11/4 7:30p.m. An earlier version of this article erroneously suggested disagreement between Cantor and Lavner about the moniker “Grand Haverfest.” 11/5 12:23 p.m. The article has been updated to correct errors in reporting and reflect additional details about Haverfest costs.
Haverfest has extra funds this year, but will it be Grand?
This year, Students’ Council has more than $20,000 in surplus money from club budgeting and is now debating what portion of the funds should be allocated toward Haverfest, if any.
Students’ Council (SC) Co-Treasurer Brie Groh ’15 says that the Budgeting Committee often saves a few thousand dollars as a backup in case clubs go over their budget for important items. At the end of the academic year, that extra money, which students pay into each year as part of their tuition, is set aside in a fund that is spent every four years.
Although you may have heard that it is a tradition to have a larger, “Grand” Haverfest every four years, Grand Haverfest has happened only once, maybe twice depending on who is asked.
Even last year’s SC Budgeting Committee has called it a “Havertradition,” as one student-wide email from the Budgeting Committee in February 2013 noted the committee was “saving our approxiamately [sic] $10,000 surplus for grand Haverfest next year,” for what could be “the most epic two days of every non-senior’s life.”
According to Coordinator of Residential Life Franklyn Cantor ’12, the surplus fund was created as a result of changes made to the SC Constitution before 2006, with the intention that during the spring of 2006 the extra money could be used to better the community. The decision that year was to pour extra money toward Haverfest, he said.
But the Haverfest Committee from 2006 says that, because the money was given to the Federation United Concert Series (FUCS) and not toward the general Haverfest budget, “Grand Haverfest” did not exist that year, said Director of Student Activities Lilly Lavner ’07.
“Grand Haverfest” can perhaps best be characterized by the fact that some years, more money has been spent on events and activities during Haverfest weekend.
In 2010, treasurers set aside a total of $39,000 from their budget for the event. Money from unused club funds bring the total funding for Haverfest up to $48,000, says Cantor.
” Of the 48K, 25K was spent on bands – 10K on Who’s Bad, a Michael Jackson cover band that played on Friday night, and 15K on Major Lazer, who played on Saturday night. 20K was put towards food and activities (including the “Zipper” in the photo), and 3K towards sound equipment,” Cantor wrote in an email. He estimates that around $10,000 was likely raised through merchandise sales.
This year a little more than $20,000 is on the table, and Students’ Council appears divided over whether Haverfest is worth the extra money.
Minutes from the discussion note that the funds available this year are not enough to hire such a high-profile musical act, prompting the discussion of how else the money can be used.
At their October 6 meeting, they debated ways to survey the student body about how best to use the money, including “showing support on administrative views” by contributing to projects outlined the strategic plan, or pouring more money into special club projects or the facilities fund, which is used to improve student spaces.
Officer of Multiculturalism Maria Borjorquez-Gomez ’16 says that SC is also looking for a way to include those who miss out on Haverfest, such as spring athletes who are consistently unable to attend Haverfest at all.
“There is a general sentiment that we all want a Grand Haverfest,” says Borjorquez-Gomez. But because it is not an established tradition, it would be up to the current and future SC to continually set aside money for the event.
2012-2013 Haverfest co-head Maya Beale ’15 says after her experience planning the event, a Grand Haverfest should be “a more saturated Haverfest”—not necessarily a really big, expensive event, but one with more activities and smaller features, such as food trucks.
Tina Zhuo ’15 and Rrap Kreyziu ’16 were appointed Haverfest co-heads on Saturday night. Co-President Jacob Lowy said SC will solicit student feedback early this month.
Additional information and corrections to this article were made by Thy Vo ’14.
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