Many clubs unaware of ASB bank accounts

For current sophomore Meera Rachamallu, the co-president of the Environmental Club, starting a club her freshman year was a huge ordeal. She had to prove to the ASB that her club was a good idea and would be successful, find an adviser, convince people to come to the meetings, choose officers and more. 

After fundraising, she had to figure out where to store the money before donating it. She and her co-president, sophomore Michelle Shen, kept the cash from fundraisers and had their parents donate checks to the organizations they were raising money for.

“My life would have been a whole lot easier if I had found out earlier that my club could have its own bank account through the ASB,” Rachamallu said.

She is one of many club presidents who was not aware of the process of storing club money.

According to ASB treasurer Robert Eng, all club money has to go through the ASB with activities secretary Anna Ybarra in the Activities Office. When a club is formed, they are supposed to put the money they handle into the ASB bank account so the money can be accounted for.

Prior to Eng becoming ASB treasurer, he had encountered much of this confusion as the Science Club co-president.

“I never even knew how much money we had until we looked in our bank account and found this leftover, untouched money,” Eng said. “But apparently there is a form that club presidents fill out to withdraw money, deposit money, or just check how much money you have in the club.”

According to Ybarra, club presidents have to first get their club approved and when they start doing fundraisers and bringing in money, they have the option to see her and set up their bank account. 

“They have to be committed and have to be bringing in money for an account to be made,” Ybarra said.

Ybarra believes more communication is necessary.

“When club presidents get their clubs approved by the ASB, the ASB should immediately sit down with them and explain to them the idea behind these bank accounts,” Ybarra said. “The whole process will be a lot smoother this way.”