In order to increase efficiency, Campus Activities Board (CAB) has written a new constitution that will bring changes to membership and rename the organization the Entertainment Board (E-Board).
The biggest alteration to the organization is going to be the size. According to CAB Co-Chairs Emma Reilly '09 and Katherine Finnegan '09, CAB currently has 20 to 30 members, though the number fluctuates heavily because it is an open club. Under the new plan, students will apply to be board members each spring. Reilly, Finnegan and Co-Chair for Concerts and Comedy Amy Tsoutsouras '09 will pick students from the applications to be permanent members on the E-Board next year. Reilly and Finnegan said they are aiming for 10 to 14 students, though that will also include all four class council vice presidents. Those applying will have a written application, a group interview and an individual interview before being selected.
"We want to make sure we understand where people are from, their views and ideas," said Reilly.
Finnegan said they want to "allow for more communication with the campus, and are inviting [non-members] to attend the meetings once a month."
Once the board is selected, it will select members to take on leadership roles.
The other significant change being made is a new plan for the budgets. Under the current plan, CAB has a budget for each of its three branches, Concerts and Comedy, Lively Arts, and Campus-Wide Activities, as well as a small budget for the CAB Co-Chairs. Reilly said that they plan to ask for one budget for the entire E-Board.
"We'll go in three weeks to SAFC to propose the budget," she said.
Finnegan said this is no different from how they usually receive their budgeting, so the process is familiar to them.
The way the E-Board representative sitting on the Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) is chosen will also be changing. In previous years, CAB has nominated one member to sit on the BSG, but after a BSG vote on Wednesday, the student body will now get a say. The E-Board representative sitting on BSG will now be opened up to a campus-wide referendum.
The alterations are being made after members expressed concern with the way CAB was being run earlier this year.
"I had a lot of students on CAB coming to me in the fall feeling like it [CAB] is cumbersome," said Program Advisor to CAB Megan Brunmier '08. "I wasn't surprised."
Co-Chair for Concerts and Comedy David Gruber '11 was one such student. Because of this, Gruber helped to spearhead the plan to change CAB as an organization, along with Reilly and Finnegan.
"We started looking at models other schools used," Gruber said. "We looked at a bunch of NESCAC schools, as well as Brown. It was also inspired by the J-Board process."
Ultimately, Gruber, Finnegan, and Reilly were all pleased with the system that has been set in place for the E-Board.
Gruber did mention that in one respect, some forms of entertainment will not be handled by the E-Board.
"There is one aspect of the board that is less connected," he said. "That is the campus-wide events like 'the Regurgitator.' We will start to phase that out."
Gruber also mentioned another small change that is being made as a result of the smaller size of the board.
"Currently members have to work shifts at all events," he said. "Next year we will offer that up to the whole campus in exchange for VIP seats or tickets to concerts."
Brunmier did offer one negative side to the E-Board's format.
"I think it will be difficult to get a fair sample of campus," she said.
That being said, she felt that it was worth it to have a smaller board because it would increase the productivity of the board overall.
Brunmier also mentioned how pleased she was with the way things turned out.
"Am I proud of them? Optimistic? Satisfied? All of these things," she said.