Money cuts from the undergraduate student government are forcing ASMSU’s Programming Board to cut entertainment events this semester.
Matt Weingarden, Student Assembly vice chairperson of internal affairs, said ASMSU’s expenses have increased, which has caused less money to be allocated toward concerts, speakers and other cultural events.
“When you only have so much money to work with, someone has got to lose,” Weingarden said.
The Programming Board had about $100,000 this year to divide among several student organizations.
About six years ago, the organization had about $200,000 per year.
Increased expenses from Student Legal Services and other budget problems caused the cuts, despite a 20 percent minimum of ASMSU taxes going to the Programming Board.
“This means there’s going to be much more limited programs,” Weingarden said.
“And when you don’t have a lot of money, a lot of really good programmers don’t want to work with Programming Board.
“The Programming Board is meant to make prices lower for students.”
Tori Treadwell, Programming Board chairperson, said when student organizations find other companies to bring events to campus, it increases student ticket prices.
In the past, the Programming Board has brought entertainers such as Ludacris, Snoop Dogg, Prince and local bands to campus.
“Their mission is to make money,” Treadwell said. “Our real goal is to provide a service to students, and not to make money. We make sure we keep our prices low or free for students, and it’s always more for nonstudents.”
Treadwell said he wants an ASMSU tax increase, bringing costs from about $13 per student per semester to about $15 or $16.
“That’s what allows your student government to work, and it’s what allows Programming Board to fund events,” Treadwell said.
Treadwell also said it would be helpful if there was a university budget to fund entertainment like at other Big Ten schools.
Bill Hall, vice president of student affairs at The Ohio State University, said there is a “fairly sizable” university fund for on-campus entertainment events in addition to other entertainment funds.
Hall also said Ohio State has a contract with Coca-Cola and United Parcel Service that gives money to the university on a continuing basis.
About 60 percent of that money goes back to student organizations.
Treadwell also said with higher facility rental costs, the types of events offered in the past won’t be possible.
But Diane Baribeau, director of operations for Wharton Center, said the Auditorium and Wharton Center are usually affordable to rent.
The cost of renting the Auditorium has been increased from $515 to $540 for a six-hour block of time, while the Wharton Center was increased from $940 to $992 for a six-hour block of time.
There also is an additional $28 hourly fee after the first six hours to pay for a stage manager, custodial charges, extra stagehand fees, MSU police costs and other optional charges.
“Student or academic departments get an academic rate, in which they usually break even and we sometimes subsidize,” Baribeau said.
“Prices haven’t gone up in five years (until this year), and rates usually go up every year. Because the cost of living goes up every year, it was time to raise it.”
