Editor's note: This is the fourth in a four-part series examining the function and background of the University Program Council at Ohio University.
While some organizations and businesses are out to make money, Ohio University's student-run University Program Council remains completely volunteer based and works toward a different purpose.
"Our goal isn't to make money; our goal is to put on the best programs we can," said Jennifer Schomburg Kanke, UPC adviser and assistant director of student activities.
A goal for next year is to show the Student Activities Commission that UPC is more accessible to student organizations and truly representative of the student population, said Marisa Long, UPC public relations director.
"A new system I want to implement is to have more students and organizations involved in our programming," Long said. "We have to work with what we have."
Trying to provide events that cater to everyone's needs is hard, especially when students are not giving feedback, but it is important to have a variety of programming, Long said.
"When you have an apathetic student body, it's hard (because) you can't make them care," Long said. "If you don't like it — join. If you don't think we're getting things done — join. We need all the help we can get."
Past goals have lead UPC to such programs as the Midnight Movie Series at The Athena, 20 S. Court St. It is the only event that UPC actually profits from, Long said
"We've seen the Midnight Movie attendance triple to about 400 people since The Athena renovated," Kanke said. "We've also changed the kinds of movies that we're showing."
To accommodate a student population of about 19,000 students, UPC incorporates different events to keep students' options open.
"We want individuals that aren't part of the Uptown drinking scene to have alternatives, so we try to offer a lot of options for people," Long said.
The upcoming April 11 Counting Crows concert at Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium is coming to Athens at a price for students — $5 more per ticket than the usual concert price for other UPC shows.
"Some people complained the tickets are too expensive," Long said. "But if we didn't charge for Counting Crows tickets and let everyone in for free, we wouldn't be able to do anything else (throughout the year)."
OU freshman Courtney Castillo and sophomore Kristin Norris both said they do not know much about UPC itself or the events that the organization sponsors.
"I don't think they advertise their events enough," Castillo said. "Usually I don't even know about them."
Norris said she found out about the Counting Crows concert through someone's away message on AOL Instant Messenger, not through advertising done by UPC.
While advertising events and programs is something for which SAC funding can be used, UPC encountered conflicts with the Counting Crows management in approving the advertisement for the concert, Long said. She said she hopes to find a way to prevent conflicts like this next year.
"Improvements need to be made in SAC, UPC and every organization," Long said.
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Jennifer Lash
