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Post by marchingband1969 on Aug 31, 2022 10:58:05 GMT -5
Hey, you've got to check out Roland Martins podcast about the treatment of the FAMU football team and Band. Yes, now the "100" members are speaking out. According to Roland, FAMU band says they are being treated worse than the football team. And their complaints about long bus travels, cold box lunches and a poor band room sounds sad... until you realize this is the band with over $1 million for band student scholarships and a brand new turf band practice field. By the way, diminishing the value of the band must be a universal trait of HBCU Administrators. Hey let me be honest... Dr. Ruff and his staff do a fantastic job in the care and feeding of our band members. They may be performing for "free" and practicing in a dump but Dr. Ruff makes sure when they are traveling, he does all he can to make the band students have a good experience. youtu.be/fk5zxFnjxYg
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Post by marchingband1969 on Aug 31, 2022 11:06:26 GMT -5
The band students receive $5k in additional benefits each semester? Not specifically for the band, the student population received nearly $5K in support. If the band stopped making trips to the battle of the band in Houston they can have more for scholarships. A&T announced investments of $40 million last year in areas intended to promote the success of all students, investments that continue this year. The average incoming first-year student can expect cost reductions totaling $5,000, including free textbooks, six hours of free summer school tuition, housing and dining scholarships, access to emergency grants and a new iPad. www.ncat.edu/news/2022/08/ncat-begins-2022-23-academic-year.phpHey the Organizers of the Houston Battle of the Bands paid for that trip to Houston. And the same goes for the Honda Battle of the Bands in Atlanta. Those events have corporate sponsors and they provide bands funds to participate. I didn't see the check but I was told the BGMM received $25,000 to participate in the Houston BOB. If that's not true, someone on this site will let me know.
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Post by aggie2039 on Aug 31, 2022 11:18:34 GMT -5
From a band Parent on YouTube
Thank you for bringing attention to these issue!!! As a band parent (BGMM at NCA&T), this is appalling! Band is like a full-time job, without the pay. The least they can do is make sure they are receiving basic necessities, like food and rest! The BGMM just flew to Houston for the NBOTB. They are flying to Detroit for the Lions/Eagles game on 9/11, and flying to Orlando to perform at Disney in October. They sleep in hotels, and usually eat at a Golden Corral. The fact that these young adults are being treated this way is totally unacceptable. Do better!
FAMU has 300 band members and a staff of 20...that is a lot of money to spend. Transporting the band and staff and providing food and lodging is not cheap.
One item that you all ignore is that Chancellor Martin stated is that he funds them well for operations...
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Post by marchingband1969 on Aug 31, 2022 11:19:15 GMT -5
Gotcha, so the gen pop is receiving $5K. Nothing specific for band. Understood. So yeah, we need money for band scholarships, point blank. Cool Yeah, alums need to donate money not the students. Every time this suggestion comes up, I want to endorse it! Alumni need to donate money for band student scholarships. Not corporations, or foundations or rich folks with lots of disposable cash... but alumni. And if we organize right, we can do it! One other point, we need to remind ourselves that these are "students that play in the band" not "band members that just happen to be students!" When we ask for "band scholarships" we are really asking for "student scholarships!" Let's stop treating these young Aggies like we are doing something for "the band." These are young brothers and sisters trying to better themselves with an education that came from struggling families in our neighborhoods. And like most financially struggling college student, they would be working to help pay their college expenses... if they weren't "donating" 20+ hours a week to represent the largest HBCU in the nations. Don't get it wrong, they love performing in the BGMM but the University is getting more out of their 20+ hours of performance labor than the students are.
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Post by aggie2039 on Aug 31, 2022 11:30:00 GMT -5
Yeah, alums need to donate money not the students. Every time this suggestion comes up, I want to endorse it! Alumni need to donate money for band student scholarships. Not corporations, or foundations or rich folks with lots of disposable cash... but alumni. And if we organize right, we can do it! One other point, we need to remind ourselves that these are "students that play in the band" not "band members that just happen to be students!" When we ask for "band scholarships" we are really asking for "student scholarships!" Let's stop treating these young Aggies like we are doing something for "the band." These are young brothers and sisters trying to better themselves with an education that came from struggling families in our neighborhoods. And like most financially struggling college student, they would be working to help pay their college expenses... if they weren't "donating" 20+ hours a week to represent the largest HBCU in the nations. Don't get it wrong, they love performing in the BGMM but the University is getting more out of their 20+ hours of performance labor than the students are. I agree with you, I am just tired of people bashing the chancellor and not taking ownership. This statement is not directed towards you.
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919aggie
Official BDF member
Posts: 2,499
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Post by 919aggie on Aug 31, 2022 11:43:49 GMT -5
Hey, you've got to check out Roland Martins podcast about the treatment of the FAMU football team and Band. Yes, now the "100" members are speaking out. According to Roland, FAMU band says they are being treated worse than the football team. And their complaints about long bus travels, cold box lunches and a poor band room sounds sad... until you realize this is the band with over $1 million for band student scholarships and a brand new turf band practice field. By the way, diminishing the value of the band must be a universal trait of HBCU Administrators. Hey let me be honest... Dr. Ruff and his staff do a fantastic job in the care and feeding of our band members. They may be performing for "free" and practicing in a dump but Dr. Ruff makes sure when they are traveling, he does all he can to make the band students have a good experience. youtu.be/fk5zxFnjxYgPoor band room? They would CRY if they seen ours...
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Post by marchingband1969 on Aug 31, 2022 14:01:32 GMT -5
Every time this suggestion comes up, I want to endorse it! Alumni need to donate money for band student scholarships. Not corporations, or foundations or rich folks with lots of disposable cash... but alumni. And if we organize right, we can do it! One other point, we need to remind ourselves that these are "students that play in the band" not "band members that just happen to be students!" When we ask for "band scholarships" we are really asking for "student scholarships!" Let's stop treating these young Aggies like we are doing something for "the band." These are young brothers and sisters trying to better themselves with an education that came from struggling families in our neighborhoods. And like most financially struggling college student, they would be working to help pay their college expenses... if they weren't "donating" 20+ hours a week to represent the largest HBCU in the nations. Don't get it wrong, they love performing in the BGMM but the University is getting more out of their 20+ hours of performance labor than the students are. I agree with you, I am just tired of people bashing the chancellor and not taking ownership. This statement is not directed towards you. I think because I keep raising the band facilities and scholarship issues, folks assume I'm bashing the Chancellor. On the contrary, I'm a one-man fan club for Chancellor Martin. Way back in the dark ages (Chancellor Forts era) I had one very short conversation with then Vice Chancellor Martin and I've been a fan ever since. The facilities issue is big and way over my pay grade. The University Board has a band facility plan in place and we will have to see if it improves the situation. But for me, I'm all about the students. Hell, our band has proven they can practice in a warehouse and out-perform 99.9% of the marching bands in the nation. So, the facilities are not what makes the BGMM special... it's the band members. So, let's help then stay in school without giving up their part-time job at the band warehouse. Let's show them some love! All I really want Chancellor Martin to do is say to one of those "vice Chancellors" hanging out in the Dowdy Building..."You are responsible for setting up an individual donor fundraising organization to help raise scholarships for students in the band!" If he said that, it will happen. And we could go back to complaining about that darn brown stadium grass!
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Post by DOOMS on Aug 31, 2022 14:15:18 GMT -5
Hey, you've got to check out Roland Martins podcast about the treatment of the FAMU football team and Band. Yes, now the "100" members are speaking out. According to Roland, FAMU band says they are being treated worse than the football team. And their complaints about long bus travels, cold box lunches and a poor band room sounds sad... until you realize this is the band with over $1 million for band student scholarships and a brand new turf band practice field. By the way, diminishing the value of the band must be a universal trait of HBCU Administrators. youtu.be/fk5zxFnjxYgIf that's the case, now's the time to pounce and really fund our band. We can draw students from far and wide if other schools aren't putting as much into their bands. And personally I wouldn't mind a hundred dollar hike per semester on my bill for the band if I was a student. I pointed it out somewhere or another, the band is generally your most important asset at an hbcu. Who just came back from Houston? Who's playing in Detroit? At what point during football games are the most people in the stands? I'm not a bandhead. I don't give two shits about musicality or technicality or whatever. But I can acknowledge who's bringing a good amount of positive exposure to our brand and they should be supported like it. Furthermore ain't no way the largest hbcu in the nation shouldn't have the largest, loudest, most funded, and best all-around marching band. No way whatsoever.
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Post by Aggie Monster on Sept 1, 2022 9:57:50 GMT -5
Somebody post a pic of a "good" band room that holds a 200 piece band please and explain why its much better than ours or FAMUs. I'm bored and curious.
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Maxell
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Post by Maxell on Sept 1, 2022 10:19:43 GMT -5
Google:
University of Michigan Marching Band - Facilities Or Ohio State University Marching Band - Facilities
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Post by Bornthrilla on Sept 1, 2022 10:51:18 GMT -5
Yeah, yall are not being serious if you honestly expect that we should have the same kind of band room as Ohio State, considering our overall budget.
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919aggie
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Post by 919aggie on Sept 1, 2022 11:11:53 GMT -5
Out of the more "popular" HBCU bands, no one really has a band facility to "brag" about...(We are just the only ones in a warehouse) Southern U Jackson St Norfolk
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919aggie
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Post by 919aggie on Sept 1, 2022 11:19:09 GMT -5
Grambling Bethune Alabama A&M
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919aggie
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Post by 919aggie on Sept 1, 2022 11:28:36 GMT -5
NCCU
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tony
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Post by tony on Sept 1, 2022 11:36:11 GMT -5
Of all the things to complain about I always thought the band room was at the bottom of list. Some schools have practice rooms - we never did. But if your section has 10 or more people (small by college standards) practice rooms are useless anyway. Gravel parking lots look like a mess but they never stopped anything from getting done. Plenty of water fountains would be a great improvement. We can get by with what we have but who wants to stand in a line of 30 people to get a drink? A band room big enough to hold everybody is very helpful - the current warehouse is WAY better than Frazier. The staff can always use more office space though. A better practice field would be nice. Something where you don't have to worry about twisting your ankle in a hole. Lights are a must. When the time changes and the sun goes down at 6 you're practicing in the dark pretty much the whole time. Money is always needed for uniforms and instruments. They seem to be doing okay from what I can tell... the current uniforms are probably the best they've ever been. For the most part I think the instruments are great too. I'm still suspicious of the trombones and mouthpieces they're playing on - I think somebody may have bought models that aren't ideal. But at least they had the money to do it. But by far the biggest need is SCHOLARSHIPS. When NCCU is offering full scholarships a kid has to decide if they want a great experience or if they want to get school paid for. That's a real choice for a lot of students. Multiply that by Fayetteville State, Winston Salem State, Shaw, Livingstone, St Aug, ECSU, JCSU all throwing money at a small pool of band members (because the local feeder schools are terrible) and we're left with nothing to go on but our reputation. Which is goes for a lot, but we're still at a huge disadvantage. Both from a recruiting perspective and from students that have to split their time between band, school, and working to pay for it all.
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