A number of music programs were recently cut by the Vancouver Island University Board of Governors during their May 23 meeting. (VIU)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

no more jazz

Music programs axed from Vancouver Island University

May 29, 2024 | 12:10 PM

NANAIMO — Despite public outcry music programs at Vancouver Island University (VIU) have been cut.

VIU officially cancelled the bachelor of music, the bachelor of music-classic transfer, and the jazz diploma programs during their Thursday, May 23 board meeting, citing low enrollment numbers and a deep deficit to justify a number of suspended classes.

President of the Nanaimo International Jazz Festival Association Francois Savard said it’s a “very sad and frustrating” situation for local music lovers.

“There are other people who studied in Nanaimo and it effects lots of people. Some of the people are working now in the music world, like in high schools and some are full-time musicians. The music program has been recognized all through the country.”

He said advocates like him have been trying to emphasize the importance of music in a well-rounded education to the university board while asking them to look at other options, but to no avail.

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“But the reaction from the board was they have to reduce the deficit, and they’re just thinking about money. They just took the easy option because there was not so many students in the last years, and did use that as a pretext to cancel the program.”

Savard said this decision will also have future consequences, as high school students with an interest in continuing their musical education will now have to look elsewhere.

“They would have go to Vancouver or other places to study music and because some of them would probably have no money to do that, they will just stop (having) music as their main interest in life and that will affect their future… and then it affects all the cultural development in in in our city.”

He’s hoping another local organization will pick up the slack and offer musical programs to continue giving interested students their musical education.

VIU
A statement from VIU said the jazz studies diploma program was set to launch this fall, but there was not enough interest to justify starting the new program.

They said the “classical music transfer has not run since 2013 and there’s been no admission to the Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies since 2021.”

VIU said any students still in the programs will “continue to be supported to graduate from that program,” but they will not be accepting any new program applications.

VIU provost and vice-president Dr. Michael Quinn, said they recognize VIU’s music program has supported many students in achieving their goals, and this decision was not made lightly.

“VIU must be fiscally responsible as a public university with the funding we receive from taxpayers and tuition paid by students. These are difficult but necessary decisions that reflect a move towards VIU’s financial sustainability and ability to continue to offer programs that meet the demand and interests of our students and the regional workforce.”

Dr. Quinn went on to say this is not the end of music programs at VIU, saying they “will continue to explore opportunities to offer music courses as electives, including for education students interested in becoming music teachers.”

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