The Program Board is hoping to create events in association with the turn of the century as part of its game plan for the 1999-2000 school year.
PB is a student-run organization funded by the University that is responsible for campus-wide programming. The PB hosts and sponsors various types of programs, ranging from rock concerts to the Ambassador Lecture Series, PB Vice Chair Seth Weinert said.
“Each year, the administration funds [PB] and tells us to go out there and create events that students want to go to,” Weinert said. “And we can’t do that without the vital input of GW students.”
Weinert said developing programming based upon the turn of the century is going to be a priority for PB. Y2K programming, which he said is the “brainchild” of PB Executive Chair Ruth Abu-Sahid, could include a party and will take into account how the new century affects GW students.
The new Hall on Virginia Avenue could create opportunities for other types of programming that compliments GW students’ education, Weinert said.
“That may mean bringing speakers to campus that have a connection to the Watergate,” he said.
In addition, PB is planning for an active year of concerts and films, among other types of programming.
The PB will continue to look into ways to host big-name concerts, Weinert said. PB hosted Blues Traveler last year but lost $45,000 on the November 1998 concert.
Weinert said this year’s PB leadership, which includes numerous committee chairs, is a diverse group of students. He said the backgrounds of executive board members will increase the quality of PB programming.
“Hopefully, we can use the board’s diversity to create programming that’s going to be of interest to everybody,” Weinert said.
Weinert said PB will open itself to the entire GW community and will offer different types of programming to the school’s different constituencies.
Weinert said the PB is hoping this year’s freshman class will want to get involved in the Program Board. He said there are many types of programming that freshmen get involved in, including Welcome Week and Movie on the Quad.
“We’re placing a huge emphasis on getting the freshman class involved,” he said.
Weinert said he was a freshman when he got involved with PB, and it allowed him to participate in the creation of programming. He said he hopes incoming freshmen have the same opportunities he experienced.
“I was very excited about Fall Fest when I first came (to GW),” he said. “I remember walking into the PB office (and) the concerts chair said `Help us put on this show.'”
