By Kelly Morgan (Whetstone Staff Writer)

Wesley students will now have the chance to major in music.

Faculty approved the new major on Feb. 28.

“We’re hoping to start accepting freshman in fall 2012,” said Dr. David Laganella. “It’s going through the process of being approved as we speak. It has to be approved by the faculty, the cabinet and President Johnston. It takes a while because we have to develop the upper level courses for the major.”

When Laganella, head of the music department, came to Wesley in 2006, there was nearly nothing offered about music, he said.

“There was only a choir and only two courses, music appreciation and jazz history,” he said.

Laganella believed his responsibility when he came was to develop the music department.

Since then, he has helped create five new academic courses, a drum line, the contemporary music ensemble and voice and instrument training courses.

He also revised the required courses for the music minor.

He hopes to get more students involved in the interactive music courses.

“There will be more performance opportunities for students in and out of major,” he said. “We expect more ensembles, more diverse course offerings and a marching band.”