With Syracuse University’s eighth annual Juice Jam concert scheduled for the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11, students are questioning the decision to hold the event on a day sensitive to Americans.

The concert, which is sponsored by University Union and the Division of Student Affairs, acts as a welcome back ceremony for students every fall. Although the concert is traditionally held the second Sunday in September, this is the first time the concert has fallen on an anniversary of 9/11, said Rob Dekker, University Union president.

Dekker said when UU officials realized the concert could not be moved to a different weekend, the group decided to commemorate the 9/11 terrorist attacks by turning it into a benefit concert.

SU has partnered with Better Together, a nationwide initiative that encourages students to strengthen interfaith and multicultural bonds in the United States to improve their communities, Dekker said. A portion of the ticket sales from Juice Jam will go toward famine relief in the Horn of Africa through the United Nations’ World Food Programme, according to an Aug. 26 SU news release.

Dekker said UU also plans on conducting a food drive during the week prior to 9/11, in which students will be asked to donate canned goods. Unlike past years, students will have to donate at least one canned good to receive a free Juice Jam T-shirt, Dekker said.

Ken Consor, co-executive director of UU concerts, said UU is hoping to raise at least $20,000, or a five-figure number, for charity.

‘We took what we were given with the date and turned it into this big philanthropic event,’ Consor said.

Despite these efforts, some students feel that having Juice Jam — known for its party-like atmosphere — on 9/11 is both disrespectful and distasteful.

Myron Holmes, a graduate photography student, said that celebrating on 9/11 is inappropriate.

‘It should be a time we shouldn’t forget,’ he said. ‘It forever changed our history, so it’s a time to be remembered.’

Consor said while he sympathizes with students’ feelings, he thinks that those who disapprove of having the concert have not taken a closer look into UU’s plans.

‘If your personal opinion is that it’s disrespectful to play music on this date, or to go to a concert on this date, then we hope that you’ll go, get involved in the community service opportunities that are there and then maybe you can leave for the music portion of the show,’ he said.

Despite the date of the concert, students said they will not be deterred from attending Juice Jam this year. Many students appreciate the efforts put forth by UU to commemorate 9/11.

Tom Matura, a senior economics and political science major, said he does not think having the concert is disrespectful because the university is making a real effort to give back to the community. Still, Matura wishes it could be on a different day.

‘That event is still so close to us, I just think people would be more comfortable if the date could have been changed,’ Matura said.

Matura still has not decided whether or not he will attend this year’s Juice Jam.

But Dekker said it was not that easy. UU officials tried to move the concert to a different weekend, but every single one had a conflict, ranging from athletic games to artist availability to holiday weekends, Dekker said. And it would not be feasible to have an outdoor concert in Syracuse in or past October, Dekker said.

‘We were sort of stuck,’ he said.

A few students spoke out on Twitter about the event, tweeting angrily when the date was officially announced.

Dekker said he has not heard any complaints from students directly like he has in the past, but he knows that some have been upset by the date.

‘I fully appreciate and respect the range of emotions felt by the student body, but at the end of the day, I think we’re doing something really great with this concert,’ Dekker said. ‘We’re providing a unique opportunity for the campus to come together.’

egsawyer@syr.edu

Published on August 28, 2011 at 12:00 pm

Contact Liz: egsawyer@syr.edu | @3sawyer