Group ups funding for Last Day of Classes

The Duke University Union approved a $25,000 contribution toward the Last Day of Classes celebration Tuesday night—a $10,000 increase over last year.

The money will support the LDOC Committee, which is not a branch of any major on-campus organization but instead is under the joint oversight of DUU and Campus Council. At its meeting Oct. 14, Campus Council announced it will contribute $15,000, as it did for LDOC 2010.

In addition to funding from the two student groups, the LDOC Committee uses an allocation from the Student Activities Fee and fundraising.

The LDOC Committee’s co-chairs, senior Will Benesh and junior Lindsay Thompson, and LDOC Chief Financial Officer Alex Shapanka, a sophomore, gave a presentation of the preliminary budget. The members emphasized their desire to improve last year’s event based on public feedback.

“Over the past few years, people have been disappointed by artists,” Benesh said. “Considering our limited budget, last year was good.”

The committee hopes to use its increased funding to bring more popular artists to campus. Shapanka said that LDOC surveys showed that students generally prefer “a smaller number of larger names.”

DUU members approved the amount based on the potential to improve the caliber of performers from last year and in recognition that additional funds will give the LDOC Committee more flexibility.

“In the best case scenario—the more money makes it better,” said Innovations Committee Chair Dustin Gamza, a senior.

Additionally, the Major Attractions Committee has planned a tentative concert for Nov. 17th. The performer has not currently been finalized.

DUU is also one of several organizations hosting journalist and author Bob Woodward, who is scheduled to discuss his latest book, “Obama’s Wars,” at the Sanford School of Public Policy Oct. 27th.