In addition to the Annual Meeting, NASM will offer seven Pre-Meeting Workshops (please click the desired title below to review descriptions and information regarding fees and registration):
- New Music Administrators in Higher Education
Friday, November 22, 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. and
Saturday, November 23, 8:15 a.m. – 3:45 p.m. - The NASM Handbook—Working with the National Standards and Guidelines
Friday, November 22, 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. - Creating Effective Format A Self-Studies
Saturday, November 23, 8:15 a.m. – 3:45 p.m. - Roundtable for Assistant Directors/Associate Deans
Saturday, November 23, 9:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m. - Mid-Career Music Administrators in Higher Education
Saturday, November 23, 1:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. - Community and Two-Year Colleges: Preparing for Comprehensive Accreditation Reviews
Saturday, November 23, 1:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. - Non-Degree-Granting Institutions: An Open Conversation
Saturday, November 23, 1:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
New Music Administrators in Higher Education
Friday, November 22, 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. and
Saturday, November 23, 8:15 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Registration is required for this workshop.
A separate fee of $140.00 is required, which covers refreshments and a box lunch.
The workshop fee must be paid at the time of registration.
This workshop has been designed to address several of the most important areas of concern for administrators. Each segment will involve a basic briefing on a specific topic, followed by ample opportunity for interaction and discussion. The content will focus on principles and approaches applicable to all types of institutions.
2:00 p.m. – 2:10 p.m.
Introduction and Orientation
2:10 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Welcome from the President
2:15 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Goals, Planning, and Time Management
Successful administrators must be able to set goals, plan, and manage time—and understand the relationship between and among these three important aspects. Establishing a firm foundation based on carefully articulated goals enhances the administrator’s ability to develop multiple skills and acquire detailed subject matter knowledge that will assist the administrator to address efficiently and effectively the vast array of questions, challenges, and issues that arise. Goal setting becomes an indispensable and effective way to establish personal/professional, institutional, and community priorities. This session will focus on the value of purposeful and preemptive long- and short-range planning, which enable realistic considerations and govern the productive use of time. Suggestions with regard to setting goals, developing approaches to planning, and successful ways to think about time and its effective use will be presented.
3:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Working with the Academic Community
Music administrators are faced with the ever-increasing need to work not only with individuals in their own units but also with colleagues in other departments and disciplines, as well as various administrators and community members. Music administrators are challenged to respond to constituents with a nimbleness that enables them to change gears quickly, while balancing multiple obligations. Attendees will consider these relationships and how institutional mission and the work of the music unit should inform ongoing dialogues. Attendees will explore strategies such as how to build and nurture collaborative relationships, develop advocacy approaches that explain the role and value of the music program within the academic community, and represent the music unit in compelling ways. Attendees will consider how they as music administrators might successfully cultivate engagement with faculty, students, and staff, as well as with upper administrators, alumni, donors, and community members.
Saturday, November 23
8:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Financial Management
Financial management requires not only detailed knowledge of costs, but also the savvy required to advocate for budget needs, the ability to allocate and manage funds effectively, and the wherewithal to exercise fiscal responsibility—all the while dealing with issues that range from scholarships to facility maintenance and repair to faculty compensation. This session will consider existing realities and focus on financial planning, both in the short- and long-term; budget management principles; and strategies that will assist administrators to develop and sustain positions of fiscal stability.
9:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Working with the Faculty
Music schools and departments are complex. Administrators often find themselves working across multiple units, responsible for a broad array of curricular programs, and in need of finding commonalities so that resources can be maximized while at the same time emphasizing and promoting the attributes of specific areas of study. A key factor in addressing these challenges and ensuring that complexities support, rather than constrain, institutional mission, is the role assumed by the faculty. Keen leadership abilities and skills are required to navigate these circumstances, as well as manage and direct faculty resources and address the needs of faculty members. This session will focus on approaches that can assist to create and develop cultures that stress the importance of participation and collaboration, the assumption of responsibility and ownership, and the value of establishing camaraderie and respect; as well as cultures that offer permissions which enable, and protections which safeguard, innovation. The session will also address nuts-and-bolts issues such as hiring and firing; conducting annual performance reviews; promotion, tenure, and reward systems; and faculty development opportunities. A variety of situations will be presented, each followed by time for discussion.
11:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Community Relations and Fundraising
Many successful music administrators maintain extensive contacts in their local and regional communities. These contacts can prove valuable when interests arise in developing institutional/community collaborations. They can also provide opportunities to develop and cultivate beneficial fundraising relationships. Fundraising, once solely the purview of the upper administration, is now a challenge and responsibility which the music administrator must face. This session will consider the strong relationship between community relations and fundraising. It will consider how performances of music, relationships with music programs in the public and private schools, the development of community support groups, and fundraising are interlinked. Methodologies for connecting educational goals and objectives with community development goals will be explored.
12:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Box Lunch for Registrants of the Pre-Meeting Workshop: New Music Administrators in Higher Education
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Open Forum with Seasoned Administrators
Participants in the Pre-Meeting Workshop for New Music Administrators in Higher Education will be joined by several seasoned administrators, offering the opportunity for informal discussion pertaining to topics explored during the Workshop as well as those of interest and concern to the attendees.
3:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Concluding Remarks
The NASM Handbook—Working with the National Standards and Guidelines
Friday, November 22, 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Registration is required for this workshop.
There is no fee for this workshop.
This workshop is designed for 1) currently trained NASM visiting evaluators; 2) individuals attending the 2024 NASM Workshop for Visiting Evaluators; and 3) individuals attending the 2024 NASM Workshop for Experienced Evaluators. The focus of the Workshop will be the NASM Handbook and will include discussion of the Rules of Practice and Procedure, Code of Ethics, Standards for Accreditation, and Appendices. Attendees will devote a substantial amount of time to discussing the standards—including the role they play in NASM evaluative review Processes and their application.
(Please note: Individuals attending the Workshop for Visiting Evaluators or Workshop for Experienced Evaluators [Saturday, November 23 from 8:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.] and/or the Briefing for Evaluators [Sunday, November 24 from 4:30 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.] are asked to attend this workshop in preparation for these invitational training sessions.)
Creating Effective Format A Self-Studies
Saturday, November 23, 8:15 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Registration is required for this workshop.
A separate fee of $100.00 is required, which covers refreshments and a box lunch.
The workshop fee must be paid at the time of registration.
This workshop is designed for representatives of institutions scheduled for NASM comprehensive accreditation reviews in the next three years, as well as for individuals who will have the responsibility for leading the process and/or writing the Self-Study. Those who have never led a comprehensive NASM accreditation review initiative or written an NASM Self-Study are especially encouraged to attend. The primary focus will be the NASM Self-Study document utilizing Format A, and the comprehensive review process.
(Please note: Attendees should bring either a hard or downloaded electronic copy of the current NASM Handbook and are encouraged to arrive with prepared questions in hand.)
Roundtable for Assistant Directors/Associate Deans
Saturday, November 23, 9:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Registration is required for this workshop.
A separate fee of $100.00 is required, which covers refreshments and a box lunch.
The workshop fee must be paid at the time of registration.
This roundtable is an interactive workshop for music administrators currently serving as assistant directors/associate deans. Presentation topics may include issues such as student enrollment, engagement, retention, and required support; faculty hiring and advancement practices; resource allocation; the relevance of existing curricular offerings; and the development of effective advocacy campaigns. Attendees will also consider self-selected topics and case study materials dealing with issues pertinent to the work of assistant directors/associate deans.
Roundtable for Assistant Directors/Associate Deans
Saturday, November 23, 9:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Registration is required for this workshop.
A separate fee of $100.00 is required, which covers refreshments and a box lunch.
The workshop fee must be paid at the time of registration.
This roundtable is an interactive workshop for music administrators currently serving as assistant directors/associate deans. Presentation topics may include issues such as student enrollment, engagement, retention, and required support; faculty hiring and advancement practices; resource allocation; the relevance of existing curricular offerings; and the development of effective advocacy campaigns. Attendees will also consider self-selected topics and case study materials dealing with issues pertinent to the work of assistant directors/associate deans.
Mid-Career Music Administrators in Higher Education
Saturday, November 23, 1:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Registration is required for this workshop.
There is no fee for this workshop.
The responsibilities of the music administrator are diverse and multifaceted. Each day brings new challenges and opportunities. Over time, the roles and responsibilities of an administrator often expand, change, and evolve. This pre-meeting workshop, especially designed for administrators with at least five years of experience, will include both short presentations and discussions related to various issues affecting the work of the mid-career music administrator. The issue of succession planning will be addressed, along with other topics of interest that will be suggested by the group. Mid-career administrators from all types of institutions and from all levels of administration are welcome. However, individuals new to music administration may wish to attend the Pre-Meeting Workshop for New Music Administrators in Higher Education offered on Friday, November 22 from 2:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m., and Saturday, November 23 from 8:15 a.m.–3:45 p.m.
Community and Two-Year Colleges: Preparing for Comprehensive Reviews
Saturday, November 23, 1:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Registration is required for this workshop.
There is no fee for this workshop.
Community and two-year colleges offering programs in music study represent a growing number of institutions within the NASM membership. This workshop, which will acknowledge and address many of the characteristics unique to these institutions, will provide information and guidance concerning the NASM comprehensive review process including self-study and the preparation of the Self-Study document, and the on-site evaluative visit. A step-by-step walk-through of the accreditation process will be provided. The benefits of NASM accredited institutional membership will be discussed. Participants are encouraged to pose questions during the session. Interested individuals representing community and two-year colleges at all stages of the self-study process are welcome.
Non-Degree-Granting Institutions: An Open Conversation
Saturday, November 23, 1:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Registration is required for this workshop.
There is no fee for this workshop.
This session will provide an opportunity for representatives from institutions holding accreditation with NASM and the Accrediting Commission for Community and Precollegiate Arts Schools (ACCPAS), NASM degree-granting institutions offering precollegiate and community arts programs, NASM degree-granting institutions offering post-secondary non-degree-granting programs, NASM post-secondary non-degree-granting institutions, and interested individuals an opportunity to come together to share and discuss topics related to community development, along with issues of common connection, interest, and concern.
Attendees will begin by considering ways in which community-based activities can be built into existing programs. Participants will consider how 1) current institutional assets and strengths can be leveraged to support activities, 2) to ascertain local community needs so that programming can align with these needs, 3) to develop action plans which are informed by desired outcomes, and 4) to adjudge the success of efforts. Attendees will then explore questions such as: In what ways can programs/institutions offering non-degree-granting study in music work together to align their efforts, resources, and activities in ways that best serve the needs of today’s students, local communities, and the field of music? In what ways can precollegiate and collegiate programs/institutions partner to create, expand, and open pipelines that enable precollegiate students to embark upon paths that will enable them to successfully pursue and enroll in music study at the collegiate level?
(Please note: This session is open to administrators of all levels and from all types of programs/institutions offering opportunities for non-degree-granting music study, including those considering ACCPAS and/or NASM accreditation. Institutions are welcome to send more than one administrative representative.)