ASUCD LONG-RANGE PLAN
WHOLE EARTH FESTIVAL
In the Fall of 1969, an art history class taught by Jose Arguelles created an art “happening” for
its final exam project. This small event was so successful and personally rewarding that the
following quarter the class planned another event on a larger scale with the hope of involving the
campus and community. Inspiration for the name “Whole Earth Festival” came from the “Earth
Day” declared by the United Nations in March, 1970.
Since 1971, the Whole Earth Festival (WEF) has been sponsored by the Associated Students of
the University of California, Davis (ASUCD), first as a part of the Experimental College and
later becoming its own unit as a non-profit, non-debt, self-supporting event. The Festival has
grown to be a major Northern California event, drawing approximately twenty thousand people
over a three-day span. This event is held annually on the UC Davis Quad. Most of the Whole
Earth Festival history has been handed down orally from WEF staff to WEF staff. Very little is
in written form, or any other form, for that matter.
The Whole Earth Festival is an alternative educational event, which promotes lifestyles and
practices that are in harmony with all life on this planet. The Festival emphasizes spiritual
development, environmental innovations, natural foods, handcrafted goods, and a sustainable,
holistic way of life. Through educational and cultural presentations, participants are exposed to
alternatives to mainstream attitudes and practices. Included in the festival are three music stages,a dance stage and drum circle, a speaker’s forum appropriate technology displays, and
educational, crafts, and food booths, plus many more.
II. Personnel
The number of staff members is up to the discretion of the Whole Earth Festival directors of the
year (September through May). Directors are hired on a yearly basis and all staff hold their
positions for the duration of a year.
For the 2010-2011 budget, Whole Earth Festival has 35 paid positions and 300-400 volunteers:
A. Director and Assistant Director (2)- The Directors, one UC Davis student and one non-student, are responsible for hiring a staff and the decision making process for the entire festival. They coordinate interactions between the UC Davis departments and the festival. They act as the liaisons between WEF paid positions and UC Davis university. They work specifically with UC Davis Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS), ASUCD, UC Davis Fire Department, Grounds, Environmental Health and Safety, and Aggie Host. They are responsible for making sure regulations are up to date and everyone is completing their job.
B. Art and Ambiance Director- The Art and Ambiance Director is in charge of gathering art
pieces to showcase at the festival. This director is responsible for setting up the art prior to the
festival and taking it down after the festival is over. This director needs to secure insurance through the university for any art pieces that require it.
C. Compost and Recycling Director- The Compost and Recycling Director is in charge of
designing and organizing a system for waste-management for the festival. This director needs to
follow zero waste policy of the festival.
D. Craft Vendors Directors (2)- The Craft Vendors Directors are in charge of gathering vendor
applications and processing them through email or over the phone. They are also in charge of
receiving payments from the vendors. They determine and organize which vendors will be
part of the festival with staff consensus.
E. Dance Stage Directors (2)- The Dance Stage Directors are in charge of setting up and
disassembling the Dance Stage before and after the festival. They contact and organize a
line-up of performers for the entire festival. They must adhere to solar power rules for the
stage.
F. DJ Stage Director- The DJ Stage Director is in charge of setting up and disassembling the DJ Stage before and after the festival. This director contacts and organizes a line-up of performers for the
entire festival.
G. Education Crew Directors (2)- The Education Crew Directors are responsible for selecting
and gathering education booths for the festival. They process applications and receive
payments.
H. Email List Director- The Email List Director controls a database of old and current Whole Earth
Festival employees. This director also manages and screens emails and sets up a staff list.
I. Entertainment Directors (2)- The Entertainment Directors gather and select entertainment for
the Main Stage and Cedar Stage. They contact and organize a line-up of performers for both
stages for the entire festival.
J. Food Vendors Director- The Food Vendors Director gathers and processes food vendor
applications. This director screens food vendors more thoroughly by adhering to University codes and
insurances. This director also finds food vendors that provide sustainable products.
K. The Gardens Directors (2)- The Gardens Directors manage the Whole Earth Festival garden
located near the Domes on the UC Davis campus. It is their discretion to grow food for the
festival or for staff meetings throughout the year. During the summer, Gardens takes care of
the WEF garden.
L. Karma Patrol Directors (2)- The Karma Patrol Directors organize all volunteers for the
festival. They run the Karma Dome (information tent) during the festival. They also manage
the festival for the three days that it runs.
M. Kids Space Directors (2)- The Kids Space Directors are in charge of setting up fun and
creative activities geared toward children. They organize someone to watch over the Kids
Space areas. The Directors set up and break down the space.
N. Logistics Directors (2)- The Logistics Directors find and gather materials to fulfill the needs of
the rest of the staff to make the festival run. They collect a list from the staff and deliver the
materials.
O. Night Security Directors (2)- The Night Security Directors are the keepers of the Quad during
the night time of the festival. They make sure nothing is stolen from any tents or booths
during the hours of ten (10) pm to six (6) am or until another staff person takes over the job.
They are in charge of gathering volunteers (Night Ninjas) to patrol the quad, sleep on the
stages, and take care of festival materials.
P. Publicity and Program Director- The Publicity and Program Director is in charge of making
the program for the festival. This director finds a printer and gathers and organizes content to release the program a week before the festival. It is up to the WEF Directors to decide whether the
Publicity and Program Director also prints the chosen poster for the year and distributes it.
Q. Parking Director- The Parking Director meets with TAPS to figure out the layout of public
parking and vendor parking for the festival. This director gathers the permits required, distribute them
to the vendors of the festival and registers vendor car information. This director gathers volunteers to be in the lot during the festival. This director also must keep someone on hand during the festival to deal with any issues that arise.
R. Cedar Stage Director- The Cedar Stage Director is in charge of setting up and disassembling
the Cedar Stage before and after the festival. This director is the on-site contact for the stage during
the festival.
S. Fire Stage Director- The Fire Stage Director is in charge of setting up and disassembling
the Fire Stage before and after the festival. This director contacts and organizes a line-up of performers for the entire festival. This director must acquire a fire permit before the festival for all performers.
T. Quad Stage Directors (2)- The Quad Stage Directors are in charge of setting up and breaking
down the Quad Stage before and after the festival. They are the on-site contact for the stage
during the festival.
U. Whole Earth Reusable Cooperative (WERC)/Reusable Dish System Directors (4)- The Reusable Dish System Directors take inventory and wash dishes before and after the festival. They are responsible for organizing and managing the Dish System during the festival and washing dishes upon use. The dishes are located in the WEF storage unit.
V. Karma Patrol Volunteers (300-400)- The Karma Patrol (KP) volunteers are unpaid and sign up to help out with the functioning before, during, and after the WEF. They volunteer under staff
positions and attend meetings to receive training four (4) to five (5) weeks before the festival.
The nonviolence training is mandatory. The volunteers receive food during the festival and a
t-shirt. Through volunteering, the Karma Patrol Volunteers also volunteer as Night Ninjas
Personnel Chart:
Future Plans:
1. Have time period of co-directors extend a month past the Festival.
2. Include staff report in application.
3. Increase co-director salaries.
4. Record job descriptions in a systematic video file to be put on the WEF computer.
III. OPERATIONS
The office of WEF is located on the second floor of the Experimental College.
Whole Earth Festival (WEF) co-directors put on a three-day, zero-waste festival during spring
quarter on Mother’s Day weekend. Each position is in charge of completing their tasks in order
to fulfill the mission of putting on a festival for the community. WEF offers craft vendor booths,
food booths, and educational booths during the entire Festival. These vendors can apply for a booth on the WEF website. Entertainment is sought out to play at the three (3) stages of the
Festival. Volunteers help with set up and break down of the Festival. They also take night-watch
at the Quad to protect the booths and stages.
WEF coordinates vendors looking to be involved through their website. They also recruit volunteers by hosting meetings for several weeks prior to the festival. The website offers information about the Festival, ways to get involved, the history of the Festival, specifics of the Festival, and outside links.
Future Plans:
1. Organize and clean out storage unit to make it more functional.
2. Organize and clean out office to make it more functional.
3. Have more defined order of business and job description.
IV. FINANCE
The total expense cost for the 2010-2011 is $101,372. The projected income for the 2010-2011 academic year is $97,152.00. The WEF budget relies upon its income from the previous year’s festival. WEF currently requires no subsidies from ASUCD.
Detailed Projected Income:
Craft Booths are projected to raise $66,000.
Food Booths are projected to raise $25,750.
ED/Service Booths are projected to raise $2,750.
Stage Rentals are projected to raise $1,287.
Application fees are projected to raise $3,300.
Dish Collection rates are projected to raise $1,385.
Miscellaneous income is projected for $300.
Detailed Projected Expenses:
Copying and Printing costs is a $200 line-item.
Mail costs is a $350 line-item.
Office supplies is a $200 line-item.
Transportation costs for the booth materials that are located in the WEF shed is a $1,700 line-item.
Telephone equipment is a $1,100 line-item that pays for the WEF office phones.
Telephone Long Distance is a $500 line-item.
Equipment purchase is a $600 line-item that is dependent on the quality of the equipment for that year and has risen from the previous year.
Repair and maintenance costs is a $200 line-item.
Equipment rental costs from other ASUCD units and affiliated organizations is a $100 line-item.
Services rendered is a $17,650 line-item.
Publicity costs is a $3,000 line-item that pays for WEF posters and pamphlets distributing during the festival.
Parking and security costs paid to TAPS is a $10,200 line-item.
Karma Patrol costs for the KP volunteers and Night Ninja supplies is a $2,400 line-item.
Production costs is a $28,650 line-item.
Food costs is a $4,000 line-item.
Staff development costs is a $829 line-item.
Environmental Deposit Returns were first implemented in the 2009-2010 budget and is a $4,000 line-item.
Insurance costs is a $2,073 line-item.
Replacement Reserve costs is a $2,000 line-item.
University Recharge is a $15,700 line-item.
Admin Recharge is a $1,300 line-item.
Salaries:
The salary positions include the Director and Assistant Director and each receives a $2,310 stipend. Directors and Assistant Directors are paid at a rate of $77 a week for 30 weeks.
Future Plans:
1. Implement a credit card option for online vendor processing and payments.
V. ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Whole Earth Festival strives for zero-waste by promoting sustainable foods and products and
through the reusable dish system. The vendors promote environmental responsibility and are
selected based on their own sustainability practices. All foods served at the festival are
sustainable and usually are vegetarian. However, if sustainable meat is found and consented upon by WEF staff it can be served. Food vendors are also required to use the WERC dishes and can not bring in disposable dish-ware or containers. Vendors cannot sell wasteful things and are required to abstain from unnecessary packaging. Plastic bags are not permitted at the festival.
Future Plans:
1. Find a way to pack landfill waste into portable landfill devices (PLD).
2. Restructure fund allocation to reduce future environmental impact.
VI. EXTERNAL RELATIONS
The Directors maintain contact with the UC Davis Fire Department, Grounds, Cal Aggie Hosts,
ASUCD, Environmental Health and Safety, and University Insurance.
Other staff members are in contact with TAPS for parking services, Area Restroom Solutions for
porta-potties, UCD Craft Center for printing, Pacific Domes, Life’s Best Inn Tents for tent
rentals, Freeborn Hall, and ASUCD Business Manager.
Future Plans:
1. Set up trade system with units to remove costs of equipment rentals.
Senate Bill #69
Passed by Senate on April 28, 2011