PAC groups get reminder of their role

Council votes to recognize four performing arts organizations The Performing Arts Council voted last night to recognize four new groups, but not before several current members asked for a refresher course in what membership in the council means. At members' request, PAC President Stuart Gibbs took a few minutes of last night's meeting to explain the benefits of being part of the council. PAC, an umbrella organization for campus performing arts groups, mediates rehearsal and performance space conflicts and serves as a forum for discussion for other issues affecting members. Gibbs said that PAC recognition entitles groups to participate in the lucrative Parents Weekend variety show, although non-member groups may also perform if the council approves. In addition, PAC . "Groups that don't have a lot of space options come into PAC and we keep them from getting screwed out of rehearsal space," Gibbs told the council. But PAC's authority to resolve space problems are based more on precedent than on written regulations. Whether they are PAC members or not, all performing arts groups apply to Student Performing Arts Coordinator Kathryn Helene for space. "There's nothing in the [PAC] constitution that says we have dibs on all space first, but it seems to work that way," Gibbs said. But earlier this week, he said that because of the space crunch, PAC cannot grant recognition to all the groups who want it. The council now consists of 29 groups. None of the four groups applying for recognition last night cited space as a concern. "We want to be more involved in the performing arts community and decisions made therein," said College and Engineering senior Heidi Saffer, chairperson of Arts House Theatre. "It's important to have the rest of the performing arts groups see you as one of them and not as an outside group." Both Saffer's group and the Theatre Arts program received full membership last night. Pennchants and Penn Pipers received associate membership, which means they may not participate in PAC votes. Since both are subsidiaries of the Glee Club, PAC members said they were concerned that the Glee Club would effectively be given three votes. Stimulus, a children's theater group, was denied recognition last year, but did not reapply this fall. The group was allowed to be in Performing Arts Night last weekend. Groups whose primary purpose is performing and who are recognized by the Student Activities Council are automatically PAC members. Groups which do not meet these criteria must apply to PAC yearly.

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