Dance policy change challenges dorm finances
Andrew Warner
junior
This past weekend, the men of Keenan Hall pre-partied, boarded buses and bowled the night away to the sounds of the Bee-Gees at our Disco Bowl dance. This dance was the second annual Disco Bowl, a tradition we look to continue. Both dances were great successes, but the costs for this year were significantly higher. Ticket prices increased more than $5 per couple from last year, yet we couldn't even afford to get a gift for the dance.
The point I'm trying to make is that the $1,000 one-time subsidy is fairly useless. Vendors such as Beacon Bowl and bus companies now realize that they have no competition from in-hall dances and have subsequently raised prices. We paid $1,400 for buses alone. While the subsidy may help smaller dorms more, with Keenan's population of over 300, this "gift" amounts to about $3 a person, hardly enough to purchase a coffee mug or other small gift for the dance. I can see no reason why vendors would drop prices in the near future, leaving halls to take financial hit that comes from having an off-campus dance.
Attendance at this semester's on-campus dances has been somewhat poor, with even some cancellations. This would lead me to believe that off-campus dances are more successful, however the aid simply isn't there to defray any of the costs. Before, we could have an in-hall SYR where we could provide a good time for little cost. That option is now gone. I can see no reason why a school with as much financial stability as this cannot find more money to help residence halls deal with the costs of their own policy changes.
The administration has essentially left the halls out in the cold next year to either increase ticket prices dramatically or forgo off-campus dances altogether. While this may keep the "fun" on campus, it may leave us disappointed as we sip from our coffee cups the next morning.
All Viewpoint Stories for Tuesday, November 19, 2002
