Senior week saved my life in 2009. It was my last week at Brown and I was planning to kill myself rather than go back to my hometown. It was the recession. I had no future. But one last week of making music and being in community with my fellow singers was enough to keep me steady. I ended up booking a flight home surrounded by my acapella group, the last night we were all together.
K
Kevin Cowles
2 years ago
I stayed with the Brown Derbies for senior week all four years of undergrad. We used the week to record our album songs, learn special songs for our senior/commencement concert, and to bond with the group that was an incredibly important part of my college experience. This was frankly my favorite week of the year. Every year. And extended housing through SAO played a big role in this. I didn’t have the money to rent or sublet or hotel, and staying in the dorms for that week with my fellow students that stayed to sing or work, was truly magical. I’ve continued to go back and go to this commencement concert every year since graduation. My partner, parents, and siblings go too. My parents (both alumni) have brought many of their friends as well. For many parents of the group, it’s the only time they ever get to see their children sing acapella at Brown. So yes it is a luxury to be able to stay on campus and practice for this concert, but it was an immeasurably important part of my experience. And Brown is such a special place that it should be able to support that type of opportunity.
E
Elizabeth Cowles
2 years ago
This is hugely wonderful part of commencement weekend!
S
Sarah
2 years ago
Commencement concerts are a wonderful tradition to honor graduating seniors. Sometimes, they are the only concert that the graduating senior’s family will ever be able to attend.
M
Marlon Sherman
2 years ago
Even now, several years after graduating, people still think I go to Brown because I talk about it so much. A huge part of that is my connection to the a cappella community (go Alef Beats!) To lose the ability to reconnect with this family in-person during reunion weekends would be a real shame and a big mistake on the part of the University.
E
Emmet Golden-Marx
2 years ago
Featured
As a Brown and an a cappella alumni, the senior week concert was an integral time for group bonding, recording CDs, and making me feel like part of the larger Brown community. When I was living in Boston, I returned for multiple Senior week concerts and found that this was key to me staying connected to the university.
R
Rachel Cohn
2 years ago
Featured
Senior week events and commencement concerts are VITAL to group cohesion, community building, and cross-generational connections. I truthfully can’t imagine my a cappella experience in college without these pieces. Please preserve this immensely positive and impactful piece of a cappella groups’ expression and community building
D
Devon Carter
2 years ago
proud Alef Beats alum
M
Monica R
2 years ago
This was such an important tradition to me in my time in acapella at Brown, and I think it should be allowed to happen! I do not see any reason whatsoever why it should not be able to happen anymore. This feels like the university is preventing student arts groups from flourishing as they have in the past.
E
Ellie Cody
3 years ago
Chattertocks class of 2019 - senior week on campus with the tocks (and other a capella groups!) every year is still one of my very very favorite memories from Brown, and I hope that it will be made possible for all future classes! It is also just such a special way to connect to the current members when I come back to campus for alumni weekend.
K
Katherine Doherty
3 years ago
Senior week was one of the fondest memories I had as part of the Brown and Acapella community. It is essential to maintaining a connection between all classes (both current students and alumni). I hope it remains so!
R
Risa Puno
3 years ago
Featured
Has anyone shared exactly what the SAO’s “ financial, staffing, and “equity” justifications for their decisions”? I am wondering what they are saying would have to be sacrificed (or raised) in order to allow the a cappella community to stay through senior week. And were any other student orgs excluded from senior week?
E
Emma Barrett
3 years ago
Featured
This is an incredibly disappointing decision by the university. Senior week is a critical part of the a cappella experience and for many students is the only time they ever get to perform for their families on campus. The policy changes also reflect a lack of support for the arts organizations that help to make Brown’s community, culture, and campus so rich
N
Noah Belsky
3 years ago
Made no sense to get rid of to begin with. Bring it back!!
B
Bailey Driscoll
3 years ago
This is a tradition that needs to continue, Brown senior week would NOT be the same without the senior a cappella events - special for all!!
R
Royce Battleman
3 years ago
As a Chattertock alum I treasure my memories of Senior Week and look forward to seeing the group perform (and singing Valentine one more time with them) when I return to campus at reunion time. Please don’t cancel this tradition.
N
Naline Lai
3 years ago
'89,p20,p26
R
Robbie Hogan
3 years ago
Don’t do this you will lose all of us
C
Catherine Wagar
3 years ago
I am class of 1970. Tock reunions are, for me, always a highlight of reunions during senior week and graduation festivities. I’m deeply sorry to hear there will be no more. I hope the university will reconsider this very unfortunate decision.
M
Melisa Lai-Becker '94 MD'99
3 years ago
Very interested in working toward a solution to allow groups to stay on campus
Senior week saved my life in 2009. It was my last week at Brown and I was planning to kill myself rather than go back to my hometown. It was the recession. I had no future. But one last week of making music and being in community with my fellow singers was enough to keep me steady. I ended up booking a flight home surrounded by my acapella group, the last night we were all together.
I stayed with the Brown Derbies for senior week all four years of undergrad. We used the week to record our album songs, learn special songs for our senior/commencement concert, and to bond with the group that was an incredibly important part of my college experience. This was frankly my favorite week of the year. Every year. And extended housing through SAO played a big role in this. I didn’t have the money to rent or sublet or hotel, and staying in the dorms for that week with my fellow students that stayed to sing or work, was truly magical. I’ve continued to go back and go to this commencement concert every year since graduation. My partner, parents, and siblings go too. My parents (both alumni) have brought many of their friends as well. For many parents of the group, it’s the only time they ever get to see their children sing acapella at Brown. So yes it is a luxury to be able to stay on campus and practice for this concert, but it was an immeasurably important part of my experience. And Brown is such a special place that it should be able to support that type of opportunity.
This is hugely wonderful part of commencement weekend!
Commencement concerts are a wonderful tradition to honor graduating seniors. Sometimes, they are the only concert that the graduating senior’s family will ever be able to attend.
Even now, several years after graduating, people still think I go to Brown because I talk about it so much. A huge part of that is my connection to the a cappella community (go Alef Beats!) To lose the ability to reconnect with this family in-person during reunion weekends would be a real shame and a big mistake on the part of the University.
As a Brown and an a cappella alumni, the senior week concert was an integral time for group bonding, recording CDs, and making me feel like part of the larger Brown community. When I was living in Boston, I returned for multiple Senior week concerts and found that this was key to me staying connected to the university.
Senior week events and commencement concerts are VITAL to group cohesion, community building, and cross-generational connections. I truthfully can’t imagine my a cappella experience in college without these pieces. Please preserve this immensely positive and impactful piece of a cappella groups’ expression and community building
proud Alef Beats alum
This was such an important tradition to me in my time in acapella at Brown, and I think it should be allowed to happen! I do not see any reason whatsoever why it should not be able to happen anymore. This feels like the university is preventing student arts groups from flourishing as they have in the past.
Chattertocks class of 2019 - senior week on campus with the tocks (and other a capella groups!) every year is still one of my very very favorite memories from Brown, and I hope that it will be made possible for all future classes! It is also just such a special way to connect to the current members when I come back to campus for alumni weekend.
Senior week was one of the fondest memories I had as part of the Brown and Acapella community. It is essential to maintaining a connection between all classes (both current students and alumni). I hope it remains so!
Has anyone shared exactly what the SAO’s “ financial, staffing, and “equity” justifications for their decisions”? I am wondering what they are saying would have to be sacrificed (or raised) in order to allow the a cappella community to stay through senior week. And were any other student orgs excluded from senior week?
This is an incredibly disappointing decision by the university. Senior week is a critical part of the a cappella experience and for many students is the only time they ever get to perform for their families on campus. The policy changes also reflect a lack of support for the arts organizations that help to make Brown’s community, culture, and campus so rich
Made no sense to get rid of to begin with. Bring it back!!
This is a tradition that needs to continue, Brown senior week would NOT be the same without the senior a cappella events - special for all!!
As a Chattertock alum I treasure my memories of Senior Week and look forward to seeing the group perform (and singing Valentine one more time with them) when I return to campus at reunion time. Please don’t cancel this tradition.
'89,p20,p26
Don’t do this you will lose all of us
I am class of 1970. Tock reunions are, for me, always a highlight of reunions during senior week and graduation festivities. I’m deeply sorry to hear there will be no more. I hope the university will reconsider this very unfortunate decision.
Very interested in working toward a solution to allow groups to stay on campus