Jake

I love the bread factory... On those cold winter days when the wind is coming out of the north (inevitably also the days when we get tons of snow), all you can smell is the fresh bread all over north campus. http://www.ohio.com/news/91971564.html Buy it up. It's in a perfect location for the university, for any number of things. I like how they held off in the hopes of keeping jobs downtown, but that time is over. Make the move, UA. Buy it now, and figure out what to put on it later. There is not question here. UA will, and not probably buy it. UA has wanted that land for some time.

Interesting. Seems like the campus is coming under pressure to grow more vertically (i.e. high-rise dorms). At the same time, I wish all the new dorm space could allow the aging Bulger to be retired. What's the timetable on Memorial Hall? They haven't taken it out yet, have they? Bulger Hall is not that old. It was constructed in the fall of 1969 making it just over 40 years old. Spanton Hall is around 41 years old. Memorial Hall which is about 60 years old should start to come down in May or June. Also, am I reading this proposal correctly? It appears to me that UA wants to give up and sell part of the established campus to a developer and have the developer take ownership of the land and any of the structures being built on it with the stipulation that UA leases the development from the developer for university use. No? Here is where I am getting my understanding: "Management Experience: Developers must state their commitment to own and manage the property and the structure by which this would be performed. They should provide evidence of general property management experience, including residential leasing to college students and the ability to maintain high standards of maintenance and landlord/tenant relations. If the Developer is contracting management services with a third-party management firm, prior experience with such management structure should be described, and the proposed management service should be identified."

not this ZNO...not by far!

I've heard that they got a donor to sponsor the whole thing and rumor is that it will all be done by the fall. Could be wrong, just saying what I've heard. Actually and fortunately, you are closer to being right, if not totally accurate. At the very least, UA currently has received more donated funds than originally anticipated that will not only allow them to complete phase one but also 50% or more of what would have been phase two by the begining of the 2010 season. Additionally, there is a good probability that through additional anticipated donors, phase two will be totally completed in time for UA's first soccer game this September which will be nationally televised from Lee R. Jackson Field. And the university is not looking to cut aspects of the stadium that would make it less than adequate. Nothing could be further from the truth. This was planned to be a top notch soccer stadium and that plan has not and will not change.

"He's got nothing better to do with his day than make a big fuss over absolutely nothing. " If anyone is making a fuss over absolutely nothing it is UAZipsmann. That's what this event is...absolutley nothing and zipsman is crowning it a "GREAT idea"...poor little hillbilly. You might get 200 people in attendance if lucky and you dorks will call it a sold-out success. It's right up there with your corny BooAt The Roo! Ooooh riveting!

Two words: HIGH SCHOOL! UA can do much better than this pathetic attempt at college entertainment. Where are the large scale events that attract thousands of UA students from all walks of life? Used to be that student programmers could attract 3,000 to 4,000 or more diversified students (dormies, commuters, surrounding neighborhood apartment dwellers, Greeks, Blacks, graduate students and undergraduate students, faculty and staff) all to a single big-time events on campus which made UA students feel more unified with a sense of identity and self-sustaining while supplementing the occasion with smaller events that appeal to an eclectic university market. What the Hell has happened to your school? It's no wonder apathy runs wild at The University of Akron. You nerds litigate for apathy at UA by the nature of your programming. It is designed to disintegrate and alienate the student body into miniscule pieces and parts. It is why the student body has virtually no power on that campus anymore. You have dissected yourselves down to the least common denominator. You remind me of an ant farm that has been turned upside down and shaken. I get the same impression when I read your horrible, horrible student newspaper, the Bungleight...blek! Get it together for Christ's sake. I know the potential is there. UA is growing in so many positive ways but when it comes to student oriented/authored events, you guys come off as students at a workshop for the developmentally disabled. You guys need to get off the short bus. Wow, really, as I recall from my time at school there was no campus unification, there was on campus and commuter. Over the last 10 years or so they have made huge leaps in getting commuters back on campus. Why are you on here again? He is on here to let us know: 1.) Nothing that campus programmers do will ever be as awesome as the events that he and his fellow campus leaders arranged 30 years ago. 2.) The University needs to be transplanted to virgin country so that nothing the University does is associated with the city. Rather than being bitter, jealous and reactionary, why not be inspired and driven to be better than this? Don't be so defensive. Face the music. You're not bringing the campus together. And on the contrary, today's campus programmers can achieve much much more than campus programmers of 20 or 30 years ago. You've got far more resources and support and you're wasting it on rinky dink events that appeal to a very small minority of students. Why aren't you in E.J. Thomas with a major concert that can fill the hall for Springfest? It's your hall and its budget is made up of your money Make it work for you. Why aren't you bringing talented students from the dept of theater and visual arts and music into the loop?. You could be working more with fellow students who can present, symphonies, ballets, plays, art shows and more instead of mimicking The Sun Bar and Grill. Anybody can serve and drink beer. You have beer available to you 24/7. You can incorporate that with new and special events. And there is nothing wrong with taking advantage of what the city and downtown have available to and for you. Why reinvent the wheel and waste energy and resources by doing something that is already being done? Work with the Barley House, Pints and Brubakers to bring UA students into the dowtown area. They have all the beer you want. It seems apparent that most of you on here have never been to a real campus with real college progammers putting on real college level events. You need to visit OSU, OU, UC and yes even Can't State to see how these major public universities program student oriented events. Get rid of that stupid organization associated with "campus magazine" and its phony awards given to UA for competing with conservative bible thumpng colleges and hole-in-the-wall universities. It's time to take off the diapers Hilltop High.

Two words: HIGH SCHOOL! UA can do much better than this pathetic attempt at college entertainment. Where are the large scale events that attract thousands of UA students from all walks of life? Used to be that student programmers could attract 3,000 to 4,000 or more diversified students (dormies, commuters, surrounding neighborhood apartment dwellers, Greeks, Blacks, graduate students and undergraduate students, faculty and staff) all to a single big-time events on campus which made UA students feel more unified with a sense of identity and self-sustaining while supplementing the occasion with smaller events that appeal to an eclectic university market. What the Hell has happened to your school? It's no wonder apathy runs wild at The University of Akron. You nerds litigate for apathy at UA by the nature of your programming. It is designed to disintegrate and alienate the student body into miniscule pieces and parts. It is why the student body has virtually no power on that campus anymore. You have dissected yourselves down to the least common denominator. You remind me of an ant farm that has been turned upside down and shaken. I get the same impression when I read your horrible, horrible student newspaper, the Bungleight...blek! Get it together for Christ's sake. I know the potential is there. UA is growing in so many positive ways but when it comes to student oriented/authored events, you guys come off as students at a workshop for the developmentally disabled. You guys need to get off the short bus.

If you ask any of the freshmen (or anyone from the school) the increase in student body has everything to do with the look of campus. It's already paying dividends. To say Can't has "a nice campus" is to say that "a swamp is a great place to live". In no means am I saying that Akron is vastly superior (we still have a lot of work ahead of us), but at least we have "fresh and new" and the looks of a general purpose. Can't is probably the worst looking campus in the state it is just a cluster F of buildings. If you read my post carefully, you will see that you and I agree on the improvements with UA's campus. I don't need to ask any of the freshmen or anyone from the school about something they and I already know to be true. Where you and I are miles and miles apart is our view of Can't State's campus. It can hardly be compared to a swamp or dubbed the worse looking campus in the state and it is certainly in no way a cluster F of buildings. Your statements are off the wall, over the top and lead me to believe that you have never set eyes or feet on Can't State's campus... or you've turned a rivalry into an object of hate and that emotion has contaminated your ability to be objective in your observations. We can give Can't State credit where credit is due and still be loyal to UA along with supporting its continued authentic campus development and being proud of its physical evolution.

I agree. Go Zips and go University of Akron. Let's hope he at the very least gets Akronites to see an "Akron Zips" Flag flying off their neighbors' porches and not respond with the question, "what's that supposed to be?" That's right, people in Akron fly OSU, K.E.N.T State and MSU flags from their windows and porches and have no idea what a (UA) Zips Flag is all about. That is a pathetic illustration of how miserable UA marketing is as a whole. It is no wonder why K.E.N.T. State laughs us off the map. They have every reason to. I wouldnt be laughing if i was a piece of trash Can't Stater. What is there to be proud of when your campus resembles a little slice of New Jersey in Ohio and it rains all the time? Oh come on, I'm as big a rival against K.E.N.T. as much as the next guy, but you've got to be kidding when you put down their beautiful campus. They have a great looking campus. Its rural setting gives it a huge advantage. UA's campus is coming along for being an urban campus but it still has a long way to go and needs to stick to the plan of maintaining its integrity and detached look from the rest of the city. It has a ways to go before it starts really attracting students from out of state who want to live and recreate on a beautiful and self-contained urban campus. That was the main thrust of the new on-campus stadium and that trend needs to continue much much more than where the UA campus is presently. This is one reason why the new arena needs to be in the heart of the campus and not off-campus in downtown Crackron.

I heard Avenue Q was good. Sorry I missed it. I will be seeing David Sedaris this Wednesday though. Looking forward to it. They still need to appeal more to UA students. Giving out discounted tickets to shows they don't want to see is a real travesty, especially when they do it out of desperation at the 11th hour because ticket sales are slow. It's a dead give-away when they qualify the discount with, "not good on previously purchased tickets." I recall a 2007 story in the Beacon, "Thomas Hall gets its new act together" bragging about the hall being more UA student oriented. I figured at the time the article was nothing more than hot air and lip service and it turns out I was right.

$100-200K? ridiclous I say focus on local and regional acts first, bring some midlevel acts in several times a year and maybe a "big" act during Fall or Spring....but nothing on the scale of DMB would be doable. Would love to see Akron have an identity as a musical destination again. Heck, it kinda is, just many people do not realize it. Right, more mediocrity. Akron has numerous venues for those types of shows. E.J. needs to be about bigger fish. We can't have all of our venues focusing on local and midlevel shows. It would make Akron look like a one horse town and the university look even hokier. UA gets millions of dollars from student fees to run its PAH, Giving students local and midlevel stuff on that big of a dime would be scandalous. And, unfortunately E.J is already getting away with this chicanery through its stupid stage door shit! I say enough with the small potatoes thinking. Geesh, the hall is almost 37 years old. How long do you want "at first" to last? According to your time table, by the time E.J. starts bringing in bigger acts, it will be time to tear the place down.

I hear you. Another strategy for today's UA students is to by pass ZPN etc. and just make the case that your managing director of your performing arts hall, Dan Dahl receives the overwhelming bulk of his budget from student fees. It is in the 6 to 7 million range and that's low for him. In any event, students need to demand that he and his staff use that budget for student oriented shows instead of spending the majority of it on the Akron community. Why should student organizations use their meager funds when the student body very generously already funds E.J. Thomas Hall? It's a rip off and there are some administrators on campus who agree.

Understand something at the Rubber Bowl there was the president's suite (if you want to call it that) and he could have some guests. They had hard liquor up there. Why? Because those people expect it. The people who have made huge commitments to this program (millions of dollars) expect certain things, catering, alcohol, etc. You see it as elitist why? I see it as kissing the butts of people who made the whole thing possible. You want continued growth, you have to wine and dine people. Because the facility was on campus they had to specifically allow it, because they are a public university the information has to be made available. Otherwise, they would be doing it and you wouldn't even know about it. Everyone is complaining about alcohol in the suites and no beer in the stands but I haven't seen anyone complain about how they get Lobster and Shrimp and Cavier and we get nachos, stale Papa Johns, and Chic-fil-a. You want a beer, drink before the game like at every other university in the country. It's funny. The rank and file can't drink beer at the campus stadium but they can drink beer and hard liquor at the campus performing arts hall. At what EJ event did you have a beer or hard liquor during a show? They allow prior to the show in the lobby, and during intermission. It's much more controlled then the scenario would be at Infocision. You're talking 3000 people vs. 30000, and for the most part it's understood that tailgaters are already drinking. And it's for 3 quarters of the game. Vs. 30 minutes before the show and 30 minutes of intermission the at EJ. At every show I've been to... Nora Jones, Lisa Lampanelli, Tran-Siberian Orchestra, Steely Dan and more and it is not just before the show and at intermission. It is during the shows as well. The beer is served in plastic bottles and the concession staff told us, "go ahead and take them into the show. The Univeristy has approved beer and hard liquor to be enjoyed during the concert as well. That's why the bottlles are made of plastic." Basically, you have 2 to 3 hours to enjoy liquor at UA's E.J when you count the time (an hour) before the show, (60 - 90 minutes) during the show, and (20 - 30 minutes) at intermission. If the distinction is due to the size of the venue, then that argument only becomes credible when it is presented by an official from the university and not from random specualtion. Quite frankly, we can go on and on and navel gaze and hair split over the differences between any two sub-venues on campus (size, structure, design, continental seating vs. traditional seating, outdoor vs. indoor, culture vs. sports and blah blah blah) The bottom line is that the university has taken on the responsibility of handling many different programs, facilities and sub-venues and is equipped to handle the usual amenities that come with that responsibility. Serving booze is just one of them. If they can handle booze at EJ, then they can handle booze at Info just as they can make the necessary adjustments to handle the different levels of crowd control at the two venues. It's a part of reality and the expected and reasonable baggage that comes with running a university of our size and stature. Its time we stop thinking small potatoes. Making adjustments in handling the many different sub-venues and types of programming UA holds in order to accomodate patrons is just a part of the package. Let's face it, beer and sports go hand-in-hand and that's just the way it is. If you can't stand the heat, then get out of the kitchen!

Understand something at the Rubber Bowl there was the president's suite (if you want to call it that) and he could have some guests. They had hard liquor up there. Why? Because those people expect it. The people who have made huge commitments to this program (millions of dollars) expect certain things, catering, alcohol, etc. You see it as elitist why? I see it as kissing the butts of people who made the whole thing possible. You want continued growth, you have to wine and dine people. Because the facility was on campus they had to specifically allow it, because they are a public university the information has to be made available. Otherwise, they would be doing it and you wouldn't even know about it. Everyone is complaining about alcohol in the suites and no beer in the stands but I haven't seen anyone complain about how they get Lobster and Shrimp and Cavier and we get nachos, stale Papa Johns, and Chic-fil-a. You want a beer, drink before the game like at every other university in the country. It's funny. The rank and file can't drink beer at the campus stadium but they can drink beer and hard liquor at the campus performing arts hall.

urbanpreppie I hear you but please realize, people said UA students were apathetic in my day as well and we proved otherwise. It is not hopeless for today's UA students. If E.J. Thomas is stonewalling UA students, then they need to demand to meet with Dr. Proenza and register their grievances. They should remain steadfast and refuse to take no for answer. And they should go to the real press and not just the Buchtelite...The Plain Dealer wouldn't hurt. Now a little digression. I'm going to quote page 64 from UA's 1975 Tel - Buch (Yearbook) about the 1974 Homecoming at UA. "...but an alternative was offered through SCPB's programs...SCPB voted against the traditional queen and conducted a contest for Homecoming Person...The Honor of Homecoming Person was bestowed upon Connie Bowman, who was sponsored by B.U.S. (Black United Students)" So, it was in 1974 when in essence we had the first Black/African American Homecoming Queen and it was because the true all-campus programming board took homecoming away from the Greeks and made it a truly all-campus event. It was that homecoming that made network news on Good Morning America where Barbara Walters dubbed The University of Akron as "The Berkley of the Midwest" for having such a progressive and all-inclusive Homecoming on campus. That was when our Homecoming concert drew 3,600 students and their friends to our campus when we featured The J. Geils Band. The University of Akron was far more conservative back then than it is today. So, I really think today's UA student can get a lot further than we did. Also, we did not join and work on the program board to serve the community as you said, we did what we did for the university and our fellow students. Our service to the community was a collateral benefit and we were happy that it was but we always kept our focus on our purpose and that was strictly for the enhancement of the campus and the benefit of the student body. And please don't take this the wrong way but when you said that you focused on battles that you could win, I hear you saying that you and your group short changed yourselves and gave in. Students have much more power than that. After all you are the university's main blood line and you have the power to tell them so. I appreciate the activities that you brought however, it is obvious that you guys did not think big like a university student body should be thinking. When we had little student response to our events (and we did at times) we took accountability for that and admitted that it was our fault and not theirs. We obviously did not give them what they wanted. We made it a point to stop calling our fellow students apathetic. Frankly to do so is a cop-out. There is no such thing. If students are apathetic, it's the university's fault for not giving them something they want. We learned to let go of value judgments over events. We did not get into, "well, that's an act that's too nasty or too controversial." The UA administration tried to get away with this game but we wouldn't buy into it. If Cheech and Chong said "shit" on stage and the students wanted to see and hear it, then so be it. Frankly, if you are an all-campus program board, then you have to think bigger than game shows and keg parties. Leave that crap up to the Greeks and the dorms. You have bigger fish to fry. The ZPN should focus on drawing in thousands of students to their events and not hundreds. UA needs to start acting like a real university and that is the MO behind my wanting an on-campus arena. UA needs to start playing with the big guys and the big gals and stop being a wishy washy glorified high school trying to please the mayor and his downtown croanies.

A problem in sports today, as entertainment, is everyone is a diplomat. Nobody says what is really on their mind or admit to what everyone already knows that they are thinking. I like when people say exactly what they belive. It is not just more entertaining, it is more honest. Guys like Tiger Woods (pre-bimbo explosion) are boring because they say nothing when interviewed. In a lot of ways, LB James is boring because he speaks in Nikelike robot speak. They say the same thing every time they are interviewed. Charles Barkley was at least interesting because you never knew what he was going to say. Yogi Berra was interesting because you never knew what he was going to say next. Bobby Knight was interesting because he was completely honest and revealed his opinions. I wish we could go back to the days where an athlete was as interesting as he was athletic. +1 Great post. +2 If I am a Syracuse AD, player, coach whatever.....damn right im expecting to beat a lowly MAC school anyday. And saying so is not unprofessional at all. Its honest. Fans read that and get geeked up. Im so sick of having Romeo Crennels, Eric Wedges, Mark Shapiros, Jim Tressel-types always saying the PC thing. B-or-ing. agreed...how is it undiplomatic for one school spokesman to verbalize the purpose of playing a football game against another school? It makes no sense to say such a quote is undiplomatic. There isn't suppose to be diplomacy here. It's a competitive sport for Christ's sake. It would make as much sense as saying that flying the American Flag on American soil is undiplomatic...geesh!

The last estimate given to me was around $70,000,000 for a new arena. i wouldn't be surprised if it reached $80,000,000. And, a word to the wise as they say: "location, location, location" and "haste makes waste". Ted Curtis, VP of Planning, and Facilities management made that clear when he said that they "had to build the stadium right the first time because" they "won't get another chance to do it right again at least not for a long, long time." The location of Info was a bigger issue than most people know and UA took the time it needed in order to build it on a site that is clearly and unarguably on campus. A new arena is worthy of this same quality and well thought out planning. And bigger than that UA students are worthy of it.. They are the reason UA exists and the institution's first and foremost customers far above any other group in the region and state. was that from a legit source? I just feel like UA will go cheap with the arena and build another JAR facility. I just can't understand how they can pay $60mil on the Info, then $70 mil on a basketball arena, but not come up with a few million to build a soccer stadium for our most successful team Development and Institutional Marketing were the sources. And believe me, if and when the time comes for UA to build its arena, it won't go cheap. Not as long as Doc Proenza is at the helm. They learned from their mistakes in building Rhodes Gym. They did a great job on the campus stadium and I trust they will do as good if not better on a campus arena. I also trust that UA wil not go cheap on a new soccer stadium. They made the commitment to do it right and I don't see them backing down from that commitment.

The last estimate given to me was around $70,000,000 for a new arena. i wouldn't be surprised if it reached $80,000,000. And, a word to the wise as they say: "location, location, location" and "haste makes waste". Ted Curtis, VP of Planning, and Facilities management made that clear when he said that they "had to build the stadium right the first time because" they "won't get another chance to do it right again at least not for a long, long time." The location of Info was a bigger issue than most people know and UA took the time it needed in order to build it on a site that is clearly and unarguably on campus. A new arena is worthy of this same quality and well thought out planning. And bigger than that UA students are worthy of it.. They are the reason UA exists and the institution's first and foremost customers far above any other group in the region and state.

Yep that's me, I like to stomp on progression. In fact I am so angry that they turned Carroll St into some kind of outdoor living room that I've continuously petitioned to have either an arena or street placed there. A major portion of the campus without a street? Blasphemy. No Jake, all I was saying is, I would love to see the information on how they would turn parts of Exchange into a mall and have it not effect the accessibility of the new deck. I never said "down with progress". If you would read what people say and then form an opinion instead of forming an opinion and then reading for things that support that opinion, you would do so much better in here. The "mall" could probably start at grant. Getting to the garage would be easy from Wolfs Ledges and W. exchange. The idea might actually work well. I know it is only half of the south edge of campus but it would encompass the worst part of exchange while allowing access to the new garage area. I know Jake will like where the arena is listed. Pedestrians crossing from the new dorm area would also see much less traffic and lower speeds directly in front of the exchange residence hall due to the dead end. I would hope that most would cross in the newly created pedestrian area though. Thanks for the view. That looks like the area for the second phase of the new dorms. However, it is close to the area of development I was thinking UA could put the new arena which would have as its borders: Exchange, Spicer, Harvey Court and Goodkirk. UA has much if not most of that area already and there is ample room for an arena w/o disturbing the existing Greek Housing or future potential Greek Village. Nice job! I was wasting some time on Google maps and looked at that spot for the new arena. There is plenty of room there for a 11-12,000 seat arena. Pitt's Peterson Events Center (12,500), Providence's Dunkin' Donuts Center (12,500), the Hartford Civic Center (16,300), Grand Rapid's Van Andel Arena (10,834) & The University of Saint Louis' Chaifetz Arena (10,600) would all fit perfectly in that location. Plus could you imagine the view of the arena from Rt.8 just south of the Buchtel Street exit?! Sweet! I'm for an on campus, 11,000-seat basketball friendly arena. NOT a generic indoor soccer/hockey-friendly arena. Most of the seating for basketball in one of the more generic soccer/hockey arenas is ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE. Much, much better in a basketball arena. If the city wants an indoor soccer/football/hockey arena, let them get the county involved & a major player like FirstEnergy. Then build the arena across from Canal Park. That way we'd have both a first class basketball arena and a soccer/football/hockey arena. If a city the size of Canton can build the Civic Center (it's not very nice, but it's more than Akron has), Akron and Summit county should be able to do the same. I'm hoping the City of Akron/Summit County do in fact build a soccer/football/hockey arena across from Canal Park. I just don't think UA should be involved in that project. Build a first class UA basketball arena next to the Info. You got that right. And a first class on-campus basketball arena can be truly multi-purpose for concerts and other large events. The University of Houston has a beautiful basketball arena that is perfect for concerts. It has upholstered theatre seating and resembles a theater in the round only with a basketball court in the middle. UA deserves a first class arena on its actual campus east of the stadium and near the rest of UA's sports, recreation and phys ed facilities. It's classy to do so and contrary to some in Akron UA is worthy of such class.

I've heard that they got a donor to sponsor the whole thing and rumor is that it will all be done by the fall. Could be wrong, just saying what I've heard. I'd love it if that is true. I wished from the start that they could do the whole thing in one shot. I'll do some sniffing.

Isn't Buchtel still open? or did they just re-route it? The old Buchtel was closed and replaced by opening the new Buchtel just north of it. They did a good job but may have to move the new Buchtel further north before long.

Yep that's me, I like to stomp on progression. In fact I am so angry that they turned Carroll St into some kind of outdoor living room that I've continuously petitioned to have either an arena or street placed there. A major portion of the campus without a street? Blasphemy. No Jake, all I was saying is, I would love to see the information on how they would turn parts of Exchange into a mall and have it not effect the accessibility of the new deck. I never said "down with progress". If you would read what people say and then form an opinion instead of forming an opinion and then reading for things that support that opinion, you would do so much better in here. The "mall" could probably start at grant. Getting to the garage would be easy from Wolfs Ledges and W. exchange. The idea might actually work well. I know it is only half of the south edge of campus but it would encompass the worst part of exchange while allowing access to the new garage area. I know Jake will like where the arena is listed. Pedestrians crossing from the new dorm area would also see much less traffic and lower speeds directly in front of the exchange residence hall due to the dead end. I would hope that most would cross in the newly created pedestrian area though. Thanks for the view. That looks like the area for the second phase of the new dorms. However, it is close to the area of development I was thinking UA could put the new arena which would have as its borders: Exchange, Spicer, Harvey Court and Goodkirk. UA has musch if not most of that area already and there is ample room for an arena w/o disturbing the existing Greek Housing or future potential Greek Village. Nice job!

Name 5 student events that you've planned from start to finish. http://www.uakron.edu/studentlife/zpn/index.php (sad it hasn't been updated in awhile though.) Thanks for the site for the Zips Programming Network (not RHPB). Unlike RHPB, they are or are suppose to be an all campus programming board. Here are some programs I and other UA students not only planned but presented: Chicago - Memorial Hall: 3,600 in attendance, The Fifth Dimension - Memorial Hall: 3,500 in attendance, Bread - Memorial Hall: 3000 in attendance, Dionne Warwick - Memorial Hall: 3,000 in attendance, Stevie Wonder - Memorial Hall: 3,000 in attendance, The Eagles - Memorial Hall: 3,500 in attendance, J. Geils - Memorial Hall: 3,600 in attendance(Homecoming), Lynard Skynard - Memorial Hall: 3,000 in attendance, Jane Fonda - Knight Auditorium (Leigh Hall): over 500 in attendance, Cheech & Chong - Thomas Hall: 3,000 in attendance, Michael Stanley Band - Thomas Hall: 2,500 in attendance, Dave Mason - Memorial Hall: over 3,700 in attendance (we slipped the fire marshall a present for this one), Brian Auger - Thomas Hall: 3,012 in attendance, Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Thomas Hall: 3,000 in attendance, McKendree Spring - Thomas Hall: 2,300 in attendance, William Kunstler Anti-war activist and attorney for the Chicago 7 speaker - Knight Auditorium: over 500 in attendance (same fire marshall), Vincent Bugliosi (chief prosecutor who put Charles Manson behind bars) - Thomas Hall: 3,000 in attendance, Madelyn Murray O'Hare ( nationally known atheist) - Knight Auditorium: 500 in attendance, Margaret Mead, world renowned Anthropologist - Knight Auditorium: 500 in attendance. My point in answering your request is to point out that even though I was involved and in a leadership position in most of these shows, it's not about me or what I did. Many UA students made it their job to be on a volunteer programming board and actually accomplished things by doing their work and doint it well. They didn't go around making excuses about how they can't do this and they can't do that. Did we get obstacles thrown in our way by UA administrators? You bet we did, but for the most part we persevered because we wanted to see great things happen on our campus as opposed to just wanting to belong to a program board because it will look good on our school record or resume. Gotta get that Honor A- Key Award! When administrators told us we couldn't put major shows in Memorial Hall due to an alleged lack of electrical power in that facility, we came back with "no problem, we'll rent a generator" and we did just that. When they said, we couldn't bring a promoter on campus due to policy, we demanded they change that policy or give us an honest reason why not. When they said that promoters would exploit the student body for their money, we illustrated to them and the rest of the student body that that was a lie and demanded they discard the policy. They did and consequently we made money for our organization by working with promoters to bring great events to the campus. And, we filled venues over and over and over again. When they claimed at the 11th hour that our planned Lynard Skynard concert for Thomas Hall had to be moved to Memorial Hall due to a malfunction inthe moveable ceiling, we insisted that we be allowed to come into the hall and view the alleged "broken ceiling". We were physically blocked by the Hall's staff and they won that one. Funny, we didn't have time to rent that generator for Memorial Hall for this last minute venue change, yet pulled off the concert with a great light and sound show. lack of power my arse! So, I had to laugh at the recent student who claimed that they can't have concerts on campus because Thomas Hall is not really meant for concerts. Yeaaaaa, right! Someone has over cooked matso balls for testicles if you ask me. The issue here is that it can be done. You just have to want to do it. I only wish we had the quality university president and other administrators back then that students have now. I have a hunch obstacles would have been much more easy to overcome if we did. The UA campus is ripe for great things to happen on it. They have many great facilities and sub-venues for activities, major concerts and presentations befitting a public university of its size and stature. I hope and trust that these opportunities will be taken full advantage of by today's students and the administration that appears to want to support them. Go Zips!

So very, very true. UA could do much better with Student oriented concerts. They have the way but just lack the will. Also, I would suggest that we have three excellent venues for concerts on campus. the PAH, The stadium and Rhodes Gymnasium. The only reason they failed to follow through with concerts in the gym is due to lack of desire. Students are not like they used to be on campus. They don't stand up for themselves very well and buy into a lot of excuses manufactured by lower level UA administrators. RHPB (Residence Hall Program Board) has always had a reputation for rinky dink events befitting a small Christian College. They could never get it together to present anything close to a major international contemporary star that would draw 3,000 to 5,000 like student organizers in the past did. Besides RHPB has a very narrow focus. They are not an all campus program board. BTW, I would n't call Nora Jones mediocre, but I get your point. Cobie Callet, One Republic and Seather are one hit wonders. And all of these shows were provided with litttle to no effort by UA. The promoter brought them to campus and not the university itself. I guess UA students will just have to settle for UA providng Pizza and Hot Dog Parties outside of E.J.

Believe it or not, UA is more optimistic about doing this than I was. And I agree with you 100%. They also once claimed that there was no room for an on-campus stadium and then, tada! We need more can-do people in Akron and less can't do.