WSUM, the University of Wisconsin’s student radio station, is raffling off in-state tuition for one semester, an amount equal to $1,500. The raffle tickets will sell for two dollars apiece.
An anonymous donor contributed the money for the raffle, and Friends of Madison Student Radio, an organization that fund-raises and publicizes WSUM, is organizing the event. Rob Yaros, board president of Friends of Madison Student Radio, is optimistic about the fund-raiser’s projected success.
“Given the latest budget cuts and rising tuition, there’s no doubt a chance for free tuition next semester would be worth two bucks.” Yaros said.
According to WSUM station manager Rob Sarwark, a junior at UW, the station plans on using the money raised from the tuition raffle to fund a variety of things, such as strengthening the station’s radio signal, bringing concerts to the UW campus, contributing to the Party in the Park and reinstating webcasting, a practice that WSUM stopped partly for legal reasons.
“Webcasting was an intermediary,” Sarwark said. “We started it to just make our presence known.”
Now, Sarwark feels that webcasting would be a great way to expand WSUM’s audience, which is also the reason the station decided to throw the raffle in the first place.
“The raffle will hopefully bring WSUM into the consciousness of the student population,” Sarwark said.
Yaros also thinks that the raffle will help the students as much as the radio station.
“The first reason is to raise money and the second reason is to notify people that WSUM is a resource for the students,” Yaros said.
Sarwark says that giving tuition away is really about giving back to the community.
“That’s really what we’re all about,” he said. “We give back to the community in a service fashion.”
The first $10,000 raised from the 10,000 $2 tickets available for purchase will be set aside for an endowment, something that the anonymous donor asked for upon contributing the money. The endowment would allow the station to get some money every year, providing for future generations of WSUM employees.
The remainder of the funds will go to programs such as the annual Party in the Park, held in James Madison Park every spring.
Dave Black, the general manager and financial officer for WSUM, is grateful that the station has the Friends of Madison Student Radio to offer help.
“We really appreciate the support that Friends of Madison Student Radio provides,” Black said. “This is what student-run community radio is all about: friends in the community supporting students in their efforts to create great radio.”
Sarwark also noted the importance of the community organization to the station’s success.
“The Friends of Madison Student Radio is our treasury, I guess you could say,” Sarwark said. “It’s one of our main sources of fundraising.”
The raffle begins noon this Friday at Library Mall. The winner will be announced Saturday Nov. 15 before the live Badger game on WSUM. In addition to the Library Mall sales, raffle tickets will also be available at various times throughout the month, including during the homecoming parade, where WSUM will have a float.
Sarwark also said that anyone who is interested in helping out the station for the raffle is welcome to volunteer. For those who do not win the tuition prize, Yaros anticipates runner-up prizes to be furnished by local businesses.
