If the Australian National University's appeal for the community to underwrite the $800,000 annual cost of an advanced performance program at its beleaguered School of Music is to succeed it must rebuild the trust lost in the wake of savage budget cuts in 2012.
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That will involve stumping up the resources, and attracting the internationally recognised staff, to give the much-loved Canberra institution a respectable profile at the national and international level.
This is not going to be an easy, or swift, journey given, according to the review headed by former public service commissioner Andrew Podger, the school is in a parlous state.
Morale is low, there is a legacy of distrust at all levels, the remaining staff are emotionally stressed and students are thin on the ground.
While ANU Vice Chancellor Brian Schmidt, who took office after the 2012 slash-and-burn exercise, has committed $2.5 million a year for the next five years, it remains to be seen what effect this will have.
The commitment, while welcome, is belated recognition any music school worth having is going to cost significant money to run. It also recognises that, given the ANU's desire to be seen as one of the world's leading institutions of higher learning, it can't settle for a second-rate program in any faculty.
The fact the crisis, which saw staff levels fall from 24 to nine and student enrolments from 76 to about 30 between 2012 and 2015, has taken so long to be addressed is itself an ongoing cause for concern.
This point did not escape Professor Podger, who called on Professor Schmidt to publicly acknowledge the ANU had failed to manage the challenges of recent years and allowed distrust and emotional stress to fester.
One positive to emerge on Tuesday was ACT Chief Minister, Andrew Barr's, pledge to support the school with $1 million in grant funding over the next four years if his government is re-elected. That said, Canberra voters need to be sure the spend will deliver direct and measurable benefits to the Territory.
The appointment of a new head of school to replace Professor Peter Tregear, who departed after reportedly falling out with the ANU hierarchy more than a year ago, is vital to any redevelopment program.
Professor Podger indicated in February he was hopeful a new head would be appointed before his report was handed down and that he looked forward to "working closely" with that individual.
That did not come to pass. The job was offered to an American academic, who turned it down.
While the pressure to fill the vacancy as soon as possible remains intense, the ANU risks short-changing the school and the community if it just revisits the former field of applicants.
This is not a time to settle for second best.
