Take back Assembly Hall

Outside of our hatred of buying overpriced books at the bookstores, I cannot think of a single campus cause that can unite students more than our fight for a better student section at IU basketball games. \nI say this now because of Take Back Assembly Hall, an organization that launched its Web site on Monday at www.takebackah.com. The organization’s main objective is to “unite and coordinate” Indiana student section season ticket holders as a forum for students to discuss ideas and create a more effective student section.\nThe director of Take Back, Brian Bulgatz points to a lack of communication and cooperation from both sides of the table as the main reason nothing has been accomplished in the past. Take Back, unlike the Student Athletic Board or the IU Student Association, will focus all of its time and resources toward creating a “legitimate student section.” \nThe organization has met with many in the IU Athletics Department including Associate Athletics Director Scott Dolson, Senior Associate Athletics Director Tim Fitzpatrick, men’s basketball coach Kelvin Sampson and Athletics Director Rick Greenspan, in addition to various student leaders on campus. Bulgatz credited Dolson with opening the door by welcoming ideas and by helping the movement reach other channels such as SAB and IUSA.\nIn an interview, Frank Cuervo, assistant director of athletics for external operations, expressed a willingness to listen to students’ concerns on this subject. His main question – one that is hard to answer – is what students think IU needs before having a “legitimate” student section.\nSince the Web site launched Monday, there has been an outpouring of support and ideas, Bulgatz said. In implementing what Take Back sees as the first two steps toward creating a legitimate student section, the organization hopes to first name the student section something worthy of Hoosier basketball. Second, Take Back hopes to organize a “stripe out” for the IU vs. Kentucky that would alternate seating sections between red and white.\nNo one can deny that our stadium is intimidating. The seating jets out from the floor at such an angle as to give the illusion that fans sit on top of the court. With our student section accounting for 45 percent of the seating in Assembly Hall, doing nothing about this issue should no longer be acceptable. Student ticket numbers at other big time basketball schools like Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and North Carolina pale in comparison to IU.\nThe Athletics Department can do more and wants to do more, but first we have to figure out what we want. There are limitations to Assembly Hall, such as the student seating arrangements, which will restrict what can be done. But the first step is for students to make their collective voice heard through this organization.\nSupporting Take Back is a shot at being taken seriously for once. If we don’t organize than our cries will fall upon deaf ears. The greatest achievements for the IU student section in the past year have been chants of “Stand Up Old People” and “Er-ic Gor-don.” That makes us look like amateurs, not the powerhouse program we strive to be. We can do better, and we can do it through Take Back Assembly Hall.