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Press release from Bacchanal, ABC, SGB, GBB, and the Four Undergraduate Councils about Bacchanal being under review. Spectator story here: http://columbiaspectator.com/arts-and-entertainment/2014/08/11/bacchanal-announces-cancellation-planned-september-concert
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PressRelease:FallBacchanalCancelled,SpringConcertUnderReviewWearedisappointedtoconfirmthat,despiteourobjections,aplannedFallBacchanalconcertthatwassettotakeplacethisSeptemberhasbeencancelled,andthisyearsSpringBacchanalConcerthasbeenplacedunderadministrativereview.FollowingthisyearsspringBacchanal,theBacchanalCommitteemetwiththeActivitiesBoardatColumbia(ABC)andthefourundergraduateStudentCouncilsaboutthepossibilityofhostingthefirstFallBacchanal,inadditiontotheannualspringconcert.TheideahadfirstbeendiscussedinearlyAprilandwassolidifiedduringF@CUsessionsinthespring.TheOfficeofStudentEngagement,whichisresponsibleforrepresentingtheadministrationtostudentgroupsandoverseeingcampusevents,approvedFallBacchanalonMay15thandsecuredLowPlazaasaconcertvenue.ThefirstoffertoaperformerwassubmittedthefollowingdayandwassignedoffbyBacchanalsadvisor.ThroughoutMay,June,andJuly,theCommitteebookedtwomoreartistsandwasinfrequentcommunicationwiththeOfficeofStudentEngagementabouttheeventadministratorsintheOfficeofStudentEngagementthemselvessubmittedsignedoffersforthethreeartistsonJune5,June23,andJuly7.ByJuly8thallthreeartistswereconfirmedforashowonSeptember14.ExtensiveplanningwasdonebytheBacchanalCommitteetoensureasafeandsuccessfulevent.Further,everysuggestionmadetoimprovesafetymeasuresfromBacchanalsadvisorsweremetwithouthesitation.AtnopointwasBacchanalgivenanyindicationofadministrativeconcernsuntilJuly28,whenBacchanalCoPresidentBenjaminKornickwascalledintoameetingwiththeBacchanaladvisorsfromStudentEngagementandtheInterimDeanofStudentLife.Benwasinformedatthemeetingthatthefourundergraduatedeanshadrecentlymetanddecidednottoallowthefallshowtoproceed.Duringthatmeeting,nospecificdetailsweregivenastothereasonsbehindthecancellationotherthangeneralcommentsaboutsafetyconcernsassociatedwithdrinkingandsexualharassmentandthattheconcertwastooclosetothestartoftheschoolyear.Thefollowingday,thefourundergraduateCouncilsandABCmetwithmembersoftheBacchanalCommitteetoaddressthesuddencancellation.OnTuesdaymorning,BacchanalExecutiveBoardmemberssentemailstothefourundergraduatedeansrequestingmoreinformationaboutthereasoningbehindthecancellation.TheemailrequestedtheopportunitytomeetanddiscussthecancellationsothecommitteeandCouncilscouldattempttofirstunderstandandthenaddressthedeansconcerns.Noneoftheseemailsreceivedanyresponse.OnWednesday,July30,oneoftheCouncilpresidentsmetwiththeirundergraduatedeanandreceivedapreliminaryexplanationforthecancellation.Thatnight,representativesoftheBacchanalCommittee,theexecutiveboardsofallfourundergraduatestudentCouncils,andABCwrotealetterdetailingnumerousconcernsregardingthecancellation,includingthefactthatthisdecisionwasmadewithoutanyconsultationwithstudents,afterapprovalhadbeengivenformonths,andafterartistshadbeenconfirmed,meaningthat,inlinewithstandardindustrypractice,theBacchanalCommitteewouldstillbeobligatedtopay$55,000of
undergraduatestudentlifefeestotheartistswhetherornottheyperformed.TheletterfurtherstatedstudentsbeliefthatcancelingBacchanalwasamisguidedwaytofightsexualassault,becauseitsimplydistractedfromanddisguisedtheunderlyingcausesofsexualviolence,ratherthancreatingacampuscultureinwhichstudentscouldsafelyparticipateinschoolwide,communityevents.TheletteralsoarticulatedseveralproposalstomakeBacchanalasafereventforstudents.ThisletterwassenttothefourundergraduatedeansonThursdaymorning,signedbytheexecutiveboardsofallfourundergraduateCouncils,theexecutiveboardofABC,theexecutiveboardofSGB,theexecutiveboardofGBB,andallsixundergraduateUniversitySenators,addressingeveryconcernweweremadeawareoffromthedeansperspectives,andaddressingthedeanslackofdirectcommunicationwiththeBacchanalCommittee.CouncilmembersrequestedthattheundergraduatedeansmeetwiththeBacchanalCommittee.OnFriday,August1st,variousCouncilmembersandBacchanalCoPresidentMeredithVeneruswereabletospeaktootherundergraduatedeans.Thedeansoutlinedtheirconcernssurroundingsafetyattheconcert,andagreedtocommunicatemoredirectlywiththeBacchanalExecutiveBoardgoingforward.OnMonday,aformalsafetyproposalwassubmittedtothefourdeans,detailingeffectivemeasurestoimprovecrowdcontrolandfightexcessivedrinking.SimilardetailshadpreviouslybeenprovidedtoStudentEngagement.Theproposalalsosuggestedchangestotheconcertthemethatwouldconveyapositivemessage,addressthedeansconcerns,andfacilitateachangeincampusculture.Othersafetymeasureswereproposed,includingplanstogiveoutbackstagepassestostudentswhoparticipatedinbystanderinterventiontrainingsprovidedbySexualViolenceResponseandhostedbyBacchanal,toprovidewaterstationsandfoodinsidethefences,andtobargraduatestudentsfromtheevent(graduatestudentsaccountedforsixoutofthirteenCUEMShospitaltransportsatBacchanal2013).Itisalsoworthmentioningthatweofferedtomovetheconcerttoaseatedvenueifthatwaswhatittooktoprovidethesecuritythedeansrequiredtoreversethecancellationandsignoffontheevent.TheletteralsorequestedforthedeanstomeetwiththeBacchanalCommitteebeforedecidingthefateoftheeventforasecondtime.OnFriday,August8,theDeansrespondedtotheBacchanalCommitteeandthefourCouncils,thankingthemfortheirthoughtfulproposalsbutwritingthatthecancellationoftheFallConcertwasfinalandputtingthestatusoftheannualspringeventinquestion.However,aseconddecisionwasmadewithoutmeetingwiththeBacchanalCommitteetoheartheirperspectiveandgivethemachancetoalleviateanyconcerns.Thedeansagreedtocoverthe$55,000thatBacchanalowedtotheartistsduetocontractsthathadalreadybeenapproved.Whilethestudentgroupwillbereimbursed,wefeelthisisanunacceptablewasteofmoneythatwouldhaveotherwisegonetowardsmeetingstudentneedsawastethatcouldhaveeasilybeenavoidedthroughopencommunication.Weareconcernedandtroubledbytheprocessofthiscancellationandthelackofcommunicationwithstudentsinmakingthisdecision.WestronglybelieveBacchanalisa
valuablecommunitybuildingeventandthatthiseventcanbeheldsafely.HadthedeansraisedtheirconcernswiththeBacchanalCommitteeandthefourCouncilsearlierintheprocess,wecouldhaveworkedtogethertofindsolutionstoallconcerns.Instead,approvalwasgrantedandthenrevoked,withoutconsultationwithanystudentsinvolved.Itisoursincerehopethatthiswillbeanimpetusforchangewebelievestudentsshouldhavedirectandopencommunicationwithdecisionmakers.Wealsobelievethat$55,000istoosteepapricetopayformiscommunicationwithintheadministration,anditisourhopethatfuturedecisionsincludingtheapprovaloftheannualSpringBacchanalconcertwillbeconductedincollaborationwithstudentgroups.ABCExecutiveBoardBacchanalPresidentsandConcertChairsCCSCExecutiveBoardESCExecutiveBoardGBBExecutiveBoardGSSCExecutiveBoardSGAExecutiveBoardSGBExecutiveBoardForfurtherinformationaboutvariousaspectsofthisrelease,wesuggestcontactingthefollowingpeople:
Todiscussthemisuseof$55k,pleasereachouttoRobertYing(speakingonbehalfofESC,[email protected]),MichaelLi(CCSC,[email protected]),PascaleDugue(SGA,[email protected])andPeterNason(GSSC,[email protected]).
TodiscusstheconcernsaboutsafetyandhowtheBacchanalCommitteehasaddressedthem,pleasereachouttoBenjaminKornick(BacchanalCoPresident,[email protected])andMeredithVenerus(BacchanalCoPresident,[email protected]).
Todiscusstheconcernsspecificallyaboutsexualassault,howBacchanalcouldbeusedtomakepositivechangeinthisarea,andwhythiscancellationfailstoaddressthetruecausesofsexualviolence,pleasereachouttoZoeRidolfiStarr(NoRedTape,CoalitionAgainstSexualViolence,[email protected]),SejalSingh(CCSC,CoalitionAgainstSexualViolence,[email protected]),andAbbyPorter(CCSC,CoalitionAgainstSexualViolence,[email protected]).
Todiscusstheprocessofthecancellationandtheunfairtreatmentofthestudentgroupwhoplannedtheevent,pleasereachouttoTonyLee(ABC,[email protected]),BrianWu(ESSC,[email protected])andFatimatouDiallo(SGB,[email protected]).
Ifyouhaveanyotherquestions,concerns,orrequests,pleasecontactBenjaminKornick(BacchanalCoPresident,[email protected])andMeredithVenerus(BacchanalCoPresident,[email protected]).