2008 Woodie Awards
Security was acceptable at UPB concert
Issue date: 11/4/05 Section: Rocket Letters
To the Editor:
The Homecoming Concert was sponsored by three student organizations (UPB, BAS, and SUMA), and I am writing this letter on behalf of UPB in response to the Homecoming Concert letter from 10/21/05 edition of The Rocket. I do believe that everyone is entitled to his or her opinion and I am not writing this letter to say that any opinion is incorrect. However, I am writing this letter because some of the things that were said in the 10/21/05 letter to the editor were inaccurate. A comment was made about the show starting later and unfortunately we couldn't control that due to problems with our performers' schedules, but I do agree that someone should have come to the stage to let the audience know what was happening and when the show would begin. Another issue that was mentioned in the letter was security. The letter stated that "The only security there were a few students in yellow t-shirts ripping my ticket stub in half" and also that security only started patting down people after dealing with an alcohol situation. In actuality, there was security located around the entire MPR including ticket takers, people stamping hands, people located behind the barricade, on the side stage, outside the MPR in the lobby and hallway, and pat down security at the entrance of the concert. The pat down security were in front of the entrance, checking people from the time the doors were open to until after the last song of the concert. We also had seven professional staff members and three university police officers, along with three Borough Police officers that were called in by the university to assist them during the concert. In total there were 37 students working at the event the night of the show.
We prepared for this concert in a way that we felt would make the show successful, but we also realize that there are some things that we could have done better and that we can change for the next time. One other thing that was mentioned in the letter was the bottle of alcohol that a member of the audience smuggled into the show. Unfortunately, things like this happen at concerts, but as soon as the bottle was spotted, it was taken care of by security. Also, the police officers that were called in to assist with the concert didn't leave after they handled different situations; the officers remained at the show and on call for the rest of the night. The things in the article that were "uncalled for or inappropriate" are often hard to anticipate when you are producing a concert and I think that we handled them to the best of our ability.
The University Program Board welcomes student's opinions and thoughts about our programming and all students are invited to join a committee to become involved in programming events on campus.
Carrie Walsh
University Program Board
Vice President of Major Events
The Homecoming Concert was sponsored by three student organizations (UPB, BAS, and SUMA), and I am writing this letter on behalf of UPB in response to the Homecoming Concert letter from 10/21/05 edition of The Rocket. I do believe that everyone is entitled to his or her opinion and I am not writing this letter to say that any opinion is incorrect. However, I am writing this letter because some of the things that were said in the 10/21/05 letter to the editor were inaccurate. A comment was made about the show starting later and unfortunately we couldn't control that due to problems with our performers' schedules, but I do agree that someone should have come to the stage to let the audience know what was happening and when the show would begin. Another issue that was mentioned in the letter was security. The letter stated that "The only security there were a few students in yellow t-shirts ripping my ticket stub in half" and also that security only started patting down people after dealing with an alcohol situation. In actuality, there was security located around the entire MPR including ticket takers, people stamping hands, people located behind the barricade, on the side stage, outside the MPR in the lobby and hallway, and pat down security at the entrance of the concert. The pat down security were in front of the entrance, checking people from the time the doors were open to until after the last song of the concert. We also had seven professional staff members and three university police officers, along with three Borough Police officers that were called in by the university to assist them during the concert. In total there were 37 students working at the event the night of the show.
We prepared for this concert in a way that we felt would make the show successful, but we also realize that there are some things that we could have done better and that we can change for the next time. One other thing that was mentioned in the letter was the bottle of alcohol that a member of the audience smuggled into the show. Unfortunately, things like this happen at concerts, but as soon as the bottle was spotted, it was taken care of by security. Also, the police officers that were called in to assist with the concert didn't leave after they handled different situations; the officers remained at the show and on call for the rest of the night. The things in the article that were "uncalled for or inappropriate" are often hard to anticipate when you are producing a concert and I think that we handled them to the best of our ability.
The University Program Board welcomes student's opinions and thoughts about our programming and all students are invited to join a committee to become involved in programming events on campus.
Carrie Walsh
University Program Board
Vice President of Major Events
