Students involved in extracurricular activities on campus should not have to worry if their respective groups will be supplied with appropriate space.
But as a member of the university’s Winter Guard and one of its current captains, that has been our year so far. Winter Guard is a competitive performance art and includes handling different pieces of equipment, including large flags, to put on an artistic show that is judged and scored.
Because these are large pieces of equipment, the specifications for a practice space are precise. Winter Guard needs a gym, but we are currently assigned to University Hall, previously Saint Paul’s Roman Catholic Church. The team is either in the main portion of the building, which is filled with old pews and several chandeliers or in the basement with low ceilings and support beams every six feet. This is an insufficient and dangerous space for practice.
The Winter Guard season goes from January to early April, with competitions on Saturdays. The group’s coaches, as well as the university band director, Jason DeGroff, started working – with no luck — to find an adequate rehearsal space starting last November. How many people should it take to provide a university affiliated group with appropriate space?
The school has more than 200 Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) that are overseen by the Undergraduate Student Government Association (USGA) and Graduate Student Council (GSC). There is something for everyone on campus.
The Winter Guard is a special case, as it is a competitive group as well as a university-registered course. According to Louis Annino, associate vice president for facilities on campus, groups and people typically register for facilities with a digital reserve system, including athletic and recreational spaces. However, these spaces are not prioritized for non-athletic groups.
You can imagine that members of the Winter Guard feel they are not a priority. The program has even considered moving off-campus, which could cost its members. An on-campus group and class should have a reserved space that is close by.
Annino said he is determined to find a solution.
“Your program is pushing us into new territory and that is a very good thing,” he said.
Annino said he is working to secure a proper rehearsal space and could be booked on one of the correlating reservation systems. This is a work in progress, but perhaps soon the Winter Guard will see the school provide accessibility to all respective groups on campus.
