Packed into the semester’s first Coffeehouse, students listened as junior and Music Entertainment Director Matt Coleman introduced headlining band Point Juncture, WA. His single-handed determination to bring the Sasquatch alums to Whitman was a tribute to the strengths of student-driven programming. This year, campus event programming will depend heavily upon such dedication, as the recombination of Campus Activities Board (CAB)  and Associated Students of Whitman College (ASWC)  Events into Whitman Events Board (WEB) makes its effects felt.

On the greater responsibility of student volunteers in campus programming, senior and WEB Volunteer Coordinator Mimi Cook said, “We have a bigger role in deciding a lot of the bigger things that come to campus. CAB did a lot of the more alternative events, like Casino Nights, some comedians and drive-in movies. ASWC programming was open, but a lot of the decisions were made by individual directors, and now a lot of the decisions like the big concerts and so on, are going to be decided partly by volunteers.”

This volunteer involvement gives students a rare chance to get directly involved in the process of big-event programming. Whitman has traditionally brought a high caliber of musical artists and intellectuals to campus.

Senior and former CAB Chair Kali Stoehr said, “My freshman year we had Flogging Molly and Salman Rushdie was here sophomore year… that was ASWC funded and now WEB is also going to be ASWC funded, so all of that money is still going to be available. The volunteer board will at least have some say in what we bring, so I feel like there’s actually going to be more student involvement than there has been in the past.”

Addressing the concern about big-event budgeting under the new system, Cook said, “We do have a pretty big budget. And we budgeted enough to bring at least one big concert per semester, and then a lot of smaller things. For speakers, we have enough so that we can bring in some big, big names, and volunteers get to decide that too, so that’s going to be pretty cool.”

This budget is loosely comparable to past programming allocations. With the downsizing of paid director positions and the increased reliance upon volunteer commitment, WEB follows the trend of financial cuts across the board at Whitman –– yet preserves the basic resources for bringing the high level of event programming Whitman students have come to expect on campus.

Of course, with a large volunteer base comes concerns over the new board’s effectiveness and organization. WEB officials, however, express a consensus of confidence towards impending improvements in programming organization, due to the centralization of the formerly disparate planning committees. At the heart of WEB is sophomore Stephen Stradley, who coordinates the efforts of seven directors, each with focus on a different type of activity, such as music, cinema and visual arts. Leann Adams and Colleen McKinney from the Student Activities Office work with the students to help make events happen.

“I think WEB will be more coordinated in their programming than the various groups that were responsible for events previously,” said Leann Adams, Assistant Director of Student Activities and the main faculty coordinator for WEB.   “For example, concerts will be done by a single group and more attention can be paid to choosing diverse styles of music and a range of dates. WEB can also be more attentive to not “over-programming” or planning too many events for one day or one week,” she explained.

Stoehr is also optimistic about this new efficiency. “There’s a gigantic calendar in the office that has all events on it, including fraternity and sorority events, and each of the different directors have their events. We’re trying to keep track of all of those things so we don’t overlap.”

Asked why they made the switch to WEB, leaders said it was the most pragmatic solution. Last year, widespread budget cuts cast the future of CAB in uncertainty. While the transition had financial imperatives, WEB officials are quick to emphasize   the complex motivations behind the decision as well as its benefits.

“Time demands on advisors were one reason; the budget was another reason,” said Cook. “But I think it’s a good thing, in that we got to reevaluate the way programming worked, and take the strengths from each of the disparate programming bodies and combine them to create more efficient, more student-oriented programming.”

Upcoming planned WEB events include an open-mic Coffeehouse, letterboxing and a possible cookie-baking contest.

Stradley urges widespread involvement for future events. “Student input in programming is very much encouraged. Anyone with a great idea for a band should simply email Matt Coleman with the subject line saying “CONCERT IDEA.”

Anyone interested in giving input or helping with events is invited to attend WEB weekly meetings Wednesday at lunch in Reid G02.

“Did I mention that anybody can and should come?” said Coleman.