Student Activities skips student vote in deciding to bring American Idol winner.
With Phillip Phillips scheduled to perform at Berry College’s Exam Jam on April 20, some students say they wonder why they weren’t given any say in the matter.
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| Phillip Phillips |
Typically featuring a big name artist, the Exam Jam is an annual outdoor concert that takes place the week before students have final exams. In the past, Berry College has hosted acts such as The Rocket Summer and Relient K.
Also typical is a student vote to determine the artist who performs in the Exam Jam. However, this year students weren’t given the chance to vote.
An event booker approached Berry in October about the possibility of Phillips coming to perform, according to Lydia Gordon, assistant director of student activities. Phillips also is less expensive than the artists the Exam Jam has hosted in the past, she said.
Phillips recently gained notoriety after winning the eleventh season of the TV singing competition American Idol last year. His single “Home” was also a featured song in the 2012 Summer Olympics.
A quick decision
The Student Activities Office together with the Krannert Center Activities Board (KCAB) needed to make
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| Lydia Gordon |
a decision quickly, Gordon said, because after an artist’s album is released, the cost of having that artist perform rapidly increases.
“Every year is different,” she said. “We had to make a decision early, so there was really no time to get student feedback. The opportunity presented itself, so we decided to jump on it.”
Students have also expressed concerns about the lack of diversity in the bands that come to Berry, with most or even all playing a genre of music Gordon described as “easy-listening.”
Sophomore Lizzie Hendrix, for example, said she wishes there would be a little more diversity in the bands invited to play by a student-funded organization.
“I think that it would be nice to have an artist of a different genre perform,” she said. “I think that a lot of students would like to hear a variety in music.”
That said, Hendrix said she is excited about Phillips coming.
The lack of diversity is in part a product of KCAB’s and the SAO’s desire to “make sure that the artist reflects the types of programs Berry offers,” Gordon said. “It just so happened that the cleaner artists fall in the same genre.”
A $75 student activities fee that goes to the Student Government Association each year finances most of the events hosted on campus, including the Exam Jam. As such, the concert will be a private event for Berry students, faculty and staff.
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| Cassie Hale |
“KCAB gets the most amount of money from SGA over any club because their job is to provide events for all students on campus and to enhance student life and vibrancy,” said Cassie Hale, SGA treasurer. “We get about $300,000 per year towards student organizations, but we don’t always allocate all of the money.”
Because of the size of the Cage Center, where the Exam Jam will be held if there is inclement weather, there will be a limited number of tickets available for Phil Phillips, according to Markie Fleming, KCAB president.
“We expect fast ticket sales,” Fleming said.
Students had an opportunity to receive one free ticket on April 1; students, faculty and staff may purchase more tickets beginning April 8, according to an email from KCAB. Phillips will play Berry in between concerts also at the University of West Georgia (April 19) and Belmont University (April 21).
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