Part of attending a prestigious public university is learning to work with a less robust budget than those of many academically comparable private schools.
This is especially true when it comes to allocating funds for things that aren’t the bread and butter of an academic institution — say, for example, the Homecoming concert.
The Carolina Union Activities Board has navigated this by choosing an act that is immensely popular (more than three-quarters of tickets to the show sold in the first three days) among college students but not yet mainstream enough to command an unfeasible price.
CUAB demonstrated further shrewdness in choosing an act that appeals to a broad spectrum of Carolina students.
By picking a band that somehow manages to be both a Frat Court staple and a Carrboro favorite, CUAB got even more bang for its buck — or, as the case may be, our buck, since CUAB’s budget comes entirely from Student Fees.
In the five short weeks we’ve been in school, CUAB has already sponsored numerous provocative, entertaining and well-received events, many of which were entirely new ideas.
Besides securing Passion Pit, the board managed an advance screening of “The Social Network” complete with the stars and writer.
The quality of these events indicates that CUAB has been careful about how they spend their funds, vetting new ideas thoroughly and cutting old ones that weren’t popular anymore.
There is a difference between settling with a cheap but passable option and using resources and savvy to find the best value.
