Area Coordinator Guidelines

Teaching Assignments
Mid July – First day for Fall 2026 Adjunct assignments can be entered in Workday
Mid July – New adjunct documents received and I-9 completed 
Mid August – Fall 2025 Adjunct assignments due for first Pay Period
Mid December – First day for Spring 2027 Adjunct assignments in Workday
Before Holiday Break – New Adjunct documents received and I-9 completed
First week of January – Spring 2027 Adjunct assignments due for first Pay Period 

Scheduling and Registration
August 1, 2026 – Recital Booking opens for Fall 2026 Semester 
August 25, 2026 – Freshman/Transfer Orientation
August 25-27, 2026 – Student Auditions for Large Ensembles and Area Placement Auditions
September 9, 2026 – Final day for Fall 2026 Registration /End of add/drop period 
Mid-October – Schedule Fall Juries 
Mid-October – Studio and Ensemble Rosters due for Spring 
October/November – Registration for Spring semester opens: dates TBA
November 15, 2026 – Recital booking in Leshowitz closes for Fall 2025 
December 1, 2026 – Recital Booking opens for Spring 2026 Semester 
December/January – Academic scheduling for Fall/Winter 2027 begins 
Late January – Final day for Spring 2027 Registration /End of add/drop period: date TBA
Late February – Scheduling for Spring Juries 
Late March– Registration for the following Fall semester begins 
April 15, 2027 – Recital booking in Leshowitz closes for Spring 2027 
June/July – Academic scheduling for Spring/Summer 2028 begins 

Auditions
Please add these dates to your calendar today. It is mandatory that all Area Coordinators are present and fully available in person for these audition dates. Please see the Auditions Timeline section for a detailed schedule of audition deadlines.

November 6th, 2026 (Friday)
Virtual Only - Zoom Interviews Only
2:00pm-5:00pm
Preferred date for SP26 start - all applicants welcome
Registration Deadline - Oct 23rd, 2026 (for students)

February 6th, 2027 (Saturday)
Live & Virtual
10:00am-6:00pm
All applicants
Registration Deadline - Jan 17th, 2027 (for students)

February 13th, 2027 (Saturday)
Live & Virtual
10:00am-6:00pm
All applicants
Registration Deadline - Jan 24th, 2027 (for students)

April 3rd, 2027 (Saturday)
Live & Virtual
10:00am-6:00pm
All applicants
Registration Deadline - Mar 14th, 2027 (for students)

Find information about 2026-27 audition dates at:

Audition Information

Auditions Timeline
August 1, 2026 - official applications for the FA27/SP27 AY go live. No new updates or changes to the application and/or audition information after this date.

**Please see the previously listed audition dates for student registration deadlines, audition types, and duration of each audition event. Coordinators are required to attend all audition dates, or designate a substitute faculty member/ current Cali adjunct to make admission decisions on their behalf. Faculty/adjunct personal schedules will not be taken into account for audition scheduling.

General Audition Information Timeline for Faculty
3 weeks prior to each date - audition registration closes for applicants. Full event roster shared with all coordinators. 

2 weeks prior to each date - final draft audition/interview schedule sent to all coordinators

1 week prior to each date - applicants receive their assigned audition time

Coordinators are expected to share all schedules & audition related information to other faculty/adjuncts within their assigned coordinated area.

Budget 

February School Meeting - Area Coordinator Budget Worksheets created and shared (Associate Director)
February - Meetings to review (Associate Director)
End of February/Early March  - Draft Area Coordinator Budgets Due (Associate Director)
Ongoing - Review budget vs actuals for Area (Associate Director, Finance Secretary)

All of the Cali School's courses and events are hosted on Google Calendar. You can access the system by heading to calendar.google.com and logging in with your MSU credentials when prompted. For further information about how to use the Cali School's Google Calendar, please read through the Cali Google Calendar Guide Please note that some of the images in the Guide may be slightly different than what you see due to recent Google Calendar software updates.

If you have any questions or concerns about the Google Calendar system, please reach out to the Scheduling Administrator Taylor Goodson (goodsont@montclair.edu).

Cali School Full Course Offerings Spreadsheet
All of the Cali School course offerings are listed on the Cali School Full Course Offerings spreadsheet. This spreadsheet is critical in the scheduling process as the information on this page is what is communicated to the Registrar for course publishing. It is the duty of the Coordinator to ensure that their area's courses are accurately listed on this spreadsheet. Reminder emails and due dates will be sent to Coordinators during the relevant semester scheduling phases, so please be sure to keep an eye on your inbox (the Administrative Calendar on the Area Coordinator Information page provides a general outline of when these scheduling emails should be expected).

If changes are needed for your area's courses, please send them to the Scheduling Administrator Taylor Goodson (goodsont@montclair.edu). 

The area coordinator is responsible for monitoring the enrollment of their program, ensuring sufficient class sections are available for those in need. Coordination with the staff is crucial to establish additional sections when feasible, considering space constraints, or to remove sections when necessary.]

Faculty and area coordinators can use this information to plan recitals, studio events, masterclasses, and student organization activities at the John J. Cali School of Music. It covers key policies, performance spaces, scheduling procedures, approval timelines, space limitations, and planning responsibilities. Reviewing these details early can help improve coordination, prevent scheduling conflicts, and keep performances and academic events moving forward smoothly and in keeping with school policies.

Faculty Recital and Masterclass Scheduling

Recital Program Guidelines – Student Recitals
All recital programs must be created using ProBuilder, the Cali School’s official online program tool.

QR Code Deadline:
Programs must be completed and submitted at least 7 days before your recital so they can be linked to the QR code posted at your venue (Leshowitz Hall, 201, G55, or Westminster 110).

Printed Programs:
Printed copies will not be provided. If you want printed programs for your audience, you must print and bring them yourself.

Please also inform your recital worker that programs (if printed) should be handed out at the door.

IMPORTANT:
Once your program has been submitted in ProBuilder, do not create a duplicate.
If you need to make changes, email Heather Kern at kernh@montclair.edu to request that your original program be reopened.

How to Build Your Program:

• Log in at ProBuilder using your full Montclair email and password: chromatic
• Draft your program and send to your studio professor for approval
• Once approved, click “Send to Print” (this will connect it to the QR code — no actual printing will occur)

Guidelines:

• Students: No bios, dedications, or acknowledgments
• Vocalists: May include translations and program notes
• Instrumentalists: Include repertoire, soloist, and accompanist info

Need Help? Contact Heather Kern at kernh@montclair.edu 

Large Ensemble, Studio Recital, Cali Midweek, Residency Program Creation
Faculty Large Ensemble Programs: (Wind Symphony, Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Band, University Singers/Chorale performances in Kasser, Jazz Ensemble) Please deliver all copy, including rosters, via email to Heather Kern at kernh@montclair.edu two full weeks prior to the event. Please expect to approve a draft one week before the event. 

Kaleidoscope and Crawford Concert Programs: Please deliver all copy, including rosters, via email to Heather Kern at kernh@montclair.edu three full weeks prior to the event. Please expect to approve a draft two weeks before the event.

All Studio Recitals, Cali Midweek Recitals, Masterclasses, and Cali Immersive Residency events must be entered in our online program software, ProBuilder, by the event coordinator.

Important: In line with the University's sustainability goals, we no longer print physical programs. Instead, attendees will access programs via QR codes at the event.

To ensure your program is available via QR code, it must be finalized in ProBuilder at least one week before your recital.

Need help? Visit the Cali School ProBuilder instructions Or email Heather Kern at kernh@montclair.edu [/drawer]

To support effective and thorough promotion, please submit event information through the Cali Event Marketing Form at least one month before your event whenever possible. Earlier submissions are especially helpful for larger events that may require additional marketing support.

Event Marketing Form

Events may be promoted through a combination of Cali and University channels, including the University Calendar, Cali website, digital flat screen slides in the Cali building lobby, the monthly Cali newsletter, social media, and selected community calendar listings such as TAPinto, NorthJersey.com, Patch, Baristanet, and Montclair Girl.

Printed flyers will not be created for every individual event. Instead, digital marketing pieces may be developed to highlight all events taking place within each area. These materials may be shared with area coordinators for use through email and associated social media accounts. Larger or high-profile events may receive additional printed or digital promotional support when appropriate.

Cali events may also be promoted on the Cali School of Music Facebook page and Instagram Stories.

Immersive Visits (a.k.a Shadow Days)

An Immersive Visit (a.k.a. Shadow Day) provides a prospective student the opportunity to come to the Cali School, tour the facilities, meet faculty, staff and students, experience classes, ensembles, and, depending on area, possibly have a trial lesson.  It is an integral part of the school’s recruitment efforts

To arrange an Immersive Visit please do one of the following:

Send the prospective student the Request an Immersive Visit form link. This link can also be found on the main Cali School web page and the Visit the School page.  You may want to consider putting the form link in your recruitment communication.  Once the form is completed Marla Meissner (meissnerm@montclair.edu) will contact the student and communicate/coordinate as needed with the appropriate area coordinator, faculty, staff and students to establish the visit day itinerary.  The Request an Immersive Visit form will begin accepting visit requests on September 15 for the upcoming academic year.

• Provide Marla Meissner (meissnerm@montclair.edu) with the prospective student’s email or do an email introduction.
• The Area Coordinator or faculty member communicates directly with the prospective student and communicates/coordinates as needed with Cali faculty, staff and students to establish the visit day itinerary.