Musician’s Network seeks tier II status

The Musician’s Network, the organization that runs Under the Couch (UTC), is seeking to change its organizational status from tier III to tier II.

“We are now a tier III organization,” said Kevin DeMarco, a third-year Electrical and Chemical Engineering major and president of Musician’s Network. “However, tier III organizations are usually organizations that only serve people in their club. Tier II organizations are more for clubs that go out and serve all Tech students.”

“The tier system is a priority system of funding for organizations on campus,” said Micah Lucas, vice president of Finance and chair of the Joint Finance Committee for the Student Government Association (SGA). “Tier I organizations serve all students and are given the highest priority in funding, such as the CRC. Tier II organizations are expected to impact a majority of students on campus and are second in line for funding.”

The Musician’s Network provides a variety of services on campus, according to DeMarco. “We teach live sound. We have really good equipment that we rent out for free. It only costs eight dollars per hour for a sound person,” DeMarco said.

Under the Couch has an average of three to five shows every month. “Almost every [show] is free to students with BuzzCards,” DeMarco said.

In addition to shows and equipment rental, Musician’s Network host weekly events and rents out the space for rehearsals and Greek events. “Tuesday we have open mic night, and Thursday we have break dancing meet at the space. We also rent out our space to bands who have members who are part of Musician’s Network,” DeMarco said.

Not only is the Musician’s Network providing services to students, but the current leadership of the Musician’s Network is working to repair its image that was damaged in past years.

“Back in 1999 UTC got really huge in Atlanta and had some huge shows. Off-campus people brought alcohol and started fights. Some people in the administration in the past though we were a bunch of punks, and we are trying to change that,” DeMarco said.

The change has been noticed on campus, particularly in the Music Department.

“Most definitely there’s been a shift in our perception of what goes on [at UTC],” said Chris Moore, assistant professor in the Music Department. “There would be days where we would come in the morning and the whole back lot would be littered with beer bottles, syringes and all kinds of crazy stuff down there. That has been reduced greatly.”

The Musician’s Network is currently in the process of adding more security to UTC. “We’re setting up security and web cameras and we’re rekeying all of the doors to keep track of keys,” DeMarco said. “We’re also setting up contracts for all performers and people who rent equipment to protect ourselves legally.”

Sororities and fraternities can still use the space for free but are not required to pay for security. “Two security officers are required, as we’ve had problems with past fights,” DeMarco said.

Under the Couch also has an impact on the rest of the Music Department, according to Moore.

“I know the impact that [UTC] has on the students I teach who use that facility. They do shows where they don’t charge for the space, which is good for the Music Department because we can use that space to do smaller chamber concerts down there,” Moore said.

DeMarco and Moore said that the Music Department and UTC have worked together to define quiet hours for the space.

“The room above UTC is the band rehearsal room. If we’re...trying to play Mozart with the orchestra and they are playing speed metal downstairs it just doesn’t work out. They’ve been very cooperative about working out quiet hours,” Moore said.

The Musician’s Network recently received funding from SGA to replace foam that they discovered was against fire code. While they do currently receive funding from SGA, the Musician’s Network feels they cannot receive enough under their current organizational status.

“We need money in order to bring shows to Tech students that they are going to like,” DeMarco said. “We can’t tell bands we’ll give them 90 percent of the door. We have to have money up front.”

Past bands that have played UTC include Jimmy Eat World, New Found Glory, Dashboard Confessional and Thursday.

DeMarco said that the Musician’s Network feels that this is their best chance to move up in status.

“This would probably be one of the best semesters to become tier II because a lot of SGA knows who we are,” DeMarco said. “I definitely think the perception of UTC on campus is changing. We have support from a lot of people at SGA.”

“I feel they have a good argument for becoming a tier II organization,” Lucas said. “All they have to do is submit a proposal to the Joint Finance Committee for review. The JFC will then make a recommendation to the rest of the SGA.”

“I can see how it is such a huge draw and how [the Musician’s Network] can have a huge impact on campus,” Moore said.