At The Keg of Evanston, eager students filed through the door, filling the bar and dance floor. At about 11 p.m., hip hop music blared over the crowded dance floor as a group of women climbed onto the stage for the main event.
Monday night at The Keg of Evanston, 810 Grove St., was the scene of Dance Marathon’s annual Date Auction, an event traditionally used to raise money for DM’s primary charity. Despite being popular and lucrative fund-raising events for many student groups, some university officials who see them as potentially unsafe are questioning the use of date auctions.
“I see few pros. Mostly cons,” said Mary Desler, dean of students, in an e-mail. “I think they have the potential of putting students — women and men — in compromising and hurtful situations.”
Desler, who said there are “plenty of options” besides date auctions for student group fund raising, listed several ways an auction could negatively affect those involved.
“What if no one bids money for a date with someone? Might that be hurtful? What if someone purchases a date with someone else and there is something about the purchaser that makes the student feel uncomfortable or, even unsafe? What if something happens on that date that is hurtful?” she said.
“I was involved in a situation a few years ago that was not at all positive for the student ‘purchased.’ I can’t forget that situation,” Desler continued.
Despite these fears, date auctions are fun, safe ways for student groups to raise money, said DM executive co-chairwoman Melissa Borschnack.
“I don’t think (administrators) have a full understanding of how we run the event,” said Borschnack, an Education senior.
According to Borschnack, anyone who bids on a person at a DM date auction must own a WildCARD.
Additionally, many of the people who “buy” someone at a date auction do so for the package — such as concert tickets or gift certificates — and not for the person, Borschnack added.
Ally Freeman, an executive co-chairwoman for Suitcase Party, said in four years of dealing with date auctions for the organization, she never has seen a problem with an auctionee being put in an uncomfortable situation.
“I think date auctions are fun for students,” said Freeman, a Medill senior. “Bar nights are a good money maker but … you won’t always make a lot of money because students aren’t inclined to contribute or (don’t) contribute as much as you’d hope.”
“Having an auction at the bar night sort of guarantees you’ll make a few hundred extra dollars,” she said.
Both Borschnack and Freeman said the possibility of an auctionee feeling uncomfortable or unsafe with their date is minimized by the fact that they usually know the people who are “buying” them.
“A lot of people who are put up for auctions have their friends come and bid on them,” Freeman said.
Date auctions — which brought in about $4,000 for DM and $600 for Suitcase Party this year — are not in danger of being restricted by the university, said Suzan Akin, a student group adviser for the Center for Student Involvement.
Many of those who participate in date auctions said they are fun events.
Danniele Meglen, a Communication senior and member of the DM exec board, volunteered for Monday’s auction on her birthday. She earned a final bid of $350.
“It was probably the best birthday I ever had,” she said.
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