U. lacks space and dollars for additional arts groups

Money, space and audience. All of the necessary ingredients to start a performing arts group, and many of which the University lacks. With over 30 performing arts groups already on campus, Office of Student Life officials say that there are hardly enough resources for the current groups, let alone for any new groups. Student Activities Financial Director Lynn Moller said the Student Activities Council -- the organization which allocates money for student performing arts groups as well as all other student groups -- funds 130 groups out of a $450,000 budget. Laura Hammons, the student performing arts administrative assistant, said this week that out of the $450,000, well over $100,000 is given to performing arts groups. She said individual allocations can vary from as little as a few thousand dollars for some small groups to $15,000 to $20,000 for larger theater groups. And while Moller said that she would never discourage student groups from applying for recognition, students must realize that budgets are limited in how far they can be stretched. "With that many groups asking for a fixed amount of money, the money will always be tight," she said. "But I certainly wouldn't discourage any group from at least asking." But even before a group can receive money from SAC, it must first be recognized by the council, which many students said can be a long and tedious process. All groups which wish to be recognized by SAC must first file a registration form with the Office of Student Life Activities and Facilities. This form must be on file for at least three academic months before the group can appear before SAC's steering committee. Then the group must outline to the committee its purposes and goals from which the committee can recommend to the council to recognize the group. OSL Assistant Director Albert Moore said that a group desiring recognition must show that it has a unique purpose. "We need to see that the group offers something different to the community," Moore said. "We don't have the money to have a lot of groups doing the same thing." But Moore explained that there is no limit to the type of group recognized. For example, each of the eight a capella groups performing this fall demonstrated that it provides an original opportunity for the students who participate in them. "Each of the newer a capella groups on campus, such as Off the Beat and The Inspiration, have demonstrated to SAC that their type of music or arrangements are culturally or otherwise different from those that are already being done by other groups," he said. In addition, Moore said that while SAC has no say over space allocations, it is likely that the dearth of rehearsal space on campus is a concern of every SAC member. Hammons, who together with OSL handles the space requests from performing arts groups, said that there is already a space shortage for existing groups. Of all the requests for on-campus rehearsal space, only 45 percent can be filled. Groups that do not get the space they requested are often forced to make arrangements to rehearse in dormitories or off campus. She said that she would urge new theater or dance groups that are considering applying for recognition to think about the fact that they will need larger rehearsal spaces to accomidate their groups and these spaces will probably not be available. "There no question that the smaller the group, the better the chances of getting space," she said. Moore said that another often-heard concern about new groups is that students will only go to a certain number of shows each semester and the more shows there are, the smaller the audiences will be for each show. "I'd be denying reality if I said that the representatives aren't worried about their audiences," Moore said. "There are only so mant days in the week and only so many performances a student wants to see, even the ones their friends are in."

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