Guilford’s formal was revamped and restructured this year, adding both extra perks and extra restrictions for the student body.Students may have first noticed the reduction in ticket price that this year. Last year, tickets sold for $10; this year, tickets went for just $7. This reduction in price was due to a change in the organization that sponsored the event.

“The Student Residence Council (SRC) financed the Binford Formal in years past,” said Union President Kate Doom. “The Binford Formal required a large chunk of the SRC’s budget and so administrators decided to make the Formal Union’s responsibility. This year’s Formal was sponsored by Student Union because Union has a larger budget.”

Union’s larger budget not only allowed for less expensive tickets, it allowed the dance to be held at a larger venue as well.

“Since Union was hoping to top last year’s attendance, we decided to pay a bit more for the larger location, the Radisson,” said Doom.

Union succeeded in its attempt to raise attendance at this year’s formal. Over 200 tickets were sold in comparison with last year’s 175.

The larger space easily accommodated the additional students while leaving enough room for buffet lines of catered hors d’oeuvres and a backdrop for posed pictures. An archway of blue, white and silver balloons lined with stands of white lights led into the elegantly, yet sparsely decorated ball room.

“I could have done a better job decorating with that amount of money. It was just balloons,” said junior Natasha Knight. “But the centerpieces with floating candles were nice.”

One change to the formal more controversial than the choice of decor was the mandatory shuttle ride to and from the Radisson. The administration made this decision.

“When we decided to have the cash bar, administrators decided that we need to have required transportation in order to protect the school legally,” said Doom. “Without the shuttle system, if there was an accident, the school could have been sued.”

Although some students noted that they could see why some of their peers may have objected to the mandatory shuttle, most gave a positive response to their shuttle experience.

“I thought the benefits [of the shuttle] outweighed any of the romantic atmosphere that was lost,” said sophomore Grant Murphy.

Knight had a similar response.

“I thought [the shuttle] was a good idea because a lot of people don’t have cars and a lot of people were drinking,” said Knight.

The bus stop also provided an opportunity for staff members of Campus Life to check the ID’s of those students of age wishing to make use of the cash bar.

“Two of our Assistant Deans for Campus Life (Jodi Gill and Joe Vereen) managed the ID checks and wristband distribution on campus as students boarded the bus,” said Leslie Moss, Associate Director for Student Activities and the First Year Program. “Students showed their ticket to the formal to get on the bus, and, if they were 21 years old, they could provide legal ID to receive an ‘of age’ wristband rather than the standard participant wristband.”

Many students didn’t seem to mind the added transportation regulations that made the cash bar possible.

“I didn’t mind the shuttle ride at all. It kept us safe,” said senior Emma Juncadello. “And I really liked the cash bar. It made the event classier. Plus, since I am 21 but don’t like beer, it was a nice option.