Letter to the editor

We, the Lion Entertainment Board, the primary programming board of Penn State Behrend, respectfully disagree with your views on the weekends’ events or, in your opinion, lack thereof. You stated in your first sentence that those who choose to stay here over the weekends find it “incredibly boring,” and later that there is a problem with “the way events are advertised.” We would like to firmly reassure you of a few different points regarding your opinions.

First, in regards to advertisements around campus, the publicity committee, not to mention the other committees of the LEB, works hard to create posters and signs that are hung weekly in the academic buildings. There is also digital signage on the monitors in the Reed Union Building and a weekly email that is sent to all of Behrend’s students that lists events for that week. Ads in The Beacon also give the LEB’s movie, Late Night Events, and the Comedian or Musician for that week. Residence Halls are also given posters and signs to advertise our programs, and our website, www.behrendleb.com, is updated weekly. Needless to say, there is plenty of publicity and advertisement around the campus. Have you checked the billboards lately in Reed or Nick or Burke? There is plenty to do, and the LEB isn’t the only organization on this campus that hosts events. You, as a student, are responsible to actively look for events, programs, and shows to keep you entertained. We cannot force you to do this; the only thing we can do is put the information out there for you to see. 

We consistently provide sixteen weekend events, along with a Behrend After Dark Program every Friday Night, a movie each week, as well as assorted special events. All of this is detailed on our website, listed above, as well as our OrgSync page. This amounts to roughly 100+ events every semester, and that is just from the LEB. So there should never be the complaint that there is nothing to do.

Second, you said we should have “weekly newsletters,” to be placed in the news stands in dorm lobbies. We try and publicize our events electronically for many different reasons. First and foremost, we do it because it can be easily changed. There are often times in the entertainment industry that dates, times, or locations must change, and by doing it electronically it allows us an easy way to change things and make sure that everyone is aware of the change. Also, we do it electronically to be environmentally friendly. We would waste a large amount of paper every week in order to provide the campus with newsletters.

Third, you recognized that an email is sent out “every couple of weeks or so explaining the events that will happen,” and that it “doesn’t grab [the students’] attention.” Had you taken the time to simply open the email for even just an instant, you would see not only that LEB has events but there are over 110 clubs and organizations on campus who also program as well.

Lastly, we as the members of the LEB would like to personally send out an invitation to any student to attend our meetings every Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. in Reed 114. We are always looking for more student input on the types of events we hold, and how we can inform students when the events are to occur. So I challenge any student that is not happy with the events that we hold or with how we publicize for them to please attend our meetings, so that we can work together to make this organization a better one for every student on campus.