From: stanford@leland.Stanford.EDU (Scott Stanford)
Subject: Re: Band autonomy (was Re: UC songs)
Organization: none whatsoever
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 92 22:17:49 GMT

In article <i want to...> jgladu@bcm.tmc.edu (grungy (John F. Gladu)) writes:

>>In article <hey, big brother> stanford@leland.stanford.edu (Scott
Stanford) writes:
>
>>Bands should be able to say who is allowed in or not...
>
>I agree 100%, but:
>
>The administration provides the MOB's budget.
>The administration provides the MOB's director with a faculty position.
>The administration provides the MOB with a bandhall.
>The administration provides the MOB with football games to play at.
>
>What the administration provides, the administration can take away.
>
>That is the simple truth at most of the schools in America.

Aha, the problem (always has $ in it somewhere).  One of the MOST
important things for bands (especially the student-run ones, but
others as well) to do is start getting independent funding.  The
LSJUMB is just now beginning to start up an alumni network.  The Band
is just about 30 years old now, and some of its alums have won the
lotte...gotten jobs with decent paychecks.  The LSJUMB used to get
money from the following sources:
1)  The Music Department.  This was used for Shak upkeep (yeah, right,
as if for all you good folks who's comed by ;-), as well as instrument
purchase/repair (yeah, right, as if for all you LSJUMBers on school
saxes - blech), and Dr. Barnes' salary.
2)  The Athletic Dept.  Uniforms, buses to events, most plane trips
when necessary.
3)  The ASSU (Association of Students, Stanford U, or something like
that) - lots of stuff.  Costumes for Drum Major/Dollies, some busses,
refreshments, dancing women, cocaine, aircraft carriers.  Well, no.
What I'm saying is Chris Hondl (our out-going treasurer) could fill
you in better than I, I'm just giving an idea.
4)  Self-generated.  Thank God for that press out back.  No, this is
money from "pimp" rallies - corporations, parties hire us out to
perform and eat their food.  I don't understand their logic.  They get
us a bus, we come, play, have a bitchin' time, get an open bar, and
then THEY pay US and jizz all over us and say they love us, made their
day.  Silly old people.  Anyway...

I'm REALLY drifting - sorry.  Anyway, with the recent budget problems
at Stanford, the Music Dept got hacked pretty roughly and they've had
to drop all funding for LSJUMB (which is fair - we can survive - other
Music Dept organizations really need the dough more than we do).  The
AD picked up a lot of the tab, but this scares me.  As you say, if
they hold the money, they hold the cards.  That's why I'd really like
the LSJUMB and other bands to become more self-sufficient, relying on
student fees (voted on by students) and self-made funds (including
band and other alumni).  THEN the power will return to the bands and
students, where it damned well belongs.  Every year we raise our
student fee a bit, and the students keep voting us in (we're the one
organization that can embody and convey the "no, no, fuck YOU,
Stanford administration" feeling that so many students have).

>The LSJUMB was damned lucky to survive, but I'm VERY glad that you did. :)

So am I!

Sorry for blathering so much.
Scott
-- 
Scott Stanford                 |)  Eenie meenie miney moe.
stanford@leland.stanford.edu  /|   Catch a tiger by the toe.
                             ((|,) If he hollers...yeah whatEVER.
"MORE Doctah Peppah!!"        ~|~  He's EATIN' your ass.  Run, you idiot.
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