My 2 cents on cost and whether you should go and fully participate as parents...
First I expect given the earlier comments from readers and contributers to this thread this view won't be popular, etc. but here goes.
Background/Perspective:
1) I am an active alumni and parent of a current member of the Regiment of Midshipmen at the USMMA. That said I am not currently an officer of either the USMMA Foundation or a Local Alumni Chapter and all of the below is just my personal opinion and thoughts, though anything I state I have solid reason to believe is indeed fact from at the very least several data points though they might not be in large enough quantity to state them "beyond a doubt".
2) Nothing I say below should be construed as being "snotty" or not understanding that some families have situations where because of economic hardship, it's barely all they can do to afford traveling to the USMMA for the weekend and staying in the cheapest available accommodations they can find. That said, my personal opinion is a) those are rarely the people who complain about the costs of these sorts of things and since they are likely "making do" in numerous other higher priority ways, they'll figure it out and make do here. They above all the rest of us usually don't complain for one major reason - they truly know the value of the education and opportunities their sons and daughters are getting that they wouldn't otherwise be able to help their children obtain. Finally, in the end, when they or their children are able, they donate and work hard to see that others behind them get similar opportunities.
That out of the way my thoughts:
a) What it "cost" in the past is irrelevant.
b) Whether you think it's a "good/fair price" - $175.00 per participant or not - is irrelevant.
c) Yes in addition to the $175.00 you also have to buy a ticket to the football game. The two are handled by different organizations. The idea of "I don't like football and I'm not going to be able to sit with my kid so why go?" - While I might understand why the thought/question might cross your mid, I can tell you go, a) you might be pleasantly surprised at either a) your ability to see and interact with your DD/DS and/or their classmates, or b) the experience and how fun it is at least for that day, at least as a parent you'll understand what your DS/DD is talking about and how they feel about going to KP Football games....
e) The truth is the whole weekend is not likely going to be cheap and the $350.00 is just a part of it - though at least a predictable part of it. As far as value for money, I've eaten many meals at Delano Hall, none, not even the ones the Government paid for that I ate from 1978 - 1982 were really worth the money. The time with my classmates, or subsequently the time with my DS and/or other current members of the Regiment and the overall atmosphere and experience were, however worth at least 3X the price, even the less interesting times.
f) I am continually disappointed in comments/threads about these sorts of costs. If my DS had opted for a state university here in Virginia, he would have gotten a very good education at a total cost to me for, Room, Board & Tuition of at least $17K/year. Things like this weekend, any sort of activity akin to June Weekend's Ball, lots of Club Sports, etc. would NOT have been included in that $17K, nor would travel home. etc. Given the mission and post-graduation obligation, why would anyone reasonably expect that these sorts of costs wouldn't be present and required to be borne by the Student or his family or in some, way shape or form be paid for out of some sort of Non-Governmental, Non-Appropriated funded instrument (NAFI)?
g) Speaking of NAFIs - I've said this here before and I'll say it again here. You and I as parents have access to one or at least a pathway for one to exist and address these sorts of things. The USMMA Foundation. We'll still have to write checks if we use that avenue BUT at least it will be considered a legitimate charitable contribution and as such tax deductible. Further, by handling it that way, these sorts of things - Parent's weekend charges, sports teams parents clubs "cash calls", etc., printing costs for the lovely Regimental Calender we all have come to love, etc. - can all be planned for and probably minimized and handled in more economic/cost effective fashions then they as is being done on this ad hoc basis. To be clear, I am NOT talking about the activity fee that you remit to the Government, that is where and how it should be done.
I am talking about what I mentioned earlier - every family who is physically able to do so donating $2,000 per midshipmen currently at the Academy, or if they are not able to do that to donate as much as they can. The only restriction on the Gift should be something like it must be used for the enrichment of the lives of current Midshipmen and the Welfare and Recreation, and that it must be gifted to the Academy for that purpose within 24 months of the date it was received and in processed by the Foundation, or to setup an ongoing NAFI whose primary bijective and aim if the enrichment of welfare and recreation activities for current members of the Regiment of Midshipmen. In so doing, we can all be sure that there is a high likelihood our own DS/DD will get some benefit from the donation. For current parents and midshipmen who should see a "rebate/return" of previous overcharges for that Midshipmen Activity Fees - assuming the proposed GFY 2011 budget gets passed in it's current form this should not be a hardship at all as they will receive a rebate in excess of that $2,000 at some time within 6 months of appropriation of that budget to MARAD, as I understand it. That set of base contributions could be used to setup such a NAFI. I am highly confident that the current leadership and management of the Foundation would be very open to working with the leadership of the National Parents Club to do this and that the time is right to do so.
Of course in the end to make this happen we individual parents and families that can do so really should either "Put Up or Shut Up" and enjoy what those who as Admiral Mike Mullen put it at the Class of 2010 Graduation - "Stay Engaged" are able to pull together for us to enjoy.
Acta Non Verba - Just One Man's Opinion and we all know what those are like...
), I don't remember spending nearly as much on Parents' Weekend. There were lunch and dinner fees, as well as fees for Beat Retreat, but I think it was much less than $175. Of course, our hotel expense (and our side trip to Citi Field to see the Mets) made for a small vacation.
