The students have been given the privilege to sit at the end zone where you can see approximately 1/3 of the field with reasonable accuracy. End zone seating is the worst seating arrangement they could have given the students. When I asked about this...they told me the students chose end zone seating "because it is the only part of the stadium where everyone can sit together." Are there not seats on the sidelines? I am pretty sure there are. And as for those "students" who chose this, they meant a handful of "student leaders" from Pan Hellenic, IFC, Richmond College Student Government, Westhampton College Student Government, and the Richmond Rowdies. Of those five groups listed, the Rowdies are the only one in which it is perfectly clear why they were elected to participate in this "student leaders" group. They are some of the biggest supporters of Richmond Spiders athletics! However, I refuse to accept members of Pan Hellenic, IFC, or either Student Governing body as the only student leaders who deserve input into this matter. There is a plethora (that's my favorite word!) of student organizations on campus with leaders who dedicate a significant amount of their time to their group and I think that all group leaders are student leaders who deserve to be heard. Why is it that the University of Richmond so easily hands greater power to Greek life when it has been repeatedly abused. Now, do not get me wrong. I have nothing against Fraternities or Sororities at the University of Richmond, but I do think that they have given reason for the University of Richmond to at least think twice about giving them more power. And as far as Student Government goes, while elected by peers, some run uncontested and others make it a popularity contest. Just because you are "popular" does not mean that you should be the only ones invited to make decisions on behalf of the entire student body.
I consider myself a hardcore Spider Athletics fan and I especially love football. For me to be told that my $50, 000 tuition is not enough to get me a decent seat in the new stadium, I cannot help but be a bit offended and confused. I do not understand why the University of Richmond has let down the students again. They tell us to get excited about the new stadium that is "retuning to campus." But how can I get excited when I will not even be able to watch the game! I do not get wasted before football games because I love football and I want to watch the game, but I feel as though I may as well since it doesn't matter if I can see straight or not from end zone seating. I mean, I am already going to be at such a terrible angle, that why not just go ahead and get plastered before games. I would end up watching roughly the same game either way.
Another concern that I have is with this fiasco of too few seats for students. Last year's Homecoming Game at 1600 students at it. The new stadium has a maximum capacity of 1500 in the student section. Why is it that the alumnae and the community will be able to get tickets for their seats, while the students who work really hard to be successful at the U of R are left without enough seats. At the forum, they discussed a handful of possible ways to decide who will get tickets. One option is that students will have to make time in their schedules to go to the Robins Center Ticketing Office in order to claim their ticket before their peers do. Thank goodness I am not living in Keller or North Court next year! Other options included online lotteries, and online ticket claiming (first come first served). They may not have to worry about not having enough tickets, however, thanks to the poorly placed student section.
As far as the unfortunate parking scenario in which students assigned to X-Lot will have to move their vehicles on Friday nights before games, it is lower on my list of complaints. Students will be expected to move their cars, you know, the ones they paid $100 parking pass to park in X-Lot, to the Westhampton side of campus. There is also a very confusing map of who can drive where that visitors will need to take a look at before they get anywhere near campus. The reason for these obstacles in the traffic flow and the need to relocate student cars from X-Lot on game days? Obviously, it is because the University is so POOR that they cannot afford to continue to give us an education if they do not resell the parking spots we bought to season ticket holders, and VIPs who deserve to not have to walk across campus. What with the multi-million dollars worth of construction projects (is it 3 new things they are building? while our dorms have a certain stench of mold?!), the University clearly does not have enough money and is forced to sell the parking spaces that we paid for to more important people. After all, the alumnae, I mean students (?), come first!
Thank you University of Richmond to continue to show just how dedicated you are to your student body!
Jessie
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