Josh Bhatti

Program Board Executive Chair candidate Josh Bhatti said there is plenty of room for improvements in the PB and he wants to program events that students will universally enjoy.

“The best thing about doing concerts is you see the students happy and bring some fun to campus. I want to see that continue,” Bhatti said.

Bhatti said he wants to hold a larger number of “big” concerts with noteworthy bands like the Counting Crows, which canceled a GW concert in the fall, in Lisner Auditorium and the Smith Center.

Bhatti, who was in charge of scheduling concerts this year for PB, said being in a city makes programming a lot harder because there is so much going on in the area. He said this is his biggest challenge for next year.

“Whether it’s clubs, concerts, museums, you are competing with everything that goes on in the city,” he said.

Bhatti said he hopes to find things that will offer students new experiences.

“I want every individual to be positively affected by at least one PB activity,” Bhatti said.

He added that he wants to publicize PB co-sponsorships more than recent years.

“We are not a money-giving organization like the SA, but we have a lot of co-sponsorships available that people don’t know about,” he said. “The PB has a lot of resources to offer student groups.”

Bhatti also responded to negative student feedback from some programs this year, including a short 30-minute Redman performance in the fall, a canceled Counting Crows concert and a pricey No Doubt scheduled for April. He said the answer is a bigger concerts budget to find more big-name acts that put on better shows but cost more.

Bhatti said the Counting Crows cancellation was disappointing, but he could not change the band’s decision to cancel the show.

He said the PB co-sponsors almost every event on campus, but students want a big show. When those shows fall through, people get annoyed, he said.

-Trevor Martin

Bryan Gless

Junior Bryan Gless promises to bring “some of the best events GW has ever seen” if he is elected Program Board Chairman this week.

Gless said he is the only candidate for the position with both programming experience, as Political Affairs chair last year, and leadership experience, as the current executive vice chairman.

“The biggest distinction is that I am able to see it all in perspective as a programmer and leader,” he said. Gless also said he spends a lot of time outside the PB getting student perspectives on the best events for GW.

Gless said he would like to act as a facilitator as PB chairman next year overseeing all the program board chairs to ensure that they communicate and develop ideal programming.

“I think the PB does an amazing job, but it can do an even better job,” Gless said. “If we made all of the PB programming chairs closer, it would make a huge difference.”

Gless said he would like to see a budget increase but believes the PB has a large enough budget to bring in big-name acts like Cypress Hill and The Roots.

“We have the budget; we just have to spend it better,” he said. “(The success of the event) depends on how much you are spending per person.”

The PB spent about $8 a person for Fall Fest, which included a free T-shirt, food, concert and other attractions, he said.

“We have to work on the rest of the events we put on to ensure they are
just as efficient,” Gless said.

If elected, he said he would invest most of his time making sure all of the PB leaders are coming up with creative ideas.

“Overall, a lot of our success is dependent on the chairs . I want to encourage teamwork,” he said.

Gless said he expects a close race.

-Mosheh Oinounou

Ben Posner

Ben Posner said his year as parties chair for the Program Board has been the best year of his life.

“It changed my major, and it changed my life. Now I want to give back to give students the opportunities that I’ve had,” he said.

Posner became heavily involved in the PB his sophomore year and was elected parties chair for his junior year.

Posner’s mission is to “touch every student,” so that as many students as possible can get involved in the PB.

His biggest goal is increasing student involvement. He plans to create student surveys and poll incoming freshmen at Colonial Inauguration to find out students’ greatest needs. He also hopes to do more co-sponsored events to “get the PB name out there.”

His third goal is to increase the PB budget.

“If we get a little more (money), we could do a lot more,” he said.

He also said he wants to make the PB more accountable for how it spends students’ money.

Posner said he has been encouraged by increasing student attendance at PB events and hopes a low PB staff turnover next year will improve the events they are able to plan.

Posner acknowledged students’ disappointment at the cancellation of
Counting Crows and an abbreviated Redman show at Fall Fest, but said he hopes to attract two big name musicians and at least one comedian next year.

Posner said he most qualifies for the position because working with college students and planning events reflects his future career.

“It’s what I want to do with my life,” he said. “Even if I don’t win, it’s not even a question. I’ll still be really involved next year.”

-Amanda Mantone