Valentine's dance takes toll on SA finances

February 25, 2008 —

Student Association lost nearly $11,000 on the annual Valentine's Day dance last Friday.

The dance was held at the Temple Theatre and tickets, which were $20 per person and $35 per couple, included admission and dinner. According to Executive Assistant to the Student Association Nicholas Madaj, SA budgeted $6,000 for the dance. He explained that SA was prepared to lose $6,000; however, the final loss was $11,125.46, or $5,125.46 more than SA planned to lose.

"Ordinarily most budgeting goes a little above or below what is anticipated," Madaj said. "But clearly something was off in order to lose so much."

The dance cost $13,590.46. $13,422.56 was spent with the Temple Theatre and $167.90 was spent on decorations. The main expense at The Temple was the $25.45 charge per person for food and drink for 300 guests.

Ticket sales and ticket pricing accounted for a large portion of the loss. An estimated 200 people attended the dance, but SA budgeted for 300 attendees.

"I think that the snow days really affected ticket sales," said former Campus Planning and Events Chair Jeanna Byers, who spearheaded the event.

Ticket pricing also contributed to the loss. Madaj explained that dinner alone was $20 per person and, with individual tickets selling for only $20, the pricing did not accommodate for any of the other expenses.

"This event is not expected to make a profit, but it should not have taken that much of a loss," said Madaj. "I actually did not see the pricing until just before the event, when it was too late to make changes."

President Jeremiah Stanghini said that the event was poorly planned as well. For example, last year, SA made the down payment on the Temple Theatre in December and this year, the down payment was not made until the end of January. Ticket sales also did not begin soon enough.

"I wouldn't call this a total loss," Stanghini said. "The people who went had a great time."