The Academy 2022

[IllianaLancerContra]

2 minutes ago, scheherazadesghost said:

Internal power dynamics can make internal channels untrustworthy. I don't know if that happened here but I wouldn't have kept my report internal in my case.

Agree - but what we are seeing & pontificating on is a few tweets and a lot of DCP assumptions.  What we don’t know is how/if Academy management addressed the situation.  

[scheherazadesghost]

40 minutes ago, IllianaLancerContra said:

Agree - but what we are seeing & pontificating on is a few tweets and a lot of DCP assumptions.  What we don’t know is how/if Academy management addressed the situation.  

Agreed as well.

The posts about it also hint that members and staff are not in agreement about how communication about it should be handled. This is what @C.Holland and I may be keying in on.

I think what we're trying to say is if members didn't attempt to access or didn't successfully access internal processes for this, that's a problem. If they did and were not met with the solution they needed, that's also a problem. I'm using ifs very intentionally here.

I think what we're saying is that the impetus to use external communication is a symptom of a larger problem. It's not the mistake itself and MMs need to know that.

And recall, I'm approaching this from a trauma-survivor perspective. I have to assume good intent on MMs part. I have also assumed good intent on Academy's part because of what you said we don't know how they handled it internally and they could have done all the right things and still MMs may have used external channels of communication.

It's likely more complicated than either MMs or admin messed up here. I'm more than willing to patiently wait and let things play out, especially if MAASIN has been contacted, which I'm under the impression they were.

[Sideways]

2 hours ago, denverjohn said:

Dinner meant parking the busses at an intersection that had each corner occupied by 1.McDonald's, 2. Kentucky Fried Chicken 2. Skipper's 4. Subway

Or that delicacy of drinking left over wiener water to up the sodium intake!

[Sideways]

1 hour ago, Cappybara said:

You do realize vegetarianism and veganism is very often a religious restriction, right? Many Hindus (third most common religion in the world) and Buddhists are often strict vegetarians, those who are Jain often can't even have root vegetables in their food (onions and garlic) on top of no eggs, meat, etc. 

I am not vegetarian, but a vegetarian or vegan diet, whether it be by choice or for religious reasons is still a dietary restriction that should be respected just as much as any other dietary restriction. 

If you went camping with a bunch of friends and one of them was vegetarian by choice, would you only pack a bunch of meat for the trip and tell them to suck it up and eat it? Doesn't matter what the reason is, a food restriction is a food restriction. 

If we want to be reductionists about this religion is a choice as well so ultimately those dietary “restrictions” are a choice…see how this works? 

[scheherazadesghost]

3 minutes ago, Sideways said:

If we want to be reductionists about this religion is a choice as well so ultimately those dietary “restrictions” are a choice…see how this works? 

I think it's already been said herein, and I agree, that dietary restrictions are what they are and shouldn't require justification. Religious-based? Great. Personal choice? Great. Can't digest certain foods for whatever reason? Suddenly not great? Why?

For $5000+ (or any amount) a tour, MM's shouldn't be required to justify their dietary restrictions. They should always have food and they shouldn't be questioned or bullied about it. This is all about corps protocol. Are there contingencies for all possible diets? Are there contingencies for when the truck runs out of certain accommodations? Are there contingencies for when a MM suddenly can't digest something they were fine with at the top of tour?

I transitioned to vegetarian while on staff and on tour. I suddenly stopped being able to digest dairy and meat, like some strange fluke. It wasn't met well, per se, when I would forgo beef and pork, but still loved chicken paddies, which I ultimately curtailed as well. Turns out the toll from enduring abuse during corps was starting to rear its ugly head in the form of dietary problems and it would ultimately last for nearly two decades.

My restrictions were not religious or personal choice. Not that that's anybody's business anyway... and MM's shouldn't have to justify themselves.

[barigirl78]

The $5000 fee has been brought up.  How much of that fee is supposed to devoted to being fed?  Doing some math, if you start on Memorial Day and end on Finals day, there are 74 days.  Hypothetically, if you consider the $5000 covering those days only, that is $67.57 per day.  That certainly doesn't just cover food.  This discussion makes me wonder how much the typical corps spends per member on food.

[C.Holland]

1 hour ago, barigirl78 said:

The $5000 fee has been brought up.  How much of that fee is supposed to devoted to being fed?  Doing some math, if you start on Memorial Day and end on Finals day, there are 74 days.  Hypothetically, if you consider the $5000 covering those days only, that is $67.57 per day.  That certainly doesn't just cover food.  This discussion makes me wonder how much the typical corps spends per member on food.

budget.  
if you're buying in bulk from a supplier (not a grocery store), like a restaurant, your cost goes down. You also have free days where you can not feed more than one meal, since everyone is on their own.  Keep in mind, restaurant food cost of a meal is usually 23%-35% depending on type of restaurant.  now take away some costs since most of the meal is provided by volunteers here. 

However, there are two components to funding a performing arts org.  Member dues, and admin development.  If the budget for the season is estimated to be $900,000 (plus 15% contingency), $650,000 of that comes from membership, the rest needs to come from the board and admin.   Technically a 900,000 seasons should be budgeted for at least $1,035,000. 

As development numbers arent met by admin/board, that debt rolls into next year (and onto member dues), or onto them to pay out of their retirements accounts, savings, whatever.  The "pay for our lunch"  and "pay for our miles" fundraisers that happen in season, should not be included in these budgets as you can't guarantee you'll get them all.  So these are applied elsewhere or rolled into contingency. 

There is no arts org that can operate on membership dues alone.  grants, corporate and private donors, are all part of the members of the boards individual give/get requirements need to be brought into the equation of operating expenses.  

Edited August 8, 2022 by C.Holland

[DrumCorpsRelic]

4 hours ago, denverjohn said:

Dinner meant parking the busses at an intersection that had each corner occupied by 1.McDonald's, 2. Kentucky Fried Chicken 2. Skipper's 4. Subway

Man do I remember those days! My Corps only traveled with 75 MM, our Corps Director and three instructors on only two busses/Motor Coaches. The looks on the Fast Food Servers faces as we piled into the aforementioned establishments was priceless.  And also consider, that in the 1960-70's, were the days prior to "special orders." There were "no extras or asking for no this or that!) thus orders were a lot simpler and quicker to hand out.  I also worked in a fast food burger joint, and dealt usually with only two, unannounced bus loads of Corps/Bando's arriving. 

My experience in touring with THE ACADEMY up until I retired in 2016 was that the majority of meals provided for the the touring Corps of 126 + Staff, by the Awesome food Crew(s) out of their 34 Foot!? food trailer acquired from the "Freelancers" between 2005-2006? was for the most part adequately sufficient. Yes, PB&J was and to this day, been made available (and quite frankly kid appreciated!) as a meal option.

This year THE ACADEMY (for the most part) has been traveling with it's brand new, but so be it, ailling refrigeration conditions, and absolutely awesome 40 Foot $250,000.00 "Hell's Kitchen".  Obviously, appropriately named, LOL.

Keep in mind any new "vehicle" purchase usually requires a shake down period to work out any bugs in the system, thus the typical 3-year Warrantee. Even more so is at "steak" for a "souped up", puns intended, "State of the Art" Food Trailer. I cannot speak for it's current state of operation. But I would caution that many opinions expressed by fellow DCP pundits should be treated with a grain of salt. To do anything less could irresponsibly lead to even more confusion, fear concerns and damaging speculation beyond the truth of the situation in "Reality".

Just my 2-cents worth, now someone please pass me the PB&J.

My Sincere Best Wishes for the Good Health, and Success to all Corps MM that I hope experience a more "wholesome" and "Holeless" participation in this weekends DCI Championships in Marion and Indy. Godspeed!
 

[C.Holland]

6 minutes ago, DrumCorpsRelic said:

Man do I remember those days! My Corps only traveled with 75 MM, our Corps Director and three instructors on only two busses/Motor Coaches. The looks on the Fast Food Servers faces as we piled into the aforementioned establishments was priceless.  And also consider, that in the 1960-70's, were the days prior to "special orders." There were "no extras or asking for no this or that!) thus orders were a lot simpler and quicker to hand out.  I also worked in a fast food burger joint, and dealt usually with only two, unannounced bus loads of Corps/Bando's arriving. 

My experience in touring with THE ACADEMY up until I retired in 2016 was that the majority of meals provided for the the touring Corps of 126 + Staff, by the Awesome food Crew(s) out of their 34 Foot!? food trailer acquired from the "Freelancers" between 2005-2006? was for the most part adequately sufficient. Yes, PB&J was and to this day, been made available (and quite frankly kid appreciated!) as a meal option.

This year THE ACADEMY (for the most part) has been traveling with it's brand new, but so be it, ailling refrigeration conditions, and absolutely awesome 40 Foot $250,000.00 "Hell's Kitchen".  Obviously, appropriately named, LOL.

Keep in mind any new "vehicle" purchase usually requires a shake down period to work out any bugs in the system, thus the typical 3-year Warrantee. Even more so is at "steak" for a "souped up", puns intended, "State of the Art" Food Trailer. I cannot speak for it's current state of operation. But I would caution that many opinions expressed by fellow DCP pundits should be treated with a grain of salt. To do anything less could irresponsibly lead to even more confusion, fear concerns and damaging speculation beyond the truth of the situation in "Reality".

Just my 2-cents worth, now someone please pass me the PB&J.

My Sincere Best Wishes for the Good Health, and Success to all Corps MM that I hope experience a more "wholesome" and "Holeless" participation in this weekends DCI Championships in Marion and Indy. Godspeed!
 

i think a few of the world class corps rent their cook truck now.  the cost of rental vs maintenance and equipment upkeep (licensing, inspection...etc) was better. 

[DrumCorpsRelic]

4 hours ago, scheherazadesghost said:

Agreed as well.

The posts about it also hint that members and staff are not in agreement about how communication about it should be handled. This is what @C.Holland and I may be keying in on.

I think what we're trying to say is if members didn't attempt to access or didn't successfully access internal processes for this, that's a problem. If they did and were not met with the solution they needed, that's also a problem. I'm using ifs very intentionally here.

I think what we're saying is that the impetus to use external communication is a symptom of a larger problem. It's not the mistake itself and MMs need to know that.

And recall, I'm approaching this from a trauma-survivor perspective. I have to assume good intent on MMs part. I have also assumed good intent on Academy's part because of what you said we don't know how they handled it internally and they could have done all the right things and still MMs may have used external channels of communication.

It's likely more complicated than either MMs or admin messed up here. I'm more than willing to patiently wait and let things play out, especially if MAASIN has been contacted, which I'm under the impression they were.

Thank You scheherazadesghost for your much needed "Common Sense" contribution to this thread.  All can read my own "PAST ACADEMY Touring and Personal Experience" involving this topic (within this threat) along with expressed concerns of what the "Reality" of the situation is.

To Everyone Good Food to your Good Health, Bon Appetit. Godspeed Academy.