Emergency funds approved for UPAC projector repair

The Union Executive Board approved a $6000 emergency subsidy for UPAC Cinema via an electronic vote on October 14 to fix damages to the Integrated Media Block of UPAC Cinema’s projector. The IMB allows the projector to show Digital Cinema Packages. DCPs are a high-quality film format typically used in commercial movie theaters. The IMB damage caused the cancellation of the advance showing of Dear Evan Hansen, which was scheduled for September 18. UPAC Cinema cannot project films in theater quality or hold advance screenings until the repairs are complete. The subsidy will come out of the Fiscal Year 2022 contingency budget, which has a current balance of $49,344.40.

Vice President for Board Operations Colleen Corrigan ’22 presented the electronic motion on Wednesday night. E-Board voting members cast their votes by sending a reply-all with their vote in an email thread. Voting concluded at 1 pm on Thursday. The motion passed with a vote of 13-0-0. Although the E-Board regularly convenes on Thursday nights, these measures were necessary to ensure that UPAC Cinema could enter a contract for the repairs as soon as possible, according to President of the Union Yaseen Mahmoud ’22. Approving the motion prior to the close of business Thursday afternoon allowed the purchase to go through internal processes so UPAC Cinema could sign a contract for the repair prior to the weekend.

An exact timeline was not given, but UPAC Cinema Chairperson Alyssa Kryzanski ’22 estimates that repairs are expected within a few weeks of placing the contract.