Diane Roscetti
Professor, School of Music: California State University,
Northridge
Posted 9.1.2007
Why did you develop this Entrepreneurship course
and how long did it take you to navigate the design,
development and authorization process?
I proposed the development of this area while interviewing
here in the spring of 2004. This kind of course fits CSUN’s
community service-learning centered philosophies, and the
infrastructure needed to support the course was already in
place. I began navigating the design of the course in
August of 2006 and submitted it soon after that as an
Experimental Topics Course Proposal. Final approval came in
March of 2007, after receiving music department faculty
support, college support, university educational policies
committee support, and university graduate studies support.
The course is being offered for the first time this
semester and it filled to capacity prior to classes
starting, and currently has a wait list.
The course is currently a 3 credit elective offering, and
my colleagues and I intend to use outcomes assessment to
determine the future direction of the course and the
placement of it in our degree programs. We also hope the
course will encourage innovative synergies, collaborative
activities and interdisciplinary opportunities with other
departments in the future. I have invited 15 guest speakers
to take part in this first semester.
How is your class designed? Did you examine models
of other Arts Entrepreneurship classes as a part of the
decision making process?
I became interested in Arts Entrepreneurship over an 11
year administrative tenure, and over that time collected
every article I could find on the topic. I also instigated
and became involved in numerous programmatic efforts in
this area over the years. I subsequently had some clear
ideas about how I wanted to organize this class, based on
course objectives I felt would serve the students well
while providing a rich cultural resource for our
surrounding communities and public schools. However, I had
never taught an actual course on this subject before and
realized I needed to look at other models and get input
from those already successful in such an endeavor. At that
point, Jamal Rossi at Eastman connected me to Ray Ricker,
who provided me with numerous syllabi models, project
ideas, and a wealth of valuable input. Kevin Woelfel at CU
also provided me with sample course and syllabi ideas, as
did Angela Beeching at NEC, who not only gave me syllabi
samples but many other teaching ideas and measurable
outcomes ideas. John Richmond at UNL also had some
wonderful ideas he shared with me. Tayloe Harding at USC
was magnificent with his generosity. He not only shared
ideas from his own experiences, but also helped me with the
parts of my proposal that required measuring student
learning outcomes and methods of assessing those outcomes.
Most importantly, Tayloe connected me to Gary Beckman, who
spent countless hours with me discussing all of these
issues. All of these people continue to this day, a year
after starting on this adventure, to graciously assist me,
answer my questions and give focus to my efforts.
Were there other departments you collaborated with
during this process and what was their reaction to the
class?
I collaborated with the chairs of the marketing and
business departments, both of whom were extremely
supportive of the music department’s efforts to initiate
this course into our curriculum for our majors. They
encouraged us to “own” the course and did not balk at all
at the use of the word “entrepreneurship” in the course
title. They did request, however, that the course reflect
less than 50% business content, so that their national
accreditor would not feel the music department was offering
a “closet” non-accredited business course. To that end,
they asked me to consider limiting the use of words like
“business plan” (changed to “community project plan”);
“cash flow”, “management” and “accounting”. I have invited
both of these chairs to be guest speaker for the course.
Consensus building within the faculty and
administration is an important part of the development and
authorization process. How did you build consensus for your
course?
The only thing I really had to do was answer questions that
arose at different levels about what the subject would
actually entail, and about whether it would duplicate
course work in our Music Industry Studies major. This
entrepreneurship course is for all our degree options,
though, and I found that remaining positive in response to
the curiosity and some initial misunderstanding just
provided a great opportunity to discuss the important
issues.
How did your colleagues in the music department
react to your efforts?
My colleagues unanimously supported my efforts,from voting
for my proposal to contributing wonderful ideas and
assisting in getting the word out to the students during
pre-registration. Many of them hung up posters outside
their offices and encouraged their students to enroll in
the course.
What are your desired student outcomes for the
class?
I want the students to learn how to integrate the spirit of
caring, being relevant and being an indispensable resource
into the mechanics of the capitalist system. I want them to
learn how to provide meaningful and powerful leadership to
the communities they will inhabit, by learning that
leadership is a serving, entrepreneurial relationship with
others that inspires growth and excellence. The students
who make themselves a valuable resource can expect others
to want to be a part of their work.
This is the larger context within which they will learn to
conceive of a community project plan, do grant proposals,
construct effective resumes and bios, research career
information, create value through creative ventures,
examine policy implications of audience and artistic
trends, network through collaborative opportunities, etc.
Do you have specific texts for the class and what
drew you to these texts? In your opinion, what do they have
to offer students?
I am using Angela Beeching’s “Beyond Talent” as my required
text. I was aware of the book as an alumna of New England
Conservatory, and used it for a class I taught here in
spring of 2006 that was for string majors only, but was
outreach/community oriented. The students raved about that
book beyond anything I anticipated, and so there was no
question in my mind that I would use this same book for the
text for this new class. It is organized very well and
gives many practical examples, and many students told me
the book opened up a new world to them. I also was able to
get an institutional subscription for our music department
here to the on-line “Bridge – Worldwide Music Connection”
that originates from NEC as well, and I am requiring the
students to use it. It includes many opportunities in many
different areas of activity and is perfect for my course.
How are non-profit topics treated?
I will have a lawyer and an accountant come in as guest
speakers regarding the specifics of this topic and related
topics; however, I will be concentrating on the culture of
both foundation and private philanthropy as well, giving
students a view of the larger picture. I hope to adequately
show students how to research what possible funders care
about and support. Showing them what to look for and
consider long before their pen meets the paper is a vital
part of the mindset I am trying to open up for them as they
emerge from the practice room and the vacuum of some of
their experiences.
How have students reacted to this process?
I have found the student initiative here to be very high,
and they take responsibility for their own opportunities
and learning. I am the faculty advisor for a student
organization which started out from my efforts to have
student representatives work with faculty and
administration, but they took it further and started a CSUN
student organization that helps to raise money for
department events, etc. (Northridge Musicians Association).
This group of students were receptive to the idea of music
entrepreneurship early on, and spread the word. It must
have worked, because the class filled to capacity, I have
over-enrolled it by 6 students and there is still a wait
list.
What advice or suggestions could you offer others
who are contemplating such efforts?
I would advise anyone embarking on this journey to remember
in their own mind why it is important to innovate new
efforts, and to remain patient when questions arise, when
the process runs you all over campus, and when the
misconceptions pop up about what any form of arts
entrepreneurship really is. The process is a positive
opportunity, however, and it helps to remember that, even
when it feels like walking through quicksand. Remind others
how these efforts will provide a valuable resource for
students in a time of great change in all sectors of our
society.
Also take advantage of any opportunity extended to you to
incorporate arts entrepreneurship ideas off campus as well.
I had the good fortune to offer two sessions at the Beverly
Hills International Music Festival last month entitled
“Empowered Entrepreneurship: How to Innovate, Create and
Sustain A Career in Music.” I offered myself as a future
mentor and resource to the students who attended, and that
snowballed into activities which have helped promote the
fabric of what we are all trying to do through the AEEN
effort, thanks to Gary Beckman. Lastly, always take
advantage of that networking system to avoid feeling
isolated in your efforts!
You can respond to Diane Roscetti.
