“The first thing I thought was that the clients and the clinic downstairs (of the Music Practice Building) was going to suffer,” Kozminski said. “The clients are the most important, not me.”

The College of Music on Feb. 6 submitted a moratorium — or freeze on admissions — in response to financial concerns, said James Forger, dean of the college.

Kozminski was one of a group of about five to seven students who weren’t music therapy majors but had already started the required courses. Forger said since the moratorium was submitted, the decision was made to allow these students to audition into the program.

The decision came after a number of meetings in which students, faculty and other concerned parties voiced opinions against the moratorium, he said. Kozminski’s audition is this Friday.

Although Kozminski said this is a positive step, she still feels the future of the program is uncertain.

“The (meeting) with the provost made me a little more reassured because I’m going to fulfill my dream,” she said. “But I got the overall feeling, not that they don’t care, but the decision is already made, that they were obligated to come listen but they’re not going to do anything for us.”

Music therapy isn’t the only area in the College of Music being affected by cuts. A number of positions are slated to be terminated, including an alumni special events position and various teaching positions. The college needs to cut about 10 percent, or $800,000, from its $8 million budget, Forger said.

Groups outside the college have voiced their support for keeping the program. On Feb. 18, the Council of Graduate Students, or COGS, adopted a proposal that supported the continued existence of the program.

The council also is sponsoring a petition that — as of about 4 p.m. Tuesday — had more than 3,000 signatures, said Manish Madan, president of COGS.

“This was definitely an issue that is going to affect many grad students that are going to enroll,” Madan said.

ASMSU, MSU’s undergraduate student government, passed a bill in support of the therapy program during its meeting Tuesday night.

At Academic Council Tuesday, MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon said the entire university is dealing with a budget crunch.

“(It) gives you a glimpse what is happening across the campus, as each department and college struggles with the reduction plan,” Simon said.

The music therapy program offers free therapy services to the community, said Frederick Tims, professor and chair of the music therapy program. If the moratorium were approved, clients could continue their therapy until the program was phased out. The clients then would have the option to continue through MSU’s Community Music School at a cost.

Phyllis Shance, one of music therapy program founder Robert Unkefer’s daughters, has suggested looking for ways to raise funds to endow the program.

“I know it’s very hard times and it’s hard for everybody, but I’m just hoping that something comes forward to save the program because it’s so important.”