For the majority of weekdays, students can be found daydreaming in classrooms and sleeping on their opened textbooks.
Fortunately, Bonaventure has a variety of clubs available so students can take a break from their academics.
Abby Cohen, associate director of intramurals, club sports and student engagement said when a club ceases to have participating members, the club’s budget is frozen and essentially stops existing until an advisor, executive board and active members come into play again.
“In years past, we’ve had an active book club,” said Cohen. “Then two years ago, it started to lose membership so they didn’t receive a budget.
Currently there’s not officers for the book club, so it basically no longer exists.”
While some clubs may freeze due to lack of membership, Cohen said over time students’ interests change and different ideas come and go.
“The clubs that we offer are what students are interested in and passionate about, and that kind of ebbs and flows based on what student interests are,” said Cohen.
The university has 85 current clubs, according to its website, and most have more than 10 members.
According to Cohen, only 15 clubs have fewer than 10 members.
She said the most popular club on campus, according to registration, is The Buzz—ranked No. 5 radio station in the nation. She adds this is understandable, considering the different departments, board members, students and professors who have radio shows.
Other clubs with many members include the Marketing Association, Asian Students in Action (ASIA), Campus Activities Board (CAB) and The Bona Venture (The BV).
Cohen said that when considering the “Big Four,” The Buzz, The BV, CAB and Intramurals, it’s important to see that they get a little more money not only because they have a bigger operation, but also because they generally have more students involved.
With so many different clubs operating on campus, Cohen said the Student Government Association (SGA) has had conversations of combining clubs, but it’s never happened because they don’t want to “step on any toes.”
“The executive board has talked about it and has mentioned the possibility of meeting with a couple clubs to see if it’s possible to join efforts and make one really active club as opposed to two clubs that have mediocre events or publications,” said Cohen.
Although it might seem to make sense to have big clubs join forces so they have more money and members to make do with, Cohen said some clubs are “protective” and would prefer to remain as their own.
For an idea to become an official club, there must be interest shown among students. Cohen said sometimes students come to her with an idea and it turns into a tournament or an event held every so often, because there isn’t a great enough interest.
She said it’s simple for students to create a club. After they’ve had a meeting, found an advisor and know that they have a group of committed students, they simply fill out a charter form, come up with a club constitution and wait for approval from SGA.
Cohen said students are encouraged to join clubs around campus, and if they have a new idea, attempt to start one of their own.
kolbee14@bonaventure.edu
