UGUSTANA SINCE:1908
Volume 93
Issue 17
Press photo Concert date undecided
BY KARI KINTNER
MIRROR STAFF WRITER
Work for a big-name concert is behind
schedule, school officials said this week,
meaning the show might be pushed back to
the beginning of next school year.
The Augustana Student Association and
Big Event Committee hoped to bring
Vanessa Carlton to
Sioux Falls at the
end of April or the
beginning of May.
But with less than
six weeks of school,
no contracts have
been signed.
"Last year, they
were a few weeks
ahead [of where this
year's group is],"
said Jim Bies, vice
president for student
services. "We don't know what will happen
yet though, it's premature."
Jeff Venekamp, Augustana's new student
activities director, is also in charge of plan-ning
this year's concert. Like Bies, he says
it is still too soon to say when the concert
will be held.
"Right now, we only have one side to a
three-sided triangle," Venekamp said. "We
have a strong amount of student enthusiasm,
but we are still missing the company and
artist's signed contract. Some bricks still
need to fall in place."
In March, the Big Event Committee con-tacted
Carlton's agent. But the committee
has failed to reach an agreement with the
musician, citing scheduling differences.
"We couldn't find a date that would
work," Venekamp said of the negotiations,
adding that Carlton was booked on the East
Coast for much of April.
According to ASA President Andrew
Ellsworth the committee has ruled out
Carlton entirely and has begun searching for
an alternative. Yet even if the committee
were to get an artist under contract, there
would be still other hurdles, said ASA Vice
President Allison Fornander.
The committee has yet to book a venue
and a marketing
plan is still in the
development
stages. Fornander
believes such
details could be
worked out before
the end of the
school year, "but
that is no small
feat considering
the concert is
probably less than
two months away,"
she said.
Another factor the committee will need
to consider is finding a date that does not
conflict with the college's academic calen-dar.
Having the concert on Community
Service Day, Reading Day or during finals
week is not a possibility, Bies said.
Because of the scheduling obstacles,
organizers are not sure if they will be able to
put all the pieces together by the end of the
year. As for now, the committee is making
plans for next fall, according to committee
member Dylan Andersen.
"Knowing the worth a concert of this
scale has to Augie students makes organiz-ing
a concert worthwhile for me," Anderson
said. "I believe Augie students deserve to
get the same kind of entertainment that stu-dents
at large schools receive, and this proj-ect
will follow through with that."
Additional reporting by Tony Raap.
Bies Andersen
Oliver
Friday, April 8, 2005
Sioux Falls, S.D.
Committee fails to lure
alternative rock band
BY TONY RAAP
MIRROR CO -EDITOR
The alternative rock band Cake rejected an offer to perform in Sioux
Falls, forcing concert organizers to pursue yet another alternative for a big-name
concert.
The proposal would have brought the band to campus as early as this
month, said A.J. Franken, Big Event Committee member. But in the end, the
committee could not persuade the group to part with one of its off-days.
According to the band's website, Cake will be traveling through South
Dakota on Wednesday, April 27, heading east to Minneapolis where the
group will perform the following day. Organizers urged the group to stop
over in Sioux Falls, but the band ultimately rejected the proposal, saying it
preferred to take the day off instead.
"Basically, they just didn't feel like it," said ASA President Andrew
Ellsworth.
Franken said Cake is touring with the bands Gomez and Thunderpants as
part of a carnival-type package. In total, he said it would cost $46,000 to
bring all three to the stage.
Shortly before Spring Break, the committee made a side offer to just
Cake, not the other two bands, to try and trim down the price.
"We said, 'Hey, you guys are going to be here. If you just want to do this
show on the side, we don't want the whole Riga morrow, or the other two
bands.' But the initial offer was rejected," Franken said.
Now, the committee must begin looking for a plan C with the clock
ticking ever faster. Franken said this was probably "the last shot" at hav-ing
a concert this spring. More than likely, the show would be pushed to
next fall, he said.
College receives thousands
from endowment funding
BY KAETI HINCK
MIRROR STAFF WRITER
Business and economics students will benefit from a sizable monetary
gift next year.
Earlier this fall, the business and economics departments received a
$900,000 donation from the estate of Ethel Koller, an Augustana alumnus.
The gift has not been factored into this year's budget, but will likely be a part
of the 2005-06 budget.
School officials say the donation allows the
college to think creatively about the depart-ment's
future.
"The fun part about receiving a gift like this is
that it inspires us to think outside the box," said
Professor Rob Oliver, chair of the business depart-ment.
"It gives you the freedom to dream about
what the department could be."
Oliver said half of the donation would be placed
in an endowment fund. President Bruce Halverson
and Dean Richard Hanson will designate the other
half to specific programs.
"Nothing has been finalized," said Brian
McGregor, vice president of advancement. "We want to take input from
both departments and then make recommendations to the president and aca-demic
dean."
According to Oliver, the administration is entertaining a proposal that
would allow business students to invest the endowment money.
"There is an opportunity for students in investment management," Oliver
said. "It would be faculty-led with student participation. Basically, it would
be a great learning opportunity without even spending any of the money."
Business major Rahul Bansal is one of many students who want to see the
money utilized effectively.
(see Endowment- Page 12)
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