By Olivia Rizzo
Staff Writer
With just 10 percent of the Student Activities Fee left to fund the rest of the semester’s events, the Student Finance Board proceeded with caution when funding events this week.
The College Union Board requested funding for three events this week.
CUB’s request to add an outdoor concert as a second component to Funival — the annual end-of-year carnival — was tabled. The board cited that they wish to seek alternative avenues of funding.
“We believe that adding an outdoor concert will allow students to let go and enjoy themselves, as well as allow them to enjoy a live talent they may not typically get to see,” said Max Falvey, CUB Alt co-chair. “We are looking into having a headliner and an opener within the hip-hop genre, which will go along with the vibe of Funival.”
After a lengthy debate, the board ultimately decided to table the concert due to the high cost.
The organization’s event, CUB Presents: An Evening with (performer to be determined), was also tabled by SFB.
“CUB wants to provide the TCNJ community with a small-scale comedy show or lecture to be held in either the Mayo Concert Hall or the new stud event space,” said Sydney Swartz, a CUB Live Event coordinator.
The board decided to table a vote on this event citing that they wanted to be able to look for additional sources of funding and concerns over the number of similar events that the organization has already hosted this year.
The CUB Block Party received $6,901.48 in funding.
According to Stephanie DiPetrantonio, a CUB Stud Event Coordinator, the block party will function as a spring late-nighter and will feature barbecue food, ice cream, lawn games and a flea market.
Funding will cover the costs of live music, drinks, face painting, Campus Police, basketball hoops, picnic tables, sound technicians and decorations.
The board also tabled several elements of the block party citing cost concerns, including food, outdoor heaters and lawn games.
CUB’s Block Party will take place on April 20 on Green Lawn at 6 p.m.
INK returned and was granted full funding in the amount of $5,532.50 for its previously tabled event, INK’s Visiting Writers Series: Leslie Jamison.
“Leslie Jamison is a critically acclaimed novelist and non-fiction writer,” said Kyle Siegel, INK’s president. “We would like to host Leslie Jamison for the Visiting Writers Series, in which we invite an external writer to read and perform some of their work.”
Funding will cover the costs of Jamison’s honorarium and transportation to the College.
The event will take place on April 17 in the Library Auditorium at 7:30 p.m.
The Muslim Student Association’s Annual Comedy Show Featuring Hassan Minhaji was tabled so SFB could negotiate the price of the comedian’s performance.
“Every spring semester we hold a week called ‘Islam Awareness Week,’ and this year we’ve decided to do Islam Awareness Month,” said Yasseen Ayuby, MSA’s president. “We’ve had an annual comedy show for many years, and it’s probably one of the biggest events of Islam Awareness Month.”
According to Ayuby, the goal of the event is to bring the many different cultural organizations on campus in order to begin to work together and form a community. Ayuby also emphasized the educational element of this event in order to combat the negative stereotypes that are often associated with Islam today.
“We think our event is going to promote this togetherness, and what better way than with a comedy show?” Ayuby said.
Chabad was fully funded $3,059.49 for its Passover Seder.
“We do this every year. It’s a very holy Jewish holiday,” said Alex Molder, treasurer of Chabad. “There are traditional foods, prayers and songs — a lot of the TCNJ Jewish community comes out to it, and they always bring out their non-Jewish friends.”
Funding will cover the costs of costs of traditional Passover Seder foods, paper goods, Shmura Matzah and Hagadas.
The organization also received $1,568.31 for its Israeli Independence Day.
“For our Israeli Independence Day event, we want to educate the campus community about the Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948,” Molder said. “This event allows students to learn about Israel’s history and culture and provide a way to celebrate this event.”
The costs of food, decorations, paper goods, balloons, drinks and Israeli crafts and activities are all covered by funding.
Chabad’s Passover Seder will take place on April 22 in the 1855 Room, and the Israeli Independence Day event will take place on March 29 at noon in an outdoor space on campus.
The Class of 2018 received $725 for TCNJ’s Got Talent.
“We want to showcase the talents of TCNJ students across friend groups, different organization and classes,” said Matt Kinghorn, Class Council president. “We will be holding auditions and plan to have 10 to 12 performers for the event.”
Funding will cover the costs of Kendall Hall fees, prizes and gifts for the judges. TCNJ’s Got Talent will take place on March 13 in Kendall Hall.
The Alternative Break Club was fully funded $5,891.19 for its Mardi Gras Masquerade.
“Our annual Mardi Gras Masquerade raises awareness about the work that still needs to be done post-Hurricane Katrina and about natural disasters that happen in the New Orleans Area,” said Rebecca Weippert, ABC’s vice president of publicity. “We want to bring a positive education and awareness to TCNJ by hosting this event and bringing the NOLA food, music and culture to students.”
Funding will cover the decorations, tableware, food, drinks, a band and sound technicians.
The Mardi Gras Masquerade will take place on March 29 in the Decker Social Space.
The Society for Creative Endeavors was fully funded $3,500.64 for their Sakura Matsuri Washington D.C. Bus Trip.
“Sakura Matsuri is a Japanese cultural festival in Washington D.C. This yearly festival celebrates the traditional viewing of cherry blossoms and the welcoming of spring in Japan,” said Nicole Stuebben, TSCE’s treasurer. “This year our trip aligns with when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, and the cultural festival will feature Japanese cuisine, music performances, traditional dances and art vendors will also be happening.”
Funding will cover the costs of coach buses to D.C. and their gratuity fees. The Sakura Matsuri Washington D.C. Bus Trip will take place on April 8, and the busses will depart from Lot 5 at 6 a.m.
