Stephen Zork, professor of Choral Studies and director of the Andrews University Singers and Chorale since 1991, is retiring in the spring of 2026, but budget reductions have forced the College of Arts & Sciences to opt to fill his position with a contract professor rather than a full-time position. Students are concerned that this change will be detrimental to the professionalism and high-caliber of performance that the choir is so well known for.
Student Violetta Matsiuk (sophomore, music education) decided to take the matter into her own hands by creating a petition. “I made the petition because I felt like it was a good way to actually bring awareness of what’s happening.” She acknowledged that it is now very late in the year to hire someone to replace the position, but that the petition can hopefully be a representation to the administration of how much this matters to the student body. Matsiuk argues that “[The administration doesn’t] really think that the issue is serious.” When she first created the petition, she did not expect it to gain much traction, but the opposite occurred. Current and former students flooded to the page and vowed their support, writing comments and sending videos. The petition now has over 700 signatures.
The petition was posted on Instagram stories on the page @ausingers on Feb. 2, 2026, but was taken down a few hours later. Matsiuk explained that this removal was simply due to a few errors on the petition that she wished to correct before publishing. She expressed that she is working to repost the link on the Instagram page again soon.
In the fall of 2025, CAS was asked to implement budget reductions as a part of Andrews University’s annual financial planning process. In an attempt to preserve programs, as well as the positions of current faculty, the college has had to explore alternative methods to reduce its spending, primarily focusing on open positions and retiring professors.
Matsiuk relayed that this is an important matter for students. She acknowledged that the choir will not vanish simply because of Zork’s retirement or the lack of a replacement. “It’s a matter of how professional it will be, how seriously it will be taken. Would someone be able to move here and do all of this job for almost no money?” However, the administration has a different perspective on the issue. Amy Rosenthal, dean of CAS, disputed Matsiuk’s statement by explaining that instead of following the University’s typical per-credit-hour method of determining adjuncts’ compensation, they have historically paid ensemble directors more because of the sheer amount of work it takes to lead a group of this size.
“There was never a discussion about closing the choral program. Never a discussion about removing the director position,” Rosenthal said. “It has always been, how are we going to cover this for a temporary period of time until we can figure out some other funding avenues, so that we can rehire a full-time person.”
She explained that the Department of Music is not the only department feeling the effects of these reductions. There are currently seven open positions across CAS that cannot be filled because of the tightened budget. Alternative methods of hiring are being used to help continue programs and classes while keeping costs low.
Rosenthal has been working in conjunction with the chair of the Department of Music, Max Keller, to hire an adjunct professor to take over Zork’s role. However, students are concerned because they have not yet seen any job posting listed for this adjunct position; Rosenthal explained that this is not a reason to be concerned. The University’s current employee management system does not allow for adjunct positions to be posted, so instead, they have created a Google Form, which is linked on the Human Resources website, where potential adjunct faculty can apply. The music department also plays a large role in this process by searching and selecting professionals whom they think could fit the position well, and encouraging them to apply.
Andrews University has a history of using adjunct faculty to teach, especially in the music department. Current Wind Symphony Director Denisse Santos is an adjunct professor. An adjunct professor directed the orchestra for several years before Marc Élysée was hired. Additionally, there are many contract professors who teach classes and private lessons in the department. Rosenthal stated, “[Students likely] have experience with adjuncts that they may not know are adjuncts because they are that dedicated to our students and to the classes. I would expect nothing less if we do need to go with an adjunct for the choir for next year.” She is confident that the department will select someone who is “invested in our students, invested in our campus…to really continue to offer that program to our students at the highest level possible.”
In an interview with Zork, he did acknowledge that, though his position as full-time director of the choir and professor of Choral Studies will not be replaced for the coming school year, the choirs will not cease to exist. However, he explains that “This isn’t about cutting choirs. Choirs will continue. What’s being cut is the program.” Not only does Zork direct the choir, but he also uses his platform to train conductors, teach pedagogy, demonstrate rehearsal techniques, and work with vocalists of all ages and skill levels. “You can hire someone to conduct, but that doesn’t replace the mentorship, pedagogy, and graduate-level training that a full program provides,” he says.
University Singers and Chorale, both classes which can be taken for credit, are a key interdisciplinary program at Andrews University, attracting students from many different majors and the community. “Music education impacts far beyond the number of majors. It intersects with mission, church life, and the wider community in ways that aren’t captured by enrollment numbers alone,” states Zork. He believes that if the Administration fails to take this matter seriously, the program risks losing students, both current and future, as well as decreasing the quality of their performances.
Zork summed up his perspective by saying, “this has never been about my retirement. It’s about whether the university is willing to maintain the program itself.” Rosenthal, pushing back, reaffirmed that the program is not being cut. She stated, “Students can be absolutely certain that the quality will be high, that the professionalism will be high… But it will be different, and that’s OK.” The Department of Music and the CAS are collaborating to create a solution that maintains the legacy that Zork has left on the university.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.