From: alabatt@ocf.berkeley.edu (Andrew A. LaBatt)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.marching.misc
Subject: Re: Cal (UC Berkeley) Band
Date: 26 Dec 1992 05:01:11 GMT
Organization: U. C. Berkeley Open Computing Facility
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: headcrash.berkeley.edu

I'm interested in the governing structure of other college bands, especially
student-run bands.  For example, here is a (long) description of the present
structure of the Cal Band.  I don't expect anything this long or detailed
back, but I'd appreciate any feedback.

Keep in mind:  1)  All positions, except the Director, are filled by performing
members of the band.
		2)  Yes, we do take ourselves too seriously, but it works.

THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Executive Committee is the main governing body of the Band and has final
authority over all aspects of the Band.  The Executive Commitee is comprised
of five voting officers[Senior Manager(SM), Director(Bob), Drum Major(DM),
Student Director(StuD), and Public Relations Director(PRD)] and a non-voting 
Executive Secretary.  The responsibilities associated with various areas of
the Band are divided among the officers according to the Cal Band Constitution.

ADMINISTRATIVE AREA
The Administrative Area is responsible for the logistical and financial aspects
of the Band.  Administrative responsibilities include rehearsal set-up,
facilities maintenance, food prep., purchasing, bookkeeping, equipment 
inventory, reservations, uniforms, and logistical planning for the Southern
California Road Trip and Fall Training Program.  The Senior Manager supervises
the activities of the Administrative Area.

The Senior Manager is the chairman of the Executive Committee, the
Administrative Committee, and the Senior Manager's Committee.  His duties 
include presiding over all business meetings of the band, budgeting and
coordinating the Band's funds, keeping the skies clear, and working on special
projects for the Band.  He is a voting member of the Cal Band Backers Board
of Directors and an ex-officio member of the Cal Band Alumni Association
Council.  The Senior Manager is also the official representative of the
Executive Committee and the Band to University officials and community
representatives.

The Administrative Committee(Ad-Comm) is responsible for determining and
controlling all administrative aspects of the Band.  Common duties of Ad-Comm
include arranging lodging, transportation, and meals, and obtaining
rehearsal facilities and special permits.  The membership consists of the
Senior Manager and five cool band members whom have each completed at least
two fall marching seasons.

Also in this area:
Rehearsal Preperation Managers are responsible for the transportation, 
maintenance, and erection of all field set-up equipment during marching
rehearsals.  Their duties include painting yard lines on the rehearsal field
and replacing the divots left by stray disci and javelins.
Uniform Managers are responsible for cleaning, maintaining, and issuing
uniforms and uniform lockers.
Medical Committee(Med-Comm) provides first-aid to Band members as needed during
band activities.  All committee members must be certified in basic and advanced
first aid by the Red Cross.

THE PUBLIC RELATIONS AREA
The Public Relations Director(PRD) supervises the operation of the Public
Relations Area.  He is chairman of both the Public Relations Committee (PR-
Comm) and the Public Relations Director's Committee (P.R.D. Comm).  He reports
to the Executive Committee on the acitivites of these committees.  The PRD is
vice chairman of the Executive Committee, and will serve as chairman in the
Senior Manager's absence.

The PRD is a member of the Attendance Committee and a voting member of the
Cal Band Backer's Board of Directors.

The Public Relations Committee determines and carries out the policies and
procedures of the Public relations Area.  It coordinates and supervises all
aspects of recruiting, fundraising, advertisement, and promotion.  All Band
mambers are encouraged to assist with the preparation of these materials 
because the Band as a whole benefits from the returns.

The Academic Advisor arranges for study groups and tutors w/in the Band and
provides general information about the various procedures of University
bureeaucracy.  He also maintains an exam file and a professor evaluation
file.

The Cal Band Historian maintains the Cal Band archives and prepares periodic
history presentations for various Cal Band events.  He also acts as a liason
between the Band and the History Book Committee.

THE DIRECTOR
The Director, along with the Drum Major, is responsible for conducting Band
rehearsals during marching practices.  His specific concern is the Band's
musical quality.  Music rehearsals are planned and conducted by the Director
in coordination with the Student Director and the DAs.  The Director also
conducts the Cal Band Concert Band, and often organizes various ensemble 
groups.  Following Fall marching season, he is involved with the planning,
auditioning, rehearsing, and conducting of the Band's Spring Show.  Of
incrasing importance is his work with the University administration addressing
all Band concerns.  He is a voting member of the Cal Band Backer's Board of
Directors, and a voting member of the Tellefsen Hall Board of Directors.

Most of the Band's music is professionally arranged by outside (usually band
alumni) sources, and occasionally by current students and the Director.  He
alo helps students to arrange music by teaching an informal music theory
class which is open to all interested Band members.  All members receive
their initial musical audition from the Director.

Robert O. Briggs, a former member of the Band(1948-1952), became the Assistant
Director in 1967 and has just completed twenty-two years as Director.  He is
only the third director in the Band's 102-year history, and the position of
Assistant Director no longer exists.

STUNT AREA
The Stunt Area is responsible for full Band performances including, but not
limited to pregame, halftime, and postgame field performances.

The Drum Major is responsible for coordinating all aspects of the Stunt Area,
and for being its representative to the Executive Committee.  The DM is 
chairman of the Stunt Committee and the Drum Major's Committee, and is a member
of the Attendance Committee.  The DM, along with the Director, coordinates, 
plans, and runs all marching rehearsals.  The DM is also responsible for
determining the outcome of all Cal home football games. (CTFB)

The Stunt Committee, consisting of the Drum Major and four other Band mambers
who have each completed at least two fall marching seasons, coordinates the
creation and execution of all fall season shows and the preceding Spring
Show.  This responsibility includes selection of music, show planning, working
with arrangers and charters, charting, creating props, selecting the marching
block, and conducting the rehearsals of the the finished shows.  The Stunt
Committee is specifically concerned with maintaining/improving the marching
excellence of the Band, but any performance-related aspect involving the full
Band falls under the committee's area of concern.  On the field, the members
of the Stunt Committee take on the role of field coordinators.  The Stunt
Committee also selects and trains the Teaching Assistants (TAs).

The TAs are responsible for teaching specifically the marching portion of
the Band's performances.  They are the primary teachers of marching fundamentals
at FTP and throughout the season.  Their duties include leading groups at FTP,
serving as a resource to Band members with regard to continuity(idividual field
directions), helping Band members learn the marching portion of all fall season
shows, and improving communication between Band members and the Stunt Committee.

The Drum Major's Committee consists of the Drum Major and his assistant
Drum Majors (ADMs):
ADM-adm handles the administrative aspects of the Stunt Area.
ADM-poop is responsible for animating and producing the poopsheets(the shows
on paper) and ensuring that these are presented in a readable and attractive
format.
ADM-prop is responsible for building any props required for a given performance
or, more often, the Spring Show.

MUSICAL ACTIVITIES AREA
The Musical Activities Area is concerned specifically with the musical quality
of Band rehearsals and performance, including those of musical subgroups, most
notably the California Straw Hat Band.  Other duties associated with this area
are issuance and upkeep of Cal Band instruments and distribution of music.

The Student Director(StuD), along with the Director, is responsible for the 
sound of the Cal Band.  His duties include working with arrangers and copyists
to secure music, directing the Band in the stands at all home football games
and basketball games, and, with the Director and Directors' Assistants (DAs), to
secure superior performance of all music.  The Student Director is also 
responsible for all activities of the Straw Hat Band, and is the representative
of this group to the community.  He is chairman of the Musical Activities 
Committee and directs the activites of the instrument care committee, music
librarians, and ski trip coordinators.  He is also the Cal Band representative
to the Rally and Games Board, the coordinating committee of Cal spirit groups.

The Musical Activities Committee consists of the Student Director and six
other members of the Band who have completed at least two marching seasons.
It is MAC's responsibility to plan and coordinate all voluntary musical
performances and to determine policy in regards to these events.  Specific 
duties include planning and directing Straw Hat Band performances and all Road
Trips except for the mandatory one to Lower California.  They also choose and
train the Directors' Assistants.

DAs are leaders of their individual sections trusted to organize and direct
the more intimate rehearsal of each section.  They are also responsible for
the organization of each section's extracurricular activities.  They direct
on ladders during marching rehearsals, with alumni taking this duty during
the games, and they are responsible for testing the memorization of music
within their section.

Librarians are responsible for the copying and distribution of music, including
the upkeep of the music library.  Room Q Coordinators' responsibilites extend
to the distribution and maintenance of all Cal Band instruments, lockers, and 
other related storage facilities.

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY'S AREA
The Executive Secretary is in charge of internal communication, attendance,
the annual sweats order, and other projects aimed toward improving the overall
experience of being a bandsman.  The extent and quantity of these duties are
limited only by the Executive Secretary's innovation and commitment.  Her
area's goal is to ensure that information from the Executive Committee is
being relayed to the Band's membership and vice-versa, via minutes, calendars,
and a newsletter.

As Chairman of the Attendance Committee, she is also responsible for
maintaining the attendance and membership record of the Band.  All excuse
requests(late or missed rehearsals/performances) must be directed through
the Executive Secretary as outline in the Attendance Policy.  The Executive
Secretary is also in charge of the production of the photo/phone roster, the
annual policy manual and information guide, and the Cal Band Songbook.

Congratulations for reading all the way through!
You've probably noticed that there is an exceptionally large number of people
in the structure.  Considering that there are only 150 members in the band,
almost two-thirds of the members are involved in structure in some way.
If you want to know more about the Cal Band's structure, in particular, I
can probably mail you a copy of the Constitution.

Sorry about the excessive length of this post, but I thought that maybe, maybe,
maybe someone might be interested.




Andy LaBatt, Cal Band StuD, 1993-94
Newsgroups: rec.arts.marching.misc