In tradition with previous years at Boston University, some seniors will have the chance to celebrate the week after their final classes with their fellow seniors in events planned by the Student Activities’ Office.
However, the planning of this year’s activities has left a few seniors with a bitter taste in their mouths.
“It just doesn’t make much sense to me,” said College of Communication senior Matthew Duffy about ticket distribution. “My main problem is that if they know there are 4,000 kids graduating, why are these events for only 1,000 tickets?”
Events for Senior Week 2001 included a Red Sox game, offering 250-300 tickets, a trip to Jake Ivories’ bar and restaurant, offering about 400 tickets, a Harbor Cruise around Boston and the Senior Ball, offering about 1,000 tickets each. Other events such as the Clambake and Champagne Reception offered tickets for everyone who wished to attend.
This year, the selection process was different than in previous years. Instead of tickets being distributed to students who waited in line on a first-come, first-serve basis, the tickets were distributed online based on “random lottery numbers,” according to SAO Programs Coordinator Mindy Stroh.
“We did it this way so that everyone could have an equal chance,” Stroh said. “We changed it because we had so many complaints in the past.”
In the past, some students would wait on line for anywhere between two to eight hours for tickets and still risk not receiving them.
“It’s really hard when you want to accommodate everyone,” Stroh said.
“I guess in hindsight, it almost worked out better this way,” Duffy said about the ticket process. However, he mentioned that he was unhappy about the amount of tickets available.
“They just made it sound like a privilege when we’re paying for it anyway,” Duffy said.
Stroh said SAO didn’t receive any more complaints this year than in previous years. “When people complain, it doesn’t help much. It helps more when people give you ideas,” she said.
Tickets that students rejected will be sold later in the week.
Despite SAO’s hope that this would make things more equal, some students were unhappy with this year’s change in ticketing.
“I think my complaint would have to be the ticket process,” said Student Union Senate Chair Sarah Abbott, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. “I think they’re going to have to please everyone.”
Abbott continued to say she received all of the tickets she wanted, but not all of her friends did.
Duffy agreed with Abbott’s logic, saying, “Chances are, you’re not going to be at the same event as your friends.”
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