The ASUO Executive went in front of the ASUO Senate during Wednesday night’s meeting to request more money for the electronic music concert featuring RJD2 that will be happening in the spring.
The Executive approached Senate on Jan. 29 to make the same request and the body approved $24,000 for the concert. The $24,000 covers the venue cost for the Hult Center and securing the key performer, but that amount doesn’t cover additional expenses including catering, ticket services and student participation.
The Executive and the concert representatives laid out four options that they believed would best serve funding the concert.
The first option had no cost cuts and would cost the Senate $22,056.50, the second option at $11,306.50 would be a more stripped down version of the concert, the third option would cost $7,306.50 and would be in paid in part from commercial promoters. The fourth and final option would be to have the majority of the funding be by two prominent promoters, and stripping down much of the student involvement and would cost $2,306.50.
After evaluating all the options, Senate approved the second option — giving the Executive $11,307 for the spring concert.
“In total, we’ve made $14,000 in cuts,” Calyn Kelly, the concert producer, said. “We have a lot of sponsorship from the community, and we’re willing to work with promoters, but after 5 to 10 years there would be inflation from the promoters. We want to stay with the non-commercial organizations because of their consistency.”
During Wednesday’s meeting, Senate also confirmed two seats on the Elections Board Chair. MacGregor Ehlen appointed Drew Spainhower and Rujun Cao to be on the board. Senate approved both, but they were hesitant on Spainhower’s approval because of his prior affiliation with Ehlen.
Spainhower and Ehlen admitted that they were both friends and fraternity brothers, but that their relationship wouldn’t interfere with the election.
“I’ve known MacGregor for a while, but we do disagree on a lot of things from time to time,” Spainhower said. “I’m willing to set our friendship aside so that we can run a fair election.”
Senators such as Amy Jones and Nick Hughes were still concerned about their friendship though and Jones had hoped that there would be more applicants that Ehlen could have appointed instead of one of his friends.
“In the future I’d hope that the election board would have more applicants to choose from,” Jones said. “I’m uncomfortable, not with either of you as people, but with friends on elections boards overall. I’ve seen friends be on the board together in the past, and it didn’t work out.”
Despite their reluctance, Senate approved Spainhower with a 12-3-2 vote.