Spring Break
MSC shuts down Film Festival
MSC Film Society, Insights, Literary Arts Committee decentralized
By: Crystal Johnson
Issue date: 7/13/05 Section: News
Last Saturday, Memorial Student Center (MSC) Council members voted to decentralize the MSC Film Society, MSC Insights and MSC Literary Arts Committee.
Luke Altendorf, interim director of the MSC, said the committees are being dismantled because of staffing problems.
"As of right now the MSC is not able to hire new staff, and we have limited human resources," Altendorf said. "We needed to reduce pressure on our staff as well as (on) advisers to pursue the changing priorities of the University and the Division of Student Affairs."
The MSC Council members who participated in the voting decision were the executive vice presidents and the board of directors, but the advisers and staff members of the MSC were consulted about the decision, said MSC President Andy Liddell.
"The committees were selected for elimination because of their historical performance," Liddell said. "Criteria were also based on their high ratios of Student Service Fees per attendee and the ability of some of their programming duties to be absorbed by other MSC areas."
Liddell said that even though the three decentralized committees will no longer function under the MSC, some of the programs will be assigned to other MSC committees.
"The Aggie Cinema component of MSC Film Society will be assigned to MSC Aggie Nights, and the Art House Series will be assigned to the MSC Visual Arts Committee," Liddell said. "Selected Sneak Preview will be conducted by the Arts and Entertainment Programming Council. The Spoken Word component of the MSC Literary Arts Committee will be absorbed by MSC Town Hall, but the Texas Film Festival will no longer continue under the MSC."
Altendorf said the Texas Film Festival will not disappear entirely, and that the MSC is working with students to help make it into a recognized student organization on campus.
"The Texas Film Festival students have already visited with some of our staff to talk about what steps need to be taken in order for them to become a student, recognized organization," Altendorf said. "We want the students and the community to realize that the MSC appreciates and recognize the significance of these committees."
Liddell said the MSC would try its best to find other areas for the chairs and members of the committees to explore their interests.
"I want everyone to know that my number-one concern is the students being displaced by the elimination of these committees," Liddell said. "It was a very hard decision for everyone to make, and the students who are a part of the committees are caught in the middle. I hope they continue to follow the subcommittees to a new home within the MSC."
Bernie White, vice chair of Insights, said she was sad to see the committees leave the MSC, but that she understood why the decision was made.
"I am naturally disappointed to see Insights and the other two committees go," White said. "I hope that once the budget and staffing problems are resolved, Insights, or all three committees, will be able to come back within the MSC."
Luke Altendorf, interim director of the MSC, said the committees are being dismantled because of staffing problems.
"As of right now the MSC is not able to hire new staff, and we have limited human resources," Altendorf said. "We needed to reduce pressure on our staff as well as (on) advisers to pursue the changing priorities of the University and the Division of Student Affairs."
The MSC Council members who participated in the voting decision were the executive vice presidents and the board of directors, but the advisers and staff members of the MSC were consulted about the decision, said MSC President Andy Liddell.
"The committees were selected for elimination because of their historical performance," Liddell said. "Criteria were also based on their high ratios of Student Service Fees per attendee and the ability of some of their programming duties to be absorbed by other MSC areas."
Liddell said that even though the three decentralized committees will no longer function under the MSC, some of the programs will be assigned to other MSC committees.
"The Aggie Cinema component of MSC Film Society will be assigned to MSC Aggie Nights, and the Art House Series will be assigned to the MSC Visual Arts Committee," Liddell said. "Selected Sneak Preview will be conducted by the Arts and Entertainment Programming Council. The Spoken Word component of the MSC Literary Arts Committee will be absorbed by MSC Town Hall, but the Texas Film Festival will no longer continue under the MSC."
Altendorf said the Texas Film Festival will not disappear entirely, and that the MSC is working with students to help make it into a recognized student organization on campus.
"The Texas Film Festival students have already visited with some of our staff to talk about what steps need to be taken in order for them to become a student, recognized organization," Altendorf said. "We want the students and the community to realize that the MSC appreciates and recognize the significance of these committees."
Liddell said the MSC would try its best to find other areas for the chairs and members of the committees to explore their interests.
"I want everyone to know that my number-one concern is the students being displaced by the elimination of these committees," Liddell said. "It was a very hard decision for everyone to make, and the students who are a part of the committees are caught in the middle. I hope they continue to follow the subcommittees to a new home within the MSC."
Bernie White, vice chair of Insights, said she was sad to see the committees leave the MSC, but that she understood why the decision was made.
"I am naturally disappointed to see Insights and the other two committees go," White said. "I hope that once the budget and staffing problems are resolved, Insights, or all three committees, will be able to come back within the MSC."
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