The only thing that was "S.L.A.P. (Silly, Lame and Absolutely Pathetic)" was Jasmine Watson's article ["Busta Rhymes is coming back?! "] in yesterday's Viewpoints section of the Daily.
In the article, Watson describes Concert Board - an organization run completely by student volunteers whose sole purpose is to bring entertainment to the Tufts Student body - as a small, disorganized group of selfish students who hoard other students' money in order to get bands that only few have heard of and fewer will enjoy.
Watson further goes on to imply that the members and heads of Concert Board do not listen to public opinion and simply abide by what is easiest and most conducive to their own agenda.
Let me first express my happiness that Watson wrote this article, but let me also express my absolute disgust in what she said. I, like Watson, have been a part of Concert Board's executive board, serving as security co-chair for the past year.
If anyone is to know how hard and difficult it is to put on a concert, Watson and other executive board members would. She cannot claim ignorance to this point, as we have worked several concerts together. She knows how stressful and difficult the actual concert is, and the behind-the-scenes preparation is no walk in the park either.
The description that Watson gave of last week's Concert Board meeting was not only inaccurate, but slanderous. The meeting in question was the first meeting back from winter break, and the first meeting for new co-chairs Devra Bergman and Sarah Fleischmann.
The quotes used were taken out of context, as Watson, in what could only be an attempt to paint Bergman as a self-interested bully, tried to show that Concert Board cares only for the interests of its "limited" members.
What actually happened was that Bergman noted that people on campus, upon finding out that she was on Concert Board, requested a non-hip hop headliner for Spring Fling, and she simply asked the other members of concert board whether they were in favor or against this idea.
The dissenting view that Watson felt necessary to include was expressed by someone who simply misunderstood what Berman was trying to express. The idea was not that we would not be allowed to get a hip hop headliner, but simply that, unlike in years past, we would not be married to the idea.
The qualm was resolved, and few feathers were actually ruffled. Personally I think the idea isn't such a bad one. Can someone honestly say that they would rather have a Busta Rhymes-esque rapper than an actually skilled and currently popular rock band?
This is not to say that hip hop would be missing from Spring Fling, just that the hip-hop performer may not have the same name recognition and might cost a little less.
Furthermore, it is important to realize that the members of Concert Board can't simply pick whomever they want to perform. Often times there are great bands in the mix, but - because of touring schedules, lack of money and other snafus of that sort - the unanimous top choice is unable to attend.
Paying $250 may sound like a large amount of money for a student activity fee - and, if it were all to go to Concert Board, it would be. But Tufts Senate allocates the funds, and Concert Board does its best with what is distributed to it.
I also think it is important to realize that it is those students who attend meetings and suggest musical acts who actually put in the physical labor to make these concerts a reality. Concert Board's most active members at meetings are oftentimes those in the dining halls the mornings before shows putting together the stage, working at the actual concert, and staying two to three hours after everyone leaves the concert loading trucks and taking apart the stage.
These people are not showing up to meetings in order to "stuff ballot boxes" so they can enjoy the concerts they want to see. They suggest bands that they think the Tufts community will appreciate and then selflessly work for hours to ensure the enjoyment of others.
I will end this article the same way that Watson ended hers. Go to concert board meetings; become a part of the process. There's always room for another voice at the meeting and another set of hands at the show.
Alex Golub-Sass is a junior majoring in economics and history. He is the outgoing security co-chair of Concert Board.
