The days when hearing Clay Aiken and tickets in the same breath produced feelings of animosity among the student body are no longer.

Aiken has graduated, and the controversy surrounding the University’s decision to issue commencement tickets to graduates because of the “American Idol” star’s attendance has turned to frenzy, as people from all over scamper to buy tickets for Aiken’s first music tour.

Aiken and fellow “Idol” Kelly Clarkson will be in Charlotte to kick off their “Independent Tour” tonight at the Charlotte Coliseum.

UNCC’s Office of Student Activities has offered students a special price to be a part of the tour in a promotion called “Clay, Kelly and You.”

Tickets for this event are $35. This package includes a pizza and sign-making party in the Cone University Center’s AfterHours beginning at 4 p.m.

At 5 p.m., a charter bus will shuttle students to the Charlotte Coliseum and back to campus after the concert. Those students not able to attend the pre-party will need to be there before the departure of the bus at 5 p.m. Any student interested in going to the concert but not riding the bus can still buy their tickets through the University for $45.

There are a limited number of tickets for students who want to take advantage of the offer.

Aiken’s manager was contacted and 95 tickets were held to be sold at the discounted price.

As of late Friday, less than half were available.

OSA would like to see a good turnout.

The idea of taking students to the concert instead of bringing the concert to the students, as has been done in the past, saves money.

OSA, along with the Campus Activities Board and the Student Activity Center, used to have a concert reserve fund used to lure major recording artists to campus to perform for students.

The fund was abolished in October by the Student Activity Fees Commission because the last three major campus concerts since 1999 have all lost money.

Since the abolishment of the concert reserve fund, there have been other alternatives to concerts suggested, including the busing of students to off-campus.

Administrators were worried that some liability issues would lie within the safety of the students en route, but such hurdles in getting the event off the ground were minimal.

Another issue was where the money to fund the event would come from?

“In the past, the Student Activity Fees Commission has not wanted student fees to be used to take students off campus,” said Regina Young-Hyatt, associate director of OSA. “We haven’t broached this subject with them in a while, so I don’t know what the current commission’s viewpoint on this is.”

She added that student activity fees are not being used to fund the “Clay, Kelly and You” event. Instead, the event is funded through the department’s operational budget.

The tickets being sold as a package are all together in section 128 of the Charlotte Coliseum – just close enough for the performers to see students’ signs.

Students can buy tickets at the box office located at the Student Activity Center by showing their student ID. The box office closes at 5 p.m. The actual concert tickets won’t be distributed until everyone has boarded the bus.

For more information call OSA at 704-687-2521.