This weekend marks one of students’ favorite annual occasions: Spring Fling. And on Friday, the concert — headlined by Snoop Dogg this year — will likely draw a large crowd.
Some students motivated by concerns that Snoop Dogg’s lyrics are misogynistic have circulated a petition calling for the Social Planning and Events Committee to revise the selection criteria for future artists. In response, SPEC is going to allow the writers of the petition to contribute questions to the group’s annual survey about Fling performers.
We hope SPEC takes steps beyond including this one group’s opinions in their existing survey. The group needs to make sure it involves as many students as possible in the peformer-selection process.
SPEC should circulate its survey more widely and revise it to include more open-ended questions. Additionally, SPEC could hold an open forum where students not involved with the group could voice their opinions during the selection process.
Students from all sections of the student body attend the Fling concert. Because of the show’s wide audience, when SPEC is choosing the concert’s performers, it needs to be as inclusive as it can. In the future, hopefully students will feel that their opinions were heard before the artists are selected. This way, there won’t be a need for more petitions.
