The Undergraduate Alumni Association's spring break trip, which in years past has served as a means of fundraising for the student organization, will not run this year.
"We're looking at a different mission for UAA in the coming years," said Rose Anderson, assistant vice president for alumni relations. "This is a transition year for them."
During this transition year, Anderson said, it was decided that the spring break trip would be discontinued.
For the past several years, Alumni Association has added an extra $10 to ticket prices for the spring break trip; this money has provided partial funding for UAA events and scholarships. In addition, deals were made with the travel companies to allow the Alumni Association to give away a limited number of free tickets each year.
The Alumni Association used the free tickets as an incentive for students to participate in UAA programs, said both Anderson and Tracy Gagnier, assistant director of alumni relations. Students received points for participation, and those with the most points received refunds for the purchase of their tickets.
"While the trip was an effective way to raise money, it had no educational value," said Gagnier. "It was a pleasure trip, and in light of the recent atmosphere of the campus with student deaths because of drinking, we thought we should rethink what the UAA is about."
In addition, Gagnier said that there was "frustration and disappointment with contracts" at times, and that it was "very labor intensive to coordinate the trip."
"We think we can better use our energy on other projects," Gagnier said.
"Students can go on a spring break trip on their own," Anderson said. "We sat down with [Dean of Students Leonard] Sancilio and tried to decide which niche wasn't being filled."
Anderson said that part of UAA's new mission will be compiling a comprehensive account of Geneseo's history and traditions.
"Right now, there is no central warehouse of all the history of the university and its traditions," Anderson said. "We want UAA to provide that."
"We're looking for new people with new ideas to help us with this project," Gagnier said.
UAA will find new ways to fundraise this year by continuing projects such as its holiday poinsettia and card program so that they can continue bringing Geneseo alumni to campus to speak about their experiences with current students.
The president of UAA, senior Laura Eble, declined to participate in an interview for this article.
Students interested in becoming involved with UAA as it begins this new project of compiling Geneseo's historical traditions can e-mail alumni@geneseo.edu.
Editor's Note: Only one of Geneseo's recent student death has been confirmed as alcohol-related.