The University of Mississippi and the Student Activities Association will not host a free concert this spring.
Previous performers at these SAA-sponsored spring concerts include PARTYNEXTDOOR, Riley Green, Thomas Rhett, Wiz Khalifa and NEEDTOBREATHE, according to the ForUM.
Executive Director for the SAA and senior public policy leadership major Daneel Konnar said the large number of other events on campus this semester had an impact on SAA’s decision not to include a concert in the events slated for this spring.
“Due to the high number of spring entertainment opportunities — like Double Decker Arts Festival, Mississippi Day and more — and to encourage more engagement and attendance at those events, the Student Activities Association will not host a spring concert,” Konnar said. “We decided to push the Student Activities Association concert to next school year due to the various programming opportunities in the Lafayette-Oxford-University community this spring, including the Morgan Wallen concert.”
Konnar hopes postponing the concert will encourage future attendance.
“The Student Activities Association hopes that this shift will encourage increased participation and attendance at the SAA concert next school year,” Konnar said.
Though the spring concert is free to students, SAA must request funding to pay for the production.
“The Student Activity Fee (SAF) funds the concerts that the Student Activities Association hosts,” Konnar said. “The Student Activities Association requests SAF funding every semester in order to host various events. Funding requests are processed and allocated by the Associated Student Body (ASB). This year, the Student Activities Association did not request an allocation of funds for this spring in anticipation of hosting a concert during the 2024-2025 school year.”
Many students were disappointed that a free concert was not scheduled.
“I went to the Riley Green concert my sophomore year,” senior integrated marketing and communications major Emmaline Wolfe said. “I’m a little upset about (the concert being canceled) just because it was something to look forward to. I didn’t get to go to the one last year. Since I’m a senior this year, I was sad there wasn’t one.”
Sophomore pharmacy major Amber Rogers, who also previously attended one of the concerts, was also disappointed.
“I went last year to PARTYNEXTDOOR,” Rogers said. “I wish they had one (this year) since I went to one last year. I don’t know why they’re not having one, but I wish they did have one.”
Freshman elementary education major Lucy Plowman said she would have considered going to a concert this year.
“I heard about it at orientation,” Plowman said. “I feel like I probably would go just because it’s my first year here.”
