by Jonathan Livigne
Editor-in-Chief

Clubs will have to make do with fewer funds this year when the student government changes the way that clubs are funded.

For the second time in as many years, the SBA (Student Body Association) will cut allocated funds, this time from $750 to $500. In previous years, the budget for each club was $1,000.

As SBA members explained in a press conference held on Monday, October 1 the reason for reducing the budget was to make the clubs more accountable for their expenses.

According to a letter sent to club advisors on August 31, clubs will still be able to request additional funding if the need arises. The money will be placed in a “new and improved Club Supplemental budget,” said the letter. “This replaces the old fall Supplemental Budget.”

This basically means that clubs still have funds available to them, but they will just have to ask for them. Fill out a few form, explain in detail what the money is needed for and what the clubs will get when the demands are met within reason. “This process will provide our students with the skill sets for applying for funding in their personal and professional lives,” according to the letter.

There are many stipulations to what clubs can spend their money on. For example, Simi Gill of SCCANS (the Shoreline Community College Association of Nursing Students) explained that there are many items that clubs cannot spend their money on, “no gifts, no food and no celebrations.”

SCCANS, a very active club on campus with approximately 200 members, gets guest speakers to come to campus to talk to the students. Nurses and medical professionals take their time, free of charge, to come and educate the aspiring nurses. As a thank you to the volunteers, a gift is usually given to them. This, according to the budget regulations, is against the rules. “We ended up paying for it from our own money,” said Gill.

Chris Simons, the club advisor to the photo forum, is rather outspoken on the subject.

“A few years ago, clubs used to get $5,000 a year, which allowed us to do road trips, visits to museums, even paying for travel expenses,” he said.

“With clubs being limited to $500 a year, I don’t really see clubs doing much stuff off campus.”

SCCANS tends to concentrate a great deal of their efforts on community service. Last year, they held a holiday fundraiser for families in need. Nearly $4,000 was given to six families in the form of Fred Meyer gift certificates.

“They (the SBA) have a reason for it (the budget cuts). We will just have to work harder with our fundraisers. No doubt in my mind that we will be able to keep up our work in the community and within our club,” said Gill.

“It’s not like we can do much about it. We have a great group of people in our club, we will make do with what we’ve got.”