To the Editor:
As an organization that prides itself on providing a vast array of programs for the student body throughout the year, the Fairfield University Student Association feels obligated to respond to an article written by Elizabeth Mainiero, ”Just a Lil’ Bit’better’.
The article creates an unfair comparison between Sacred Heart and Fairfield concert programming and did not accurately display the concert selection process to the student body.
Beginning with the spring concert survey, the directors of concerts work with our established booking agent through the summer and early fall to seek out viable acts, within the allotted $33,000 concert budget.
With the limited facilities on campus, the Fairfield University Student Association can only sell 2,000 tickets to students and the community. These limits place immense constraints on the budget and the variety of acts that are willing to perform in our venue.
As it is our goal to listen to student desires, FUSA must act responsibly to ensure a concert with affordable ticket prices. With that being said, when considering John Legend, we addressed student concerns resulting from last year’s concert. The largest grievances were that students wanted a ‘current’ artist, who would give a quality performance.
We believe that John Legend exemplified the aforementioned concerns of the student body and is anything but ‘the artist who quietly serenades us as we wait for our coffee at Jazzman’s.’ Since taking the stage at Fairfield University, Legend has performed at the We are One Inauguration Concert, the NBA All Star Game, the Academy Awards and is currently taking his tour worldwide.
If you think we are ‘missing the mark,’ we encourage you to remember these concerns when taking the concert survey that comes out in April.
Sincerely,
Meghan Doyle, Executive Director of Programming
Spencer Ryan Thibodeau, Director of Concerts
Thomas M. Vitlo, Director of Concerts
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