2008 Woodie Awards
Some student clubs caught between high operating costs and low budgets
Cara Gallivan & Aria Walfrand
Issue date: 11/1/07 Section: News
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The main page of Union's admission's site currently features a link to "Reasons Why Everyone Should Consider Going Dutch," in which the writer notes that "we've been highly ranked for having the most for students to do, and it's true."
Union prides itself upon the range of intellectual and social opportunities available to students.
Union does offer some truly unique programs and a seemingly wide window of opportunity to get involved. But while there is a lot to do at Union, several students have reported struggling with getting new student interest groups started.
For many, the money just isn't there.
The annual pool of student activities fees (this year, $309 per student) included in Union's tuition cannot cover all of the costs. Every term, Student Forum, in charge of overseeing distribution of the student activities fee, has to turn down requests for funding from clubs that are trying to get themselves up-and-running.
As Director of Student Activities Matt Milless explains it, Student Forum evaluates club's requests for funding based on "that club's effectiveness in terms of reaching people, beyond its membership, and the club's financial need in order to operate."
Because all students pay for these clubs out of their tuition, in order for a club's request to be approved, the club cannot be selective and must be open to all students.
Clubs that are selective, such as Dutch Pipers or Dance Team, do not receive College funding for their programs. But over the last year, some new clubs that would have been open to all students, that did have the potential to reach out to those both in the Union community and the surrounding community, have been turned down.
Last year, Hilary, '08, and Alex Handin,'10, creators of The Beat, released only one issue of their magazine before, due to lack of long-term funding, they had to suspend their efforts indefinitely.
Hilary explains her vision for The Beat as "a features magazine that we wanted to contain in-depth investigative reporting."
Union prides itself upon the range of intellectual and social opportunities available to students.
Union does offer some truly unique programs and a seemingly wide window of opportunity to get involved. But while there is a lot to do at Union, several students have reported struggling with getting new student interest groups started.
For many, the money just isn't there.
The annual pool of student activities fees (this year, $309 per student) included in Union's tuition cannot cover all of the costs. Every term, Student Forum, in charge of overseeing distribution of the student activities fee, has to turn down requests for funding from clubs that are trying to get themselves up-and-running.
As Director of Student Activities Matt Milless explains it, Student Forum evaluates club's requests for funding based on "that club's effectiveness in terms of reaching people, beyond its membership, and the club's financial need in order to operate."
Because all students pay for these clubs out of their tuition, in order for a club's request to be approved, the club cannot be selective and must be open to all students.
Clubs that are selective, such as Dutch Pipers or Dance Team, do not receive College funding for their programs. But over the last year, some new clubs that would have been open to all students, that did have the potential to reach out to those both in the Union community and the surrounding community, have been turned down.
Last year, Hilary, '08, and Alex Handin,'10, creators of The Beat, released only one issue of their magazine before, due to lack of long-term funding, they had to suspend their efforts indefinitely.
Hilary explains her vision for The Beat as "a features magazine that we wanted to contain in-depth investigative reporting."
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