By: Eva Resz
Southern Adventist University’s School of Music has completed its ten-year academic accreditation evaluation and seeks to continue accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).
According to Peter Cooper, dean of the School of Music, the institution first received the accreditation in 1968. The process occurs every 10 years, with the most recent site visit completed on Feb. 4. During that time, two NASM representatives conducted a comprehensive review of the program’s curriculum, faculty, facilities and student outcomes.
According to Cooper, the NASM review process will continue with a formal report from the site visitors, which is expected in March. Southern’s School of Music will then have an opportunity to respond before NASM’s Commission on Accreditation makes the final decision.
“We are not at risk of losing accreditation,” Cooper said. “This process isn’t about passing or failing. [It’s] about ensuring we continue to meet national standards and identifying areas where we can grow.”
The accreditation process began with a self-study — a report compiled by Cooper and given to members of the accreditation team before their visit. According to Cooper, the document outlines how Southern’s music program meets national standards.
“The self-study is extensive,” Cooper said. “It covers everything from faculty qualifications and curriculum design to student outcomes and institutional policies. The visitors review it before they arrive, and when on campus, they verify what they’ve read.”
Kurt Miyashiro, a professor in the School of Music, reflected on the visit and preparation process in an interview with the Accent.
“We spent significant time gathering documentation…syllabi, student portfolios, and alumni outcomes…to demonstrate that what we say we’re doing, we are doing,” Miyashiro said. “The preparation was stressful, but I enjoyed the visit itself, because we could display what a strong program we have and the really talented and hard-working students.”
According to Miyashiro, the accreditation team provided feedback on strengths and areas for improvement in the department.
“The visitors were clear that [the university’s School of Music] teaching was of a very high caliber, and the students seem to be engaged and really learning,” Miyashiro said. “However, we were made aware that we could improve communication with students about program expectations. We were already aware of this issue, and it was helpful to have that confirmed.”
Cooper emphasized NASM’s flexibility in allowing institutions to demonstrate how they fit within the national requirements.
“What I really like about NASM is that they do not dictate how an individual institution shows that they meet those standards,” Cooper said. “And so they allow each institution to find their own way to say, ‘Here’s how we’re going to meet this standard in performance. Here’s how we’re going to meet this standard in music history, music theory.’ So the site visit process basically looks at those standards.”
According to Cooper, the accreditors observed classes, private lessons, student compositions, and research papers. They also held meetings with faculty, administrators, and students.
“The site visitors met with the president, vice president, music students and faculty,” said Cooper. “A big part of their visit was reviewing student work, and our students put on a phenomenal 80-minute recital last Monday afternoon that represented everything that we do here in the School of Music.”
Accreditation from NASM ensures that Southern’s music program aligns with national standards for collegiate music education.
“One of the benefits of being accredited,” Cooper said, “is accountability. It assures our students that they are receiving a music education that meets the same standards as universities nationwide. Our students have gone on to graduate [from] programs at institutions like Indiana University, the University of Kentucky and King’s College London, and that’s partly because NASM accreditation tells those schools that we meet the same standards.”
According to Cooper, accreditation ensures that Southern’s music program offers the same quality of education and experiences as other accredited institutions. He explained that it also prevents parochialism by holding the program to standards. Cooper explained that, without accreditation, a school could potentially lower its music degree requirements. However, accreditation requires the program to meet comprehensive academic and performance standards.
