Bill Cosby, Chris Rock and Margaret Cho have all visited UB within the last week due to the efforts of the newly formed Student Association Entertainment division. Last spring, SA announced the possibility of withdrawing funding from Sub Board I, Inc., a joint venture between all of the student governments at the University at Buffalo. After a summer of meetings and compromises, SA gained control of the entertainment division of SBI amidst some student protest. Many questioned this outcome, but it is heartening to see the Student Association has fully met the challenge of developing, managing and implementing its newest addition.
Not only has SA has renewed its commitment to brings quality acts, but when Busta Rhymes cancelled his appearance shortly before Fallfest, SA was able to fill his vacant spot almost immediately with Nas. Two years before, when Method Man failed to perform as scheduled, the now-defunct University Union Activities Board was unable to find a replacement. The SA Entertainment division can attribute its success to what is clearly a synergy between good funding and superior leadership.
The speaker and comedy series have also improved, attracting significantly more mainstream and desirable acts. This year UB students are experiencing an unprecedented level of talent on campus. Contrasted with the 2000-01 school year - which featured no prominent politicians - it appears that SA's hand in influencing the Distinguished Speaker Series is bringing about positive change.
It should be noted that one of SA entertainment's responsibilities is to run the on-campus movies. These films, often recently released from the theatres, are screened in the Student Union Theater. While the films have shown no specific improvement, they still maintain the quality selection of movies at the reasonable $2.50 ticket price.
The only downside to the rise of SA Entertainment is that it appears to be taking money away from club funding, as Treasurer Anthony Burgio has said a portion of the emergency funding has been channeled to SA Entertainment. SA must remember that clubs are as important to students as entertainment and clubs should not be jeopardized at the expense of entertainment.
While some question the manner in which SA obtained power over the SBI entertainment division, the positive changes and continued support of student services is a good sign. Informal student sentiment is optimistic. Members of the UB community appear to approve of the music, speakers and movies on campus this semester. Hopefully, SA Entertainment will continue bringing large acts to UB.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
