Felix Summer Ball survey results reveal students' concerns with event

“Errrm...where were all the people?” was one of the many questions asked after last year’s Summer Ball. With less than half the expected turnout and a 6-figure loss, it will come as no surprise that the initial results of the Felix survey are looking rather bleak.

As Felix reported previously the Summer Ball generated the largest loss in recent memory, with the key cause involving high expenditure on musical acts and a low turnout. The Union claimed that there were “many unforeseen circumstances that contributed to the lower than expected income”. The Union also stated that the loss would not significantly impact the Union’s activities. A statement which Michael Foster, this year’s Deputy President (Finance & Services) stands by.

The Felix survey confirms that there were indeed many reasons for the lack of attendance, a frequent complaint being the price of the ticket and what students perceived they would be getting for it:

“Waste of money for something that didn’t seem value for money”, “I didn’t see the Summer Ball as value for money, £40-45 for the festival set-up where food wasn’t even provided? No chance.” These were both anonymous comments posted by Imperial students in the survey.

The Union has “not made any decisions regarding the 2012 Summer Ball yet”

A lot of complaints were directed towards the festival format, a change from previous years, which angered many students, in particular those in their final year. “...It sounds like it wasn’t much of a ball, just standing in a crowd in the rain wearing normal clothes?! To celebrate the end of our time at Imperial, we don’t really want big-name bands. We can go to a music festival for that. The summer ball should be about having a special evening with our friends, celebrating and dancing” suggesting that the Union “should just get a DJ, make the tickets more like £20-25 (or otherwise include dinner) and ask people to wear formal clothes.”

Other complaints included that the event was “too spread out”, the “music catered to a minority of people” and the timing, with some undergraduates still working towards exams when the Ball took place. Expressed in true Imperial style, this student maintained, “Revision must take priority”.

However there was also some positive feedback to be found in the survey results such as the performances by Nero and Chase & Status, which were much appreciated in the Great Hall. Also many students were very satisfied with the prices of food and drink on the day, adding that the “free funfair rides were genius”.

The mixed reactions for the Summer Ball raises questions as to how the Union will take the feedback on board and organise this year’s event. Michael Foster stated that the Union has “not made any decisions regarding the 2012 Summer Ball yet”, including whether to collaborate with other universities again. A full report with the financial breakdowns will be provided to Council in due course.