The Kansas University football team may not be the only one putting on a great show in Memorial Stadium this fall.
After several years of struggling, the KU marching band reported this week that more than 200 musicians had signed up to participate. That's not as big as some bands in the Big 12, but it's a marked improvement from the 177 members last year or 165 the year before. The KU band members did their best, but the group couldn't help but look a little puny when a school like Oklahoma State brought a 275-member band to town.
The band is such a big part of the KU football experience that it always has seemed to make sense for the KU athletic department to support it financially. The department's biggest contribution to the band, however, may be an indirect one: fielding a winning team.
The KU Band Web site seeks to recruit band members by listing the "The Top 10 Reasons To Join The Marching Jayhawks." There are a number of social benefits and some more tangible perks - like free KU basketball tickets. But The No. 1 reason to join the band? "Two words: Orange Bowl."
Everyone wants to be part of a winning tradition, and the KU football certainly supplied that last year. The band will travel to one or two away games, and another bowl trip would be icing on the cake.
Even with those perks, however, it doesn't seem right that it should cost students to play in the band. The band's travel expenses are paid, and members are given some KU apparel, but the Web site lists about $130 worth of insurance and equipment fees that each band member is required to pay. If they want an hour of credit, they must pay tuition for that hour. There's a uniform fee of $70, of which $20 is refunded if the uniform is returned in good condition. (If it's returned in good condition, shouldn't they get the whole fee back?)
The marching band is a tremendous ambassador for KU and especially KU sports. Its members are providing a service for the school. KU should be paying them, not the other way around.
It's great news that interest in the Marching Jayhawks is climbing. Fielding a winning team apparently is a good incentive for band members, but university officials should consider doing even more.
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BigAl (anonymous) says…
I couldn't agree more. These kids work very hard at representing the univiserity. They should NOT have to rent their uniforms or pay any fees any more than the football/basketball players should have to rent theirs. It simply isn't right.Just consider a college football game without the marching band. Or Allen Fieldhouse without the pep band. Right now, these kids are working something like 8:00am to 8:00pm getting ready for the season. And they have to pay??????
Raider (anonymous) says…
If they looked puny against OSU at 275, imagine what they would look like against UT, OU, Tech, aTm, and Nebraska that all have 400 plus, and in some cases 500. Hopefully the recuriting efforts will pay off and they will grow to a larger size.And yes, it's wrong that they have to pay for uniforms. Tuition and insurance I could understand. The only ones who should have to pay for equipment rental should be percussion, basses, etc. Most everyone else should have their own instrument. Why is there an equipment fee for these kids?
Orwell (anonymous) says…
I can't see a good reason for any student to "pay to play." The university and the MegaAthleticCo reap the benefits of their efforts, in increased attendance and fan enthusiasm. Uniformity of equipment is required, and the cost of that equipment should be amortized over its useful life by the beneficiaries, not the students.My favorite part of the game day experience is the Marching Jayhawks streaming out of the stands and onto the field. it's been that way through thick and thin for half a century. I say congratulations for the increased participation in spite of a skinflint approach by the administration.
Dazie (Aileen Dingus) says…
Hawkperched- if you think it's bad here- check this out: http://www.kolotv.com/daybreak/headli... least KU's not cutting its marching program.