Imagine that you’re coming out of high school, and upon arriving into college, you plan on being part of the Sound of Today. You’re excited about being a part of a great program with a rich history. Then you find out that the band is severely underfunded and under-appreciated around campus to the point where many students don’t know what you’re talking about when you say that you are part of the Sound of Today.

This is the unfortnate reality of the state that the band is currently in, and a change must be made quickly to revive that status of the band and continue the great tradition that is the SOT.

The students of the band should be rewarded for their efforts, and in turn, should be offered more from the college for being part of the SOT. Currently, many athletic programs at ULM provide their students with thousands of dollars in scholarships, and some students are even provided with free housing on campus. 

However, the only thing a band student is offered is a talent grant, which is usually less than $1,000. The students in the band should receive the same treatment as their athletic counterparts.

Some may argue that the band doesn’t put in as much work as athletes. This is not true, as a normal week for a SOT member includes about five hours of rehearsal time. This is also excluding the hours spent outside of rehearsal, with students practicing on their own. 

If the band is able to offer more to their students, then membership of the SOT will rise. And with more members in the band, the influence that the band will have on campus will rival its glory days in the 1980’s and 1990’s. 

Aside from the college simply funding the SOT more, outside organizations and donors can also help with fundraising and donations to better the state of the program.

As far as recognition, one way that the band can gain more recognition is to better advertise events with the band involved. This includes the SOT postgame show, and concert performances and recitals. This can be done by posting flyers around campus, and utilizing the campus social media pages to promote these events. 

Fortunately, under new director Allen Parrish, we have seen better appreciation for the band, and a new culture is starting to form. However, there is still work that needs to be done to return the SOT to its former glory.