Last week four music business students met with President Randy Dunn bringing light a petition to move the music business program under the direction of the College of Business, but still under the direction of David Wray, who is currently serving as director of the program which is house in the College of Humanities and Fine Arts.

Pam Wurgler, chair of the Department of Music, said the new BS in Music Business degree, which the Department of Music has designed and has received approval for at the University and state levels, is an exciting new program that features an array of specially designed music courses and a minor in Business Administration.

She said the petition asks for the program to be transferred to the College of Business.

“As of now, that is not a part of the plans of either the College of Business or the College of Humanities and Fine Arts, which includes the Department of Music,” Wurgler said. “I would welcome joint accreditation if the College of Business is interested in seeking accreditation from their accrediting body. Currently, the degree will have the accreditation of the National Association of Schools of Music.”

Dunn said the churning of faculty currently concerns music business students– they are staying a year or so and then leaving.

“It concerns me too,” Dunn said. “I understand that students will deliver a petition to move the music business program to the College of Business…but I haven’t seen the petition yet to know for sure.

Sydney Guilliams, sophomore from Granite City, Ill., said, she and the other students brought this to Dunn’s attention because they believe students and the rest of the music business majors deserve the program at its full potential.

The program, which has had three directors in four and a half years and Guillams said that concerns her.

Under Wray’s direction the music business program has grown from approximately 20 students to 50 particpants.

“We want stability, not constant turbulence,” Guilliams said. “Our opinions were never taken into account when Dr. Wray’s contract was not renewed for next year. We understand that the Dean and Chair of the music department have the ultimate authority, but if 90 percent of the music business students are in full support of the current faculty, that should be noticed.”

Boaz said moving the program to the business school would provide the students with an education that is closer to that of our biggest competitors, Belmont University and Middle Tennessee State University.

Ashley Boaz, senior from Princeton, Ky., said she brought the petition to attention of Dunn because she believes the music business students should be aware of any changes concerning the program.

“Many students, like myself, pay a lot of money to be a part of a program that we believe will help us land jobs as well as make good contacts by the time we graduate,” Boaz said.  “Personally, I have learned a lot of things about the music industry and through taking field trips to music industry events, for his classes. Murray State really needs to evaluate their commitment to their students.”

Story by, Meghann Anderson, News Editor.