Student government's spring music festival needs a new name after leaders vetoed "Last Call," citing flack from administrators and students over its drinking connotation.
The University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) voted last night to open up an online slate of five replacement names to student vote. Students can choose between "Apogee," "Cadence," "Finale," "Last Stop" and "Saraswati," as suggested by the UPUA Executive Committee.
UPUA President Gavin Keirans said the decision came after college deans and students protested the original name's alcohol connotations.
"There's an understanding that with a lot of the drinking holidays going on, this is certainly not something UPUA wants to associate itself with," Keirans (senior- business management) said.
Keirans, who said the veto came over spring break, called the decision a sensible move to distance the festival from any hint of impropriety.
"I don't want to be overly politically correct, but at the same time, a name's a name," he said.
Additionally, leaders were looking to more fully involve the student body in the festival's planning, UPUA Public Relations Director Andrew Karasik said.
"This is for all students who are interested in music and not interested in music," Karasik (junior-political science) said. "It's the first step to getting involved."
"Last Call" was UPUA's first choice in a vote earlier this month to rename "Wallypalooza," which was named for organizer Mike Wallace and hosted rapper Asher Roth last year. Student government has allocated more than $45,000 for the festival, though musical acts have not yet been announced.
The poll, hosted on thelion.fm, closes on 5 p.m. Tuesday. UPUA will officially vote on the name next Wednesday.
