Pulling the Plug

As at least some of you know, my experiences at EWU lately have been less than satisfactory.

Let me start at the beginning.

This time last year I began the first year of the Master's program at Eastern Washington University with an emphasis in performance. I came in with the understanding that I would be working with the same teacher for the two years of my program. In performance degrees at the collegiate level, but especially at the Master's level and beyond, the program is often selected based on what teacher you will be working with. When I originally expressed interest in EWU, I took a lesson from the violin professor on faculty, I liked him, so I decided to go through with enrolling. Unbeknownst to me, the University had already decided not to renew his contract after the 2008-2009 school year. I found out through the grape vine during the first week of classes that my teacher wasn't going to be there for the duration of my program. When I confronted the Department Chair with this information, he lied to my face and said nothing had been decided yet. I was informed the next day by someone else that it had been decided, and that what I had been told originally was correct - my teacher would only be there for the first year of my program. I requested to be included in the search process for the new teacher, was assured I would be, and left to my own devices.

They did not begin the search until sometime in the spring, brought three people in over the summer to interview, and I was included in that process. I took lessons from all three candidates and provided my feedback to the commitee. Unfortunately, someone from the department sent an improper email to one of the candidates, the candidate complained to the University, and the search was cancelled. So, they're hiring someone temporary for the Fall Quarter, restarting the search to have someone permanent by Winter Quarter, and they're hoping it will be the same person they were on the verge of making an offer to previously.

So, this means that I would be having three teachers in a two year program.

The private teacher is the most important component of a performance program.

Does anyone else see a problem here?

I've been trying for the past month to work with the department to make the best of a horrible situation. I proposed that they hire me as a grad assistant for the Fall Quarter to handle the duties of the violin professor position. I meet the basic minimum requirements for the position as advertised, and am more than capable of teaching the current violin and viola students as well as the string techniques class. Out of this deal I would get more money and the right to work with a mutually agreed upon instructor for the academic year. They decided that this was not the greatest idea. Instead they told me I would have to take from whoever they managed to wrangle into the position (my words, not theirs), and that I should "look at it as the glass half-full." They also informed me they would allow me to teach the string techniques class in the fall. It would be great experience, they said. When I asked how much they were going to give me to teach the class, they said, "Nothing." So, they want me to do more work this year for less money. Does anyone else find that to be absurd? This is a class normally taught by full time faculty, and they want me to voluntarily teach it for free. I informed the chair that I don't work for free, and that I could use the time spent teaching the class teaching actual paying students. Frankly, I'm insulted that they even suggested that. I was further informed that allowing me to take lessons from a teacher of my choosing and still receiving credit from the University for it would, "set a bad precedent," and proceded with a ridiculous slippery slope argument. (I've noticed over the years that most of those slippery slopes never happen in real life, because we don't live in a ridiculously hypothetical universe, but maybe that's just me.)

Anyway, my scholarship money is severely reduced from last year, I don't have an acceptable situation with a teacher there, and they have no respect for me as a person or a professional. They, and the Department Chair in particular, seem to think that I'm a freshman who has no idea about the world at all. I wouldn't say my experience is vast, but I've done the college thing before. I pay my bills. I am, in fact, older than most of the Master's students. Most of them are 22 or 23 and I am 26. I have an entire professional life outside of the University. Nevertheless, they expect me to be grateful for whatever crap they decide to dole out to me. I'm not acruing that much more student loan debt for a substandard program. It's just not worth it. So, I have a few more things to wrap up, and then I will be officially withdrawing from the University next week, probably on Monday.

It actually feels good to have made a decision. I don't have to worry about it anymore and can spend my time focusing on other things, like the two gigs and audition that I have coming up in the next week and a half.