At the Bulls home opener next fall against Syracuse University, the Student Association plans to spend $30,000 to bring an as-of-yet unnamed band to UB to play an 18 to 20 minute halftime show. Given the likely tuition hike in our very near future and the cuts to federal aid program, The Spectrum could wish that SA were putting its money into a more productive venue. SA's leaders must realize that their goal as elected officials is to represent the students and advocate issues on their behalf, not simply to entertain them.
While the support of UB athletics and interest in boosting school spirit at UB is noble, SA would be better off putting its money in areas that will benefit the UB community as a whole. For some reason, SA feels that students will be happier with a few big events each semester than with a wide dispersal of funds throughout clubs and weekly events. Clubs run many of the events that are successful around campus and increased funding would allow for more publicity and involvement.
If the main goal is to get students interested in campus events and combat student apathy, a better job has been done by organizations like the Black Student Union, which regularly holds large events such as its annual fashion show, which draws many students and promotes a more community-oriented atmosphere on campus. If SA were to use the money it spends on entertainment toward increasing funding for clubs, a larger number of students would be drawn into joining SA (whether through the clubs or through running for office) and student involvement on campus would therefore increase.
It is doubtful that an extra $30,000 can bring a band "up to the caliber of Smash Mouth" to UB when SA has shown that with 10 times as much money, they can only manage to bring (for the most part) has-beens to the Fests. With music, it is very hard to please everyone, but when the money is split up amongst clubs, the benefits are more widespread.
UB athletics, co-sponsor of the halftime show, should focus less on drawing students to the opening day and more on engaging interest in UB football throughout the year. The first game of the season will always be attended, and since it is going to be against Syracuse, students and fans of the sport will turn out in full force. Students enjoy attending football games to see competitive football, and it has been made painfully clear that when a team does not perform well, people are not interested in attending the games. If it's a concert students are interested in seeing, there are more than enough around Buffalo - and those shows will last more than 20 minutes.
If SA is truly concerned with helping students, there are many services that should be continued or improved upon in addition to the funding of clubs. Services such as putting teacher evaluations online and SA Online Book Exchange, along with acts such as the donation to the Random Acts of Kindness Fund, are valuable resources for students and they offer long-lasting benefits.
However, this year's voter registration drive was less than stellar. In this area, the New York Public Interest Research Group and other student organizations were much more visible - and fruitful - than SA. Voter registration on campus should be ongoing, not simply a week or so before an election is taking place, and student government should play an integral role in getting students interested in taking part in the politic system.
SA is a student government, not a company that puts on events for students. The top officials were elected by the students to serve a particular function, and they cannot renounce their responsibilities. Time and time again, its members have shown they are detached from the actual needs of students and cannot properly manage funds. If they want to better serve the students and increase involvement, it means building their infrastructure and strengthening their visibility and advocacy.
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
