SAC calls on PAC to cut ticket prices

Leaders of the Student Activities and Performing Arts councils are in the midst of a debate over the price of a cappella groups' performance tickets, members of both organizations said this week. SAC Finance Committee recommended that University a cappella groups lower their ticket prices to $2 this year, but members of the singing groups want to continue to charge $5 per ticket, SAC Chairperson Brandon Fitzgerald said earlier this week. The seven a cappella groups on campus receive SAC grants, which is money that does not have to be repaid to the student government. Therefore, any money the group takes in at shows is considered profit. According to SAC rules, most expenses, except for travel, can be covered with SAC money. Fitzgerald, SAC Finance Chairperson Grace Esteban, PAC Chairperson Tamar Climan and Pennsylvania 6-5000 and Inspiration member Ed Matz met Monday evening to discuss the issue, but they said nothing has been resolved yet. "The [SAC] Finance Committee felt that, after reviewing the numbers [for the groups], it is only necessary to charge $2 instead of $5 [per ticket]," Fitzgerald, a College senior, said before the meeting. Fitzgerald said SAC Finance is considering the large revenues of some of the a cappella groups in this recommendation. "SAC didn't want to fund groups to make exorbinant profits," Fitzgerald said. "Some [a cappella groups] indeed are unhappy," he said. "[But] it's not necessary to charge $5." Lillie Chang, treasurer of Off the Beat, said that representatives from the a capella groups met last weekend and drew up a list of their concerns. She said Climan will represent the interests of the individual groups during the negotiations. Fitzgerald said that undergraduates already pay $1,390 each year in student activities fees, a percentage of which goes to SAC, and they should not have a pay an extra $5 to go to every a cappella show. SAC received $726,000 this year from students' activities fees. Administrative Assistant to Student Performing Arts Laura Hammons said that members of the a cappella groups were "caught by surprise last spring" when they were approached by SAC Finance. Hammons said yesterday that one of the problems with the current system is that there is "no standardization across the board" about groups' ticket prices. "What SAC is looking to do is have the records more clear," she said. Performing arts groups bring their revenues to Hammons after every show, she said, but added that neither she nor SAC has a way of knowing whether all of the money they make is deposited with her. She said she thinks that SAC now wants to make sure that all the groups' revenue is disclosed. "Some revision needs to be made," Hammons said. Hammons said she has advised singing group members to use the current negotiations with SAC to find a "mutually acceptable" solution. "Everybody wants to be happy and compromise," said Chang, a College junior. Chang said that SAC has cut Off the Beat's grant every year for the past three years and that the group does not make as much money as people think. "I think at this point, $2 would be a humongous cut and, at the same time, they're cutting our grant," Chang said. "[This will] limit our outside activities." She said that, in the past, Off the Beat members have used their own money to buy music arranging equipment and that the group is currently recording an album without SAC funds. Chang said, however, that nothing about ticket prices is finalized yet. Climan could not be reached last night. (CUT LINE) Please see A CAPPELLA, page 4 A CAPPELLA, from page 1 'SAC didn't want to fund groups to make exorbinant profits.' Brandon Fitzgerald SAC Chairperson