While the recent rebrand has met with mixed reactions from the entire University community, it has especially affected the Eastman School of Music. In particular, its controversial logo redesign, which Eastman had little say in, strips the school of much of its autonomy.
But why should Eastman have “autonomy”? Many people may wonder why it exists at all. After all, the University already has its own music department. But the two serve largely separate purposes. As the University’s website says, “[M]ost of the students … taking classes in the Arthur Satz Department of Music are majoring in disciplines other than, or in addition to, music.” By contrast, Eastman was founded as a “professional school of music.” For most University students, music provides a creative outlet from the intensity of their studies. At Eastman, however, most students are looking to pursue music as a career. The Organ Department Guidelines, for instance, explicitly state that practicing one’s instrument is the most valuable thing an Eastman student can do: it is even more important than academic work.
Indeed, while Eastman has been part of the University since the conservatory’s founding, it has always been separate from the University’s main campus. After George Eastman proposed the idea of a professional music school to University President Rush Rhees, he bought out the preexisting D.K.G. Institute of Musical Art and presented it to the University. Notably, he did not offer to upgrade the existing music department. Eastman has retained its separate identity since. Unlike the University’s other schools, Eastman has a small student body of around 900 . In short, the school has a distinct culture from the rest of the University.
Despite this, University administration has been attempting to assimilate the Eastman community into that of the University as a whole, negatively impacting the student experience. While we could point to many examples, this shift in policy is perhaps best represented by our logo redesign.
In Eastman’s former logo, the words “Eastman School of Music” were in a large font size, while “University of Rochester” was in a smaller one. This makes sense, as the name “Eastman” carries recognition in the musical world, while “University of Rochester” does not. While we respect the University’s scientific achievements, we have always seen ourselves as Eastman students first. In fact, when we applied, many of us did not know that Eastman was affiliated with the University. Eastman has its own application portal, separate from that of the University of Rochester.
However, in the new logo, the largest size font is given to “University of Rochester.” The words “Eastman School of Music,” relegated to small type, come across as an afterthought. This decision strikes us as illogical. Concertgoers go to Kodak Hall to hear the Eastman Wind Ensemble — not the University of Rochester’s Wind Ensemble at Eastman.
It is possible that the University is trying to emulate other institutions that have professional music schools. For instance, the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music makes reference to the university in its name, and the name Oberlin College and Conservatory pays equal homage to both parts of the school. However, since Eastman has retained a distinct identity for over a century, this sudden change of course seems disingenuous.
Since there is no discernible reason behind this move, we are forced to conclude that University administration made this change in order to exert its authority, reminding us who ultimately is in charge of Eastman’s fate. Although this redesign may seem insignificant at first, it sends a clear message that the University is uncomfortable with our distinct identity. Indeed, the move was made without significant input from Eastman administration or students.
In recent years, University administration has been implementing the so-called “One University” initiative as part of its “Boundless Possibility” strategic plan. This initiative, which aims to unify the University community “at a foundational level,” also includes “an expectation to consider the broader University context” at all times. While these goals are not inherently negative, their implementation has been problematic. As administration attempts to “explore … solutions that benefit the broader University community,” they tend to choose ones that primarily benefit themselves and the various schools on the River Campus — at Eastman’s expense. While we recognize that Eastman only makes up about 12% of the student body, we still feel as if our voices are not being heard. The University tends to make decisions about Eastman without sufficiently considering the school’s needs, seemingly brushing aside any concerns we may raise. The most dramatic example of this occurred during this year’s Welcome Week.
Before 2024, Eastman students did not normally attend New Student Convocation on the River Campus. Indeed, Eastman has its own, which has always been attended by the University President and other administration. Likewise, they did not participate in the Candlelight Ceremony for the first-years. (Before 2023, Eastman also had its own). This year, however, University administration requested that the Eastman first-years be part of both of these Rochester Traditions. As such, they were compelled to spend over twelve straight hours on the River Campus on the second day of Welcome Week, which was exhausting. Eastman raised concerns in advance, but the University administration did not compromise.
This was unnecessary. Eastman students rarely visit the River Campus. While we sometimes take AS&E classes and go to the GAC, we are usually too busy with our own classes to spend significant time there, and we often have rehearsals or lessons on the weekends. In short, it is unreasonable to expect us to travel to the River Campus for a significant amount of time. Imagine if all of the optics majors or all of the Medical Center students were asked to spend an entire day at Eastman!
We are not opposed to a certain level of integration between the two campuses. After all, some of our students (including one of the co-authors of this essay!) are dual degree students, earning degrees from both the University of Rochester and the Eastman School of Music. But integration is starting to go too far. Eastman and the colleges at the River Campus are designed for different purposes, so they can never be truly fully “aligned.” While we may be “One University,” we are here for different purposes. Instead of trying to fit all of our schools into the same mold, University administration should do a better job respecting our distinct identities. A crucial pillar of good leadership is the willingness to listen to others and compromise. University administration needs to be “ever better” about doing so.
