The Senior Class Council recently announced that ticket prices for this year's Senior Week have gone down. However, the event still faces problems, including continued disparity between students' wishes and the College administration's policy.
The cost of a ticket for Senior Week has already been addressed by the Senior Class Council and the administration.
The Senior Class Council, which is comprised of Mollie Seiferas, president, Blair Gumnic, vice president, Gabe Alonso, treasurer, and Christie Pirro, secretary, responded to questions from The Signal via a joint e-mail.
"We had originally anticipated the Senior Week ticket to be $230," they said in the e-mail. "We can now officially say that we have been able to lower the final price for Senior Week to $185 per person."
According to Jim Norfleet, vice president of Student Life, a meeting between himself, the Senior Class Council and Magda Manetas, director of Student Life, resulted in a finalized Senior Week budget.
"We worked hard to make Senior Week as affordable as possible and we're thrilled that the ticket price will be well under $200," Norfleet said.
They accomplished this by removing the "lackluster Great Adventure trip (for) a more enticing full-day trip to New York City followed by a luau at KatManDu, which dramatically lowered our costs."
The council further lowered the price of tickets by selling them in conjunction with the Seal and the office of Student Life.
"For students purchasing a Senior Week ticket and yearbook, the total cost will be $215," they said, "meaning the cost of Senior Week is reduced to $155 per person plus a $60 yearbook."
Due to administration help with printing costs, the staff of the Seal is optimistic that the yearbook will definitely be published this year.
"I am sure (the yearbook) will be published because my staff and I are continuing to publicize the book and create it," Audrey Levine, the Seal's editor-in-chief, said. "There have been no discussions in my meetings with my staff or Student Life of canceling it."
Many in the administration are still not satisfied with past policy regarding Senior Week.
Sean Stallings, associate director of Residential and Community Development, said that a "realignment" of Senior Week would be beneficial to have the event stay true to College policy.
Stallings said that Senior Week policy should remain in line with normal residence hall policies and should not be relaxed.
"Excessive drinking has been a major problem that has caused increased hospital transports and numerous incidents of vandalism and other student misconduct," Norfleet said.
However, Norfleet added that "students who are at least 21 may choose to drink responsibly at Senior Week events held in venues other than Travers and Wolfe (halls)."
Senior Week organizers may face problems outside of drinking.
According to Stallings, professional staff, which primarily includes Residence Directors (RDs), will have to work without pay during Senior Week.
"Most of the (RDs) are on a 10-month contract and due to the academic calendar this year they will be off contract when Senior Week occurs," Stallings said. He added that this is the first time this situation has arisen since Senior Week first began.
"That could be a big problem," Stallings said.
For some students, these changes come too late.
"When it was rumored that it was going to be really expensive and they were going to search our luggage (for alcohol), a lot of people made other plans," Chris Mecoli, senior chemistry major, said.
"They're desperate for people to go (to Senior Week)," Melissa Kvidahl, senior English and women's and gender studies major, said.
- Additional reporting by
Myles Ma, News Editor
