From the Daily: Poor execution

By The Michigan Daily  On  May 8th, 2013

On April 22, University students learned that student seating at football games for the 2013 season will be conducted under a general admission policy. This policy is different from previous years, where the number of accumulated credits determined how close to the field a student’s tickets were. Many students have voiced their opposition to general admission, and a petition on the University’s UPetition site calling for a gradual implementation of the new seating arrangement has garnered nearly 3,600 signatures. While the Athletic Department’s decision to have general admission for football games shouldn't be problematic in the long run, the manner in which the department is implementing general admission leaves much to be desired.

There are several aspects of general admission seating that, while different from the past, will benefit students. All students now have the chance to sit wherever they want in the student section, provided that they arrive early enough to the stadium. As a result, students can freely move around the stands and sit in whatever group they desire without having to sign up for group tickets beforehand or having to dodge ushers. Moreover, Athletic Director David Brandon’s stated reason for going to general admission in the first place was to ensure that more students show up to the start of the football game. If this logic plays out in practice, the atmosphere in the student section on game days should become even more energetic and enjoyable, with more students showing up to support the team.

However, this change should have been handled differently. Regardless of his goals, the way Brandon chose to implement the general admission policy is disrespectful to returning students. The Athletic Department announced the policy change at the start of the 12-day window in which students could purchase season tickets, coinciding with the already busy end of the semester. The department also chose not to consult the student body. Had the department announced their intention to change the seating policy at an earlier date, students who oppose the policy change would have had the chance to voice their opposition and suggest alternatives along the lines of the petition before they had to buy tickets. Most disappointingly, the Athletic Department deprived seniors of a time-honored privilege without their consent.

Implementing this policy change in a way that will ensure student safety and streamline the process of getting into the stadium on game days should be a priority for the University as the football season approaches. Pennsylvania State University — a school with general admission — has allowed their students to camp out days in advance in order to get one of the first few spots in line for the student section. This is just one of the contingencies that University administration must prepare for next fall, along with long lines outside of the stadium well in advance of the game and students jockeying for seats during the game.

While general admission has numerous benefits, its abrupt introduction was ill-advised. University administration, particularly the Athletic Department, must now ensure the switch to general admission doesn’t adversely affect the game day experience this fall.

Printed from www.michigandaily.com on Tue, 28 May 2013 04:50:08 -0400