[TrumpCard]

In my humble opinion, hiring a new director is not the problem.  I'm most concerned about the decision to disband the LSJUMB for 6 months.  The clear purpose of that edict is to attempt to reconstitute the band as a different institution with different people. 

The problem will be reconstituting after such a long hiatus.  It's not as simple as just having a bunch of people show up at the first game of the season.  The LSJUMB needs to rehearse over the course of the next 6 months or it won't sound very good when it reconstitutes.  Also, the current members need to recruit reinforcements every Spring or the numbers will be thin in the Fall, which makes for much less audible performances.  Whereas the football-game-attending alumni are concerned about the quality of the musical performance, and those people may think that the administration is finally doing something to help in that regard, the reality is that the administration's plan does not focus on improving the LSJUMB's musical product.  Also, the LSJUMB management needs to do a lot of planning over the next 6 months to arrange for all the events and rallies during football season.  If they aren't permitted to do their work, the band will be very limited in what it can do next Fall.  All of the problems above can create a downward spiral in which students are less attracted to the LSJUMB because the music sounds worse and because there aren't as many events or rallies, and then the lack of student interest prevents the LSJUMB from improving in those fields.  Ultimately, I am concerned that the LSJUMB will fail, and the University will have to be far more involved in the creation of a completely new entity.  And I am concerned that the administration may prefer that outcome.

[TrumpCard]

In my humble opinion, hiring a new director is not the problem.  I'm most concerned about the decision to disband the LSJUMB for 6 months.  The clear purpose of that edict is to attempt to reconstitute the band as a different institution with different people. 

The problem will be reconstituting after such a long hiatus.  It's not as simple as just having a bunch of people show up at the first game of the season.  The LSJUMB needs to rehearse over the course of the next 6 months or it won't sound very good when it reconstitutes.  Also, the current members need to recruit reinforcements every Spring or the numbers will be thin in the Fall, which makes for much less audible performances.  Whereas the football-game-attending alumni are concerned about the quality of the musical performance, and those people may think that the administration is finally doing something to help in that regard, the reality is that the administration's plan does not focus on improving the LSJUMB's musical product.  Also, the LSJUMB management needs to do a lot of planning over the next 6 months to arrange for all the events and rallies during football season.  If they aren't permitted to do their work, the band will be very limited in what it can do next Fall.  All of the problems above can create a downward spiral in which students are less attracted to the LSJUMB because the music sounds worse and because there aren't as many events or rallies, and then the lack of student interest prevents the LSJUMB from improving in those fields.  Ultimately, I am concerned that the LSJUMB will fail, and the University will have to be far more involved in the creation of a completely new entity.  And I am concerned that the administration may prefer that outcome.