Policy Statement

Having two (or more) versions of Finale installed on campus creates difficulties for faculty and students needing to share files since later Finale files are not compatible with earlier files.  It can also limit students from completing work in one lab that was started in a different lab.  To help avoid these frustrations, ITS recommends that Finale upgrades be done across the entire campus according to this procedure:

Procedures

  1. When the new major Finale version is released, User Services will email all faculty in the Composition/Theory and Jazz programs and ask for assistance in testing the new release (initial releases of Finale are often buggy).
  2. Copies of the new release will be installed in selected locations for the purposes of testing.  Participating faculty will test and provide feedback to User Services.
  3. If the testing goes well, User Services will proceed with installing the new release in all faculty offices, classrooms, and labs according to following schedule:
    • If the new release is out, tested, and approved by Aug. 15, User Services will install the new version in all locations prior to the start of fall term.
    • If the new release is out, tested, and approved between Aug. 16 - Dec. 1, User Services will install it in all locations over winter break prior to the start of winter term.
    • If the new release is out, tested, and approved between Dec. 2 - March 1, User Services will install it over spring break prior to the start of spring term.

"all locations" above equals faculty offices/laptops, Conservatory classrooms, the Con Lab, ITC Lab, Library cubicles, and residence hall labs.

ITS recognizes that some students will upgrade their own version of Finale as soon as it is released which could create problems for faculty.  If a new release is ready (installed and successfully tested) after one of the above cut off dates, User Services will:

    • contact all faculty that have Finale installed and will announce its availability
    • agree to install it for anyone that requests it with the understanding that it will not be installed in classrooms and labs until the next break.