Letters of Support :

Below are letters written in support of keeping the music therapy program. Letters are in no particular order.

Pages: Music therapy majors | Non-music therapy major | Employers | Community Members |
Alum | Music therapist | Parents of students | Family of clients | Retired faculty & Professors | Supervisors of Students | Physician

Letters

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To whom it may concern

I would like to express my strongest support for retaining the music therapy program at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. The music therapy program has produced during its existence 100s of outstanding professionals in health care and music therapy. Prof Rasar has trained personally with me in the RF Unkefer Academy of Neurologic Music Therapy and UWEC is among a small but elite group of universities (e.g., Colorado State University, University of Kansas, University of Miami, Western Michigan University, University of Louisville, Kurashiki Sakuyo Music University/Japan, Nagoya University/Japan, University of Applied Sciences Heidelberg/Germany, etc) to teach Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT). NMT is neuroscience based and part of evidence based medicine and as such recognized by the World Federation of Neurologic Rehabilitation. Prof Rasar's step to become trained in NMT and incorporate it into her curriculum shows critical leadership in moving music therapy to the next level of scientific and acceptance for the benefit of patient care in neurologic rehabilitation. We applaud  her commitment to change and progress and feel strongly that music therapy at your university can play an important role in reshaping the future of music therapy. I am not familiar with the specific reasons the program may be considered for closure but as an administrator I can relate to the difficult issues that befall programs at times for various financial or other programmatic reasons. As an elected member of several science and medical bodies (e.g., Society for Neuroscience, World Academy of Multidisciplinary Neurotraumatology), vice president of the International Society for Music and Medicine,  and future president of the International Society for Clinical Neuromusicology I would consider the closure of music therapy at UWEC a real loss to the future development and training in evidence-based based music therapy. Therefore I want to - with all respect - suggest if it is possible to not only investigate how and if the program can be saved but possibly can be invigorated and be considered for re-investment as a strong asset to the artistic and scholarly reputation of your esteemed university. I extend my strongest support to UWEC and music therapy in this difficult issue.

Sincerely

Michael H Thaut
Co-Executive Director, School of the Arts
Chair, Department of Music-Theatre-Dance

Professor of Music
Professor of Neuroscience
Director, Center for Biomedical Research in Music

Colorado State University
Fort Collins CO 80523

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To whom it may concern,

Many of us know personally and many more have heard what an outstanding program Music Therapy is and how lucky we are to have it in Eau Claire; how deserving it is of our respect, appreciation and support.  For over 29 years I have been and, though retired, continue to be an impassioned Admissions representative and recruiter for UW Eau Claire . It has been the Liberal Arts Values that I believe the University stands for, and the people who live them, that have kept my fire stoked. Dale Taylor, Lee Anna Rasar and their many wonderful students are what this University professes to be and should be all about .

My Admission experience is that, while in high school, Music Therapy students typically have achieved the hallowed GPA's and rank in class that the ratings hold in such high esteem. And the entire University benefits and dollars follow.

More importantly for me, are the contributions these students have made in their home communities and here in Eau Claire once it also becomes home. Personally, I have witnessed hundreds of people benefit from the skill, passion, love and generosity of our MT staff and students. I marveled at the joy Lee Anna and staff brought to the residents of the Mount Washington home, including my best Eau Claire friend and former teacher, as he "lived" out the Winter of his life rather then vegetate as is the case with out people like Lee Anna.

Even closer to home, my father now resides in the Syverson Nursing home here in Eau Claire and has written his own letter of support of the program as he fights for quality of life in that awkward limbo between this world and the hereafter. Nothing transforms my father like a good song. We O'Briens were delighted to be woven into an Irish sing along with Lee Anna and Eau Claire students , actually a class. As a frequent visitor to Syverson, I've had the chance to observe and even to participate with Lee Anna and her students as they routinely brighten up the day of scores of residents with their knowledgeable and therapeutic application of music.

A couple of months ago, my dad came up with the seemingly half baked idea of a "living wake" , a party, to celebrate his life; and to honor his fellow travelers while he was still here to enjoy it. Lee Anna was instrumental in a smashing success of music, song food and beverage, reflection and fun. The celebrants and curious numbered over 100 and included about 60 residents, their family members, employees and friends of Syverson. Many of these are also friends and future friends of the University. Well, enough of that. You are all drowning in a sea of glowing testimonials .

This is about the bottom line as Steve Tallant has clearly articulated. The prevailing Philosophy of the University seems to be to throw the runts out of the life boat so the survivors can be stronger. Contrary to that now fashionable wisdom, shouldn't a community of over ten thousand people and enormous though limited resources share the pain and find a way to prevent jettising the inconvenient and most vulnerable from our community. How much does The Music Therapy program cost relative to it's contribution ?  Can't our illustrious administrators, School of Business and University community find a way to preserve and nourish one of our own, one of our best ? Isn't part of the liberal arts narrowing the gap between haves and have nots ? Reaching out, participating in and serving the broader community. Providing hands on learning experience to our students. Being integrative and interdisciplinary. Incorporating and promoting the arts, like music, into our daily lives.

Still, there is the reality of the "bottom line". I would consider it an honor to pledge $ 5,000 on behalf of the O'Brien family to the UW Eau Claire Music Therapy program or it's designee,  if it is funded at least through 2010. That means full steam ahead, admitting new classes through Fall 2010 and grand fathering students if necessary , through 2014.

Please don't scoff at this "spit in the bucket" , as it represents over 12% of my retirement income from the University and I am normally a cheapskate in the eyes of our free spending and wasteful culture. I am sure there are hundreds of other supporters who would contribute generously to a good faith effort by the University to welcome Music Therapy back into the main stream. We would do this because the people involved in Musc Therapy have done so well what a truly outstanding Liberal Arts University does : touched our hearts and out lives in a very meaningful way.

Please, let's all join together and put our money where our mouths are. Thank You.

Damian O'Brien

Faculty Emeritus

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From: Diane Knight, MS, MT-BC
Associate Professor and Director of Music Therapy
ALVERNO College

Sent: October 5, 2007

RE: UW-Eau Claire Music Therapy Program

To whom it may concern:

I am writing this letter to express my shock and deep concern over the fact that there is any discussion at all concerning the viability of the Music Therapy program at UW Eau Claire. As a graduate of the music therapy program at Eau Claire, and one who has had a 32-year relationship with the faculty and students of that program on a professional and personal level, and I can speak to the quality of that program. Although I am head of a department that offers the only other music therapy major in the state, I have always referred potential students to EC with confidence if ALVERNO College did not seem to be the right fit for them. I know that EC has done the same for us and this friendly competition has served to strengthen the music therapy base in this state. While there are many points I can address as to why you would not want to loose this fine program, I am going to focus on those areas that most directly reflect my personal experiences as a music therapy professor in Wisconsin.

First, please know that ALVERNO College has had a music therapy major since 1950 and while we serve a good number of students seeking training in one of the few music careers where they are guaranteed to get a job after they get their degree (I have had 100% placement of all my majors for the past 10 years!), the college does not offer degrees to males. We NEED Eau Claire for that among many other things! I routinely turn away several applicants a year due to gender. Also, during our entire history of offering a baccalaureate program in music therapy, the college has always had only one full-time faculty member in music therapy. Adjunct faculty have been hired on a part-time basis as needed, depending on enrollment and courses that were being offered. I share this information mostly to emphasize the fact that it is indeed possible for one person to manage an excellent department and carry other major college responsibilities as well. As has most likely been pointed out by other individuals, there is precedent for this model in numerous colleges and universities throughout the country. While we would love to have more programs with 2 full time faculty, it is very common for that situation to not exist.

The important issue is that EC should not want to loose out on the equity it has accrued over the years not only through the accomplishments of the faculty, but also the accomplishments of the students. Music therapy students consistently are among the top performers academically at any institution and all find employment within 3 months of graduation. Do not be the ones to silence that message. Second, consider whom the college wide contributions that have been made by your current Music therapy professor. Lee Anna Rasar can do more in one day than most people do in one week. Again, it would be redundant of me to site her phenomenal record of honors and accomplishments since coming to EC, and those of you who work with Lee Anna know full well that she is more than qualified to handle whatever challenges come her way to keep the music therapy program vibrant. She is a talented, passionate teacher whose care and concern for students is outweighed only by her love and empathy for the clients she serves. What a marvelous role model students have in her. The college could not afford to purchase the kind of positive PR Lee Anna and her students provide within the community and nationally for Eau Claire.

And last, the role of public education is to serve the public. As Job Hotline Coordinator for the State of Wisconsin, I can say that there have consistently been more jobs for music therapists than there are people to fill the jobs. In this current market, why would we take away from our young people the ONE major in music where at the end of 4 1/2 years, they know they will be employed? How many majors at your college can make that kind of guarantee? This is a very powerful marketing tool that happens to be true. Market research shows health care to be among the fastest growth areas for jobs. Why not prepare our states young people for jobs that will keep them in our state?

I strongly urge the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire to carefully consider this decision. Many years have gone into building a department with an International reputation. Don’t let these efforts be lost. We would become the ONLY state in the great lakes region without a music therapy degree within a public university or college. There are clients that need the care that students trained at Eau Claire can provide, and there are students that need the education that Eau Claire can provide.

Thank you for considering these concerns.

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To Whom It May Concern:

I have just been informed that you are once again recommending that the Music Therapy program be cut at UW-Eau Claire.  I find this to be very disturbing since I, myself, am an alumnus of the Music Therapy program and know how wonderful this program is.

I am employed through the Mayo Health System at Luther Midelfort Chippewa Valley in Bloomer, WI , and work with Transitional Care Patients, hospital in-patients, as well as the local nursing home.  I know for a fact the impact that Music Therapy has on every one of these populations.  I have seen the difference between a rehab patient who has gone through emotional, physical and spiritual life changes due to stroke, Parkinson’s, surgeries and accidents which works with music and without.  I have seen the difference in Alzheimer’s, dementia, and the elderly that have lost all their independence with the use of music and without. 

Currently, we have a patient that is considered “non-responsive” due to an episode in which she coded during surgery.  After our music therapy sessions with her, the patient was able to nod in response to a question regarding the music and answer “yes” or “no” to questions asked.  If there ever is a miracle in the health care business, music therapy has to be right up there. 

I am a Board Certified Music Therapist and a Neurologic Music Therapist and during my schooling for the NMT certification was impressed and proud at the Professors and other Music Therapists who knew of and respected Lee Ann Rasar and her program.  I feel that the music therapy program here at Luther Midelfort Chippewa Valley can offer a lot of experience for students, and have.  Lee Anna Rasar works closely with me sending students to our facility for a semester or for their 6 month internship.  The growth in these students and the patients/residents is wonderful to see.

I would find it a horrible injustice to close this program, since I believe it is one of the best in the country and this is a growing employment field.  I implore you to please think long and hard before dropping this program.  There are many people, not to mention the soldiers that are coming home, with whom will be greatly impacted by Music Therapy and need the wonderful students that leave this program. 

Please do not make any hasty, wrong decisions.  Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Roxanne Raykovich, BC-MT, NMT, ADC
Director-Activity Therapy/Music Therapy
LMCV Mayo Health System
1501 Thompson St.
Bloomer, WI  54724
715-568-6156

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To whom it may concern,

This is my fervent letter of support for continuation of the Music Therapy Program at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

After twenty years teaching, conducting and performing on the music faculties of Carleton College, Rice University, Morley College, London, and St. Norbert College, I wanted information about Music Therapy.  I could tell just by looking at several websites that UW-Eau Claire has one of the best Music Therapy degrees in the Midwest!
And it's in a public institution!  The Music Therapy website at UWEC is attractive, up-to- date, and so extensive I used it to research several articles. When I read the faculty biographies of Lee Anna Rasar and Dale Taylor, it was clear that they are eminent in their field, and that Professor Rasar has been on the cutting edge of research and program development throughout her career.  I thought, "What a coup for UWEC!" 

After I talked with Kathy Nelson Schumacher, MT-BC, one of the many UWEC graduates working in Wisconsin, I was eager to see this program face to face.
Prof. Rasar invited me to shadow her for a day in September, where I could audit Introduction To Music Therapy (IDIS 103) and visit three different units at Sacred Heart Hospital, one of the clinical sites. 

I spent seven hours observing the Music Therapy Program in action and reached the following conclusions:

1) This program is thriving! The Intro. Class alone has an enrollment of over thirty. I've been guest lecturer at UW-Madison and UW-Green Bay for music courses where there were 10-15 students.

2) The quality of teaching and learning was excellent.  Prof. Rasar is a dynamic instructor and the class was animated and involved in discussion and questioning.  There was a level of student commitment to this major which I've rarely seen in such a large group.

3) The degree curriculum is comprehensive and the number and quality of clinical placements is dazzling!  What other UNDERGRADUATE degree at UWEC gives students the opportunity to gain work experience with over 13 different populations- from prisons to nursing homes?

4) I WATCHED patients improve at Sacred Heart.  I also have a degree in Counseling and have worked as a Clinical Therapist. Research shows that music affects the brain and body differently than any other medium or stimulus, and because I wasn't leading the groups at the hospital, I could watch the oncology patient relax; I could watch the senior citizen in rehab gain strength through choosing and singing his favorite hymn; I could watch adolescents express their anger and pain through choosing song lyrics that could speak for them.  We called it a Sing-Along, but it of course was much more than that.

5) This program will be best served by adding faculty, not cutting the degree.  Prof. Rasar is passionate and unflagging in energy, but the range of required music therapy courses (MUTX) clearly calls for at least two full-time faculty members.  Because this program is at a state university, it is affordable to more students than a private college. Therefore, there is a real possibility that Hmong, Latino and First Nation students will enter the program, reaching more communities than ever before.

Finally, music therapists are more in demand now than they ever have been. In the areas of special education, hospice and aging populations alone, music therapists have extremely marketable skills and the field itself is increasingly seen as more effective than many other protocols.  Two doctors in the Green Bay area have already said they would make many referrals to music therapists if they were available in the area.

I urge you, as Committee members, to recognize that the Music Therapy Program at UWEC reflects the best of what the University stands for (diversity, community outreach and quality education).  Furthermore, because you have graduated well-trained professionals, their work brings regional, national and international respect and admiration for the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.  You already have something excellent in your hands; please support it and let it grow.

Sincerely,

Lynn L. Griebling
M. Mus., M. Ed.,

National Certified Counselor # 38835
TX Licensed Professional Counselor #14162
WI Licensed Professional Counselor  (Application Pending)

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Lynn L. Griebling

Music for Life
1743 '76 Place
De Pere, WI 54115

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October 8, 2007

 To Whom It May Concern:

 

I am writing to express extreme concern at the current proposal to cut the music therapy program at UW-Eau Claire.  I am writing from the perspective of an alumni of UW-Eau Claire (1996) and as the current President of the Wisconsin Chapter for Music Therapy.

 

 Music therapy degree programs in Wisconsin offer a 100% employment rate in the field of music therapy.  How many other professional programs can say that?  As President of the Wisconsin Chapter for Music Therapy, I am responsible for fielding e-mails from the general public and for finding qualified music therapists to fill referrals.  I can tell you there are currently not enough music therapists in Wisconsin to cover all of the requests for music therapy services.  This is a very significant need which is just starting to be met or at least move in the right direction.  Please don’t put a halt to our momentum. 

 

As an alumni of UW-Eau Claire and one of the students that was involved in the first faculty-student collaborative grant to modify the music therapy curriculum, I can speak to the endless hours of work that have been put into making this program what it is today.  I have been extremely impressed by the students that have come out of the UW-Eau Claire program in recent years.  I frequently attend continuing education courses across the nation, but Lee Anna has created functional curriculum and community involvement at UW-Eau Claire that cannot be found elsewhere.  The residents of the Chippewa Valley will experience a severe loss should you choose to accept the recommendation to cut the program.

 

 You cannot put a price on the public relations service Lee Anna and her students are doing for the University in the community on a daily basis.  To use the strategic plan as the rationale for cutting the program is a farce.  In terms of the University’s Strategic Plan and delineated initiatives, the music therapy program is a leading example for other degree programs.

 

 Lee Anna Rasar is more than capable of running the music therapy program at UW-Eau Claire without the addition of another full-time faculty.  I read in the Spectator that Lee Anna is a tenured professor and she will be kept on staff even if the program is cut.  Does that make any financial sense?  The real issue here is getting the NASM report revised so that a second faculty member is not required for the music department to get accreditation.  There are multiple Universities operating with only one faculty and Lee Anna has proven without a doubt that she goes above and beyond the call of duty for her students and for the University.

 Sincerely,

Kathy (Nelson) Schumacher, MT-BC, WMTR

President, Wisconsin Chapter for Music Therapy

president@musictherapywisconsin.org

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To whom it may concern;

I'm am writing with great shock and disappointment that the music therapy program at U of WI Eau Claire is in jeopardy of closing.  I am the Music Therapy Internship Director at a therapeutic day school for children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders in Illinois, called Giant Steps Illinois, Inc.

I have trained her students over the last 5 years and have found them to demonstrate skills above those from other schools.  The students come prepared to increase their skills in each of the music therapy competencies, whereas other students come to learn some competencies for the first time. 

I'd like to be more specific; students from Eau Claire have excellent musical skills in accompanying instruments.  This is a particularly lacking skill of most internship-eligible students, but not those from Eau Claire.  In addition, students there come prepared to speak articulately about what is happening to the brain when involved in a variety of music experiences.  There are very different responses to active participation in music, music listening and a non-music rest-state.  The students there, from the excellent to the average, have demonstrated to me their very good understanding of the brain's anatomy and function.  Most students are struggling to put together what they learn in anatomy and what they learn about music-based behavior.  It's a difficult lesson if it's not taught and many times, it is not. 

Clearly, I am a fan of the U of WI-Eau-Claire music therapy program and continue to be impressed with the comprehensive teaching there.  My background is in music therapy and I am also a Neurologic Music Therapist who focuses on the impact of rhythm and tempo on the brain.  It is essential that the students I train have a good background in anatomy and good skills at accompanying instruments, such as piano and guitar.

I hope that the university will reconsider canceling this extremely valuable program.  It would be a huge loss to the field of music therapy.

With regards,
Meredith Powers, MT-BC, NMT Fellow
Giant Steps Illinois, Inc.
Burr Ridge, IL  60527
(630)455-5730

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October 8, 2007

To whom it may concern:

I am writing this letter in support of the music therapy program at the University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire. I hope that you will choose to continue this valuable music therapy program. The program is an asset not only to your university, but also to the surrounding community, extending to the Twin Cities.

The music therapy program at UW Eau Claire has an excellent reputation in our Great Lakes music therapy region. LeAnna Rasar is known nationally for her excellence in conference presentations and her service in various roles with the American Music Therapy Association.

The U W Eau Claire music therapy program has been in existence for a long time and has produced many well-respected music therapy clinicians. The UW Eau Claire music therapy program is also recognized as a leader in receiving 3 rd party reimbursement for the music therapy service it provides to the Eau Claire community.

I am the internship director at Park Nicollet Health Services in Minneapolis, MN and I have had the privilege of working with the music therapy department at UW Eau Claire in the placement of their music therapy interns. Our internship program has had interns from 20 music therapy university programs through out the country, and the UW Eau Claire program has provided the most consistent and well-coordinated supervision of all of the intern programs. The UW Eau Claire music therapy interns have been some of our most well prepared interns. It has been our experience that the UW Eau Claire music therapy students have had excellent music skills, and knowledge of a wide repertoire of music styles. Two of our Eau Claire music therapy students chose to do their internship projects on the effects of music on the brain, basing their projects on the extensive knowledge and background information that they had received during their UW Eau Claire music therapy coursework. We have truly enjoyed working with these high quality music therapy students from UW Eau Claire. We hope to have more music therapy students from UW- Eau Claire in the future.

The accomplishments and quality of the UW Eau Claire music therapy program are recognized through out the national music therapy community. I hope that you will continue to fund this excellent program. Please feel free to contact me if you need any further information.

Sincerely,

Dawn Miller, MME, MT-BC
Music Therapy Internship Director
Park Nicollet Health Services

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October 7, 2007

Dear Secretary Schulner,

Greetings.  My name is Mary Stryck.  I’ve been a music therapist for over twenty years in the Milwaukee area, and I am writing in support of the continuance of the Music Therapy Program at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.  I have worked with Lee Anna Rasar both nationally and locally over many years.  I serve the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) as a past Chairperson of the AMTA Association Internship Approval Committee and currently I am a delegate to the Assembly, serving alongside Lee Anna.   I have seen the high esteem Lee Anna receives at National Conferences for her professional and educational work.  She has received many formal awards and acknowledgements, but the true measure of her work is in what she helps to produce—quality music therapy services for the Chippewa Valley area, grant monies to fund services, excellent visibility for UW-EC within the local community, and many capable, professional future music therapists that impact the lives of thousands of people.

I have supervised more than 45 students in the completion of their six-month music therapy internships in my career (including students from UW-EC), and I have found that the students from UW-EC represented the highest quality in terms of understanding theoretical frameworks, acting competently and ethically, and displaying extremely strong musical skills.  Upon entering internships, students are often “missing part of the equation”—most often music skills, which they must work at on a remedial basis before beginning their professional entry-level work.  This is not true of UW-EC students who arrive at their internship well prepared.

As an adjunct faculty member at Alverno College, Milwaukee, I have a personal interest in contributing to the future of the profession.  I would hate to see the only other program in the state eradicated.  We need music therapists in all geographic areas of our state, and UW-EC helps to fill this need.  If the program were abolished, there would likely follow a decrease in music therapy jobs within the state, thus impacting the services our citizens receive.  This would be an immensurate loss.    

Considering her workload and impact on the students and the community of UW-EC, Lee Anna is worth more than any salary on paper.  I hope that the program remains active and open, and even be given the chance to grow (as it should) into a post-graduate program.  I would welcome future UW-EC students to train at the Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division.

Thank you for considering my comments in your decision.

Sincerely yours,

Mary C. Stryck, MS, MT-BC
Internship Director,
Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division
9455 W. Watertown Plank Rd.
Wauwatosa, WI 53226
(414) 257-7365

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To whom it may concern:

It has been brought to my attention that the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire will possible discontinue their Music Therapy program.  I do not personally know Lee Anna Rasar, a Music Therapy Professor at UWEC, but her  positive influence on her students and with other Music Therapy programs nation wide has sparked my interest and concern regarding this matter.

Our agency provides Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, and Music Therapy.  Occupational and Speech therapy are recognized by the federal government as appropriate therapies.  Unfortunately, Music Therapy is not.  As you are well aware, Music Therapists often advocate for their profession for two reasons: one being their profession is continually being challenged, and the other reason is that Music Therapists are dedicated, passionate, and loyal to their profession and the clients that they serve.  

Music Therapy is initially not the most sought after therapy once a child has been diagnosed with having a developmental disability.  Speech Therapy is generally the most sought after therapy, followed by Occupational and Physically Therapy.  HOWEVER, once a family receives Music Therapy, they typically state that Music Therapy is the only motivating and productive therapy that they have received.  After receiving and then losing Music Therapy, it is generally the most sought after therapy!  I wish we could say this about Speech and Occupational Therapy!

Our agency provides approximately 20,000 sessions of therapy a year to children and adults with developmental disabilities. Of these 20,000 treatment session, 15,000 of these sessions are provided by Music Therapists.  Our lead Music Therapist Amanda Klinger (previously Johnson) was a 2002 graduate of your program and she is not only a great representative and advocate for Music Therapy, but also a great representative of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Music Therapy program and a prime example of why the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire needs to keep their Music Therapy program!

I sincerely hope that the decision makers in this situation look at the big picture and the greater good that this program offers.  The discontinuation of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Music Therapy program will not only effect your community, but will also have devastating effects on a national level.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this email, please do not hesitate to contact me!

Sincerely,

Scot M. Sidener, President
Heartland Therapy, Inc.
Phone 602.206.8577
Fax 480.288.4864

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To whom it may concern:

My name is Amanda Klinger, formerly Johnson, and I am a 2002 graduate of the music therapy program at UW-Eau Claire.  I am disappointed to hear that you are considering ending the music therapy program.

First, I would like to say that I may not have become a music therapist had it not been for the program offered at Eau Claire.  No other school in Wisconsin offered the program at that time, and it was the career I had already chosen after observing a music therapist in a school district my senior year in high school.  I now service 27 children through the Department of Developmental Disabilities in the state of Arizona.  It makes you wonder what may have happened to the families and the children that receive my music therapy services, had Eau Claire not offered the program.

Secondly, I have been in a supervisory position through two separate jobs I have held and have supervised music therapy interns that came from programs in different states.  I have been shocked, more than once, with their lack of music skills, i.e. guitar or piano accompaniment skills, aural listening skills, applied theory skills, etc.  I did not enter the UW-Eau Claire music therapy program with the music skills mentioned above, yet I left the Eau Claire program with music competencies that I have not seen in most recent graduates from other universities. In saying that, I am not singing my own praises.  It is a testament to the musical training I received at Eau Claire. 

I am also shocked and confused to hear that the strategic plan is being used as a rationale to cut the Music Therapy program.  It seems to me that the Music Therapy program actually showcases the strategic plan by combining research, teaching, and community service in the delivery of courses.

Recently, I read a book entitled, "This Is Your Brain On Music: The Science of a Human Obsession" by Daniel J. Levitin, which was a New York Times BestSeller and a Scientific American Book Club Selection.  (I highly recommend the book, even for non-musical people, it is a fantastic overview of the connection between music and the human brain, written for lay readers.  Reading it may help those of you trying to end the music therapy program understand exactly why we fight to keep the same program.)  Even though it is written for the lay reader, and areas of the brain and how they process music are discussed in detail, I was amazed at how much I knew and remembered about music and its' affect on neural pathways in the brain.  I remembered specific areas of the brain, what they are responsible for, how music is processed by each section, etc.  Once again, I did not enter UW-Eau Claire with any of that information, nor have I taken a single course on it since Dr. Taylor's course during my instruction at Eau Claire.  A simple quote from the book states: "Music listening, performance and composition engage nearly every area of the brain that we have so far identified, and involve nearly every neural subsystem."  Why would you want to discontinue a program that encompasses that very quote? 

In my daily practice, I see the wonderful affects of music on children.  Just today I had a client with Down Syndrome who has had difficulty describing actions using a verb+ing in a phrase, i.e. "He is eating."  I have a set of desk bells (small bells that are associated with a C Major scale).  I sing a brief song to her, to ask what the person in the picture is doing.  In response, she assigned each word of the phrase, and even some syllables, to the bells set in front of her, only after one week of modeling that application of the bells for her.  After two weeks of work with phrases using the bells, she met 26 of 34 trials that I tested, or 76%.  That is just a simple example of one music therapy application, in one session, with one child, in one day.  Imagine how many other applications of music therapy could occur, how many other skills could be taught, in how many other sessions, with how many other clients, by how many other music therapists who graduate from your program .

I hope that you consider the thoughts expressed in this letter and continue to support your alumni (as we support you) by continuing the programs that they came from and learned so much from.  Music Therapy was an important part of my life then, has continued to be in the present, and will be in the future, thanks to the Music Therapy program and the professors at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire.

Sincerely,
Amanda (Johnson) Klinger, MT-BC
Music Therapist-Board Certified
Phoenix, Arizona

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To whom it may concern:

I have known Lee Anna Rasar for over 25 years, and know that she is a model of excellence in all her professional endeavors.  She has been my mentor and my colleague. The attendance at her presentations is always packed. She maintains the highest standards in our profession and is solidly versed in the widest range of clinical applications in our field.

I am surprised by the news that her music therapy program at the university of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (UWEC) might be cut.  UWEC’s Music Therapy (MT) Program showcases the mission of the university by combining research, teaching, and community service in the delivery of the courses designed by Ms. Rasar. Her program includes international initiatives, diversity programming, inter- and trans-disciplinary teaching, and state-of-the-art technology.  She and her students have an impact on the larger community beyond campus, bringing the image of UWEC all across America and to Australia, Serbia, and soon Cambodia.  That is in addition to the 1000 + hours that UWEC MT faculty and students give back to the local community in Eau Claire EACH WEEK.

 

I will echo Andrew McKnight of the Milwaukee Center for Independence, and urge you to consider just a partial list of what would be lost by cutting this valuable program:

 

UWEC would lose an outstanding professor. Her accomplishments, research, and awards from her colleagues are too great to enumerate in this letter.

Wisconsin would lose its only public university music therapy program, when it could be moving in the opposite direction by establishing the state’s first graduate program in music therapy, following the trend of the profession toward post-baccalaureate education.

UWEC would lose touch with over 1,000 members of the Eau Claire community who receive services from music therapy faculty and students. How will they feel about UWEC when their services are no longer provided?

UWEC would lose grant funding to the music therapy program, including over 50 written and received by Ms. Rasar alone, which keeps the cost of running the music therapy program far below that of most other programs.

UWEC would be left with a state-of-the-art music therapy clinic, including sensory suspended wooden floors and audio/visual equipment designed by former professor Dr. Dale Taylor. The cost of redesigning that space alone needs to be considered, as it offsets a professor's year of salary.

UWEC would lose one of the most active student groups not only on campus, but statewide, regionally, and nationally. This student group has a consistent presence on music therapy student association executive boards. 

UWEC would lose university -affiliated internships abroad. 

UWEC would lose the visibility of 100% pass rate for students on the Certification Board for Music Therapy exam, which very few other institutions can boast, setting UWEC apart in high esteem.

In summary, you will be doing a great disservice to your community, the world at large and to the image of the university, if you were to cut this immensely valuable and important program.

I anxiously await your response that you will support this program now and in the future.

Sincerely,

Margarita G. Sims, MT-BC

Galveston, Texas

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October 4, 2007

As a 1982 graduate of the music therapy program at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, I would like to address the current discussion of possible elimination of the music therapy degree program at UW-EC.

I am a board certified music therapist and member of the American Music Therapy Association. I am employed with the Department of Veterans Affairs and work out of the VA Medical Center in St. Cloud, Minnesota. During the years 1985-1995, I served as a full-time music therapy clinician at the St. Cloud VAMC. In 1995, I was appointed Director of the National Veterans Creative Arts Program with the Department of Veterans Affairs and since then have reported directly to the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs at VA headquarters in Washington, D.C.

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has and continues to recognize music therapy as a vital component of the treatment plan for veterans served in mental health, extended care, chemical dependency, and acute medical care settings. Music therapy, more now than ever before, is recognized as one of the very few treatment modalities that have proven to be successful in benefiting the widest range of medical diagnoses. This is evident in the VA medical system as music therapy is used as an effective treatment for returning military personnel from Afghanistan and Iraq who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and an array of physical challenges.

My academic experience at UW-EC in the music therapy undergraduate degree program prepared me completely for the professional work I have and continue to perform. In my travels and interactions with colleagues, I have spoken often of the high quality of education and training received at UW-EC. As I meet with prospective music therapy students from area high schools, I routinely encourage them to consider UW-EC in their selection of an academic institution. UW-EC provides students from Minnesota with a positive option beyond attending the University of Minnesota or Augsburg College in the twin cities area where daily challenges are far greater due to the metropolitan location.

While a student at UW-EC, I found that the experience attained through community practicums was invaluable in establishing an early understanding and application of the theories of music therapy. My six-month music therapy internship at the Gaenslen School in Milwaukee prior to graduation was efficiently supervised in all aspects and provided the basis for my professional work as a music therapist.

I have attended sessions presented by Lee Anna Rasar, MME, WMTR, MT-BC at regional and national music therapy conferences and have been extremely impressed with her scope of knowledge and commitment to the profession. Though my attendance at the University occurred prior to her being hired as a professor in the music therapy program, I have directly witnessed her ability to communicate ideas, experiences and conclusions directly and professionally in regard to a variety of music therapy-related subjects. Her commitment to excellence in the field of music therapy is clear and unique.

In conclusion, I will state that I feel it would be a grievous mistake to cut the music therapy undergraduate degree program at UW-EC. I am surprised to hear that such an idea has even been proposed for reasons relating to UW-EC's strategic plan. The music therapy program enhances and supports the strategic plan and mission of the University. My hope and belief are that reconsideration will be given and that through thoughtful, intellectual and creative means, the music therapy program at UW-EC will continue and prosper under the direction of Professor Rasar. Thank you for your time and please feel free to contact me if I can provide additional information regarding this subject.

Elizabeth Mackey, MT-BC (117)

Director, National Veterans Creative Arts Program
VA Medical Center
4801 Veterans Drive
St. Cloud, MN 56303
Phone: 320-255-6351
Fax: 320-255-6327

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I, Tom Herro, Chaplain with GNJ & PM, am writing on behalf of the inmates in the Eau Claire County Jail. I would like to express to the university officials, who will be making a decision about the music therapy program, how much this program means to the people behind bars. Most of you probably don’t have an awareness of the environment experienced inside a jail because you have made good decisions in your life and advanced to the positions you currently hold. The music therapy students come into this environment and help our inmates evaluate the bad decisions they have made that put them here, learn how to make lifestyle changes and give them hope for their futures. This is the 18^th year in which they have provided music therapy services here in the jail in a variety of programs under the direct supervision of Lee Anna Rasar and Mike Bauer. These services include anger management (which is a major area of need), cognitive thinking, addictions, therapeutic movies/discussion, exercise to music, and life learning skills. In addition they have assisted with supportive programming for the chaplaincy. You may not be aware that when a family member of an inmate dies, the inmate may not receive a furlough to attend the funeral. I would like to share with you about 3 situations in which an inmate lost a child, and music therapy provided a meaningful session which was planned by the inmate in each case to help the inmate process grief issues. On one occasion an inmate’s son was killed and music therapy rewrote the lyrics to that son’s favorite country song to describe events from his life that were meaningful to his family. Several songs were used in the session to express grief and to pay tribute to this son, each song being carefully chosen for a specific purpose. On another occasion when a man’s child died, he requested children’s songs. It is quite touching to watch a room full of adult male inmates join in with music therapy in performing actions to children’s songs and in supporting their peer in his chosen way of dealing with his loss. For a female inmate who requested special programming for the anniversary date of her child’s death, music therapy brought in a series of lyric analysis and activities in which music was integrated with art to directly target her need to identify emotional triggers, deal with guilt and shame in a productive manner, and find hope for her future through an honest and heart wrenching appraisal of her needs and her plans.

Being incarcerated is a continual reminder of one’s failures and involves constant vigilance to protect one’s back and try to stay out of more trouble. The jail is not a happy or carefree place. Through engagement in music therapy activities, the inmates experience emotional catharsis and can then redirect and focus on accepting responsibility for their choices, recognizing the need for perspectives changes and consequently the behavioral changes needed for them to move forward, even when facing a lengthy prison sentence. The music therapy students have risen to the demand imposed upon them by the extreme needs of the inmates and the limitations posed by the restrictions related to items that are even allowed to be brought into the jail and used in sessions. They certainly represent the motto of excellence of the university in their creative session planning to target therapeutic goals. In an atmosphere that is typically characterized with cynicism, you can view these inmates singing with all their hearts. It is something that you would have to see with your own eyes to believe. I hope that you can come and meet the inmates and see for yourself how music therapy transforms a person.

The music therapy majors have been joined by students from other majors at the university through the service learning program and other special projects. Lee Anna Rasar has networked at the jail with Dr.Terry Allen from Theatre Arts and Dr. Toni Poll-Sorensen from Dance to create courses, bring in plays, conduct research and broaden both the education of the students and the education of the inmates. It is rare indeed to find a liberal arts program that goes beyond the boundaries of a classroom to engage directly with people who are very different and that combines these creative arts in a joint venture to meet needs of both students and inmates. The university’s diversity goals are addressed through the work of your students as they learn the songs from other cultures and even have to work hard to understand the language and the many cultural differences which often influence the criminal record for these men and women. They receive a first hand lesson about social justice, politics and economics when they view the demographics in the jail. Music therapy students take it all in stride, learning songs in other languages and teaching them to the inmates, jail staff, and volunteers. To even enter the jail they have to pass through at least 2 locked doors. Many of my adult volunteers find this traumatic when they first begin to volunteer and hear the noise of the doors slamming shut. The music therapy students don’t even seem to notice as they are focused on their plans for their sessions, chatting away with their supervisors in anticipation of their sessions. They are extremely well trained and behaved as they interact with professional expertise in a highly charged atmosphere. Anyone who has spent time behind bars knows that inmates are a tough audience. The music therapists are HIGHLY respected and appreciated by the jail staff.

The dedication of these students is something I have not seen before. When the life learning dorm is open, they staff it five days weekly at 8 a.m. How many college students would willingly come in at 8 a.m., even on the weekend, for no extra credit, no course requirements, and no pay? This time in which the inmates begin their day with singing is a favorite time of day for many of the men, and they say it gets them started off on the right track for the day. There are really not words to express the depth of meaning that the music therapy program brings to the jail. These students are humble people who don’t go around bragging about what they do. They serve with their whole hearts because they truly care and want to make a difference, and in a world where very few things make a difference, they do! This music therapy program is a treasure and no money amount could begin to equal its worth. The prison system is in competition with the university for funds at the state level. Here is a program that brings together services from the university within a community setting to meet the needs of the people within the prison system. It should be supported as a model for the entire United States Criminal Justice System. If you are really serious about your mission statement and the Strategic Planning exercises in which you are currently engaged, you are not people of integrity if you cut this program. Please consider the great impact these students have had that reflects positively on you as a university. Please come and see for yourself. It cannot be said enough times that there really are not words to describe how precious this program is to the jail. I will work out details for you to come and meet the inmates and hear from them what this program means if a group of you is willing to come into this environment and see what your students are doing daily. Your Student Body President Ray  French is one of the students who came at 8 a.m. for the men in the Life Learning Dorm. The music therapy really works. Don’t blow out this candle that shines through our darkness to give hope and the inspiration and results in changed lives. The life you save may be your own. Think about what I am saying and realize the impact of this program.

Thank you for the opportunity to express these thoughts. I pray that you will seriously consider them, and I do hope to meet some of you for a tour behind bars.

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My name is Jessica (Lichty '99) Cabeen and as a former UWEC alumni, and music therapist I am writing in regards to the possible cut of the Music Therapy Program at UW-EC.

The Music Therapy Program at UWEC is a catalyst for programs of music therapy in the nation, and globally.  By combining research, teaching, and community service in the delivery of course, the curriculum and methodology it is widely recognized and successful. In addition the clinical courses which are taught in community settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, forensic settings, public schools, and private homes, students go into nursing homes, hospitals, and forensic settings one day weekly for academic courses when being graded on their music and clinical skills provided a great level of practice and development of civic responsibility in our own communities.  As a former student I felt the community involvement of our music therapy faculty and students makes a deep impact on the Chippewa Valley and its connection to the university.
As a former practicum supervisor of students in music therapy programs in the Midwest I can speak from experience when I state that HANDS DOWN UWEC grads are far more prepared, involved and skilled than other university students.
The content, curriculum, methodology, and civic responsibilities I learned while a Music Therapy major at UWEC have prepared me in many ways to become the professional I am now, and for that I am forever grateful to Lee Anna and UWEC.
Please feel free to contact me for any further clarification,
Sincerely
Jessica


Jessica M. Cabeen
Secondary Special Education Coordinator
Austin Public Schools
301 3rd St NW
Austin MN 55912
507-433-0408

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I recently heard that the music therapy program at Eau Claire is experiencing the strong possibility of being cut.  Apparently the rationale being used is that the music department could lose its NASM accreditation due to only having one faculty member.  Last fall, while visiting the school with my daughter, I spoke to a staff person about the music therapy program and was told that it was in danger of being cut at that time.  The student who led our tour of the school also seemed aware that the music therapy program was in danger of being cut.  Doesn’t it seem obvious that the plans were being made then to cut the program?   I find the NASM accreditation rationale odd, because I know of other programs who have operated for years with only one faculty member.  What is really going on there?

It would be such a loss to the music therapy profession if the only public school program in Wisconsin were cut.  I am a practicing music therapist who studied at the only public school music therapy program offered in Minnesota, the University of Minnesota (one of the schools which has operated for years with only one faculty member).  At the time I attended, there would have been no way for me to afford a private college.  The University of Wisconsin college system will be doing a disservice to the students who attend Wisconsin colleges if there is no music therapy program offered publicly within the state.  The field of music therapy is growing, and there is a continuous and growing need for board certified music therapists.

Sincerely,
Becky Pansch, MT-BC
Music Therapist

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To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing to you today to state my strong confidence in the Music Therapy program at the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire and my belief that it should not be eliminated! As a graduate of this program I believe through personal experience that Lee Anna Rasar has shaped and molded this program to be one of the outstanding programs in the country.  She is passionate about music therapy, her students, and her clients.

As a current Internship Director and previous Internship Supervisor, I have worked with students from all over the country. Many of these students have been strong in some areas, but some have stated they did not feel confident in their skills (musical and/or therapist) entering their internship.  As a student myself starting my internship in 2002, not only did I feel comfortable in the basics of my music skills but also in the core principals of being a therapist.  Since my graduation, I know Lee Anna has revamped and only approved upon the music therapy curriculum at UW-EC since I was a student.  Now in the music therapy field, I have seen recent grads from the UW-EC program entering the work force with strong skills and confidence in their training.  Lee Anna has done a superb job creating high standards for these new professionals.

Lee Anna was a huge inspiration to me as a student at UW-EC, but also now as a professional.  Her passion for the field and seeing her work with clients motivated me to become a music therapist.  Lee Anna is always willing to take the time for a student or alumni to help with music therapy issues – her support and passion has been seen through out the national association in many ways.  The loss of the music therapy program at UW-EC would be a huge deficit to the music therapy community, potential clients, and to the university itself.  Lee Anna has proven herself as a competent, passionate, caring, and supportive leader in the music therapy field and her high standards has produced outstanding music therapists in the work force. 

As an Internship Director and working for a company with strong emphasis on education, I rely on Lee Anna and other university’s students to come to our facility for our internship program.  Without these strong students from UW-EC, music therapists in the field will not receive the recognition for music therapy to continue to grow as a profession.  Her students have continued to receive national recognition for their advancement in the field.  I believe it is crucial the music therapy program at UW-EC continues to strive, not only for the advancement of the music therapy field, but also as a way to continue to produce strong professionals through the education received from the standard of excellence of the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire.

Thank you for your time and consideration!


Thea Vorass, MT-BC, WMTR
Director of Creative Resources and Internship Director
Trinity Village
7300 W. Dean Rd.
Milwaukee, WI 53223
thea.vorass@VMP.org

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My name is Ada Smalley Bors and I am writing in support of music therapy. A few years ago I became much more aware of what music therapy is and can do than I had previously known. Lee Anna Rasar recruited me to serve as a Public Member on the national Certification Board for Music Therapists. It is a competitive position, as others were also nominated from across the country. I felt honored to be the one chosen for the Two-Year Term: 2003-2005.

Qualification to become the Public Member on this seven person national board included having a personal connection to a person with special needs, and having some involvement in supporting music in the broader community.

I shared with the Board Members that I was serving - In Memory of my Parents - and their special efforts to provide for the special needs of my sister. I also shared that I hoped some aspects of the position I held at UW-Eau Claire as a Special Events Coordinator 1974-1999 might possibly be of service to the Board, as virtually all special events involved music, some of them in a major fund-raising category.

I serve as a guardian for my sister, Doris Elaine, now age 68, who is profoundly retarded. She has a vocabulary of less than 15 words and resides in an institution in Ohio, my home State. When there are musical activities my sister smiles and she tries to participate to the best of her abilities. Like many of us, she is - transported to some place special - when music is heard.

Since becoming involved with the Certification Board for Music Therapists, I am in awe of the wide range of services that travel under the umbrella of Music Therapy. I greatly admire those who seek to be of service to people with special needs, especially in settings which can be very difficult emotionally when clients cannot respond verbally, or in settings that can be potentially dangerous if anger enters the scene.

I viewed my own service on this board as a link to the university, because I am retired from there, and was serving with Lee Anna Rasar on this Board of Directors, who is the Program Director for Music Therapy at UW-Eau Claire.

I was greatly saddened to hear that there is a recommendation to cut the university's Music Therapy Program. I have learned that there are over 1,000 clients weekly who receive services from music therapists in our area!! There is a critical need for the Music Therapy Program to continue serving these clients.

I am now age 70. My mother experienced a stroke when she was in her 70s. She responded well to music, speech and physical therapy. Her speech returned and she was able to walk again. I realize that I may at some point need music therapy services. I hope they will be there for me and the others who need them.

Thank you for your consideration of my comments.

Ada Smalley Bors

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I am writing on behalf of my family to share about the music therapy program at the university and the impact it has had for me and my family as community members. When my mother and father were at Oakwood Villa Nursing Home, they stayed in their room a lot. Music therapy was motivating enough for them to participate in group activities, and my mother even went room to room with Lee Anna Rasar to sing songs for residents who were confined to their rooms. My father played drums on a concert which was amazing to my family as he had not done that in years due to his decrease in cognition and in social skills. Music brought meaning into their lives even at that point of many other losses. Later when my mother’s health had deteriorated and she was comatose in the hospital and had not been responding to any family members, I called Lee Anna and left a message for her to see my mother that evening when she volunteered at the hospital because I knew it was one of the nights that she would be there. My entire family had been there throughout the afternoon, and she didn’t respond to any of us. I felt that the music may get through to her and comfort her. She would sometimes tell me about an angel that came to sing to her. When I would get home, I would have a message from Lee Anna that she had been there. I teased her about being my mother’s angel. On this particular evening Lee Anna called me from my mother’s bedside and said that she had a surprise for me. The next thing I heard through the phone was my mother singing. I can tell you that I am a huge believer in music therapy.

Now I am the one in my family who benefits from the music therapy because I am on oxygen. A music therapy student from the university teaches me harmonica to help improve my pulmonary status. She and Lee Anna presented for the Pulmonary Rehab program at Luther Hospital to help us learn how to improve our respiratory status through music. I also have a family member who has been a patient on the psychiatric unit and who has been in jail, and music therapy saw her in both places, being very, very helpful to her in her times of need. Look at how just my one family has been touched by your music therapy program. Please place a value on the community citizens who so much appreciate the presence of the university in our city. Listen to us. We cherish the music therapy program. It demonstrates your motto of excellence through the quality of services that are provided. We hope that you will have the eyes to view it with value. Some day you yourselves may need music therapy services. I hope the program will still be here for you.

Nancy Kitelinger

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To Whom It May Concern:

When writing about the benefits music can have on an individual I really become at a loss for words. It isn’t because music fails to sow anything good but rather the opposite; it impacts a person in so many ways I feel the English language can not bring justice to its magnitude. With that said, I will do my best to share what music and the discipline of music therapy means to me.

I am not a music therapy major although my heart finds its passion through and with music. I considered studying music therapy when I first came to UW-EC in 2003 but instead after much thought, decided to pursue a career in nursing. Part of my thinking for this was I could become a nurse and work part-time while then doing something with music part-time. The first five semesters here I was involved in choir, and only quit because clinical for nursing went on at the same time. Then during my fall semester 2006 I had the opportunity to take another class in addition to nursing. Already having all my general requirements met to graduate (with the exception of my future nursing classes and one credit of physical activity) I decided to take a class of interest. Music IDIS 103 was that class.

When I was accepted into the nursing program I was given the opportunity to participate in the nursing honors program. This program consists of picking a topic of interest and then completing eight credits of research work in the area. The credit is usually given for going above and beyond on a regular assignment in a particular class. Right away I knew this was something I wanted to do and my topic of interest was music. Therefore when my second semester in the program started and I had time to take another class, IDIS 103 was the one I wanted to take because it is Introduction to Music Therapy and I was very intrigued as to what I would learn.

I can not even begin to share all of what I learned from IDIS 103 because it was so much. It was because of this class that I came up with my complete nursing honors topic which is: How can/does music therapy impact the nursing philosophy of body, mind, and spirit wellness? The realization to make this my honors topic came from an observation at Sacred Heart Hospital. When in IDIS 103, each student is able to observe music therapy firsthand at different places and with different groups of people. My placement was on the rehabilitation unit in SHH. I was able to observe my instructor, Lee Anna Raser, lead a worship service for the patients on this floor. During one of the sessions it suddenly hit me that music could be used for all areas of life, including the spiritual aspect. The idea of body, mind, and spirit, wellness is important to the field of nursing and even more so now, with holistic nursing being researched and applied to a variety of clinical and nursing settings. When I went to my observation sessions and saw what music could bring these patients, I suddenly knew how to connect music with the field of nursing.

The patient’s who came to these worship services on Tuesday nights had a variety of health impairments. Some had had a stroke, others were involved in accidents which left them unable to walk or use their extremities, some were newborn mothers, and other people were suffering from pain for a different reason. The ages ranged from teenagers to the elderly. We usually conducted the service in a room where the patients came to sing. However, some nights Lee Anna was able to go room to room and sing to patients unable to leave their bed. In addition to the patients being diverse in age and health impairment, ethnicity was also diverse. There were two times I remember Lee Anna used music with a Korean girl to help ease her pain. Also, one night Lee Anna got a request to visit a newborn mother whose baby was in the ICU. This new mother was an inmate from one of the local jails. She was experiencing a lot of pain and seeing Lee Anna with her guitar made her smile. Lee Anna works with the inmates as well as people from the hospital and this particular inmate had written her own lyrics to a song Lee Anna played for her. The newborn mother requested Lee Anna play the song so she could sing along using her own lyrics. It was incredible to see how calm the newborn mother became while singing this song. Music really made a difference for this young inmate. Her body language and mood just changed after having the music therapy session. It was really quite the experience to be part of.

I could tell many stories where I saw the people who were with Lee Anna in a music therapy session suddenly take on a calmness and peace. Music just had this way of immediately bringing them some relief. There was gentleman in particular who during a worship service one night said the following, “I would like to take the word can’t, and erase the ‘ t. Then the only word left would be can.” He couldn’t walk, could hardly talk and sing, had a lot of physical things going on with him, and yet after having spent time in music therapy remained upbeat and positive. He was an inspiration to be around. Music was able to connect with him mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, and keep him content even though his physical status was poor.

As I get further into the nursing program and have clinical with an array of patients myself, I always remember what music therapy did for those patients on the rehab unit in SHH. When a patient is really having a hard time adjusting to their illness or medical condition, I ask them if they like music. Almost all have said yes. Then I go on to talk with them about their favorite music and ask them if they have had someone come to work with them from music therapy. Nursing as a profession is really studying the benefits holistic treatments can have for patients. Music therapy is a great way to help patients. Each person has the opportunity to meet a music therapy session in their own way, and thus have individualized treatment.

The more I get into my honors work, the more I see just how important music therapy is for the person; as a whole. Music truly can reach a person in every aspect of their life. It is stressed to us nursing majors that when one thing is out of alignment, or out of balance, the other areas of health will become affected. The risk is for the person to decline in many areas of their health. Music is something which can prevent this from happening. It can help heal the area affected, and bring peace and healing to the other areas of the person.

Music therapy is a discipline to be respected and a discipline not given enough credit for what it does. After all, how many of us after a long day, turn on the radio as a way to relax? And to think that is not even a music therapy session. Just think of the possibilities after going through a true session.

Music therapy isn’t my major, but is a discipline I look forward to working with in the future as a nurse. It saddens me Eau Claire is considering cutting this program; especially when the teacher is incredible, and the students are willing and keep showing their excitement to pursue this as their career.

How does music therapy impact the nursing philosophy view of body, mind, and spirit wellness? In every way. And as such, music impacts each and every one of us on some level at some time. A world without music would be awful. Imagine it yourself for a moment. Think about how often you listen to music or use it to relax, have fun, or get together with people.

Now take it further and use it as a healing power for those who having nothing else to turn to. Apply it to the lonely, injured, physically impaired, Deaf, and all others suffering in some way. Where will they get their relief and contentment from if no music therapists come to work with them?

Where will those who wish to become music therapists be educated if you cut the UW-EC program? Just think of all the people who will be hurt with one program in the country eliminated. It is more than you think. EC may be one site, but it serves countless people, and educates future people who will bring much joy, such as Lee Anna does to their patients.

I could go on and on about how important music therapy is. Why is that? Because with music therapy the possibilities are endless; and because this is true, there really is nothing more to say, and instead leave music to speak for itself.

Bethany Radde

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To whom it may concern-

In my years as a special educator I have found music therapy to be one of the most beneficial therapies when treating students with special needs. In this context music successfully motivates, calms, or stimulates students. This therapy also helps students to improve gross and fine motor skills, speech, and academic skills.

To take away the music therapy program would be depriving people from using music to increase skills and to motivate those hard to reach individuals in a way that only music therapy can do. Cutting this program would be a detriment to special education students everywhere.

Sincerely,

Molly M Lemmer
EEN Teacher

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10/6/2007

Importance of the Music Therapy program at the Syverson Lutheran Home.

Lee Anna is the Music Therapy Instructor at the University of Eau Claire, she began bringing her students to the Syverson Lutheran Home back in 1990 when she would come in to play flute and piano for the worship service on the 3^rd floor on Wednesday mornings, she also would bring her students with her when she was visiting and singing to residents through the halls.  She has done this with her students for the past 17 years. In the fall of 2003 she started to bring her clinical piano class to the 3^rd floor on Monday mornings.  Then in the spring semester of 2004 that class continued to come and she brought the Clinical Application of Dance and Movement class to the third floor dining room.  In fall 2004 the clinical piano class continued to come on Mondays along with her Music Therapy Techniques 11 course. Lee Anna continues to bring her students in for these programs and also brings her students in to play for church services on Sunday mornings.  She has also had her students teach the residents sign language and they have performed at the Resident Christmas.  I have seen the residents that the students work with benefit from the music and the interaction with the students.  I have seen residents who are not able to speak, sing with her students.  I have seen residents play the harmonica with her class when they had never played the harmonica before.  I have seen the smiles and the interactions between the residents and the students and afterward the residents are able to verbalize better and the music therapy has also improved their eating when lunch follows the program. 

Lee Anna has also brought special groups over from the University to give concerts, including the University Faculty Woodwind Quintet, and the Artist Series Tubalate group.   Nobu a famous Violinist has also to the Syverson Lutheran home for Concerts from Lee Anna’s request. 

Lee Anna is one of the most talented, enthusiastic individuals that I have ever seen.  When she comes into the Syverson she brings with her such energy that the residents enjoy immensely.  She has used her gifts to benefit the lives the residents at the Syverson by providing them with Music Therapy, and bringing in Professional Concerts.

I sincerely believe that not only the Syverson Lutheran Home but the entire community would be impacted negatively by the loss of the University’s Music Therapy Program.  Coming from a facility where many of the residents have had so many losses in their lives I feel that the positive impact that Lee Anna’s program has made would definitely be one more negative loss for the people here.

Please carefully consider the entire impact of cutting this valuable program from the University of Eau Claire.

Respectfully submitted

 

Karen Park

Activity Director
Syverson Lutheran Home
816  Porter Ave.
Eau Claire, WI 54703
kpark@graceluthfound.com
715-832-1644      ext 104

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10/6/07

 

Subject:  In support of UWEC Music Therapy Program 

 

To Whom It May Concern,

 

I am writing in support of the awesome Music Therapy Program at UWEC that I’ve learned is in jeopardy of being eliminated.  This is very disturbing to me.

 

My daughter is a student who chose to attend school at UWEC specifically because of the outstanding Music Therapy Program in Eau Claire.   Her education in this field has been an experience of a lifetime over the past 4 years and thanks to the excellent faculty and dedicated leadership of the Music Therapy Program at UWEC, I know my daughter is receiving an excellent education in this very valuable field.

 

As a nurse and mother of a son who was cognitively and physically disabled, I know the power and benefits of music and the need for music therapists.  This past March when my son was terminally ill at home, the UWEC Music Therapy program gave him a keyboard that he thoroughly helped him to enjoy the last weeks of his life.  It has since been donated to his high school special education classroom and is used on a daily basis.

 

To eliminate the Music Therapy Program at UWEC would be a tragedy and a real loss to the entire community as well as future Music Therapy students deprived of access to the outstanding education in this major now offered at UWEC.  Please do not let this happen.

 

Sincerely, 

 

Ms. Judy R. Morvak

3917 Cty. Road B

Manitowoc, WI 54220

 

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To whom it may concern:

In all honesty, it bothers me to write in recommendation for a department and professor that needs no further recommendation. Countless recommendation letters have been sent in the past.  The strong recommendations are a result of this one fact (a word that I do not use loosely), and that is that the UWEC Music Therapy department and Lee Anna Rasar are developing some of the strongest students to graduate from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire.  Those that become Board Certified Music Therapists are among the best in the nation.  Those that choose a different route tend to excel in that particular pursuit.  However, both will agree that their lives and work have been directly and positively impacted by Professor Rasar and the Music Therapy program.

I entered the Music Therapy program in 1996 as a piano teacher wanting to broaden my skills. The next three years were turning points in my life. Was I receiving excellent training and experience in helping others? Or was I the client? I think both are true. I used Music Therapy to help a child diagnosed with autism to emit his first ever verbalization (not vocalization). However, I also learned how to research and present findings in front of others thanks to Lee Anna’s dedication to faculty-student collaboration. I used Music Therapy to promote decreases in maladaptive behavior for a child with a seizure disorder. However, I also learned the basics of longitudinal data analysis through that experience.

The list goes on…

To this day, 11 years later, I have a picture of that child with autism given to me by the parents. It is right in front of me on my desk next only to the picture of my own son. To this day, I e-mail Lee Anna monthly to see how she is doing and to thank her for everything. I’m grateful to be UWEC’s first McNair PhD recipient. However, here is the bottom line on that: there is no doubt in my mind that it would have or could have happened had it not been for Lee Anna Rasar and your Music Therapy department!

Sincerely,
Jeff Miller

 

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To Whom It May Concern:

I'm writing in support of keeping the music therapy program at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. As a former staff member and an Eau Claire community member, the quality of the program and the community service it provides are the principal reasons I support its continuance.

When I taught psychology of the exceptional child, I had several students from this program in my class each semester. Their serious interest and level of insight into working with people with a variety of disabilities were notable. I had occasion to go present to some of the groups where they were doing internships and to watch them interact with their clients. They were professional, personable and extremely committed, very good representatives of the program and the university in the community.

One of the students also made me aware of the department's website. The information about various disabilities and strategies for working with clients with those disabilities was good enough that I recommended it to students in other helping professions.

At a personal level, I have experienced the power of music therapy provided by faculty and students from the music therapy department with a friend who is a retired UWEC faculty member who has a dementia and resides in a nursing home. As words fail in communicating, a musical talent that lay dormant was discovered by a music therapist. It has given this person a way to keep contributing to their community.

As your committee makes the difficult decisions it must make about priorities in tough times, I wish you wisdom. I hope the quality, national reputation and community service provided by this excellent Music Therapy program make it worthy of continuance.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Katherine Schneider, Ph.D.
Senior Psychologist, Emerita
Counseling Service
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
schneiks@uwec.edu

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To the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire,

We are an Arizona family living with a child who is recovering from autism. My son received his diagnosis when he was two years of age. He is now six and one half.

At two, I was not able to communicate with my son. We used all of the traditional ways to try to reach him.  (Picture exchange boards, ABA, etc.)  We were quite aggressive and assertive with healing his gut through diet and reaching him through as much therapy as he would tolerate.  Nothing seemed to work.  Progress was slight. BUT when I started  to sing to him there was recogniton.  And we ran with it.  We saw Kathleen Walsh through Music Accents and paid extra to have a second M.T. Rich Maston help redirect my son during the session.  We video taped the initial session to have a beginning point and record progress.  I asked for a copy to help me use the same songs, RDI approach and help him see himself being redirected.  We saw amazing progress.  We videotaped all of our sessions and I used Music Therapy as my tool to help guide us through the week until our next appointment.   We were approved for Music Therapy twice a week after our Support Co-Ordinator came out and saw for herself the acute change in him using Music Therapy. Amanda Johnson then came on board, a former graduate of your M.T. program.  Utilizing her Music skills and aware of the sensory aspects of autism, she also continued to reach him through M.T. Amanda continues to see my son twice a week for M.T.  He is now in a regular First Grade and functions as a normal child.  He has quite the social circle of "normal" friends. He is the only child who tested as gifted in his entire grade. The Drs call him a miracle but our son is a testimony to the therapy of Music, early intervention and diet change.  

With the rise of Autism with one in every 150 child diagnosed, I am saddened to hear that you are considering taking your M.T. program away.  Please reconsider your proposal.  It is a grave mistake.  I am not musically inclined at all.  (Maybe it was my offbeat vocal chords that initially cracked that hole in my son's wall of autism.)  But Amanda with the skills taught through your program helped us take those blocks down and there is a wall no more. 

Sincerely,

Yvana Staen

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Considering the huge increases in autism and related disorders and new information on the + attributes of music therapy and growing interest, what logic dictates that the program be reduced? Is the University also planning cuts in technology? Maybe to increase funding for buggy whip design? These therapies are something that need to be increased, not reduced. Open your eyes, ask questions and then listen to the answers, don't just listen for what you want to hear.

paul boyer
father of two asd kids using MT with great results.

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Oct 5, 2007

To Whom It Concerns:

Ref: Support of Music Therapy

First let me introduce myself. My name is Terry Anger. I am a Graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Baccalaureate in Sociology and Anthropology. Also, 23 years as an adult student on Campus in non-traditional education. I have grown to love the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire and the meaning of their title for “Excellence.”

I would like to share some personal perspectives and express my sadness and disappointment in hearing of any attempt to remove what I consider a valuable asset to the community and State. I will break this down into three specific areas: Coma, Addiction, and PTSD.

As part of my own personal therapy, (which I will explain later), I had the pleasure of taking Music Therapy. When it came to the part in the class where we were discussing Music with Coma patients, I was very much a skeptic. Up to this point I thought I had good reason to doubt the use of music with those that were in a state of mind and condition that could not respond to such therapy. This was my thinking at the time.

In November of 1997, my mother suffered a heart attack and was placed in Sacred Heart Hospital. She was placed on a life support system as she had extreme difficulty breathing due to emphysema, My mother was a small, frail woman, that smoked much of her life. While recovering, Leanna Rasar had visited her and shared music which pleased my mother very much and made her stay in the hospital room more comforting. To this point I didn't know my mother had her favorites in music and this allowed me to see another side of my mother that I would have never had the opportunity to witness.

In October of 1997, in Music Therapy we had discussed the use of Music Therapy with coma patients. Just prior to Thanksgiving, my mother slipped into a coma from an accidental removal of her oxygen mask while being bathed. The lack of oxygen caused a seizure, which induced the coma. The family was notified by the hospital physician and chaplain that my mother had a very bad prognosis of surviving this and if she did, it would be that she would never be the same. Meaning that she would need extensive therapy to regain possible memory and speech abilities. I was making daily trips to the hospital and monitoring my mothers' vitals and had talked to my father about the possibility of using Music Therapy with her while she was in this condition. Again, I put emphasis on the fact that I was a skeptic and non-believer about any alternative treatments, at this time. My father agreed with me that there was nothing to lose by this venture and we asked the Hospital to allow this process to happen with some resistance on the Hospital Staffs part, which we overcame. Within two weeks, I saw a miraculous change in my mother, while monitoring her vitals. Her oxygen levels improved as studies and tests stated they would from class lectures. Eventually, she did revive from her coma and again another miraculous thing occurred. My mother did not suffer the loss anticipated by the Hospital Staff that had basically given up on her. She recovered within another week and was released to go home. For two years she lived a joyous life with her husband until another heart attack proved fatal. My experience in witnessing this personally made a believer out of me about Music Therapy with coma patients and changed my views about alternative therapies and treatments for hospitalized patients.

I had mentioned that I entered this class for my own personal therapeutic purpose. I will now elaborate on this a bit more. I am also a recovering addict. I chose to use drugs and alcohol for most of my life to deal with personal problems in my life, to the point where I came physically and emotionally dependent on them. I have found that much of my affliction was caused by self imposed stress, anxiety, and fear. I was a loner and had no self-worth or self-esteem. Music Therapy opened up avenues of stress reduction, anxiety desensitization and expression that allowed me to recover and gain control over my life again.

My final point of consideration is a major concern to me, and those like me. I am a Viet Nam Disabled Vet that suffers from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). For years this mental condition allowed me to use alcohol and drugs as an alternative treatment to life. Music Therapy on the other hand, gave me hope. I can now relax, meditate, and find comfort in music and use it daily to aid me in expressing my feelings and thoughts. Whether I put them to lyrics or identify with others that have already wrote the words, it gives me a sense of belonging. Music Therapy has had a major impact on those that could not express the inner fears, desires, nightmares, and thoughts that were a constant drain on one's life forces. It has awakened a new hope and a new way to be able to feel like a productive, accepted and wanted member of the community again. I will never be able to give enough credit to this new-found awareness that the Music Therapy Department has opened up to me.

This is my concern, speaking as a Military Vet. With the increase of our young men being exposed to traumatic conditions in the current wars that they are fighting, more and more are being diagnosed with PTSD. Who is going to be there for them? If you take away their hope of a professional trained staff of therapist, are you really doing them a service? I think not. Are you doing Wisconsin and the Educational System of “Excellence” any justice by placing it in the hands of another State or political agenda?

The cost of recovery is expensive, both monetary and physically, to those that suffer. Are you willing to sacrifice a speedier recovery for them by denying a program that has already proven to work and is effective for the mere pittance of bureaucratic tape and finances? Can you be progressive enough to meet the demands of those that need this program and want this program or bow to the skeptics that have no knowledge or awareness of the benefits that Music Therapy has given to thousands?

As a past student of the Music Therapy Course, under the direction of Leanna Razar, I testify that I gave precious hours of service to the community in a way I never thought possible. I was instrumental in helping to develop a web site that was instrumental in giving out information on PTSD. This site has been a source to many that had no clue or resource to aid them in learning about PTSD. This was a part of the class criteria. I have had the pleasure to be a guest speaker to the class of Music Therapy on the topics of Coma, Addiction, and PTSD and my experiences in how they have effected my life and recovery. I have recently spoken again as of October 4, 2007. Each time I speak, I find that some part of me is still healing from my past and it allows me to grow and experience a more mature, more secure, and more productive member of the community. This program is still giving to me more than I can give in return.

It is my desire hope, dream and wish that you as a body don't dismember it out of haste and a desire for a easy out. We Veterans have fought hard to secure the freedom of speech, expression, and the pursuit of education. My personal feeling is that by allowing the general population to believe falsely that Music Therapy is of no value is the same as abandoning our rights to heal from the wounds that were cast upon us to aid your freedom to choice. I hope you choose to keep this program and allow those in the future a chance to benefit from it as I did.

I cannot give enough praise and thanks for what the Music Therapy Department, staff, and classes have given me in return for such little that I could offer them. It has in essence given me back my life.

Respectfully, Terry J. Anger

Former UWEC Student, Viet Nam Disabled Vet, Recovering Addict.

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I am writing to express my concern regarding the termination of the music therapy program offered at UW-Eau Claire.  When my daughter began contemplating her future several years ago I had little knowledge of music therapy.  As she searched for a major that would incorporate her love of music, she was faced with many options.  Not having an interest in moving in the direction of music education and hesitant to pursue a career in music performance, she came across the field of music therapy.  After much research she decided this was exactly what she wanted to do with her future.  The reputation of UW Eau Claire's music department drew her to investigate the music therapy program offered there.  We were all impressed with the quality of the program, the history of music therapy at UW Eau Claire, the on-site clinic with suspended floor for bringing the healing properties of music to the deaf and autistic, the many opportunities for advancement of the program through grants, and the successful placement of graduates from the program.

Our daughter entered the program in the fall of 2005 and it has changed her life.  As a middle and high school student our daughter's only real passion was music.  Since beginning her journey as a music therapy major her passion has come to include pursuing a career that involves helping and improving the lives of others.  She is very dedicated to her chosen field and we have seen amazing changes in her life.  Lee Anna Rasar and the music therapy program have been extremely influential in giving our daughter a passion for her future and for helping people through music.

If you would take the time to investigate and listen to the public, you will find that the benefits to the local community and beyond have been numerous, thanks to the music therapy program and the dedication of Lee Anna Rasar and her students (past and present).  It is my understanding that the music therapy program in Eau Claire has had a great impact on, and has been praised by, relatives of former chancellor, Leonard Haas.

At a time when universities and the population as a whole should be looking at what we can do to better our society by molding students into caring, compassionate adults who can look beyond and overcome the prevalent "it's all about me" attitudes of society, it would be wise to look at helping the music therapy program advance and grow. This program has made Eau Claire nationally recognized and has brought many talented students to the school. UW Eau Claire is the only venue in the UW system offering a music therapy major.  The only other college in Wisconsin to offer the program is Alverno.  For students looking to attend public universities their only option would be to enroll in out of state universities if this program is cut from the curriculum.  It is stated that eliminating the program is due to budget cuts and finances, yet these talented students will be forced to take their tuition dollars to other states and out of the UW system.

Please reconsider your plans to eliminate this program and look into the benefits that will be reaped by continuing and strongly supporting music therapy at UW Eau Claire.

Thank you,
Janet Halfman
cjhalfman@hotmail.com

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October 3, 2007

 

Dear Sirs:

 

I am Meghan E. Keyes, a junior here at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire majoring in Special Education. I am writing this letter as I have a concern regarding some of the major programs being offered at this University, specifically the Music Therapy program. Although I am not a music therapy major I have been impacted by it in a very positive way.  As I have pointed out, I am a special education major and I was first introduced to the concept of music therapy by my friend who I now live with.  She is a music therapy major; she really loves the program and is a strong believer in the curriculum. The program has allowed my friend to be actively engaged in helping adolescents at the Juvenile Detention Center in Eau Claire as a part of her practicum. This is not only beneficial to her experiences towards becoming a music therapist but  in helping people in our community around campus through her use of this medium and the gained expertise from following the prescribed courses as a part of her major study.

 

Because of my friend I took the Introduction to Music Therapy course as an IDIS class.  I found it to be very interesting and I found that I could apply some of what I learned towards special education.  For the observation part of that class I observed a child with autism receiving music therapy treatment and he grew and improved a lot in the skills he was working on.  I found this to be a very beneficial piece of experience toward my final goal of graduating and becoming a special education teacher.

 

Another thing that I really liked about the course was the instructor, Lee Anna Rasar.  She has so much experience in the field, so much knowledge to share and she really made an effort to make the class interesting and applicable for everyone; not just the music therapy majors in the course.  One part of the class that I remember the most and really took the most away from was the unit on how music can help with the whole grieving process and dealing with death.  This is something that I will remember and keep in mind if I ever have to or anyone close to me loses someone close to them; how to use music to help them.

 

In the October 1st issue of the Spectator I read the article, "Music therapy uncertain" and read that, "'It's not based on the quality of the program,' Tallant said. It's based on the priority of resources at the university.'"  I also read, "'Given the nature of budget cuts and other priorities on campus … this is about the greater need at the university,' Tallant said. It was a very difficult decision because it's a very good program. It had nothing to do with quality.'"  After reading this, my question was what is the priority of resources at this university?  I thought that the main goal for a university is to provide an education to students in a variety of different fields and programs.

 

I work for the Telefund here on campus so I know that many alumni and friends of the University donate on an annual basis.  The donations we receive go to the Foundation here and go towards many scholarships, student research projects, internship opportunities, library acquisitions, technological advancements and pretty much every program here on campus.  I think that if this is the only reason the program is being reviewed (funding issues) our University has the potential to get the money needed to fund any program that is being reviewed to be cut.

 

At the 2007 Blugold Breakfast Speech in the Chancellor's State-of-the-University Address, Chancellor Levin-Stankevich said, "Our calling---for all of us at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire---is to serve the public good.  That is the account to which I want to be held."  I think this is a very powerful statement that can be applied to the question of the music therapy program being kept or cut from the university.  The music therapy program does serve the public good as well as improves the public good by putting out individuals into our communities who are trained in music therapy that go out and help others.

 

As someone who has had both a positive impact from the class I attended, along with my very personal exposure to the program through my friend and roommate, I have learned a lot about the Music Therapy major and really think it is a program that needs to be kept at this University.  What the music therapy program needs is more awareness and funding, not to be cut from a University that has again been named one of the best Universities in the Midwest by the US News World Report and the Princeton Review.  I think it would be a detriment and a step back for our university to cut this program.

 

Sincerely yours,

 

Meghan Keyes

keyesme@uwec.edu

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To Whom It May Concern:

I am the father of a freshman who is very driven to join UWEC's music therapy program. Hearing of the program's possible demise has been devastating to her and shocking to me. To stop supporting a unique and successful program that takes the wonders of the fine arts and molds it into an applied science that can reach those most in need flies in the face of what I've come to learn UW-EC is all about: research, teaching and community service. There has to be a way to correct this course of action.

I am privileged to have served on the Muskego-Norway K-12 school board for the past seven years, so I appreciate the difficulties of public financing as K-12 has been particularly hard hit over the past decade, forcing us to make difficult decisions. However, in my time on our board, despite funding hurdles, we have managed to nurture and grow our fine arts program. In fact, we've built a new performing arts center, hired additional faculty and have seen the program more than double in size over the past seven years. Indeed, our music program shows signs of becoming a magnet, increasing our enrollment and easing our budgetary limitations.

Why do this in the midst of continued budget tightening? Because the arts provide a special, integrated way to develop a student's language, abstract thought, social and even emotional skills. Music is a uniquely human and humanizing endeavor. It is little wonder, then, that music therapy has found success in reaching those people most in need of help living with special needs.

As a parent, as a fellow taxpayer and as someone with a vested interest in continuing the proud educational traditions of Wisconsin, I would encourage you to keep this small but critical program alive and thriving. Investing in our Music Therapy program is an investment not only in our students' future, but in the future of those who would receive much needed assistance from them. It should continue to be a beacon to the rest of Wisconsin and the region for the distinctive programs Eau Claire has to offer our students and our society.

I know budgetary constraints are challenging. I also know, from personal experience, that there is always a way, even in difficult fiscal times, to invest in those things that really matter. This program matters enough to save.

Most sincerely,

Mark Waltz
UWEC parent, Wisconsin K-12 School Board member

W195 S8630 Plum Creek Blvd.
Muskego, WI 53150
(262) 679-9166

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Good Afternoon:

It has come to my attention that the Music Therapy program at UWEC is in jeopardy. My family and I feel the lose of this program to the School, Community and the Students would be great. The Music Therapy is a gift to societies most needy. Universities tell their students to make a difference in the world. The Music Therapy Department does just that! The difference is that the Music Therapy Students are making contributions to society as they learn. How many students in UWEC daily make trips to the Local Nursing Homes, Jails, Daycares, Schools and Hospitals? I believe you will find that not only are the students learning they are contributing to the local community. When they leave UWEC with their degrees and become board certified Music Therapist, the giving then percolates into the societies they go off to. I cannot think of too many other degrees that touch the lives of needy people before they leave your university.

I have seen first hand the needs that this major fulfills. The technique of using music to reach some of these patients is a wonder to behold. Sometimes it is the only bridge that reaches them and helps not only the patient, but the families that these wonderful budding therapist interact with. I also see the fulfillment and drive that these students obtain using there talents and techniques.

Please think twice before withholding the funds that drives this program. This program is a wonderful asset to the local Eau Claire area. It also is a great testament to Professor Lee Anna Rasar efforts in molding these students into "Givers of Hope" to many in society that are ignored, shunned or abandoned.

Please feel free to call my number below if you wish to discuss anything I have said above.

Sincerely:

Gary J. Mueller
Team Facilitator
Charter Steel Melting Div.
1658 Coldsprings Rd.
Saukville WI, 53080
262-268-2443
www.muellerg@chartersteel.com

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Dear Wanda Schulner,

The advocacy for promoting good health of body, soul and mind embodies the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Music Therapy Program. The amount of time and effort exhibited by the volunteer hours of Music Therapy students, in the surrounding Eau Claire community, is not just time and effort. The people (consumers) who receive the music therapy also benefit. I’ve only been here a year and the following places are where I have had practica and I know this is only scratching the surfaces of places served by the Music Therapy Program: nursing home, juvenile detention center, a choir for those with developmental disabilities and private home.

Music therapy is a science and an art and it is more than making music for the recipient to enjoy. There is research that supports it in neurological, emotional and physiological measures. It makes sense to me to keep the Music Therapy Program at UW-Eau Claire. The void in the community that it would make, by its absence, would be big enough for the Eau Claire consumers (community) to scramble to come up with anything even remotely close in caliber and fashion. In fact, I’m not sure anything with its stature can replace it.

Thank you for your time and energy in reading this.

Dianne Chlupsa

UWEC Student of Music Therapy(715) 855-4273
chlupsdl@uwec.edu

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Dear Chancellor Tallent,

I am sure you've been flooded with letters of concern from students, parents, alumni, and so many others that have been deeply affected by UWEC's Music Therapy program.

I personally have not been so affected, but I've followed the program ever since a wonderful past employee, who had finished raising her children, decided to return to college to complete her degree, choosing Music Therapy. The dedication to her education and the passion that she will bring to her employment is uncommon, except it does seem common when it comes to Music Therapy graduates.

As the decision to keep the program is based upon the school's priority of resources, and the quality of the program is not at issue, let me address what I assume is part of the school's strategic planning; long term growth. Department of Labor studies show faster that average job growth in Special Education. The percentage of children with special needs in our schools continues to increase. Our aging population presents many opportunities for Music Therapists. Sadly, so many of our veterans are returning home with special needs. Every trend in health care points to alternatives to drug prescriptions and costly hospitalization. All of which points to a demand for a relevant, affordable, baccalaureate Music Therapy program. UWEC needs to get ahead of the curve on this issue.

How will cutting a nationally recognized program impact UWEC's reputation when it comes to recruiting academic staff? What message does UWEC send to prospective academic staff when it demonstrates it is willing to pull the plug on one of its most highly regarded programs.

Does cutting the Music Therapy program really boil down to seats and butts? Really?

Actually, maybe you aren't closing the program after all. Maybe you are simply letting it go to become a free agent to be picked up by another school. Perhaps Winona State University, or the University of Minnesota- Duluth picks it up. The demand is there. I can't believe for a moment that a person of Prof. Rasar's passion and talent will be satisfied with some other tenured (closeted) position within the school. Does moving the program to Minnesota serve UWEC and the good citizens of Wisconsin?

You would be hard pressed to find another group of alumni that are as passionate about what they do than those from the UWEC Music Therapy program. Each one is an ambassador, not just for the program, but for the school as well.

The Music Therapy program has matured to a point that instead of being cut, it should be considered for expansion. If UWEC eliminates this program I predict that by the time the last student graduates you'll have already come to the conclusion you made a mistake in your recommendation.

I recommend listening to music to assist you in considering your options.

Best Wishes,

Kent D. Laugen
Executive Director
River Heights Charter School
West St. Paul, MN

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