Senate passes bill to purchase sound equipment

On Mar. 6, the ASUCD Senate unanimously passed a bill to allocate $12,586.04 from capital reserves to the Entertainment Council to fund sound equipment.

Senate Bill 30, introduced and authored by Senator Lula Ahmed-Falol, seeks to improve the quality of student events through the purchase of a full public address system, which includes a mixer, amplifier and loudspeakers.

The bill has been in the works since spring 2007, and Ahmed-Falol said the delay had to do with researching the best quality equipment, adequate pricing and storage space for the equipment.

“We wanted this to be a one-time purchase [and] we wanted to get everything right,” she said.

KDVS 90.3 FM assisted with the research and also offered space to store the PA system. Ahmed-Falol said the campus radio station often does not have enough money to put on its own events, so the purchase of sound equipment will also positively impact them.

“I believe it will help [the KDVS staff] gain professional experience working with sound,” Ahmed-Falol said.

The bill will also have a positive influence on EC events, and director of the Entertainment Council Emilia Varshavsky expressed her excitement about the upcoming purchase.

“I’m looking forward to the amount of shows EC will be able to put on its calendar,” Varshavsky said.

Previously, EC has had to rent its sound equipment from outside sources. ASUCD controller Paul Harms, who co-authored the bill with Ahmed-Falol, said that about $4,000 to $5,000 has been spent per year on providing sound for small events. The purchase of the PA system will allow EC to gear that money towards increasing the number of student events.

In addition, all Student Programs and Activities Center registered groups will have the opportunity to rent the PA system at a discounted rate anticipated to be around $100. A KDVS DJ will be present for the student groups’ events to help with the equipment.

“It’s a really good deal, considering the quality [of the sound system],” Harms said.

This nominal fee is expected to offset the operational costs for routine maintenance, as well as allow ASUCD to earn back its expenditure.

Ultimately, Ahmed-Falol expressed hope that the bill will help both students and campus organizations.

“I want students to get more experience with the equipment,” she said. “I also hope that this will help with organizing more student events.”

JAYNE WILSON can be reached at arts@californiaaggie.com.