Events candidates in beat box challenge

By Sarelle Azuelos

Most students decide to attend universities in order to increase their academic capabilities, but what they do after class is the primary concern of the Students’ Union events commissioner hopefuls.

The events forum was held Tues., Feb. 7 and consisted of Justin Barrett, Josh Sandulak, Richard Freeman, Pamela Weatherbee, Brynn Collingridge and Riley Pollom. They were questioned by current vice-president events Eric Jablonski, who will continue in his job next year as there is no one else vying for the spot.

The candidates seemed to agree that getting more students involved was what they found most important.

“Student apathy is killing me,” said Barrett, adequately summing up the mood of the forum.

“A lot of students park their cars, go to class, and then drive home,” explained Pollom. He suggested That Empty Space be kept open longer Friday nights and proposed themed events for Dinos games.

Weatherbee stressed she would increase advertising and try to find out what students would like to see. She mentioned she still knew people who hadn’t heard of Mundane Mondays–when the SU opens That Empty Space for free coffee and newspapers Monday mornings. Weatherbee said her experience as a commissioner this year would help her in doing so.

Sandulak said that instead of coming up with new and half-hearted events, he would focus on improving those already in place. Although, when each candidate was asked what new event they would create Sandulak suggested a ski and snowboard rail jam.

Though Collingridge had his heart set on a trampoline contest he agreed with Weatherbee’s position that more needed to be done to reach students, blaming student’s apathy on academic focus.

For Freeman, events are about student satisfaction, rather than the bottom line.

“It’s good to run small events, even if at a loss to bring events to people,” said Freeman. He pointed out That Empty Space started running at a loss, but isn’t currently, noting for bigger events such as Bermuda Shorts Day the SU needs to break even. Freeman also warned the audience that one of his methods for advertising events would be to dress up in a 1970s nurse uniform and walk around campus.