JMU music students anticipating graduation with a Bachelor of Music (BM) are required to successfully complete six (6) semesters of MUS 195: Recital Attendance. This course mandates attendance at ten (10) qualifying events, typically held in the Forbes Center or Anthony-Seeger Auditorium.

This academic year (2019-2020), the student ticket prices for eligible events ranges from $5 to $25 per ticket, with most events falling around the $8 mark.

Each semester, a number of free events are offered. For the current fall 2019 semester, there are nine (9) free events listed on the official JMU website, and for the spring 2020 semester, there are ten (10) free events listed at the time of this petition's publishing. Undergraduate recitals, Masters recitals, DMA recitals, and DMA lecture-recitals, which are always free, are not eligible for MUS 195 credit. Events produced by the School of Theatre and Dance that are advertised as featuring students from both the School of Theatre and Dance and the School of Music are also not eligible unless they are deemed of value by a faculty committee.   

In a meeting with Dr. Eric Ruple, Interim Director of the School of Music, he elaborated on the student ticketing fees, explaining that a portion of the proceeds from student ticket sales is recycled back into the School of Music as part of efforts to bring guest artists and masterclasses to the School of Music. From a financial standpoint, individual instrument areas and studios would be unable to support the invitation of these artists before contributions from student ticket sales.

Dr. Ruple also addressed the issue of potential student financial difficulty, stating that it is possible for students to complete the ten-event requirement by attending exclusively free events. While this is a solution, the current semester's event listings only provide nine (9) free event opportunities, so students would be required to pay an out-of-pocket cost for at least one (1) event. In addition, the BM requires students to partake in a performance ensemble for each semester they are in the major, creating a strong possibility that students could have a conflict with one or more free events (students are prohibited from receiving event credit for events they perform in as part of an ensemble).

One possibility in reallocating the resources currently used to invite guest artists, as discussed with Dr. Ruple, is an adjustment to the MUAP Course Fee, billed to all students enrolled in applied lessons as a tuition charge. Were this fee to increase, these additional funds could be used to subsidize the cost of guest artists and negate the student ticket fees. As the MUAP Course Fee is billed as a tuition charge, it is eligible for financial aid coverage.

Another concern is the credit allocation for MUS 195. The course is a zero-credit course, yet requires students to pay an additional charge if they are unable to attend the select free offerings. The limited free offerings and ineligibility of student recitals also devalue the work and achievements of both undergraduate and graduate students who showcase their efforts at free recitals and lecture-recitals, considered a culmination of their academic and extracurricular collegiate studies.

Music students should not be subject to an additional charge to attend required events for a zero-credit course that is mandatory for completion of the Bachelor of Music.