Each board member leads a committee that brainstorms new ideas for events. That committee works together to plan all the details of the event, and then executes it. Using our budget, our members, and the support of UConn faculty and staff - students create all of our events. Take a look at an event planning timeline.

Where’s the best place to find information on our events?

Our events are regularly announced and advertised on our social media pages @SUBOGatUConn. You can also find information here, on our website.

Are events open to non-UConn Storrs students?

Unfortunately, no. Our events are only open to UConn Storrs Undergraduates. This does not include regional campus students. Our events are funded only by UConn Storrs Undergraduates and therefore, are only open to UConn Storrs Undergraduates. 

What are some events SUBOG plans?

To give you some context on the types of events we create, here some examples of events we’ve hosted in the past few years:

• Homecoming Carnival
• UCONNIC Music Festival
• Michael Che Comedy Show
• The Office: An Evening with Angela
• Student Film Festival
• Big E Travel Trip
• Stephen A. Smith Lecture
• Suicide Prevention Keynote
• Food Truck Festival
• Homecoming Parade
• J Cole Travel Concert
• Outdoor Movies
• One Ton Sundae
• Beyond the Field: Sports Lecture Series
• Bob Saget Comedy Show
• Ski Trip
• Plus so much more.

How do I request an event, performer, or speaker?

We rely on your feedback and suggestions. Submit your suggestion to us. Let us know what artists, comedians, movies, trips, speakers, you want to see this year.

Why can’t you save money by cancelling other small events in order to bring bigger artists/comedians/lectures to UConn?

Our smaller events are just as important to certain students as the big concert or comedy show may be to you.  We like to be present on campus as much as we can instead of only being around three or four times a year. We want to make UConn fun all the time and since our goal is to provide multiple opportunities for students to enjoy their time out of the classroom, we remain committed to programming several times a week throughout the entire academic year.

How does SUBOG pick the artists/lectures/comedians that come to UConn?

Our committees start brainstorming potential artists, while keeping our budget and student feedback in mind. After reaching this initial decision, the chair will check with agents to check-in on artists availability and pricing. Then, to ensure a positive experience for the University community, an artist vetting process begins. This additional process consists of contacting previous venues where this artist has performed for a more confident understanding of the event’s success at UConn. If at any stage there is doubt of the artist’s benefit to students, the process restarts. At the end, with the understanding of student interest, the chair will place an offer for the performer.

Do the students of UConn have any say in who or what comes to UConn, or do you guys just pick what you want?

Student feedback and opinions come into our event process through so many ways. First, all of the board members are students. They, brainstorm with their committees, made up of over 200 students, for new ideas on who and what events that should plan. Through this, the SUBOG Board incorporates more feedback through focus groups, surveys, suggestion forms, and more. We accept requests and ideas from anyone and take them into consideration based on budget, demand, and feasibility. If you are interested in sharing ideas or feedback, please attend one of our weekly SUBOG Meetings to share your input in-person or submit an online suggestion.

How do I get special accessibility accommodations to an event?

We are always willing to make arrangements for students because we want to make sure our events are as accessible as possible. If you need accomodations, call our office at (860) - 486 - 3904 or email programs@uconn.edu as soon as you are able and aware.

How much do events cost?

Over 80% of our events are free, so it’s safe to assume that there is no cost. In the few chances we do charge for events (concerts, travel trips, etc.) - the ticket cost will be specially advertised.

How is SUBOG funded?

SUBOG is mostly funded through student’s student activity fee. Each UConn-Storrs students pays $23 a semester to SUBOG. See more information on our budget.

Why can’t we afford to bring bigger-name artists or speakers to our school?

Part of SUBOG’s mission is to bring a variety of events that appeal to the diverse student body at UConn. So, our funding is divided and allocated among seven different committees and about 150+ events per year. We know we can’t please everybody, but we always strive to have something for everyone at least once per semester. Our budget for artists and speakers already is the largest part of our budget. Increasing the money allocated to those events would make it impossible for us to offer the number and variety of programs that we offer each year.

Why don’t you just charge higher ticket prices for bigger concerts to bring better artists here?

Our goal is to make all of our events as affordable and easily accessible as possible.  Although most of our smaller-scaled events are free, we subsidize the prices for ticketed events to allow every student an opportunity to attend, even those who have financial limitations. While you might be willing to pay a higher price, we know that it might not be possible for all of our students. This applies to not only our concerts, but to all of our events. Nonetheless, SUBOG is always working to assess previous programs and feedback for future events, so that we have a good understanding of how much students are willing to pay for ticketed events on campus.

Am I funding SUBOG?

Of the UConn student activity fee, SUBOG receives a direct allocation of $23 per semester per UConn-Storrs Undergraduate full-time student.  The student fee comprises all of SUBOG’s funding budget.

Since UConn has a budget, why do we have to pay for some events? Why can’t all events be free, especially since the money comes from my student fees?

None of our events make a profit, even those that charge for tickets.  We only charge for trips off-campus and our larger comedy shows and concerts.  We budget for these events so that while we charge a ticket fee, it is highly subsidized and we are able to provide a much lower price through SUBOG than what you would pay if traveling on your own or attending an event at a different venue. These events would not be possible without charging something for tickets.

Who is in SUBOG?

SUBOG is made up of over 200 student leaders. See full profiles of the board.

Do SUBOG Board Members get paid?

Nope. From President to Committee Member, no student in SUBOG gets paid for the hours they commit, events they create, or work they do. All of our members are completely volunteers that are in SUBOG for the leadership experience and the ability to create events.

How can I join a SUBOG Committee?

Just show up to a meeting! All of our committees meet weekly and are open to new members all year long. Check out our committee descriptions and meeting dates, times, and locations on the meetings page. This week is a perfect week to start!

Can I join more than one SUBOG Committee?

Of course, you can join as many of our committees as you’d like.

Why should I join SUBOG?

We could go on and on about the list of reasons. Aside from it being a great leadership experience, you’ll have the opportunity to make your own ideas come to life, through our events. You’ll be responsible for shaping yours, and so many others college experience. It’s a lot of hard work, but it’s a lot of fun with a lot of great people.

How is SUBOG organized?  What positions are there? How can I get involved right now?

SUBOG consists of 1 President, 4 Vice Presidents, 8 Committee Chairs, 35 Committee Vice Chairs, and over 200 General Members. The Executive Board oversees the entire organization from trainings, to budget, to marketing, to recruitment. The Committee Chairs are assigned to specific committees responsible for creating and staffing our 150 events throughout the year. The Vice Chairs of each committee challenge and support the chair, as planning 1 event could require a lot of work and time. Our General Members attend committee meetings weekly to contribute to the event planning process.

How do I join the board?

The SUBOG board consists of 13 students: 1 President, 4 Vice Presidents, and 8 Committee Chairs. The selection process begins each year in February, for the following school year. The process includes an application and an interview process. Candidates are evaluated on their interview by non-returning SUBOG Board Members, General Members, Professional Staff, and a non-SUBOG Representative. The selection process ends each year, before spring break in March.

How do I become a Vice Chair?

After our Chairs are picked in March, the specific chairs will conduct their own selection processes for their Vice Chair positions.

Who has the opportunity to be a part of Council? Do I need to be a General Member or Vice Chair to be able to become an a Board Member?

Being a SUBOG General Member or Vice Chair is not a prerequisite for applying for the Assistant Director position. Board positions are open to all UConn Undergraduate Full-Time Students in good standing with the university.

Will my chances to be on the board increase if I’m a General Member?

We consider all students equally in our selection process, but serving as a General Member allows you to experience SUBOG as an organization, without the time commitment required to be on the board. It may also further your understanding of our organization, which could aid in the interview process. Being a volunteer at our events also allows SUBOG Board members an opportunity to see your abilities in that role and allows you an opportunity to determine if you really do enjoy the work required to be successful in SUBOG. So, in many ways, it could increase your chances - but that doesn’t mean it is necessary.

Each year and each show, we re-evaluate our venue and location options to be sure were making the right decision for that specific show. Size of the location is an important variable as we want to fit as many students as physically possible. Options like the XL Center and Pratt & Whitney Stadium definitely could fit more students than Gampel could. But, we also recognize that we haven’t had problems with accommodating students at our shows in Gampel. For many years, there have always been seats available at our shows for students to buy. However, we know that there is a demand for more floor seats, which may be a good reason to move to a different location. We consider these possibilities just as we consider ways to expand floor seats at Gampel. No option is perfect, but we acknowledge all of them nonetheless.

Why can’t we bring our bags into the venue?

Per UConn’s security policies, bags are not allowed inside the venue as they have the potential to create a security risk to other students or attendees. We understand the want, or even need, to bring some of your belongings, but we prioritize your safety above all else.

How do you select artists for a show?

The artist selection process is a long one that goes through many different stages. The process as a whole begins at the beginning of a school year, in August, and doesn’t end until an artist is announced. In short, this is what it looks like:

1st: We collect some early information about what the music trends are and artist’s that are currently on the minds of UConn students.

2nd: We use that information to compile a large list of artists that are in demand but still affordable.

3rd: We take that list and get direct feedback and votes through surveys, committee meetings, and focus groups.

4th: We examine the results and bring in other variables. Can the artist perform well live? Does the artist promote negative social messages that may be harmful to UConn? Is the artist on the verge of superstardom? We ask ourselves a lot of these questions including our most recent addition, is the artist a liability in terms of arriving on time or arriving at all? This step is important to booking a good artist, but also creating a great show.

5th: We look into artist availability. Everything may be perfect about an artist except the fact that they’re on a Europe tour during the month of April, or they’re doing another performance on the date of our show, or maybe they’ve got personal stuff going on that prevents them from coming here. Regardless of their reason, if an artist isn’t available or willing to come, we can’t select them.

6th: We make sure the artist is still affordable. The music landscape changes so quickly. By the time we have reached a consensus as a school, an artist may be 10x the price compared to when we initially looked into them. We move as quickly as possible to prevent this from happening as this is one of the worst blows that can happen in the selection process. Just like you, we get our hearts set on someone and they slip away at the last minute. It happens, but we always have tons of great options to consider.

7th: We place an offer for an artist that meets all of the criteria and then we wait to hear back.

8th: We hear back from the artist and we begin negotiating a contract. This stage is essential as an artist may have accepted an offer, but it isn’t official until the contract is signed. For that reason, we can’t announce an artist until the contract is officially finished.

9th: We repeat steps 1 through 8 to place another artist on the lineup. This time around, we have to consider how will the artists blend together in one show? What genres have we satisfied and what other genres should we target?

10th: We announce a lineup.

How do you decide on the genre of the concert? What about smaller genre representation?

Deciding on artist genre is definitely one of the most challenging tasks our committee wrestles with. Being honest, the challenge is that the majority of feedback we always get is to have a Hip Hop concert. But, we also recognize that acknowledging and including the minority is essential to maintaining a great concert program. Our goal is always to book different artists that appeal to our Hip Hop fans as well as our non-Hip Hop fans. Sometimes we accomplish the perfect lineup in one show, sometimes we achieve it through the range of trips and shows throughout the year, and sometimes we just miss the mark. Regardless, it is something we continuously work on and we always encourage your feedback.

How do we stay in contact with the artist until the show?

We remain in constant contact with our artists camps from the time that we place an offer to the days following the show. After an offer is accepted, we need to remain in communication to discuss advertisements, openers, ticket sales, hospitality accommodations, production setup, merchandise, and so many other show specific details. Given recent events, we have stressed the importance of getting artists into the state the night before or the early morning of a show. While the artist may not be physically in the venue yet, their management team is, well before they are. Overall, it’s a large team effort to setting up all the details we need to get the show up and running which is why we are always communicating.

Why do we need an opener? Can we just book one headliner?

More often than not, the headliner requires an opener that they approve to perform at our concert. Contractually, we have to meet that requirement and dedicate the funds to booking that additional artist.

The floor is not full at the concerts, why aren't we allowed down?

Our top priority is to always include as many students as possible. We put your priorities way before our own. The capacity numbers are determined by the UConn Fire Marshal and there isn't much to any room for us to "negotiate," if that makes sense. They determine the numbers based on safety. With that said, once we hit that number on the floor, we have to sell out and cap it. If we were to not, the whole show could be stopped. This isn't specific to UConn, this is the same for every concert or public event in the country. It may look like there is space, but, if we’ve hit that limit, we are legally not allowed to permit anyone else onto the floor.