Corps contracts

[G-Rott]

So...according to the contract...if for some legitimate reason you can't continue with the corps...are you still obligated to pay any remaining dues, or do the corps usually let you slide? or if you've paid all of your dues, but have to leave part way through the summer...will you get a pro-rated refund of dues (I think I know the answer to that one)...

[soccerguy315]

you are probably out the money that you already paid... possibly they will return anything you have paid towards the summer (not camp fees) if you get out soon enough. If you leave in the middle of the summer, I think you are generally SOL on the money side.

[DrillmanSop06]

EDIT: Trying to lighten it up a bit... you know, like going through the airport TSA line...

He was actually talking about himself, and enjoying being sexually harassed.

Sorry, I don't think there's anything funny about sexual harassment, even in jest. My bad.

(Though you're right...If you're willing, it isn't harassment. )

Contracts are tricky. I joined tour exactly mid-way through 2009 and still paid a large amount of money. I wasn't in a position to negotiate that contract down to a more reasonable amount, though. That's the downside, I suppose. Corps know that there will be individuals willing to pay the money. I was happy/sad for a call to fill a hole (always a bitter-sweet experience.) I did have to sign the paperwork when I got on tour and it was binding.

[wcutuba]

As far as money goes, the corps generally have a timeline as far as how much you get back based off on circumstances and time of departure. I started marching Cadets last year, my ageout, until I got hurt the last day of spring training. I got about 2/3 of the fees I had already finished paying back. If someone just decided one morning to up an quit at the same point in the summer, they wouldn't have gotten much back at all.

[7567BC]

As far as money goes, the corps generally have a timeline as far as how much you get back based off on circumstances and time of departure. I started marching Cadets last year, my ageout, until I got hurt the last day of spring training. I got about 2/3 of the fees I had already finished paying back. If someone just decided one morning to up an quit at the same point in the summer, they wouldn't have gotten much back at all.

Well that brings up another question, possibly related to contracts. So you sign a contract that requires you to fulfill a financial obligation, you get hurt while in the "care" of the corps. You cannot march (injured reserve?) What is the corps' liability exposure, if any, then to the contracted member? Is there an injury waiver of any sort tied to the contract? How responsible is a corps for your health and well being, especially if you are not of legal adult age? No one has yet clearly answered my question of WHO writes up these contracts. It does appear there is no standard DCI contract though.

[mikehawk93]

So...according to the contract...if for some legitimate reason you can't continue with the corps...are you still obligated to pay any remaining dues, or do the corps usually let you slide? or if you've paid all of your dues, but have to leave part way through the summer...will you get a pro-rated refund of dues (I think I know the answer to that one)...

I've seen a contract that says you have to pay the corps money if you leave after March 1 for another corps.

Could a college get away with charging a student money for transferring to a better college during the second semester if they were unhappy with the education they received during the first semester? Many people were turning their noses at Hopkin's article on CNN and his quote, "The problems of drum corps "shows up as lack of finances, but it's actually about management ... the ability to comprehend and react to all the demands of running a $1 to $3 million non-profit organization," Hopkins said. "Most (corps directors) were teachers; there is no training ground for this, really." (link to CNN)

Some corps have figured out that by consistently producing a high-quality product, you will retain/gain talented members/staff/volunteers. If a corps needs to charge a member for leaving, they should take a look what type of education they are providing their members. Not what they think they are providing, but what they actually are providing. The activity has evolved into an educational activity with college professors and talented performers, it is not the "drum corps" of past, yet some organizations continue to rely on that model to "educate" their students under the guise of the older version of "drum corps".

Does this help the activity?

[Stu]

Is there some sort of check built into the contract system which prevents a member who still owes money to corps A from auditioning the next season with corps B?

[TerriTroop]

I've seen a contract that says you have to pay the corps money if you leave after March 1 for another corps.

Could a college get away with charging a student money for transferring to a better college during the second semester if they were unhappy with the education they received during the first semester?

The two are not congruent. It is more like dropping and adding classes - at some point there is a strong penalty for dropping a class, and students are not able to add classes after a certain point as well.

The corps' contract is more in line with the expectations of team sports than college enrollment.

[mikehawk93]

The two are not congruent. It is more like dropping and adding classes - at some point there is a strong penalty for dropping a class, and students are not able to add classes after a certain point as well.

The corps' contract is more in line with the expectations of team sports than college enrollment.

I would disagree with the add/drop just because the money is still going to the same organization, and with most undergrad programs schools charge a flat fee for a full-time student with between 12-18 credits a semester. I do understand your point though. Maybe we both have bad examples :)

Regardless of our examples: is it right for a corps to charge a member for leaving on March 2 because he does not feel he is getting his money's worth out of the organization?

[TerriTroop]

I would disagree with the add/drop just because the money is still going to the same organization, and with most undergrad programs schools charge a flat fee for a full-time student with between 12-18 credits a semester. I do understand your point though. Maybe we both have bad examples :)

Regardless of our examples: is it right for a corps to charge a member for leaving on March 2 because he does not feel he is getting his money's worth out of the organization?

I don't know. If I were trying to program a show for 72 brass, 30 percussion and 36 guard (more or less) I'd probably want some kind of safeguard in place to help my writers and caption heads know what talent level they were going to be dealing with long before move-ins.