MUSS sign-ups begin tonight at 9 p.m.-and if you’re wondering why you’ve seen almost no advertising, you aren’t alone.
Organizers have put a banner up at the Alumni House and have been handing out fliers on campus. Obviously, this sort of advertising was not effective at spreading the word among all students on campus.
This passive and haphazard advertising scheme, however, was offset by the fact that organizers visited the houses on Greek Row personally and told members of fraternities and sororities how they could sign up to get the best seats in the MUSS. Organizers say they also have plans to visit other student groups.
This is problematic, since seat priority is decided by sign-up order. If MUSS registration isn’t equally advertised to all students, whether it was done intentionally or as the result of laziness, it obviously offers preferential treatment to certain student groups. By not actively advertising, MUSS organizers are essentially guaranteeing that the best seats go to those who they deem to be in the know.
How hard would it have been to send out an e-mail to all U students, informing them of when MUSS sign-ups begin?
Last year, the MUSS exceeded its allotted number of seats, which meant that many students who wanted to sign up for the MUSS were turned away. As long as the MUSS wants to remain a club that is theoretically open to all students, it needs to make an effort to include all students. By advertising so selectively, it’s as though organizers are setting up the MUSS to be an exclusive student group from the get-go.
The only time the MUSS should be exclusive is when it is excluding those who do not attend the U-which is another problem with MUSS policy that needs to be addressed.
Every student who signs up for the MUSS can also sign up for three guest passes. These guest passes can be given to anyone, regardless of whether or not they go to the U-and with the “Holy War” being hosted in Salt Lake City this year, it is not unforeseeable that many Cougar fans will be trying to worm their way into the MUSS.
This practice of allowing non-students in the MUSS is unacceptable, especially when student were turned away from signing up last year when MUSS membership exceeded the allotted number of seats.
Many recent graduates or friends of current U students may be upset if they are not allowed to sit in the MUSS-but if organizers want to claim that MUSS stands for “Mighty Utah Student Section,” membership needs to be limited to those who attend the U.
The only exception that should ever be made would be to allow a married student purchase one pass for his or her spouse.
Otherwise, the MUSS could potentially be overwhelmingly made up of non-students, which defeats its stated purpose.
If alumni, parents, local residents or students of other schools want to attend U football games, they should buy a regular ticket or guest pass and sit in regular stadium seating.
The phenomenal success of the MUSS should not be overshadowed by elitism in its membership. If the football fan club is going to be viewed as legitimate, it should be equally open to all U students-and only U students.