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Rockin’ the Ratt gnaws away at student apathy by Joshua
Maloni 'Rockin' the Ratt' spring schedule It’s a Friday night at Niagara University, which usually means students are long gone from campus, having departed at a pace rivaling only that of the biblical exodus itself. Sure, events are planned to keep them on campus, but NU students have traditionally shown great apathy to such callings. That is, until now. It’s “Rockin’ the Ratt,” the brainchild of Vice President for Marketing, Fred Heuer, which, in three years has evolved, both musically and physically into something students are excited about - and attending. "They've made it a lot more fun," said Jillian Whalen, president of the Niagara University Student Government Association. "It's a good time." The change in attitude didn't come overnight, of course. “The first couple years, we had good nights and bad nights,” Heuer said. “But, starting with the second semester of last year, we started getting big groups of students coming out to the shows. To the point now where every one of our nights is sponsored by a student organization, which really helps because not only do they promote the shows, but they bring their contingents with them. It’s really taken off." Student government has responded to the challenge of drawing in students that normally wouldn't attend campus events. "There are students that just don't want any part of activities, there are students on the brink that we try to reach out and get involved," Whalen said, adding that it's more difficult to bring commuters back to campus for events. "They just come to classes and leave again," sophomore commuter Julianne Payne said of commuter students. "It's hard to draw a commuter base." Payne said that popular methods of attracting students back to campus include extra credit, quality events and, as for Rockin' the Ratt, well-known acts. “There was some apathy, but now students realize it’s a fun event," Heuer said. "We’re not bringing in some local lounge lizard to play at the university – we’re bringing top name acts in here.” In fact, recent shows have featured many of the area’s top artists (Seven Day Faith, Scott Celani, More Than Me, White Chocolate, Jennifer Marie), as well as artists from Canada (Sister Someone, The Brothers Creeggan), Boston (Sarah Fimm), Seattle (Dave McGrath) and New York City (The Churchills). These artists have performed with the latest in musical equipment, in the student center’s “Under the Taps, a setting that physically resembles an upscale lounge, complete with candles, couches and colored lights. More than that, however, is the belief that the Friday night concert series is a place where students can go to have a good time and hear some good music. With notorious winters, high priced clubs and lack of transportation, it’s nice to know students have a place to gather, eat chicken wings and pizza, drink assorted beverages and party ‘til they fall over, all in a controlled environment (that is to say, a safe, clean venue). All in their own backyard. During the final performance of the semester, students, NU students, clapped their hands, stomped their feet, sang aloud and filled the room to the point of overflowing. “The university loves it," Heuer said. "They’ve gone from hearing from students, ‘gee there’s nothing to do on campus,’ to ‘oh, my god, there’s so much to do on campus, we don’t know what to do first. In the last three years we’ve turned that whole situation around to where there are things to do here on campus. “It really adds to the whole college experience.” 'Rockin' the Ratt' spring schedule
All shows will be held in the “Under the Taps” lounge in the lower level Gallagher Center, from 8 to 11 p.m., except the March 5 show, which will take place in the Castellani Art Museum at 5 p.m. |
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