The
Marching Band Committee
I
know that adequate funding for the Marching Band has been a concern for at
least the past three SFAC Chairs. We
admire Gordon Henderson’s efforts to meet as many requests as possible, while
also working to retain students, raise funds, maintain excellence, and keep
equipment in passable repair. I joined
the committee in hopes that I could help develop a plan for reasonable shared
funding. To my consternation, much of
the meeting time was taken up with hostile exchanges and disagreement over the
bases of Henderson’s research, rather than on substantive planning. Because the discussion was primarily about
budgets that are outside of student control, there was really no useful place
for students on the committee. It was a
thoroughly frustrating experience because our primary participation was to
point out flaws in one argument or another.
The recommendation at our final meeting was that the administrators work
on funding reports that include the Band’s role. Perhaps after this process, when students can debate funding on
an equal footing, the participation will be less frustrating.
Tracy
Curtis, Spring 2000