SAC chair details price reasoning

Student Activities Council Chairperson Brandon Fitzgerald said this week that SAC decided to lower admission prices to a cappella performances after learning that many groups use the money for personal uses, including travel to foreign countries. Last week, SAC decided that a cappella groups may charge no more than $2 for admission to their performances, rather than the $5 that groups charged in the past. According to Fitzgerald, the singing groups make more than enough revenue from their on-campus and off-campus performances without the extra $3. "Groups make incredible revenues," he said. "When a group charges $5, you're not paying $5 to see a show -- you're paying so a group can travel during Spring Break [ or make a recording]." And Chairperson of the SAC Finance Committee Grace Esteban said that some a cappella groups are living by higher standards than others. She cited one group -- but would not say its name -- that spent over $6,000 on travel expenses and $4,500 on recording expenses. She added that the most money a cappella groups receive from SAC is approximately $2,000. "If this group drops out of SAC, the price for the show will be the same and they will still be making plenty of money," she said. But Ring Lee, business manager of Penny Loafers, said that the price reduction will significantly affect her group's ability to travel to other schools. "SAC doesn't pay for our trips," she said last night. "[With this price-cut], we won't be able to go to other places to sing as often. The [profits from our shows] go for renting vans, for gas and, sometimes, hotels." Lee added that while groups are paid to perform by the host school, the fee does not cover most expenses. And while Fitzgerald said that lowering the admission fees would allow students to see more shows, Lee said she does not think the $2 tickets will affect Penny Loafers' audience. "If someone wants to see a group, they will pay the $5," she said. Esteban said the mandatory admission reduction will create a balance between revenues for a cappella groups and theater groups. She said that the overhead costs for theater productions are covered by SAC grants. However, SAC also lends the groups money which is repaid with the revenue from the performances. In the same vein, Esteban suggested that a cappella groups take loans from SAC to make their recordings and then repay the group with the profits made from selling the recordings. According to Esteban, groups that refuse to lower their admission prices will lose SAC funding but not SAC recognition. Some a cappella groups have threatened to withdraw entirely from SAC. Counterparts President Sean Aherne said this week he plans to meet with the a cappella groups today to discuss what actions each will take. Lillie Chang, president of Off the Beat, said yesterday she has discussed with her group whether or not to formally withdraw from SAC. "We want to gauge what the other groups will do before we make a decision," she said yesterday. She said that most of the other a cappella groups have their shows before Off the Beat. "We have one of the last shows of the season, so the other groups will set a precedent," the College junior said.

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