University of Arkansas Spends $10K in Student Fees on Zoom Drag Show
“There were only 38 students who attended the virtual event.”
Ten thousand dollars for an online event that was attended by 38 students? Sounds like a rip-off.
Campus Reform reports:
EXCLUSIVE: University of Arkansas spends $10,000 in student fees on Zoom drag show
In March, the University of Arkansas invited local drag performers to perform dances for students on zoom.
Campus Reform obtained a copy of the contract under Freedom of Information Act. It showed that the University paid the drag performers $11,050 to perform for 60 minutes.
There were only 38 students who attended the virtual event.
University’s Assistant Director of Strategic Communications Rebecca Morrison told Campus Reform that the funds for the performance came directly from student fees and that the event was hosted by University Programs.
The show featured six local drag artists and the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race 12th season, Jaida Essence Hall. The contract reveals that Hall was given $10,000 of student fees for the performance.
The guidelines for the show also included a prompt for tips from the students.
University of Arkansas spen… by Campus Reform
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Comments
Imagine if students had the option of not paying student fees (and presumably thereby either had to pay full price to participate in these activities, or could not participate at all.
Perhaps it’s time for an experiment: make the fees optional.
If practically everyone pays then the school should offer this option, as it’s essentially cost-free (yet has the bonus of promoting freedom of choice).
If practically no one pays then the fees should be abolished, as obviously students don’t think they’re receiving enough value to be worth the fees.
It’s the schools themselves that enforce the “no fees ==> no grades until you pay” sanction. Why not just charge student organizations for the use of school facilities and let the organizations figure out how to fund them?
In any case, we’ll never know how many students would opt out if they had a choice. Until/unless they have a choice, of course.