A move to save UC Riverside bagpipe, Scottish drumming programs hit by budget cuts

Two years ago, UC Riverside became the only college in the country to offer music majors the chance to concentrate on bagpiping or Scottish drumming.

It made sense. The university’s nickname is the Highlanders. Residence halls have Scottish names: Aberdeen-Inverness, Lothian and Bannockburn. And the school has its own tartan plaid registered in Scotland.

It appeared to be working. The bagpipe band started winning competitions. The world-class bagpiper hired to lead the program started to be recognized on campus. Alumni were excited. Students enrolled to continue studying the bagpipes.

That all changed last month. The university’s $51 million budget gap this school year led officials to lay off the bagpipe and Scottish drumming instructors.