Pedersen

I have always enjoyed most of the things this school has to offer.

I came here for an education, and I am receiving it. What I wasn’t sure of was what exactly the school had to offer me outside of classes.

The Union Activities Council makes sure the students that go to this school cannot truthfully say, “there’s nothing to do in Emporia.” Every year, we have a variety of activities that students can go to that allow us to get away from the strife and toil of studying and working on homework.

From Bingo Night to Flintstock, we have a wide range of opportunities to cure boredom and spice up a night throughout the year. UAC even sponsors a few “Night at the Movies” during which students can go to a movie for only $3, and I think that’s awesome.

But what I do not think is awesome is an event that is a shallow, pointless waste of time and UAC money that can sadly only be summed up as unpleasant.

Of course, everyone has different opinions of how fun an event is, but I think if we speak truthfully we realize that there are certain events that we simply do not gain much from, be it knowledge or entertainment.

I have been to a few of these in my day and you can usually spot them by their name. If the title of the event is something that is common knowledge, it is usually not going to be very fulfilling.

One such event that has already happened this year was “Tom Ryan: Fighting the Freshman 15.” I did not attend this event because it seems to me that the best weapons for fighting the “Freshman 15″ are obvious and already at our disposal: exercise and being conscious of your diet. That explanation didn’t take an hour and a half nor did it cost UAC hundreds, or perhaps thousands, of dollars. Also, I’m not a freshman.

Now I’m sure that Tom Ryan was at least entertaining and that the event wasn’t a complete waste of time and money, but I feel that we deserve better than what we already know.

I wondered exactly why we have these events.

I’ve spoken to UAC members in the past and they have told me that they scout for events at conferences that showcase college-based activities. I know that some of the events they find at these conferences are well worth the money and time, such as Johnny Walker, the comedian we had a few semesters ago or Hard ‘N Phirm, who came last year.

But all of them were about pure entertainment. There was not much education, unless you count Hard ‘N Phirm’s song about pi.

I have been told by Bryce Cooke, a member of ASG, that the school requires such educational events because of ESU’s mission statement. I can understand that, but I don’t think we should have such requirements.

If we didn’t have these requirements, UAC members could be more selective when they pick events instead of looking for a blend of education and entertainment that turns out to not have enough of either in order to fill a quota.

Overall, I think that the members of UAC know what we want, for they themselves are part of us. If given the option, they would only have the best events, but they must bow to the administration’s requirements.

Hopefully the next time that UAC is picking events, it won’t even be an issue. Perhaps the events they will be choosing from will all be spectacular and not a single one will be a waste of time and money. But the odds of that happening are low. The school’s requirements have a bit of a stranglehold on exactly what UAC can pick.

I don’t think the administration will back down, so I think it is up to UAC to make the right decisions.

Choosy UACers don’t choose dreck.

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