The Florida A&M University Marching 100 is growing and needs more money to pay for all the travel and activities.
The band’s activities are financed through a variety of sources, including and activities and service fees. The 2008-2009 academic year is the final year of a five-year agreement under which the Marching 100 will receive money from the Florida A&M University Student Senate, according to Kamilia Landrum, Organization and Finance Chair, who spoke at the fourth session of the 38th Student Senate Monday. Director of Band Operations Julian White said the band has received money from the FAMU Student Government Association since William P. Foster headed the band nearly 50 years ago. SGA members were unclear about the details of the agreement and are researching it.
While the Marching 100 is trying to operate within its budget, White said, the 420-member band has several more expenses to pay. White said he needed about $43,000 for the band’s pre-drill, which usually takes place a week before the fall semester begins, $6,000 to help house all the band members, as well as more money to pay for telephone bills, postage, printing, and travel. The Marching 100 is the largest in its history. The band has 135 more members than a year ago. Upcoming trips for the band include the Honda Battle of the Bands in Atlanta, the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., and the Classic Battle of the Bands in Los Angeles.
“The band represents FAMU,” White said. “We recently performed at the inauguration, the football games , basketball games, and parades. All of those things cost money.”
If the Senate allocates the money to the band, White is asking for an SGA representative to travel with the band, so that the student government can see how the money is being spent. He also said he plans to use the money to buy more uniforms for band members and to pay for a trip to Baton Rouge, La., to battle Southern University’s band on Oct. 18.
Senate President Ricquel Jackson said the Senate does not have money to allocate at this time and will not know how much money is available until later in the semester.
Also during the fourth session, Jillian Jones, the team developer for the Relay for Life Committee, announced that this year’s goal is to raise $35,000. She said she would like to have 50 teams for next semester’s event and have the Senate as a team.
Jones encouraged each senator to contribute $38, and said if all the senators follow through, the Senate will contribute close to $1,330.
She also announced that the theme for Relay for Life will have an international focus and each team will represent a country around the world.
Senator Dex Rho, who will be serving as the captain of the 38th Student Senate team, chose Ireland as the team’s country. He felt that since Relay for Life will be taking place around March 27 and St. Patrick’s Day is on March 17, it will be easier to find clothes representing St. Patrick’s Day.
He said dressing in correlation with the international theme will help the Senate get into the spirit of the event.
“I hope everyone can participate because it’s for a good cause,” Rho said.
Jones said that any community organization off-campus can set-up a team of 10-15 people to participate in Relay for Life. The registration fee is $100 per team.
In other business, Azryana Campbell, a second year bio-medical student from Panama City was confirmed as Deputy Secretary of State with no opposition from the Senate. Also, Matthew Hillman, a third year economics student from Orlando, was confirmed to the position of Deputy Secretary of Economic Development.
Lastly, the organization and finance committee announced that they will be hosting the True Life: I Live on a College Budget, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008 at 6:30p.m. in the School of Journalism and Graphic Communication’s Lecture Hall.