After reading Freeland’s pep-rally-letter concerning the “joyous culmination to Springfest,” I can honestly say that I too was severely “dissapointed.” Or maybe I can’t because it’s not even a word. One thing I’m sure of however is that Freeland’s rash decision to cancel the student body’s spring concert pissed off more than just “many” of Northeastern’s students. The fact of the matter is that every student should be outraged; we were lied to, we were cheated, we were stolen from (again).

Following Springfest 2003, I was on an uncontrollable high. I had just seen the Mighty Mighty Bosstones tear up the grass outside the Ruggles train station. Good show, good music, but lets face it people; the Bosstones aren’t exactly college campus material so much as college reunion material.

If that wasn’t the turning point, who knows what was; but after raising the Student Activity Fee, every student was looking forward to a show which they could enjoy, not something their parents might like. I voted against the increase, I though we had plenty of money and I didn’t want to give Northeastern any more cash to waste. Here we are almost a year later, I’m out a C-note, we’ve got no Luda and Freeland is currently backpacking across Morocco with what’s left of my Student Activity Fee.

Actually I’m not 100 percent sure about the Morocco bit, but I do know that Freeland’s actions couldn’t be further from the thoughts of Northeastern students. We want a concert and all the clich phrases in the universe aren’t going to change that.

Freeland talks about a “time to show our neighbors, our city and the world that Northeastern is a major university with talented, responsible and mature students who are here for an education that will help them make the world a better place.” Unfortunately, I fail to recognize the correlation between a musical performance and “showing the world” that we are “responsible and mature.” To cancel the planned concert is ludicrous!

I know I’ve been slightly negative thus far, but have no fear! Just take a gander at Freeland’s closing remarks. “There will be time for a concert.” Yes! All we have to do is attend to other more pressing business, like “demonstrating why Northeastern is one of the top universities in this country.” It’s too bad we’re still a tier three school, Northeastern might be waiting for some time.

— Matt Manzo is a sophomore industrial engineering major.