CUAB aims big, reaches out in a successful year

This story appeared as part of the 2010 Year In Review issue. The Daily Tar Heel resumes publication Jan. 10.

The Carolina Union Activities Board loves you.

That slogan — developed by last year’s board president Amanda Kao — means exactly what it says.

During the past year, CUAB has worked to become more available and visible to the student body, members said.

Under the leadership of Adele Ricciardi, CUAB’s current and departing president, the organization designed a committee for external affairs.

Vann Mitchell, chairman of the group’s external affairs committee, said tthis post was created in order to help the organization become more integrated on campus.

“We’ve always been a large part of campus,” Mitchell said. “But this year we are trying to collaborate with more student organizations to co-sponsor events.”

Already this year, CUAB has co-sponsored the Carolina Block Party, Mr. Attraction, the annual talent show and a Harry Potter event with Olde Campus Upper Quad.

“We want people to know that we are an accessible organization,” said Courtney Canipe, CUAB film committee chairwoman. “We are about bringing as many ideas and people together as possible.”

To bring the student body together, this year CUAB worked hard to increase its visibility on campus, members said.

Outrageous banana and green-man characters in the Pit, the placement of a robot mascot in the Union and the distribution of free merchandise with their logo on it helped spread the word.

And CUAB has seen an increase of students at events, organizers said.

“It may seem stupid, but putting on animal costumes draws attention,” comedy committee chairman Vinny Tagliatela said. “We had a 50 percent increase in attendance when Upright Citizens Brigade came this year over last year.”

This year also saw CUAB hosting a variety of off-kilter, popular events — with speakers like radio host Ira Glass and blogger Christian Flanders and music groups like Old Crow Medicine Show and Passion Pit.

Ricciardi and music committee chairwoman Kinsey Sullivan also hatched the idea of the $1 Concert Series, bringing names such as Sam Amidon and the Love Language to campus for a dollar a ticket.

“It’s been one of our most memorable events,” Sullivan said.

But CUAB’s goal isn’t necessarily to attract the whole student body to every event.

“This year we have improved in gauging what particular groups of students want,” said CUAB promotions committee charwoman Roxanne Hernandez. “Though all events may not cater to a large audience, we are trying to embrace everyone at some point.”

Tyler Mills’ new pop culture committee has tried to fill that gap.

Cierra Hinton, forum committee chairwoman, said that Ricciardi has worked to bring both internal and external structure to CUAB.

“We are really excited for next semester,” Hinton said. “But first we are finishing the year and coming out strong.”

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