USG discusses the Passport to the Performing Arts program

The Undergraduate Student Government senate discussed the Passport to the Performing Artsprogram during their weekly meeting onApr. 4.

Class of 2017 senator Kishan Bhatt ’17 said that his project group had been conducting research on thePassport to the Performing Arts program for students.

He explained that the current program provides each student with two “student events” tickets, three “Princeton Passes” and three “Tiger Tickets,” depending on the type of event. According to the ODUS website, this distinction is mostly based on the price of tickets.

“A lot of folks were interested in knowing why the distribution is as it is, two, two, three,” Bhatt explained.

He noted that his group has explored the possibility of being able to use card swipes for guest attendees.

Another student suggestion was to remove the categorization to eliminate barriers and increase usage, he said. Instead of having three free events at McCarter Theater and another three at Richardson Auditorium, there could be a total of five swipes to be used in whichever manner the student chooses, Bhatt explained.

“The overall goal is to give students a little bit more choice in what they use,” Bhatt said.

He added that student input is crucial in creating any substantive changes.

Brandon McGhee '18, a U-Councilorwho works at the ticket office in Frist Campus Center, said that he noticed that many freshmen don't actually know whatPassport to the Performing Arts programis, and that there is a need for USG to better explain the program.

“We were also thinking of using an infographic on different relevant places on campus,” U-Councilor Miranda Rosen '18 said.

USG President Aleksandra Czulak '17 noted that USG is working on putting together information that might be helpful for incoming freshmen, which could include an explanation about student events and Tiger Tickets. The freshman guide would be distributed to the students before they arrive on campus, Czulak explained.

Shannon Osaka '17,Academics Committee chair,said that this freshman guide could go hand-in-hand with an academic guide that includes major-specific advice, along general tips about campus resources, such as Peer Academic Advisors.

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She also noted that the Office of Institutional Research is analyzing the results of the recent academic calendar survey.

“Myself, Ramie [Fathy '16] and a [Graduate Student Government] representative are going to be compiling results,” Osaka said.

She explained that the data for undergraduate and graduate students involved what they thought of the different calendar options and how many people were stressed about the calendar. This information will be released in the coming weeks, she added.

The senate members approved a Projects Board funding request for an event co-sponsored by the College Republicans, the Princeton Open Campus Committee, the Whig-Clio and the Campus Conversations and Identities project.

Evan Draim '16 of College Republicans said that Guy Benson, political editor ofTownhall.comandMary Katharine Ham, editor of Hot Air, will be discussing their new book, “End of Discussion,” at the Apr. 7event.

In addition to speaking about their research on free speech, the speakers will share their views on current happenings on college campuses, Draim noted.

Naman Jain '17, Projects Board co-chair,noted that the funding amount exceeds ten dollars per person.

Jain said that rather than enforcing a blanket ten-dollars-per-person rule, the Projects Board hopes to encourage events that involve more active audience participation and engagement.

In order to compensate for the increased costs, events that are classic study breaks are now subject to a seven-dollars-per-person cap, Jain said.

“It’s something that we’ve been doing informally,” Jain explained. “Our ten dollars per person, even in the past, was more of a guideline and not a hard-and-fast rule. In the next academic year, we’ll publicize that on our website.”

According to Draim, the event is open to everyone in the University community and is free to the public. The speakers will be answering any questions in the audience.

Draim explained that he anticipates approximately 150 to 200 attendees. He said he had reached out to many student groups on campus, including College Democrats and the LGBT Center, and that many students had already RSVPed to the event on Facebook.