Junior senators Scott Withycombe and Melissa Overbeck will sponsor a resolution pushing for more campus programming. Future live events could be run by outside company.
By Virginia Thomas
News Assistant

As the driftwood settles from Waves of Mercy, members of the Student Government Association have several projects underway to bring more live events such as concerts to Pepperdine. SGA Programming Board Chair Jimmy Hutcheson is trying to build a relationship with an outside production company called Nederlander, which would put on large-scale events on campus. Also, junior Sen. Scott Withycombe will propose a resolution at next Wednesday’s SGA meeting that pushes for more than one large event per semester.

Last year, a lack of administrative and security services forced the administration to set a limit of one big event per semester.

The resolution, authored by Withycombe and junior Sen. Melissa Overbeck, stated that SGA will “work in the interest of the community it represents to sponsor more major live events this semester and during the remainder of this year” and “aggressively petition the administration for live programming approval.”

This resolution would implement an SGA committee that would survey student opinions about programming and communicate with the administration about their findings. If students say they want more concerts, that’s what the committee would advocate.

However, neither Hutcheson nor Withycombe said they see the resolution creating a conflict between students and administration.

“I don’t think this is an offensive resolution at all,” Withycombe said. “It’s just a concrete avenue for our organization and the administration to sit down at one table, come up with a solid plan, and implement that plan in a way that’s mutually acceptable to both parties.”

Hutcheson said the resolution is “basically to rally support for (more concerts) and for SGA and the Programming Board to take a stance as a whole. It’s a proactive approach to bringing more live  events to campus.”

The committee would seek to book more artists that fit the school’s Christian mission, yet are popular among students, Withycombe said.

Those artists may be booked through Nederlander.

“The committee’s going to be formed basically based around Jimmy’s proposal for an outside promotion company to come in and put on concerts,” Withycombe said.

If Pepperdine and Nederlander do sign a contract, the company would finance, promote and host concerts at Alumni Park and/or Firestone Fieldhouse. This would eliminate the lack of human resources, because Nederlander, instead of Pepperdine, would provide what is needed.

“I think it’d be a plan that would be good for the university and the company,” Hutcheson said. “It’s a mutually beneficial relationship.”

According to the “Building Relationships” plan Hutcheson presented to the administration two weeks ago, Nederlander would benefit from Pepperdine’s close proximity to Los Angeles, its Malibu location and affluent surrounding community. Pepperdine would benefit from increased student and community involvement, a possible source of revenue, and publicity from the shows.

Withycombe said it is in everyone’s best interest to have live programming and that he understands the administration’s resources concerns.

“When (the administration) sees the private market options,” he said. “And realize that it’s possible to produce live large events at little to no cost to the university, it becomes evident that everyone benefits from such a solution.

“The students get what they want in terms of entertainment,” Withycombe continued, “and the administration gets satisfied students and positive publicity.”

Of the few concerns listed in the plan, the main one was a fear of commercialization on Pepperdine’s private campus.

Currently, Hutcheson is waiting to get a contract back from Nederlander. When it arrives, Hutcheson said a meeting will take place between Dean of Student Affairs Mark Davis and the General Council to look at a sample contract and see if it’ll be a feasible agreement.

Nederlander has been around since 1922 and owns more than 35 theaters. They have already developed relationships with University of California San Diego, University of California Santa Barbara and several other schools in Southern California. They’re ready and willing to sign with Pepperdine, Hutcheson said, and have several acts available for November.

Performers may not come as soon as November, Withycombe said, because Waves of Mercy and Midnight Madness (called Madness Reloaded this year) will both take place this semester.

“I’d like to see a push for it,” Withycombe said. “We should at least explore our options and begin to plan for next semester. I think we owe at least that to the student body. It’s our responsibility.”

September 25, 2003