Student Funding Options Explored

Before the advent of the Student Funding Committee, clubs’ main source of funding  came from selling club gear, a process Student Activities Director Joanne Lembo recognized as both difficult and time-consuming. Though the process of applying for money is more streamlined now, some students still find it to be somewhat of a mystery.

To help students, the Student Funding Committee, composed of several faculty members, serves as Exeter’s main resource for club reimbursement. The committee can draw money from five different funds that are donated to the school yearly, each with a specific purpose. The five types of funds and their purposes are listed in the E Book, and, according to Lembo, provide at least several thousand dollars yearly to Exeter clubs.

Exonians can also request money from Student Council’s (StuCo) Budget Committee, which manages StuCo’s finances. According to senior Cam Rider, all of StuCo’s money “is dedicated solely to improving student lives.” The committee uses its budget mainly to fund campus events, some organized directly by StuCo, but the majority indirectly by other clubs.

“Knowing that these funds exist allow you to take more risks with your club and get involved in activities that you might not have been able to otherwise.”

To apply for reimbursement from either committee, a student or faculty member must complete a form explaining why his or her club needs money, when they have received funding in the past, and other similar questions. The Student Funding Committee meets once a week to decide where to allocate funds. According to committee chair and Dean of Students Melissa Mischke, the committee aims to use as much of this money as possible to fund Exeter’s many clubs.

However, despite the opportunity these committees provide, some students, such as senior Hiro Kuwana, said they were initially unaware of the Student Funding Committee and the funding process in general when applying. To figure out the steps, Kuwana spent much time asking around campus about the process. Once he finally reached the stage of consulting StuCo, he said there were more steps, such as cashing in his receipt, that made the process difficult.

Kuwana described the process of applying for funds as unnecessary, especially since he only required a few hundred dollars.

“It sometimes feels unnecessary to discuss something small, such as a minor sum of money,’ he said. “I feel like it could be a short, simple discussion instead, rather than having to confront an entire council and wait outside as they discuss things out.”

Like Kuwana, lower Pradyumn Dayal said he only had a “vague idea” of how the funding system at Exeter worked when he began applying for money to print a club magazine. Dayal noted that most of his trouble came from internal club problems, and that once he figured out the first few steps, the rest of the process went smoothly. He described applying for money as “rewarding” because the system “makes you work for your money.”

According to upper Joon Kim, the process is clear: Lembo outlined the club funding process well in an email she sent out to all club co-heads. For Kim, it was a streamlined process that took about two and a half weeks.

“It's a rather easy process, and Exeter seems to be doing everything it can to provide readily accessible money so that its students will not be restricted in their academic pursuits due to monetary issues,” he said.

Kim was also satisfied with the money he received. Applying to pay for the cost of Exeter Business Club’s trips to FBLA state and national competitions, Kim was provided with enough money to cover about sixty percent of the first trip and fifty percent of the second. This took a large financial burden off the club members and allowed many to attend who wouldn’t have had the financial means otherwise.

While most clubs like Kim’s choose to reach out to the school for money, there are a few that maintain financial independence through their own fundraising events and businesses, such as Model United Nations (MUN). In order to subsidize the costs of off-campus trips for its members, MUN hosts its own conference on campus each year, charging a small fee to over 300 attending students from all over the country.

Yet, according to senior Will Rau, MUN found itself in debt last year after attending several prestigious and expensive conferences. At the start of this school year, the club reached out to Lembo to help clear its debt. Rau explained that while being financially independent provides benefits such as more financial control, it is comforting to know all clubs have school funding to fall back on.

“Knowing that these funds exist allow you to take more risks with your club and get involved in activities that you might not have been able to otherwise,” Rau said. “I can definitely say our club members really enjoyed the conferences we went to last year, and in the end there was no harm as the school covered all the money we had lost.”

Overall most students and faculty seemed satisfied with Exeter’s club funding system and grateful for the opportunities it allows. Lembo encouraged more students to apply for funds, even if they fear being turned down. According to her, the committee tries its best to help as many clubs as possible. Lembo said she wants students to know that there is money out there and that students should be creative, rather than worrying about funding.

“I would much rather have students come and ask for money, stating what they want to do and how it could benefit the Academy,” she said.

Contributions from Jack Stewart