Of the 48 club account records, 26 accounts have $1,000 or more in their club account as of Feb. 1. Funds held in the 26 accounts total $111,137.03.
Mike Ziegler
-Photo Editor-
STLCC clubs district-wide are feeling the financial pinch in the form of increased scrutiny by administration over how funds are spent—or not being spent.
All STLCC-Meramec clubs were informed during the Jan. 24 Student Governance Council (SGC) meeting to submit plans by the Feb. 21 meeting on how they expect to use their remaining account funds by the end of the academic year. This was specifically directed at clubs with more than $1,000 or more available in their accounts.
Of the 48 club account records made available to “The Montage”, 26 accounts have $1,000 or more in their club account as of Feb. 1. Funds held in the 26 accounts total $111,137.03.
“If you are in one of those clubs with more than $1,000, I’d think very carefully about spending it before they take it,” said SGC President Mark Wilson during the Feb. 25 meeting. “Warnings haven’t seemed to make a difference in the past.”
The Horticulture Club submitted a plan to spend its remaining funds. Plans include a behind-the-scenes tour of the Botanical Gardens for about 30 members and a trip to Chicago, Campus Life Manager Steve Brady said.
The Horticulture Club has $40,322 in its account as of Feb. 1.
Some clubs did not submit expense plans by the Feb. 21 meeting, Brady said. Issues on making balanced expense plans prevented them from being completed.
“You’d think spending money is something [clubs] love to do,” Brady said. “Spending money isn’t as easy as it would first appear.”
Wilson offered suggestions for clubs such as putting on an event or raising money for a charity or scholarship.
“At this point in time it’s not, ‘We’re going to stop this car,’ but it’s getting really close to them saying this is [going to] happen,” Brady said, addressing club representatives in attendance during the Feb. 21 SGC meeting. “[District administration] will actually discipline you all and say since you can’t come up with a plan, we’ll come up with your plan and their plan is give us the money.”
Money held by all clubs totals $119,327.92 as of Feb. 1. Club balances include remaining funds rolled over from previous academic years. Before the 2011 academic year start, rollover funds from 2010 totaled $118,950.64.
“I think last year clubs earned more than $20,000 through new student orientation and club days,” Brady said. “That’s their number one way of earning money.”
Depending on their status designating them as “A” or “B,” clubs can earn up to $550 for working their club table during new student orientation and club days held both during the fall and spring semesters.
“That should be enough for most clubs to function at a minimal level over the course of a year,” Brady said. “They have the co-sponsorship so if they have plans for additional activities they can earn money.”
Club events that have campus-wide interest can appeal to be funded through grants from SGC committees.
Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society of the two-year college, holds $9,213.37 in their account as well as a PTK scholarship account holding $2,234 as of Feb. 1. The scholarship fund is used to help cover chapter fees for members needing assistance.
“We use [money] for a large number of events, including specifically signing day, any sort of fellowship or group event; those events are specifically designed for the members,” Charles Lambert, vice president of communications for PTK, said.
PTK began the academic year with $10,903.04 available and has incurred $5,084.67 in expenses as of Feb. 1. Of their expenses, $2,231.40 of it went toward Treat America catering for events and meetings held during the 2011 academic year.
“Those students are working to get that money, and we feel that students should benefit from that money,” Tori Lamborn, SGC secretary, said. “They should feel the reward for what they worked toward.”
Some organizations, such as “The Montage Student Newspaper” and the Student Activities Council, are funded through campus life and are not required to work or co-sponsor events to fund expenses.
“The Montage” was allocated $33,000 at the 2011 academic year start. Expenses from printing, supplies, convention participation and food costs for this academic year total $22,522.41. Remaining funds available for the academic year include $10,520.09 as of Feb. 21.
