[caption id="" align="alignright" width="436" caption=" SFB funded an AAA fall concert and comedy show for November. (Seiichi Villalona / Staff Photographer)"]
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By Mylin Batipps
Correspondent
The Asian American Association’s requests to fund a fall concert and a comedy show were approved by the Student Finance Board on Wednesday, Oct. 5.
The AAA Fall Concert will provide a night of free music that features performances from Charlene Kaye, a solo artist from Brooklyn, and Tim Be Told, a band that blends pop, rock and soul.
“The event is not going to be geared just toward Asian Americans because of the artists’ diverse musical styles,” said Abigail Nanquil, co-president of AAA and senior international studies major. “We believe that different students of different backgrounds will want to come to this event.”
SFB granted $5,750 of AAA’s original request of $5,935 after cutting costs for publicity due to the difficulty of reaching other campuses, such as Rutgers and Princeton.
The concert will take place at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 2 in the Mildred and Ernest E. Mayo Concert Hall.
SFB also approved AAA’s request for $3,815 to bring comedian Eliot Chang to the College to perform in Mayo Concert Hall. Chang has a “Comedy Central Presents” special and is popular on the college circuit, having performed at over 400 colleges.
Following Chang’s stand-up segment will be a one-hour Q&A workshop that presents diversity issues relevant to both Asian Americans and other cultures. Some members of SFB were concerned about the length and relevance of the Q&A session, but Administrative Director and senior finance and political science double major Warren Samlin defended the session.
“Most comedians perform for 45 minutes and leave,” Samlin said. “Anyone that’s interested will stay for the Q&A, and those who aren’t will leave. It’s not like he’s going to come any cheaper.”
SFB unanimously agreed to approve Black Student Union’s request for $3,250 to have a night for students, faculty and members of the Ewing community to discuss the controversy of the book and movie “The Help,” as well as general issues that pertain to the history of African-American women and domestic labor. Rutgers history professor Deborah Gray White will be the guest speaker of the event, and most of the requested expenses will cover White’s travel, dinner and water service.
This event will take place at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 30 in Mayo Concert Hall.
Samlin, president of the newly approved school-spirit club Lion’s Pride, was granted $975 for Blue and Gold Day, to be held later this semester. Lion’s Pride plans to give away goldfish at the event, like College Union Board did last year at the Spring Latenighter. Expenses will cover the goldfish, fish containers, games that will be played in order for students to win the fish and art supplies for decorative purposes.
SFB approved Samlin’s request after suggesting he buy enough containers for every fish given away, since not every student will have something to put the fish in at home.
SFB also approved the Italian Club’s request to host an event to celebrate National Italian-American Heritage Month. The event will highlight the academic achievements of Italian-American scholars. Three guest speakers will be at the event, including award-winning poet Maria Fama.
“Media today reflects Italian Americans in very poor light with a lot of the TV shows that are currently on the air,” said Vincent Pelli, president of the Italian Club and senior history secondary education major. “We are just trying to shake the negative aspects.”
Other organizations will contribute $1,000 in total for the event, and SFB will give the Italian Club $540 if it can book Mayo Concert Hall for the venue and $240 if it is unable to.
The Art Student Association’s request for $218.50 for an open-mic night was also approved by SFB. ASA will partner with the Indian Student Association to host the event. ASA plans to bring together art, performance and culture with their open-mic night tradition and the cultural aspect of the ISA’s past “coffeehouses.” Drawing pads will be set up in the back so that students attending the event can take inspiration from the performers and draw if they want to.
“We want to increase the awareness of arts and how they can combine between two groups on campus,” said Lindsey Hardifer, president of ASA and senior graphic design major.
The event will take place at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 26 in the Brower Student Center Food Court.
