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FAU vs FIU Bands

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Out of State Tuition said

GeorgiaOwl said

Again my idea, which is used by the Bama schools is to offer IN STATE tuition for COMMITING to being in the marching band!

Yes it is lower than out-of-state tuition, but is it if that slot is filled by a kid from Florida anyhow?

And out-of-state kids NEED housing and meals ($$$) most in-state kids (locals) don't, so the dorms and campus life get better. Oh, and band parents traveling to Boca (hotel rooms and restaurants)to see their kids - more $$ for Boca and the school (game day gear, game tickets, food & drinks at the game).

C'mon Dr. Kelly, make the band Clemson too!!!!!

Posted On: Nov 20th 2017, 3:25 PM #373840

Write you state legislature about giving in-state tuition to out of state tuition.  Oh yeah your not a resident of the state and not a taxpayer here.  There is NO discretion by the university.  Otherwise wouldn't you think when we get an out of state football player we would give him in-state tuition?  Out of state tuition is what pays for everything.  Drop it already.
Posted On: Nov 20th 2017, 4:36 PM #373845

You pay State taxes in Florida???? Or, then offer a scholorship to band members worth the difference to pay it. It can be done. I am just pointing out how even smaller FCS and FBS schools get it done! Don't be so testy!
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GeorgiaOwl said

Out of State Tuition said

GeorgiaOwl said

Again my idea, which is used by the Bama schools is to offer IN STATE tuition for COMMITING to being in the marching band!

Yes it is lower than out-of-state tuition, but is it if that slot is filled by a kid from Florida anyhow?

And out-of-state kids NEED housing and meals ($$$) most in-state kids (locals) don't, so the dorms and campus life get better. Oh, and band parents traveling to Boca (hotel rooms and restaurants)to see their kids - more $$ for Boca and the school (game day gear, game tickets, food & drinks at the game).

C'mon Dr. Kelly, make the band Clemson too!!!!!

Posted On: Nov 20th 2017, 3:25 PM #373840

Write you state legislature about giving in-state tuition to out of state tuition.  Oh yeah your not a resident of the state and not a taxpayer here.  There is NO discretion by the university.  Otherwise wouldn't you think when we get an out of state football player we would give him in-state tuition?  Out of state tuition is what pays for everything.  Drop it already.
Posted On: Nov 20th 2017, 4:36 PM #373845

You pay State taxes in Florida???? Or, then offer a scholorship to band members worth the difference to pay it. It can be done. I am just pointing out how even smaller FCS and FBS schools get it done! Don't be so testy!
Posted On: Nov 20th 2017, 5:00 PM #373846

I wouldn't get too worked up over a non registered poster. He seems to want to pick on other board members.

FAU - THE REAL SLEEPING GIANT
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Really. Just let it pass. We all wish our band was great. But, for a small band , they are darn good.
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Thanks guys, not worried about it. I think our band is decent too for a small college band. But like football, I want the band to represent FAU bigger and stronger and instill pride in FAU! Really do appreciate their effort though!!!!
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The band is not funded by athletics, therefore their funding comes for the music department/arts and letters. Right now they have an interim director, but I believe have (or recently had) the position open for applicants (including the gentleman who is currently over seeing the Marching Owls). 

In 2005 when the band got started again, the office of the President (at the time Frank Brogan) put in the money for our uniforms and I believe some more instruments. He wanted a traditional marching band, after not having one for a few years) and he even had a few of us pose with him and his family for the FAU Christmas card. He was proud to have the band back. 

Slowly we started to grow. In 2006 the pep band was lucky enough to travel with the women’s basketball team to their NCAA performance in Nashville. Our band has always traveled to FIU (theirs has not always traveled to our home games), but we have not always been allowed to perform at half time. In 2007 we were able to travel to FIU (orange bowl), UF, and the New Orleans Bowl. I can tell you that these trips were some of my best experiences from college, and they helped with retention and recruitment. In spring 2008 the pep band got to travel to the Sun Belt basketball tourney, again another benefit for PAYING for a class where you have to attend all men’s and women’s basketball games. Then in 2008 we made another bowl game but the school did not send us. While I believe the band’s largest years were probably 2008/2009/2010 (when we were also performing at multiple high school marching band competitions as the exhibition band), there wasn’t much happening in a sense of travel and combining that with less than stellar performance on the field or court, you eventually get people not wanting to stay in band. 

While the band has gone to the USF games, I do recall hearing that the band department was told they had to pay for transportation and TICKETS for the band, and I think one year they had to get student government to help pay for some of that (not possitve about that though). This comes back to funding. 

Some fellow band alumni, including Dan, have been having this conversation recently. As I’ve been thinking about it I think the first step to get more people would be to REQUIRE all music ed. majors to be in marching band. There are many “band students” who are taking band classes and majors, but are NOT in the marching band. This would easily increase our numbers. 

In hearing from some other alumni who have also marched for other South Florida schools, we have been told about higher scholarships, no limit on how many years you can march (FAU has a 5 year limit), and no requirement to attend that school (FAU allows PBSC and BCC student to march but I know of FAU students who have marched in Miami’s band). FIU, along with a few other state schools, also have winter guard and percussion programs. These are groups (essentially teams) who compete in the spring semester against other programs. This brings attention and prestige to your program. FIU had probably close to 35+ color guts members which also helps fill the field and make the band look bigger. 

I think retention is one of the biggest issues, and effects the quality of the band. Also the band doesn’t get respect from athletics. They play music over top of the band playing (I’m ok with them being mic’d for now), not having the team go to the band at the end of the game (shoot if even settle for them going to the student end zone), and at the end of every game the band has to wait 10+ minutes for them to finally turn off the music before they can play the ALMA MATER! So by the time they do play, everyone in the stands have left (except for a few of us). 

For those who talked about moving the band, that would be hard since the stadium was built with a band section (access to the field directly from where they sit). If you don’t remember the students used to surround the band until they complained about seeing the scoreboard. 🙄 

I hope that they hire someone who is going to be proactive about recruiting, not just emailing but visiting high schools, getting the band to local competitions, inviting entire schools bands to “band day”, and getting creative with retention and theming of halftime shows. Years like this one, with a winning team and hopefully traveling to a bowl game, should help as well, and get more students to join. The marching band direction has many roles including the Marching Owls, parliament sound pep band, symphony band (concert ensemble in the spring), and teaches other music classes each semester for the department. I just assuming in the past finding extra time for out of the box recruiting just hasn’t been available. 

 The students in the band are doing their best and hopefully some day FAU will be able to find that magic sauce that grows out Marching Owls! 

Go Owls! 

AEA
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dmarkey - great post and thanks for sharing your experience and thoughts! I look forward to the day we have 200+ Marching Owls.

P.S. - i have always also thought a NAME for the band would be goodfor members and school pride as well. my suggestion is The Marching Blue Wave. Just my thoughts, support the band and it's growth all the way!
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The band is announced before every performance as “The Pride of the Atlantic” and your “Florida Atlantic University Marching Owls”

AEA
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Great post DMarkey!

BTW, we spend THOUSANDS to send administrators to away games and we need to stop that.

There is no need for them to get on an expensive plane, stay in an expensive hotel, and drive in an expensive rental car since it is too expensive to provide peanut money to strapped kids who stand outside in HOT as you know what conditions at home and bake in the sun during day games.

Give me a break…
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Rick said

Great post DMarkey!

BTW, we spend THOUSANDS to send administrators to away games and we need to stop that.

There is no need for them to get on an expensive plane, stay in an expensive hotel, and drive in an expensive rental car since it is too expensive to provide peanut money to strapped kids who stand outside in HOT as you know what conditions at home and bake in the sun during day games.

Give me a break…
Posted On: Nov 22nd 2017, 9:23 AM #373930

THIS is entirely agree with - send the kid;' sin the band a the cheerleaders, NOT A PLANE FULL OF ADMINS!!!!

Even when Marshall played here,it was rediculous to see the FOUR cheerleaders they allowed to travel here with! I am like - why bother to send any at all if THAT is your effort at representing your school!
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One look at the USF and UCF bands last night and you can tell how far we have to go with this part of the football program. 
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