beginning on December 23, 2020, you will have the opportunity to check the box next to the class you want to change to S
- If you do not want to change your numeric grade to S for a class, do not check the box next to that class
- Once you have evaluated each course and have checked appropriate boxes, click on the “Submit” button at the bottom of the page
12.08.2020: Student Town Hall | New Executive Order | Music Facility Update | In-Person Offering Update
Music Student Bulletin 12.08.2020
To all College of Music Students:
As this most extraordinary of semesters comes to an end we want to take a moment to thank you for your diligence, your patience, and your resilience in meeting the many challenges that have come your way. In spite of everything there are a number of positives: stimulating classes, inspiring ensemble performances, exceptional degree recitals, and impactful virtual internships.
We appreciate all you who attended the recent Student Town Hall. From the conversation it was clear that students were asking for better, more easily accessible information provided in a timely manner.
In response to that request, this is the first edition of a weekly update that will be published every Tuesday from the Dean’s office, containing important information that reflects our constantly evolving situation: health and safety, access to facilities, changes in schedule, etc. It will be posted on an electronic bulletin board that will be accessible directly from the College homepage.
Two other action items resulted from our conversation.
- Our Communications Office is working with a focus group of four student volunteers (Suzanna Feldkamp, Jadrian Tarver, Jennifer Ribeiro, and Tyler Young) to help us better address our communication with you. If you would also like to participate in this focus group, contact Michael Sundermann at sunderm7@msu.edu.
- We have begun a conversation about procuring an app that could send text messages to music students with important updates, and longer term plans may include a college app and intranet site.
We also want to update you on several current and upcoming topics.
New Executive Order from the State of Michigan
The Governor’s announcement on 12/7, extending the Executive Order that suspended in-person instruction, means that we will continue through the end of the semester with current protocols in place.
- No in-person instruction, including 1:1 applied teaching, is allowed.
- You may continue to have access to the music facilities and assigned practice rooms for practice alone and to do virtual lessons.
- Chamber music rehearsals and rehearsals with collaborative pianists are not allowed, except for scheduled recitals and recordings, as outlined below.
- Scheduled recitals (and the rehearsals leading up to them) may continue as planned, with no audience, including faculty, present.
- You may also reserve appropriate spaces for recordings for competitions, graduate school, or summer programs following the current recording policies.
- You have two choices with regard to recording your recital or session. You can record it yourself, using your own equipment, but you are not allowed to bring anyone else into the building to assist with that. Or you may make use of the College’s Livestream and video capture equipment set up in Cook, Hollander and Murray Halls.
Music Facilities Update
Following the end of the fall semester, the Music facilities will continue to be open with keycard access during the semester break.
- From Monday, December 21 through Sunday, January 10, building hours will be adjusted to 8 am to 10 pm.
- You may only rehearse at the times and in the spaces assigned by your applied teacher and posted on the doors of those spaces. No changes to the posted schedule may be made without the approval of your teacher, who is then responsible for submitting a revised schedule. Refresh times for these spaces must be strictly adhered to.
- You may sign out large rehearsal spaces and classrooms on an ad hoc basis through the Main Office.
In-Person Lessons, Courses and Ensembles
We continue to plan for an incremental expansion of in-person offerings in the spring semester as outlined below:
- In-person lessons for graduate and undergraduate students will be possible, but the decision of whether or not to teach in person will be left to each faculty member, depending on the health risks associated with their instrument. Please consult with your applied teacher to ascertain their plans.
- In-person ensembles for graduate and undergraduate students will be offered in all areas: orchestra, band, choral, and jazz. A virtual ensemble option is also be available in each area. If you have questions about these ensembles please contact Professors Mas-Arocas, Sedatole, Rayl, or Whitaker.
- The following courses will be offered in a hybrid mode with some in-person instruction for those interested. A 100% synchronous virtual option will also be available. If you have questions, please contact the instructor.
- MUS 112:037`Chamber Music
- MUS 336A Ensemble Cond II (Instrumental)
- MUS 337 Conducting for Music Perf Majors
- MUS 455 Teaching Instrumental Music
- MUS 461 Marching Band Techniques
- MUS 467 Teaching General Mus in the Elem School
- MUS 856:037 Chamber Music
Thank you again for your fortitude during this semester. We wish you well with your upcoming final exams.
