Amanda Fanelli

Staff Writer

Utica College hosts many student activities throughout the year. If students are new to the school, attending these activities is a great way to meet new people and get acclimate to college life. The many organizations on campus plan events throughout the year to keep students busy, providing a fulfilling college experience.

Each student is required to pay a student activity fee. For the fall 2015 semester, the student activity fee is $60. This fee goes toward funding the events that take place on campus.

Bethany Piraino, the assistant director of student activities, wants to assure students that this money is spent strictly on the students. Piraino is also the advisor of the Utica College Programming Board (UCPB).

UCPB is a student run board that is tasked with bringing events to UC. It is responsible for bringing concerts, comedians, magicians, dances, pub nights, trivia nights, and other events to campus. UCPB also administrates for Pioneer Place, a website that allows students to see all of the organization and events on campus.

Piraino said UC does not determine what events are going to be scheduled at the college.

“UCPB takes a front seat in what is going to happen on campus, it is a large number of students,” Piraino said.

Surveys are also sent out to students to see what they want to have happen on campus. Piraino urges students to take the time to fill out those surveys. They are helpful for ensuring that students have a voice in what activities they would like to see.

Requests for events go to the student senate and then to the executive board/ finance committee to approve the funds needed for the event. Certain organizations have a set budget to spend throughout the year.

As a courtesy, a 2-4-week notice before the event is requested to approve the event and the funds needed. A portion of the student activity fees is reserved for student travel (conferences, etc.), and any student is eligible to request this type of funding. Events such as Homecoming Weekend and Moose Madness do not come out of this fund.

Many students enjoy the events UC has to offer. Elliott Coleman, a junior communications major, attends many events on campus. Some of the events Coleman has attended are performances put on by Open Moments, AIM, Prestige and one his favorites, Miss UC Pageant Show.

Coleman is the Vice President of UCPB so not only does he participate in events on campus; he helps to organize them as well. Coleman is very pleased with the variety of events to participate in on and off campus because there is always something to do. In the future, Coleman hopes to see another concert come back.

“If you are bored, you’re doing college wrong,” Coleman said.

Senior Sarah Spittler, an occupational therapy major, is a member of Chi Beta Sigma Sorority and the Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA). Spittler attends Greek life events such as fundraisers for Chi Beta Sigma’s philanthropy projects and forums by other organizations.

“I think it would be nice for the school to host another concert like they did my freshman year,” Spittler said.

Some of the upcoming events on campus include a magician hosted by UCPB, Homecoming events just for students on Oct. 1 and NSLS hosting a public speaking engagement. Be sure to check out the calendar to see more.