By Roderick Macioch
Staff Writer
During its weekly meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 9, the Student Finance Board (SFB) began another year’s work by granting funding for several upcoming events.
Alexandra Wallach, SFB's financial director, began by informing board members that the exact amount of this year’s Student Activity Fee (SAF) is still uncertain, but is expected to be around $900,000 for this semester. As explained on the SFB website, the SAF is “a fund that undergraduate students pay into as part of tuition.” As the College is still waiting on the payment of some students’ bills, according to Wallach, the SAF cannot currently be precisely calculated. With this in mind, the board heard its first request.
College Union Board (CUB) presented its proposal for A Night of Comedy, which would give the College community “a small-scale comedy show… featuring a recognizable comedian,” according to CUB’s request form. In all, CUB requested funds totalling $11,164, the bulk of which would pay for the total event.
The board voted to table the event due to CUB’s failure to provide a list of comedians who would be available to appear at the event. CUB will be permitted to present another proposal when it can provide the names of possible talent.
CUB also proposed its Silent Disco. Following the success of last year’s Silent Disco, students will once again have "the unique opportunity to come together as a campus in an interactive silent dance. There is no other event held on campus similar to, or held on the same scale, as this event. This will give the campus an outlet to relieve stress in a safe, engaging and memorable experience,” according to CUB's request form.
The Silent Disco was funded in the amount of $15,918.07 to cover sound equipment and security for the event. Funding requested for a photo booth was tabled. The board will examine photo booth expenses from last year and CUB will have another opportunity to request photo booth funding in a future meeting.
The event, with or without a photo booth, will take place on Green Lawn on Thursday, Oct. 13. The TCNJ Political Union then proposed an event entitled Alternatives to the War on Drugs: A Conversation with Nathan Nadelmann. According to the group’s request form, Nadelmann is "a former Princeton professor and lifelong advocate for drug policy reform. Nadelmann’s work and message is focused on ending the war on drugs and creating a safety and tolerance-oriented approach to drug policy.” During the event, students will “have the opportunity to engage with an internationally-renowned drug policy expert and advocate,” according to the form.
The board voted to grant $1,883.95 toward Nadelmann’s speaking fee.
The event is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 28, from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Spiritual Center. The event is also being cosponsored by Student Government.
The final organization to present a proposal was TCNJ Musical Theatre (TMT), which requested funding for its annual Fall Show. This year’s show will be “The Addams Family." According to TMT's request form, the show will benefit the College's community by bringing musical theater into the campus,” and will also provide TMT’s members “with valuable experiences and use (of) the theater facilities on campus in constructive and creative ways.”
The board voted to fully fund the event in the amount of $12,259 to cover the sound, set, props, costumes, lighting and ticket printing.
The show will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 15, through Saturday, Nov. 19, in the Don Evans Black Box Theater.
*Even though SFB agrees to finance certain events, there is no guarantee these events will take place. The approval only makes the funds available.
