With new positions, RPC seeks accessibility

By Sarah Rutledge     10/29/09 7:00pm

In an effort to make the club more open to students, the Rice Program Council is nearly doubling in size as it allows students to join as committee representatives. Last year, RPC boasted the Formals, Socials, Traditions, and Spirit and Morale Committees. This year, the club restructured into Socials, Traditions, Publicity, Concerts, and Arts and Entertainment Committees, RPC Vice President Nicholas Muscara said. Interested students could apply for every committee but Arts and Entertainment, which does not accept members based on applications.

Muscara said RPC had between 20 and 25 applicants. Though not all applicants are automatically admitted to committees, they would almost double RPC's previous membership.

In previous years, interested students could join RPC, but they were not assigned to specific committees. Only committee chairs and college representatives, along with those in leadership positions, held specific titles.

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Muscara, a Martel College junior, said the club reevaluated its process of admitting members at the beginning of this year when Assistant Dean of Students Boyd Beckwith suggested that the organization, which is funded by blanket tax monies from students' tuition, take a different approach to attracting students.

"In the past, RPC was fairly exclusive, but if you knew the president or any of the committee chairs it was fairly easy to get involved," Muscara said. "A big part of this was to make RPC an organization that any student could be a part of."

RPC has undergone several changes in the past year, Muscara said. Last year saw the first Homecoming Concert, with a performance by The National, and the first Willy Week Concert, with Ben Kweller. Muscara said RPC has stopped functioning as one entity and now operates primarily through its committees, which plan specific events.

He said these changes are a larger part of RPC's transition.

"This is what people need to understand: This is still a process, and we're still trying to figure out the best way to program events on campus," Muscara said.

RPC circulated applications for committees in mid-September through the beginning of this month via college listservs, RPC's Facebook page and college cabinets. The applications allowed interested students to choose one of four committees to join.

Muscara said RPC received mostly applications from freshmen.

"It's awesome, because we want to see freshmen get involved, but at the same time, we want people at RPC that have worked with us in the past," he said. "Obviously, freshmen are very energetic but they haven't seen Esperanza or the Homecoming Concert yet."

RPC President Michelle Kerkstra could not be reached for comment.

Martel College freshman Michele Bolaños, who has just joined the Publicity Committee, said she thinks RPC is doing a good job making itself known to students. She heard about the club through her college and is now involved in publicizing RPC's Homecoming Concert.

Muscara said RPC will gauge the level of feedback with this system and reevaluate its progress.

"We'll see if we get solid participation [from students]," he said. "Are they doing this as a-builder, or do they really want to be involved in RPC?

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