By Elijah Mckenzie
When students at the University of Louisville think of the Student Activities Board, some might think of an omnipotent and invisible entity in complete control of all activities on campus.
As the driving force behind events such as the Homecoming Block Party and the International Fashion Show, SAB does have substantial power throughout the university. Although not omnipotent, the work of SAB reaches far into the lives of many students. But the work often goes unseen.
“Some students don’t realize we have events catered to every single person,” said Ben Donlon, a junior biochemistry and mathematics double major and general board director for SAB. “I know it’s easy to feel alone and lost in such a big campus, but part of our job is to show students that they have a place here. We want students to know that we are interested in their interests.”
As the programming arm of the Student Government Association, the SAB works to provide a diverse assortment of social, recreational and educational programming for U of L students.
Robin Chrisman, a senior communication major and executive director of programming for SAB, heralded the upcoming OK Go concert on Oct. 12 as a result of SAB efforts.
“The idea to bring OK Go on campus was an initiative of President Ramsey, but SAB and SGA worked to make it a reality,” said Chrisman. “That was a big focus for us this semester. We just kept saying that this is what the students want. And now it’s here.”
According to Chrisman, the OK Go concert is expected to draw a crowd of approximately 5,000 visitors. But it is just one of the many events that SAB hopes to bring to campus.
However, between all the chalk messages, posters, flyers and e-mails, students can find themselves tangled in a maze of information. For this reason, SAB often relies on student word-of-mouth to advertise SAB events.
“One of the biggest challenges facing SAB is finding the right avenues of getting the word out,” said Max Morley, a sophomore political science major and political director for SAB.
As the political director, one of Morley’s top priorities is gathering student opinions and using that feedback to steer SAB in the right direction.
“We want to make sure that student dollars are going toward things they want,” said Morley. “The other difficulty is making sure students know that we’re here and that we help make it all possible.”
This is the impasse of SAB. On one hand, the structure of SAB depends on student acknowledgment and involvement. On the other hand, SAB often tries to avoid self-promotion.
“We’re more concerned about putting on high quality events than promoting the name of SAB,” said Sarah Cruce, a senior marketing major and director of marketing for SAB. “But SAB works to be the voice of the students. Because of that responsibility, it is difficult to go on undetected.”
As SAB strives to be the expression of student opinion, students can also find ways to join SAB.
According to Donlon, the best way that students can get involved is to find an SAB committee that they can connect with.
Six committees exist within SAB: Campus Life, Engaging Issues, Tradition and Spirit, Film, Outreach, and Diversity. Each committee works to bring something to campus for every possible hobby, from comedians and movies to speakers and concerts.
“Committees are the middlemen that introduce students to their interests,” said Donlon. “From there, every student in every committee works to represent the U of L community as a whole.”
For more information about SAB events and committees, visit louisville.edu/studentactivities/activitiesboard.
