VU Hoops Band

[tiny707]

So if you had to put a band together...who? I have Daniel Sackey on drums and JFL on vocals so far.

[NativeCheesehead]

And we're only on like week one of this, what's this board going to look like in 6 weeks?

[vuny98]

The world is ending and you are asking trivial questions like this?!?!?!

And Mileek on the bass.

[vu84v2]

Ryan Fazekas on lead guitar. He has a sort of Trey Anastasio look and vibe going for him.

[VU2014]

Absolutely not on the music department. Should be on the Athletic department.

If there aren't students to do it, there aren't students to do it. I get frustrated that the campus radio station isn't staffed the majority of the day like it was when I was a student. It's just not a reality. Students have other interests now than they did before. I don't know much about the pep band situation, but I do know that things change and evolve on a college campus, frustrating as that may be.

I've suggested it before but the University should make the Pep Band worth half a Credit or 1 Credit and the participation would go way up.

I've heard that the Music Department thinks the Pep Band is beneath them and were chapped at the idea.

I'd make it a Freshman year Music requirement. Typically Freshman year is just mostly general education classes and students don't really get too involved with Major's department until sophomore year, but having the 1 credit requirement for Pep Band would expose the freshman to the Basketball and create a culture/habit of going to the games. The Athletics Department would get a consistent band, fill the band section, talented musicians. The Music Department would get to know the Freshman from year 1.

If the Music Department has TAs (Teachers Assistants) they could be the Pep Band leader/conductor.

It's a win-win for everyone. This would take coordination from the Athletics Department, Music Department and Presidents Office. I know President Padilla wants to create a culture, in order to create the culture he's going to have to push the Music Department (professors/staff) because they are likely to be the party is most resistant because there is apparently a stuffy attitude of thought that the pep  band is beneath them...

Mark LaBarbera, I know you read this Forum from time to time. Brandon, I know you definitely do. Please send the suggestion to the top. Require the Men's Basketball games (15-18 games a years, plus practice time) and then give the students an option to perform at the Volleyball or Women's basketball games.

For a 0.5 - 1 credit it would be well worth it to create a culture and the Music Department would get to know the students their freshman year.

[VALPO LI]

Spot on VU2014.
That is how Belmont does it.  A University that has some similarities to Valpo.

https://www.belmont.edu/cmpa/music/students/ensembles/bruin_blast.html

[vu84v2]

I am all for making pep band a for-credit class. 1/2 credit per semester would equal a four credit class by graduation. Since getting less than three credits would likely have little value towards graduation, there would be an incentive to complete three years.

However, the "Freshmen requirement" argument does not hold water, because most of the students in a pep band are most likely not music majors. Engineering and business require multiple core courses in the first year - and they are not easy for many students. I am not familiar with nursing, but my guess is that those students (as well as those in other health science fields) at least take heavy science courses in the first year.

[Valpo2010]

Most music ensembles on campus (ie. VUSO, CCB, Chorale) are only 1 credit courses.  I don't oppose the idea of making Pep Band a 1 credit course, but don't think that's going to do much to drive participation.  Basically, most students aren't going to be motivated by the credit. 

If the school really wants to get serious about it, the could go the paid pep band route, which is fairly common.  Many schools will pay a flat stipend for the season, and if you can't attend a game, you're responsible for finding and paying your own substitute. 

[vu84v2]

Most music ensembles on campus (ie. VUSO, CCB, Chorale) are only 1 credit courses.  I don't oppose the idea of making Pep Band a 1 credit course, but don't think that's going to do much to drive participation.  Basically, most students aren't going to be motivated by the credit. 

If the school really wants to get serious about it, the could go the paid pep band route, which is fairly common.  Many schools will pay a flat stipend for the season, and if you can't attend a game, you're responsible for finding and paying your own substitute. 

1 credit per year, for a student in the pep band, would eliminate one class that the student needs to take. That is a pretty big benefit, but if the stipend works better - that is fine too.

[valpo95]

As I mentioned in the other thread, the last time it was an official Music Department ensemble as 1990-91. It was worth 1/2 a credit a semester. Yes, VU2014, the Music Department thought it was beneath them. One of the things they did was schedule the official rehearsal time for the Crusader Band at the same time as the official rehearsal time for one of the symphonic ensembles, so that students could not be simultaneously registered in both.

Just as an FYI, at least in the past music majors had to have a certain number of ensemble credits per semester or per year, as I recall they had to have 1 credit per semester in a "major ensemble". I don't know if that policy has changed.   

[usc4valpo]

I go to to Drake games a couple of times a year, and they have a very enthusiastic pep band and the game experience is pretty good. Their fan base is very friendly. They have to compete with Iowa State and they promote themselves as "Des Moines" college basketball team. They do a pretty good job overall - perhaps Valpo can look at what they are doing.

[Valpo89]

There was a band at the Northern Iowa game. I think I counted 15 kids. I give them credit for being there, but man just about every song they played sounded like a dirge, including the National Anthem.

[wh]

Paid Positions
Do you like Pep Band? Like Basketball? Like Money?
Sign up for the Green Bay Phoenix Pep Band!

Paid Player Positions now available to UWGB students!
Earn $500-$900 per season to play in Pep Band!
Play fun music!
Make life-long friends!
Watch great UW-Green Bay Basketball! (for free!)
Travel to the NCAA Tournament!

https://www.uwgb.edu/pepband/paid-positions/

[VU2014]

Paid Positions
Do you like Pep Band? Like Basketball? Like Money?
Sign up for the Green Bay Phoenix Pep Band!

Paid Player Positions now available to UWGB students!
Earn $500-$900 per season to play in Pep Band!
Play fun music!
Make life-long friends!
Watch great UW-Green Bay Basketball! (for free!)
Travel to the NCAA Tournament!

https://www.uwgb.edu/pepband/paid-positions/

I think offering credit would be the most cost effective way to
Address the VU band situation. I'd make it a mandatory Music Department "course" for freshman year.

[VALPO LI]

Or perhaps part of a requirement to keep a scholarship!  Build it in the terms.  In order to receive a certain scholarship, X amount of pep band hours are required.

[valpo64]

For what it is worth, I believe that Belmont has a very good reputation for their music program .

[usc4valpo]

64 - Belmont has an incredible reputation for music. Their alumni list in music is insanely impressive - many country stars and oddly enough many early season American Idol contestants. The first radio station in Nashville was founded on campus in 1922.

Belmont is a cool choice as an MVC member in a fun town.

[wh]

Towson University

Pep band stipends increase by year of participation

Starting this 2019-2020 season, pep band stipends will be distributed on the following pay scale per game:

1st year members –$20 per game
2nd year members – $25 per game
3rd year or more members _ $30 per game
The pep band performs at all home basketball games and a select few other events on campus, and stipend amount does increase during University breaks.  Stipend money is deposited into each member's university account in the late spring.

https://www.towsonbands.com/newsite/marching-band-scholarships/

[usc4valpo]

Wh - this a great strategy, but traditionally it will take Valpo 5 years to even consider this. Valpo decision making has been consistently reactive which frustrates me to no end

[VALPO LI]

The band gotsta get paid to play!!!!
Does Valpo give out scholarships to band members?
I still like the idea of incorporating mandatory hours at games to receive a scholarship. 

[wh]

Wh - this a great strategy, but traditionally it will take Valpo 5 years to even consider this. Valpo decision making has been consistently reactive which frustrates me to no end

You're right, and you're probably understating the degree of reactivity for such things. Proactivity would be anticipating a problem down the road and solving it in advance. It's like seeing an unmarked RR crossing, realizing that this is an accident waiting to happen, and installing gates and flashers BEFORE an accident does happen. In contrast, not only does athletic department not fix a problem before it becomes one, they may lack the critical thinking skills to even recognize a problem in advance. It's either that, or they do recognize it but aren't committed enough to excellence to fix it. Or, they don't know how to problem solve. Minimalists like that are everywhere. I've encountered them in every work setting I've been in. The only thing they're skilled at (and they are good at it) is making excuses. Making the problem seem insurmountable. We don't have the money, X person/group will never go for this, we've tried a hundred times before, the timing's wrong, that's just the way kids are today so its a waste of time, do you think you're the first person who's ever thought of this, our hands are tied, the boss won't go for it, I can't do everything, they cut staff, what do they expect would happen, that's not my job, that's above my pay grade, I used to care (lie), I don't anymore. I just put in my time and go home. ETC!

[usc4valpo]

sounds like my job where I have to influence without authority.

There are valid bottlenecks and from people you can only squeeze so much blood from them before they say the heck with it.Companies are now finding out they need to empathize with employees better and not treat them fairly and with respect. Thus, the great resignation is in full force.

The issue with Valpo is sort of Neville Chamberlain like,  where we need a good drunk like Churchill to get things moving.

[covufan]

Wh - this a great strategy, but traditionally it will take Valpo 5 years to even consider this. Valpo decision making has been consistently reactive which frustrates me to no end

So you're saying that Valpo does in fact have some decision making capability.


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[VUSERF]

I would have Bobby Capobianco on sax.

[valporun]

I was a member of the Crusader Pep Band from 1999-2004, and each year we had so many members, when we started out only doing football and men's and women's basketball. The directors were voted on by band members the year before, and the directors shared responsibility to handle recruiting freshmen, and also asked other members to talk with people in their departments about coming to play. We never struggled to get people to come play at games, and it was all student-led. We had great fun. I think when they hired a permanent director about 10 years ago, she was an alum, but was not on campus to help build excitement for the upcoming games, or had the connection with students to get them to come to games since she wasn't on campus during the academic day to show her excitement for game day.

In my honest opinion, the pep band should stay student run, even if there is a faculty advisor to be a guide to the directors, and the director should be a student, not an alum or someone from the outside who teaches in the area or works in another capacity. That always worked really well, and the band was fun. Valpo needs to get back to that soon! While paying members would be great, having the directors being fellow students goes a lot further with the band because the players know the directors understand when they need to miss a game because of class, homework, or something else going on.