Goodbye Shocker Sound?

[1972Shocker]

Who here thinks SGA will support any effort to raise student fees to subsidize a football program?

It doesn't sound very likely does it? Certainly doesn't sound like they would even be willing to subsidize the marching band.

[im4wsu]

When we had a football team, was the marching band part of the AD or the School of Music, with respect to the dollars required to support the activities of the band at football games? Did dropping football have anything to do with changing the funding for Shocker Sound?

[Stickboy46]

I voiced my opinion to Dr. Bardo on twitter. He reads his twitter and responds frequently. It is a direct line to THE decision maker at WSU. If you disagree with SGA's decision and/or would just like to voice that Shocker Sound is important to you and needs funding from some source for the future, I suggest doing the same and tweet at him and let him know. He also reads his emails if you don't Twitter.

Ask and you shall receive. Bardo is on it

https://twitter.com/President_Bardo/status/718175535541542912

[Stickboy46]

SGA contemplates cutting budget.

Everyone blames Athletic Department.

Solid logic going around today.

I think people are struggling with why the SGA was funding the band anyways. That's the biggest issue, doesn't seem like a SGA item.

[Singeril]

SGA contemplates cutting budget.

Everyone blames Athletic Department.

Solid logic going around today.

Who adds more to the game atmosphere? Shocker Sound or the Cheerleaders/Spirit Squad? One is supported by the AD---one isn't. Why shouldn't Shocker Sound be supported by the AD? According to this thread, the AD said they would pick up some of the support..now they say they won't and are contemplating replacing the band with non-students. That's a black eye for a major college basketball program.

[EB 22]

What is the funding source precedent at other schools for their pep bands? Athletics? School of Fine Arts or Music? Student government/senate/whatever-they-want-to-call-it?

Best question asked today. I was curious about the same thing. I quickly googled it and it looks like many universities like Ohio State, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, California..... Somehow it wouldn't surprise me if most universities had to fund their Bands instead of the Athletic department.

Haven't yet been able to find a full list of what schools fund their bands.

[Singeril]

For those of you who don't use Twitter, here is the latest from President Bardo:
"The Student Government Association wrestled with a difficult budget and I plan to accept its funding recommendations for student organizations. However, Shocker Sound has become an important part of the university experience for both participants and spectators at athletic events, so I plan to ask the Kansas Board of Regents to include Shocker Sound funding as a very small addition to student athletic fees."

I'm not exactly sure what is meant by "student athletic fees". And, of course none of us know what "small addition" means.

[Stickboy46]

For those of you who don't use Twitter, here is the latest from President Bardo:
"The Student Government Association wrestled with a difficult budget and I plan to accept its funding recommendations for student organizations. However, Shocker Sound has become an important part of the university experience for both participants and spectators at athletic events, so I plan to ask the Kansas Board of Regents to include Shocker Sound funding as a very small addition to student athletic fees."

I'm not exactly sure what is meant by "student athletic fees". And, of course none of us know what "small addition" means.

I'm assuming he's referring to the standard fees that are tacked onto tuition. He has to get Board of Regents approval for that. So at roughly $150k budget, would be less than a dollar per credit hour increase based on 2014 credit hour enrollment (165k credit hours enrolled)

[ShockerSoundTrumpet]

I'm not exactly sure what is meant by "student athletic fees". And, of course none of us know what "small addition" means.

I'm apart of the engineering school, and we had a "small fee" tacked onto our per credit hour(along with the school of health professions) recently to cover some of these new additions. It's nothing terrible, like $50 a credit hour, but still adds up. You get it by being apart of one of those schools. So more than likely, this would apply ONLY to people that are registered as school athletes.

Mind you, all of this still has to be approved by the Board.

[Singeril]

I'm assuming he's referring to the standard fees that are tacked onto tuition. He has to get Board of Regents approval for that. So at roughly $150k budget, would be less than a dollar per credit hour increase based on 2014 credit hour enrollment (165k credit hours enrolled)

That's what I would assume as well...just never heard them called "Student Athletic Fees". They are usually called "Student Activity Fees (which are often controlled by the SGA). Maybe having a "Student Athletic Fee" bypasses the SGA???

[Cdizzle]

I'm apart of the engineering school, and we had a "small fee" tacked onto our per credit hour(along with the school of health professions) recently to cover some of these new additions. It's nothing terrible, like $50 a credit hour, but still adds up. You get it by being apart of one of those schools. So more than likely, this would apply ONLY to people that are registered as school athletes.

Mind you, all of this still has to be approved by the Board.

No.

[Kung Wu]

Thank God!!! After baseball finally won a game, I was lacking for something Shocker related to legitimately ***** about!

Student Government Association, please fund the student organizations that consist of students and make the student experience a better place on and off campus. Yours is a mission of stewardship, more so than entrepreneurship -- please don't try and get creative on this matter.

[B&Gpassion]

Yes absolutely. Thank you.

Shocker Sound needs to remain at home games and the postseason, and it needs to remain populated by students. I don't see how either are really that debatable. They are a significant part of our University.

[Wuchalk]

Sounds like the game management staff in the athletic department just don't see the value of the traditional pep band in the college basketball atmosphere. Which kind of baffles me with all the recent experiences the Shocker Sound have provided at NCAA tournament games. Is the Spirit Squad next on getting the ax?

The band was a critical component of the atmosphere at the game against KU in Omaha. We had seats behind the band, and their enthusiasm and spirit was tremendous. I am truly biased, but I thought our band and spirit squad was superior to the Jayhawks. I could not imagine being at that game, or any game, without the band.

[bleed yellow]

As we are exploring ways to afford football it has been brought to Bardo's attention that we can't even afford shocker sound anymore. Lol. How embarrassing would that be to turn on a men's basketball game, see the student section completely empty except for a couple guys retirement age trying to make some kind of sound with their old tuba's..