Band of Pride Fundraiser

[ITdrummer]

1) The scoreboard at the end of the game will have a much bigger influence on the public perception of our university than the winner of the battle of the bands.

If you think this is only about them participating in the battle of the bands, then you've missed the point entirely.

[JuBru]

1) The scoreboard at the end of the game will have a much bigger influence on the public perception of our university than the winner of the battle of the bands.

2) The bowl payout for the Poinsettia Bowl isn't that great. I'd rather see our university stay in the black on this bowl trip. If Dykes stays for a couple more years, we'll hopefully have several more higher paying bowl trips in our future.

3) Trying to embarrass the university administration into bringing the entire band by starting Facebook petitions and contacting media outlets is counterproductive to the overall goal of presenting the unversity in the best light. Frankly, the parties involved should be ashamed of themselves. I certainly don't want any association with it.

Yes, you've totally missed the point.

1) Guess who contributes to making sure the team is motivated enough to score?

2) There wasn't even an attempt to ask for outside funding. Just a straight decision to say only a few can go.

3) The university administration needs to be embarrassed for acting like a podunk technical college. What is counterproductive towards presenting the university in the best light is not presenting the university in the best light by purposely degrading one of the best things about the university.

[ChuckK3]

I also think that while certainly good-intentioned, buying game tickets to give to a Band Member that can't get afford to get out there is counter productive as well. We need to buy the tickets AND help the groups get out there. I also agree the immaturity of some on FB and the "by any means necessary" crowd is showing up. We should try every effort to correct the situation peaceably before we run to the papers and hit the news outlets...because in the effort of righting a wrong (preventing the University from looking bad...in this case by sending only a pep band), you guys are making the University look bad anyway.

I just think you folks should exhaust every means INTERNALLY first, then come back to the BB&B and say..."Hey guys we have $ XXX committed by the University for the trip, and we need $ XXX more to complete the trip. Can you help?"

Doing your due diligence FIRST will help you throughout your career...and life.

[TechAlum05]

3) Trying to embarrass the university administration into bringing the entire band by starting Facebook petitions and contacting media outlets is counterproductive to the overall goal of presenting the university in the best light. Frankly, the parties involved should be ashamed of themselves. I certainly don't want any association with it.

I agree. There shouldn't be any debate over sending every member of our spirit groups (Regal Blues, cheerleaders, BOP) to the Poinsettia Bowl this year. But since there is, the groups should have gone to Dr. Reneau and the administration to fix the situation in-house without contacting the media. If there still isn't enough money for everyone to go to San Diego, then the groups could contact the Alumni Association or the University Foundation to establish a special fundraising drive to raise money for the trip to San Diego. News of the fundraising drive would reach BB&B in short order as well as The Tech Talk and other local news media, but by then, the university could have prepared some sort of strategy to deflect some of the damage and potential embarrassment.

I think the people behind the Facebook petition are skipping a few skips if they go straight to the media without exhausting every other fundraising possibility first. Instead of getting together to create a petition to Dr. Reneau, start by creating a fundraising letter for the BOP alumni, former cheerleaders and Regal Blues, and the rest of the university alumni.

[JuBru]

Stop trying to blame the students. Students are not supposed to do the job of the university. They are supposed to bitch and moan until the university does something.

[DAWG TIME]

Bus them all or don't send them.

[TechAlum05]

Question: do most schools fly their entire band to non-bcs bowl games? Will our opponent have the full band?

If no to both, I have no problem sending 50.

I don't know what most schools typically do, but there are a few examples of schools either sending a small part of the band or no band at all to a bowl game. For example, Boston College at the 2009 Emerald Bowl: http://www.boston.com/news/local/mas...hout_the_band/

[JuBru]

I don't know what most schools typically do, but there are a few examples of schools either sending a small part of the band or no band at all to a bowl game. For example, Boston College at the 2009 Emerald Bowl: http://www.boston.com/news/local/mas...hout_the_band/

Notice BC has sucked ever since...

[ChuckK3]

Stop trying to blame the students. Students are not supposed to do the job of the university. They are supposed to bitch and moan until the university does something.

Trying to help impart a little wisdom and coaching to students on how to handle situations properly is not "BLAMING" them. Come on JuBru.

[qng001]

I don't think there is enough time to do a fundraiser for trip that will take place on the week of Dec 21. I assume travel and lodging needs to be schedule asap in the next few days.

[qng001]

I also think since this is a sporting event that Robken should be subjected to the same standards as every other coach on campus besides Dykes and Spoon: If you don't have the money, fundraise it yourself rather than beg Dr. D because we all know he couldn't care less about anything that has to deal with athletics or the arts.

Dykes and Spoon have the athletic dept staff do the dirty work of running the financial/logistics/etc for their programs. The band doesn't have an admin staff like that.

[JuBru]

Trying to help impart a little wisdom and coaching to students on how to handle situations properly is not "BLAMING" them. Come on JuBru.

You blamed the students for not going through the proper channels to do the university's job... In case you haven't noticed, the proper channels don't work nor care.

[touchdown123]

I have a question. Where the hell is Jim Robken? Isn't this his responsibility to procure funding for HIS band to travel? At first I was really angry, but now I am wondering. We've discussed this before...If the band doesn't have funding, isn't this on HIM? Maybe you need a petition of another sort.

Thank you thank you thank you. There are two levels of ridiculousness here. 1, the band isn't automatically being sent. 2, the band went on to a message board in an attempt to get people to email DR. Y'all keep feeding stray cats every time y'all freak out when any organization complains about a lack of school support.

The school should send then. If they don't, the band should raise the money.

[sportdawg]

I don't think there is enough time to do a fundraiser for trip that will take place on the week of Dec 21. I assume travel and lodging needs to be schedule asap in the next few days.

I think we can get some funds raised to at least send 50 more. Several people have stated they will donate a significant amount to the cause. We just need hard numbers on what it would cost.

[Ktulu7]

This band fundraising thing comes up every year at least twice. Wouldn't it be a hell of a lot better if somehow they could be under the umbrella of the athletic department? Music has been underfunded in general at Tech, and somehow we've had an outstanding program. What happens when these music instructors leave... Good luck raising the money, fellow Dawgs, because it would be a shame if we couldn't get the BOP to San Diego. I'd pitch in like I have in the past, but right now, my mission is to just have food on the table... Next year, hopefully we're sending the BOP to another bowl, and I'd HOPE we don't have this issue, but if we do, I'll be much better able to throw some money into the hat.