SU Services: GradBall Betrayal
-Grad Ball budget cut by half!
-Date switched to before graduation!
-No consultation with students!
Finalists this year face a drastically scaled back Graduation Ball after Services Officer, Chris Osborne, revealed that the allocated budget will be just half that of previous years.
The cut-price event, to be held at York Racecourse, will be held on Tuesday 29th June as opposed to the traditional Friday of Graduation week, meaning that students will bizarrely celebrate their degrees before actually having received them.
The attempt to reduce costs follows the alleged financial mismanagement that dogged the previous Services Officer, James Byron. These have led Osborne to place a cap of £55,000 “and not a penny more” on spending at this year’s prestige event.
However, 2001 Services Officer, Dan Simon, questioned the viability of this aim, stating “you couldn’t possibly put on a decent Gradball for £55,000”. YUSU’s lack of realism extends further. Despite Union accounts showing that in 2001, almost £95,000 was generated by ticket sales alone – this year’s estimate is a meagre £55,000.
Osborne conceded to nouse that “the event will be significantly toned down from previous years”, but should still provide value for money as ticket prices will be reduced to under £60. However, for this reduction students can expect a second rate venue and wrong date.
Furthermore, the Union has ruled out subsidising the event from other sources. This is despite the fact that over £26,000 was made last year out of Graduation Day photos alone. In fact, the Union fully intends to make a profit out of departing graduates, not only taking cash for graduation photography but also profits from any advertising sold on the event. Osborne stated, “we intend to pick up bits and bobs of advertising revenue, but that can’t be included in what is spent on Gradball 2004”. In his defence Osborne pointed to the Union’s charity status meaning they could not cross-subsidise the bash.
For many students this is a bitter pill to swallow. Disappointed Reuben Perris, an Electronics finalist, commented: “it seems unfair that this year’s graduating students are getting a rough deal – its a bit rich, even with cheaper tickets, to expect me to pay over fifty quid when the event’s not even on the right night.” Fellow Electronics student Laurence Skegg, said that he would be “disappointed” if his Gradball didn’t live up to expectations.
As in previous years, the Union’s search for a venue has been hampered by a lack of suitable locations in the region and the University’s insistence on holding the Degree Days in the same week as one of York Racecourse’s premier meets of the year. Osborne vented his frustrations at the fact that despite contacting “loads of places” none were available. In fact at the end of a fruitless search only two venues were appropriate: York Racecourse and Leeds Armouries. However neither were ideal as both were pre-booked on Graduation Friday.
However, it seems YUSU didn’t look very far. Following two hours on the net and one phone call, nouse found a venue prepared to host Gradball on the Friday of Graduation week. A spokesperson for Wetherby Racecourse told us: “we would happy to work with you to accommodate this prestigious event,” at a viable cost albeit more than Osborne’s budgeted amount.
Loading ...