School clubs in danger of being cut

May 1, 2008 — by Elizabeth Lee

Every year the list of clubs on campus expands, but many new clubs have not shown any signs of vitality this year. ASB is preparing to investigate this issue further and determine the future of inactive clubs.

Out of the total 76-80 clubs on campus, approximately 10-20 percent will be disbanded by the end of this school year, ASB members said. Students are being dishonest by signing up as a club but failing to perform club activities, according to assistant principal Karen Hyde.

Every year the list of clubs on campus expands, but many new clubs have not shown any signs of vitality this year. ASB is preparing to investigate this issue further and determine the future of inactive clubs.

Out of the total 76-80 clubs on campus, approximately 10-20 percent will be disbanded by the end of this school year, ASB members said. Students are being dishonest by signing up as a club but failing to perform club activities, according to assistant principal Karen Hyde.

“[Each year] there are more and more clubs,” said Hyde. “Normally we should hear more announcements [from the club].”

Before invalidating clubs, the ASB will give them some time to redeem themselves.

“First we’ll probably give them a warning, and if they don’t step up their game then we’ll have to start the formal process of cutting the club,” said clubs commissioner Ted Sclavos, a senior.

During the formal process of club cutting, club officers will meet with a few ASB members in a short lunch conference to discuss the fate of the club. If the ASB decides the club should be cut, the issue will then be brought up at the next ASB meeting.

The organizations especially at risk are the special interest clubs, such as the Italian Club and Car Club, with only one focus.

“We find that those [clubs] are the ones that aren’t really producing as much,” said Sclavos. “They just aren’t doing their job.”

To avoid being cut, the club would need to do go back and make progress on its original goals.

ASB has records of when each club has its weekly meetings so that it can keep track of clubs that are active or stagnant.
“We’re probably going make it so that clubs have to give a report of what they are doing every so often,” said Sclavos. “Maybe we’ll send an ASB representative to the meeting of each club so we know that they’re meeting and their meetings are productive.”

To prevent the same problem from occurring next year, they will implement tighter regulations on giving school recognition to clubs.

“Cutting clubs is never really a fun thing,” said head commissioner junior Ketaki Shriram. “You have to tell the [clubs], ‘I’m sorry you can’t meet anymore because you fail to meet our expectations.’ But it’s just a part of [the ASB’s] job.”

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