From the President

Longhorn Band Alumni,
I'm happy to let you know that our annual Band Day reunion has been scheduled for the Rice game on September 25! What's more, we've also been notified that the game time has already been set for 6:00 P.M., which means, for the second year in a row, we won't have to conduct an early morning rehearsal! In this issue of The Blast, you'll find information regarding Band Day as well as a registration form. You're encouraged to register early by returning your form, or preferably, by registering online at http://www.lhab.org.

This year you will notice a number of changes to our seating situation in the stadium. As part of an agreement with UT Student Government to provide additional seating for students, the Athletics Department will be gradually reallocating our usual south end zone seating over the next three years to provide additional student season tickets. This year, Athletics has made 900 seats available, down from nearly 1,200 in previous years, and our current expectation is that by the 2007 season we will not be provided with any stadium seating at all. These changes will, of course, represent substantial challenges to our organization over the coming years, but I would like to emphasize that we are committed to seeking alternative solutions to our seating dilemma. I am confident that through our partnership with the Athletics Department, we will make those solutions possible. I understand that many of you are concerned by our current situation, but I would like everyone to refrain from contacting the Athletics Department directly so as not to interfere with our negotiations. It is extremely important that we continue to maintain a positive relationship with Athletics.

The immediate impact for this year will be that, due to our limited space, no guest tickets will be made available for purchase in advance. Any surplus seats, if available, can be obtained in person during Band Day weekend. I would encourage anyone desiring guest seating to arrange for tickets ahead of time through alternative means.

We've made an additional change this year that I feel will be extremely beneficial to LHAB. Last month, the executive committee voted to establish a new officer position entitled "Vice President of Band Day Operations." The person that fills this position will be singularly responsible for all aspects of Band Day rehearsal. We felt it was important to continue to ensure that rehearsal is a positive experience for everyone involved and I think the new officer position is a tremendous step forward in achieving that goal. We are currently recruiting someone to fill the position so that they can begin planning this year's rehearsal.

As a final note, 2004 marks the 40th anniversary of the Longhorn Alumni Band and we plan to commemorate this milestone in our history during the Band Day festivities as well as our half-time performance.

I can't wait to see you all on September 24-25!

Hook 'em!

Lucas Horton
LHAB President
lucas@alumni.utexas.net