This past weekend was eventful for Late Gate, as it sponsored both Ballroom Club’s “Guy Fawkes Masque Ball” and the Korean American Student Association (KASA) and the Chinese Interest Association’s (CIA) “Asian Glow” event.  A relatively new creation, Late Gate is a section of the Center for Leadership and Student Involvement (CLSI) that works to provide alcohol-free events to Colgate students. They help student groups to present their own events and also bring outside performers to campus. Late Gate brought the improv comedy group “The Upright Citizens Brigade” to campus a few weekends ago and intends to hold a roller-skating dance event next semester. The organization has also agreed to sponsor a murder-mystery dinner proposed for a small group of students, showing the scale to which Late Gate can support people.

This is the first year that Late Gate has hired a student-intern,  sophomore Kate Byun. The main function of the organization, according to Byun, is to accept proposals from student groups and distribute appropriate funding to them.

“We’d like to have at least one event per weekend,” Byun said.

Publicizing, contacting catering and setting-up remain the responsibility of the student groups, and while Byun is present at every Late Gate event to provide assistance if needed she said that groups “mostly function by themselves.” Late Gate also creates events itself, like the aforementioned roller-skating dance. Most of the events occur up the hill, as the “crowd we’re spotting is underage,” Byun explained.

Byun speaks positively of her experience as intern and Late Gate representative.

“This year it’s more structured. It’s a lot of work, but it’s fun at the same time.”

The group usually receives proposals that even out to one event per weekend. It is preferred that proposals be submitted at least three weeks before an event, to allow for time to rewrite or cut the budget advises Byun. 

“We want to distribute evenly,” she said, “[and] we want to support as many groups as possible.”

Ballroom Club members and sophomores Gillian Scherz, Jessie Solcz and Jenn Griffin went through the Late Gate proposal process in late October as they worked to have the Guy Fawkes Masque Ball approved. All submitted proposals must be detailed, and need to include exact items and costs. After turning the proposal in to CLSI, the girls were told that they “wanted to spend too much money,” Griffin said. Once the re-write was complete, the three ordered their requested items (mostly decorations) through CLSI, talked to Frank catering and SA Sound, and proceeded with their Ball.

“[The event had a] larger turn-out last year,” Griffin said, “[but] the target grouped was reached [and] the music was better. It was much more seamless.”

Too much food was ordered, as more people were expected to attend.

“We would like more people,” Griffin said, and suggested that the group may even seek a bigger venue.

Byun shares this general sentiment, and hopes to see more support from the student body for Late Gate events. As the Late Gate intern, she is trying to provide Colgate with as many diverse alternatives as possible in order that students “don’t build up the stereotypical college experience.”

“We want to bring what students want to bring. I’m always open for any ideas,” Griffin added.