The Ski and Board Club’s trip to Quebec last year filled two 55-person buses and had a waiting list of nearly 40 people, Boston University Ski and Board Club Treasurer Jason Sifre said.
This year, however, the club’s executive board members had to raise prices due to lack of funding, and only 60 club members committed to this year’s Quebec trip.
Nearly all of BU’s club sports and student group members said they are feeling the economic pinch, a result of the BU Allocations Board restructuring their budget due to a decrease in BU’s enrollment, AB Treasurer Lauren Williams said.
‘ ‘Unfortunately, because of projected decreases in enrollment this semester, we have a decrease in the amount of money we receive from the undergraduate student fee,’ Williams, a College of Arts and Sciences senior, said. ‘We run out of money faster.’
AB, a student-run organization, allocates funds received from the undergraduate student fee to BU student groups and clubs.
AB has suspended ‘on-the-spot’ funding, or money for last-minute event essentials, until its members can calculate a reasonable monetary guess for the upcoming budget, AB Chairwoman Tessa Harvey, a CAS senior, said.
‘We also have seen an increase in quality programming, total events and student groups,’ AB Vice Chairman Jay Dulski, a CAS senior, said. ‘All of those things contribute to using the money faster.’
Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore confirmed that fewer students are enrolled at BU this semester than last, and that this directly affected the AB budget. Full-time undergraduate students pay an undergraduate student fee each semester. A part of the community service portion of the undergraduate fee goes to AB for allocation to different student groups.
Usually, fewer students enroll in the spring semester than in the fall semester, he said. As such, fewer students paid the $255 per student required this semester.
‘We’re at a point where we need to make sure we don’t overestimate the number of students that actually pay the fee,’ Elmore said. ‘If we do, we’re giving out money we don’t even have. The folks that look at our enrollment and our budget need to make sure they get it right.’
The decreased budget will affect BU Ballroom Club’s reputation, Co-Treasurer Amanda Paloian said.
‘Ballroom competitions are expensive,’ Paloian, a CAS junior, said. ‘We’re talking thousands and thousands of dollars. BU Ballroom’s reputation might be in jeopardy in the collegiate ballroom world if we put on a bad competition next year if we don’t get the money we need.’
The Ballroom Club executive board members have made adjustments to compensate for decreased funding, such as raising dues and asking members to pay dues in advance, Paloian said.
Jewish Theatre Guild President Yosi Merves said he thinks the AB has always been unfair in its operations. Last semester, JTR had to cancel its production two days before opening night because the two lead actors in the play quit.
The AB revoked funds this semester because of that, but did not inform the group, Merves said. JTG had to cancel their production again.
‘They essentially handicapped us severely from being able to do a production,’ he said.
Speak For Yourself Co-President Francis Pina said performance-based groups like his rely mainly on on-the-spot funding. Without the money provided by AB, they are unable to host events.
‘With the state of the economy right now, I don’t think BU has money to toss toward on-the-spot events,’ Pina said.
SFY will supplement funding with fundraisers and begin possibly charging admission for shows, which used to be entirely free, Pina, a Metropolitan College senior, said.
‘It’s really going outside of your comfort zone,’ Pina said. ‘You just have to be creative about it.’
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