By Matthew Fowler, Co-Editor-in-Chief
Five of Newman’s student organizations started the year with a combined debt of almost $2,000 and some of those groups even lack officers to lead them.
And one of the clubs’ issues, caused by a variety of factors, could have implications for a popular springtime event on campus.
Multicultural Leadership Organization, Newman University Medical Professionals Club, Ecology Club, Gardening Club and Chemistry Club all have a negative balance in their accounts, which means that they cannot approach the Student Government Association to request money for events or activities until they recoup the deficit through their own fundraising, say SGA executives.
Three of the clubs, MCLO, Chemistry Club and Gardening Club, also have no executive board members, which means they are currently inactive. If clubs or organizations are not able to form an executive team within two years of becoming inactive, the clubs will be declared officially dead, SGA leaders said.
However, the clubs could still be reactivated by passionate students.
One of MCLO’s long-running traditions has been an annual Cultural Extravaganza, an outdoor event in the spring that includes cultural food and performances along with giveaways.
Junior Melissa Arguijo, who is the chair of the SGA clubs committee, said that MCLO’s debt, which is the greatest at over $900, was largely due to a misunderstanding about a contest put on for Giving Day in February. The club that raised the most money would get $500, and the club that got the highest number of donors would get $500.
“No one that was part of the club was at the meeting where the rules were explained, so they thought that if they got the most money donated, they were going to get $1,000,” Arguijo said. “Ultimately, they got the most money, but they did not get the most donors, so they only ended up getting a stipend of $500, so they overspent money that they thought they had for the Multicultural Extravaganza.”
Without MCLO running Cultural Extravaganza this year, it is unclear if another organization will step in to host the event.
SGA Treasurer Thomas Munn said that student organizations have struggled to properly track how much money is in their accounts, which contributed to the other organizations’ debts.
“Throughout the years, there has been confusion within the clubs as to where money goes,” Munn said.
The process for clubs to view their balances has also created challenges with tracking budgets, Arguijo said, but there is a new plan in place for clubs to receive their balances at least monthly.
“Last year, they had to email the business office, and since the business office was really busy, they would have to wait up to a month…” she said. “Josh (Schoenecker-Prilliman, director of student activities) should be getting the reports every 15th of the month, so they would just have to ask Josh if he could send it to them.”
Going forward, SGA wants clubs to find ways to raise their own money to cover their costs rather than rely on SGA to pay for things, Arguijo said.
“When a club starts, SGA gives them $200 to start off with,” she said. “From there, it is up to them on how they are going to fundraise. So whether that is from donation sponsors or they just want to put their own money into it, they can do that.”
SGA plans to continue funding campus events that benefit Newman students, Arguijo said, but the organizations must first be debt-free.
PHOTO: Vantage Staff
