Policy on fundraising revised District policy a ects clubs

Erika Correa/Roundup ecorrea.roundupnews@gmail.com

A revised policy on fundraising is raising concern among members of the student government and chartered clubs at Pierce College.

The policy requires applications for fundraising events on campus to be submitted at least 45 days prior to the event, as opposed to 30.

The deadline was also lengthened from 45 to 60 days in advance for off-campus fundraising, according to Associated Students Organization Club Council President Or-el Vaknin.

Because of this policy, ASO clubs can’t fundraise as much as they can, Vaknin said.

For instance, ASO wanted to raise funds for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, but the newly-pushed deadline prevented them from doing so, according to Vaknin.

Additionally, raising money to aid those affected by natural disasters could also become an issue, as these events are often unforeseen.

“If this policy was in place when Hurricane Sandy hit, it would have delayed [the fundraiser the ASO set up last semester],” Vaknin said.

Rolf Schleicher, vice president of Administrative Services, says he had informed ASO of plans to revise the policy three months ago. However, there still seems to be misunderstanding between the students and the administration.

Pierce College’s Club Rush swung into its second day Tuesday, filling the school’s Mall walkway with students beneath open canopies competing for passers-by attention.

The four days of Club Rush, an event hosted every semester by the Academic Senate Organization, Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., provide student clubs a platform to publicize themselves and attract new members.

Club Rush offers a bevy of associations that suit almost any lifestyle, from the International Student Club to the Gay-

Straight Alliance.

John LuBran, Business Economy Student Association (BESA) President, welcomed all comers to join his club.

“We just want our club members to have a better understanding of economy,” LuBran said. “All of our events are free to attend.”

Christian Pilipina, a representative of the Pierce Sampuso, a Filipino club, gave some insight as to what his club has to offer.

“We have a fun environment for all young people, not just Filipinos” Pilipina said. “We often host donations with Pizzasaurus Rex and take trips to different concerts.

Marieve Elliott, a pre-vet major in her first semester at

Pierce

“I bounced around “We’re here to help encourage people in the pre-veterinary program to get to vet school, to help them any way we can.’

Eliott said her fellow club members and she help an LAbased outreached program, Catnippers, that rescues feral cats.

“Some of us volunteer to work with Catnippers down in Downtown LA,” “We spay and neuter them.”

Eliot also mentioned that the volunteers go out of their way to help wounded cats heal.

“We also give them vaccinations, deworming, clean them up,” Elliott said. “Just to give them the best live that we can.

“The problem is that most of the dialogue should have happened before,” Schleicher said. “I figured [discussions between ASO and clubs] were already happening. I’m going to sit down with representatives once accreditation is over.”

The Roundup was unable to reach ASO’s president and faculty adviser for a response to the previous comment.

[See FUNDRAISING, pg. 3]