The senior class officers sold 453 senior passes last week. Additional passes will go on sale before this year’s first senior cocktail party, planned for the end of the month.
The senior pass, which costs $140, went on sale at the Campus Center for the week of Sept. 27. The pass guarantees entrance to all four senior cocktail parties and all events during senior week, including a semi-formal dance.
Seniors will save money by purchasing the pass since combined regular admission to these events costs $200; $100 for senior week activities and $25 for each cocktail party.
In addition, those who buy the senior pass receive a t-shirt with every senior’s name listed on the back.
“I think the t-shirts are swell, but way too big,” said Carrie Mathers-Suter ’05. “I was thinking of making mine into a dress, like with a belt or something, but someone already beat me to it.”
The cost of a senior pass includes $10 which will finance this year’s senior gift, serve as donation to Wesleyan’s financial aid program, and will help increase class giving rates toward the goal of 94 percent.
“If we beat last year’s 93 percent senior giving rate, then we meet this year’s ‘president’s challenge’ and receive an extra $5,000 from the Administration to spend on senior week and buy more booze or whatever,” said senior class president Yaw Agyenim-Boateng.
Under the “8-1-1 Plan,” a plan coordinated by the Administration and the senior officers, eight of the $10 will go toward financing the senior gift, $1 will be considered a first year alumni donation and $1 as his or her second year donation.
As a result, the University will not solicit students to donate during the first two years after they graduate, and each sale will help to boost the University’s alumni donation rate, possibly affecting its annual ranking in U.S. News and World Report.
Patrick Rheaume ’05 refused to buy a senior pass because he does not condone the “8-1-1 Plan,” whereby he is forced to donate to the University.
“Students would do well to consider what kind of Wesleyan their money is buying,” Rheaume said. “The Administration has in the works plans to eliminate senior wood-frame housing, take over WESU, and undermine its professors.”
In addition, some have complained about the difficulty of buying the passes, said Nathan Victoria ’05, senior class gift chair.
“One problem was the selling time,” Victoria said. “We have received a few phone calls saying that the hours at the Campus Center weren’t the best. Some people have also told us they still want to buy passes although sales stopped last Friday.”
Despite these concerns, seniors have praised the pass as an economical way of gaining entrance to fun parties.
“I think this a great way to save money and give to the class gift,” said Alden Blair ’05. “Besides, if we make it over 93 percent, the University will technically be paying for our drinking.”
Aspiring to top last year’s sale of 650 passes, the senior class officers have visited senior residences this week to solicit more participation.
The senior class officers include Agyenim-Boatteng, Vice President Natalia Ortiz, Secretary Marcella Martinez and Treasurer Thang Lengoc.
The officers will soon send an e-mail to the Class of 2005 detailing how passes can be purchased for those who did not buy them at the Campus Center last week.
“I think that getting 94 percent participation is definitely doable,” Victoria said. “With the number of sales that happened last year and the way we’ve sold so many passes already, we should be able to pass our goal.”
Leave a Reply