Music Therapy and the Strategic Plan of the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire
GOAL 1: SUSTAIN AND ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF OUR TEACHING, LEARNING AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVE 1.2: Promote and support faculty and staff growth in teaching and learning excellence in undergraduate and graduate programs.
Diversity Mentor - 2006
Wisconsin Teaching Scholar – 2001
Wisconsin Teaching Fellow – 1995
Rasar has participated in interdisciplinary grants, course development, and international, national, regional, state and local presentations with faculty from Communication Disorders, English, Foreign Language, Theatre, Dance, Music Education, Music, and Nursing.
Music Therapy has had 3 Blugold Fellows, 1 McNair Fellow, and 1 Diversity Mentor.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVE 1.3: Strengthen and foster excellence in faculty and staff research, scholarship, and creative activity.
Rasar has received over 50 grants and made over 160 presentations in international, national, regional, state and local settings.
Fellow in the Robert F. Unkefer Academy – Neurologic Music Therapy – Colorado State University – 2006
Right Start/Right Step Addictions Training - 2003
Level IV – Prison Fellowship Training completed in 2002
Wisconsin Teaching Scholar – 2001
Wisconsin Teaching Fellow – 1995 - 1996
Rasar was awarded the 2002 Professional Practice Award from the American Music Therapy Association for combining teaching, research, and community service through a series of grants in which she worked with her students and developed a curriculum that serves as a national model for excellence.
Music Therapy: The students have participated with Rasar in a series of over 50 grants to conduct national research to assess the content of the music therapy curriculum on a national level and to integrate the American Music Therapy Association Professional Competencies into the curriculum at UW - Eau Claire. Students worked with Rasar on a Scholar project through the UW - System to conduct a major curricular revision and create a 10-year plan of course development based on the research findings. Each new course was created through a series of grants to establish the content through research, to pilot test the course, and then to assess the pilot run of the course. A developmental sequence for the courses was created with feedback from employers, clinical supervisors of students, and performance of students on the national competencies.
http://www.uwec.edu/rasarla/students/studentgrants.htm
http://www.uwec.edu/rasarla/students/studentpresentations07.htm
STRATEGIC INITIATIVE 1.4: Recruit highly qualified students, further diversify the student body and increase retention and graduation rates.
Music Therapy has had 1 McNair Fellow, 3 Blugold Fellows, 1 Diversity Mentor, 3 students who won Outstanding Senior Awards, and 5 students who won Leadership Awards in the last 8 years.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVE 1.5: Engage students in experiential learning and enrichment activities.
Students have 15 clinical experiences prior to the internship, beginning with one observation experience and one experiential clinical course during the first semester of coursework. The music therapy volunteer program is strong and provides opportunities for students to gain experience in either depth or breadth to match each student’s Personal Professional Growth Plan.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVE 1.7: Support and enhance priority programs, develop and promote new academic program options and optimize curricular and program offerings consistent with University mission and goals.
The music therapy program certainly showcases the University mission and goals as it integrates the art of music with the science of therapeutic application within a liberal education framework through courses that serve both majors and non-majors. Experiential learning activities are shared with community members through both academic and clinical course work involving faculty-student interaction .The integration of teaching and learning, scholarly activity and public service is the model that has been developed through the curricular grants for course delivery.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVE 1.8: Implement assessment of student academic achievement as related to the goals of the baccalaureate degree.
When the students participated in the curricular assessment grants they assessed the goals of the baccalaureate for each course and made decisions about which courses would best target specific goals. In addition they integrated the AMTA Professional Competencies into each course and designed a 10-year curricular plan to develop and revise courses to best prepare students for their careers in music therapy.
Each student develops a Personal Professional Growth Plan that is based on the AMTA Professional Competencies as well as personal areas of interest and strength and areas of weakness that need to be strengthened. Beginning in the fifth semester students meet 1:1 with the music therapy professor each week for clinical supervision of their work as student music therapists as well as to present their current professional growth work for encourage faculty-student interaction and promote excellence in teaching and learning, scholarly activity, and public service each week of the semester. The Personal Professional Growth Plans include a separate plan for each semester and for each break period prior to the internship to insure that each student has met the competencies needed to be ready for the internship. Students develop their own criteria to measure their progress on the competencies. Intentionality is a hallmark of these growth plans.
GOAL 2: EXPAND AND ENHANCE OUR REGIONAL SERVICES, IMPACT AND CONNECTIONS.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVE 2.1: Develop a stronger regional presence by expanding our reach, influence, collaborations and connections with agencies, organizations and city governments.
Music therapy students and faculty service over 1000 people weekly in the Chippewa Valley. Rasar won the 2003 Service Award for the Great Lakes Regional Conference of the American Music Therapy Association. A 2005 Citizen Scholar grant for Rasar involved development of more service learning opportunities at Sacred Heart Hospital.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVE 2.2: Increase the role of UW-Eau Claire as a primary educational, research, development, continuing education and cultural center for the Chippewa Valley.
Facilities, agencies, and people in the community have been served through our series of grants as well as through the model of teaching which was developed for academic courses to include clinical and research components. Again, over 1000 people in the Chippewa Valley are served each week by our music therapy faculty and staff. Music faculty and students join music therapy faculty and students in clinical venues to present concerts. Theatre plays have been brought into the clinical setting through cooperative ventures with music therapy.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVE 2.3: Provide educational opportunities for non-traditional undergraduate and graduate students.
Music Therapy welcomes non-traditional students who return for a second career in music therapy or to complete their college degree through an equivalency program which results in eligibility to take the Music Therapy Board Certification Exam.
GOAL 3: BROADEN AND INCREASE OUR RESOURCE BASE.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVE 3.1: Raise the profile and enhance the image of the university.
Please refer to the support letters which have been received that detail the impact our music therapy program at UW-Eau Claire has had on the lives of many people and certainly describes enhancement of the university’s image.
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