Club policy to be reinforced

A policy requiring clubs to keep track of minutes and have advisers present during meetings will be more strongly enforced this year.

According to activities director Rebeca Marshburn, this policy has existed for a couple of years but has never been strictly implemented.

“[The policy will be reinforced this year] to make sure the clubs are active — otherwise, we lose control,” Marshburn said.

There are about 60 active clubs on campus. The policy requires the supervision of an adviser or adult during club meetings and large out-of-school events.

“We do understand there will be times when that will be kind of impossible, so if the teacher has to go real quick, make a copy or go get food, that’s fine,” Marshburn said. “It’s just that their presence has to be there somehow.”

The policy also mandates that clubs must submit a record of club minutes, which tracks their activities during meetings, fundraisers and club balance at the end of each month as proof that the club is still active.

“If we don’t get that information, then as far as we’re concerned, the club is not active anymore, so there’s no need to keep the club on file because it doesn’t exist,” Marshburn said.

English teacher Amy Keys, who advises the Mystery Club, Key Club and Coexist Gay-Straight Alliance, usually eats lunch with the students during club meetings. She does not feel any added pressure with the enforcement of this policy.

“I don't agree to advise clubs whose activities I couldn't be present for, such as off-campus or outside of school activities, since I find it difficult to be here on weekends and evenings,” Keys said.

Students have mixed feelings about the policy’s renewal. Some, like senior Michael Ong, who serves as a co-president of the Acts of Random Kindness (ARK) club, believe mandatory teacher supervision will hinder both teachers and students.

“Teacher guidance is appreciated, but to make it mandatory would be too much of a burden on the teacher,” Ong said. “Teachers are like us and want time to hang out and eat lunch with their co-workers. Forcing them to attend meetings would be bad on the school's part.”

Ong thinks that the policy also prevents students from taking full responsibility for themselves.

"This is high school where students are supposed to take control of what they want to do with their lives,” Ong said. “The presidents of the club should be able to decide what is in the best interest of the club.”

On the other hand, senior Alex Kim, president of the school’s Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) club, believes the policy’s enforcement will positively impact the school and encourage students to create clubs only if they truly care about the club idea.

“With this policy involved, students may think twice about the things necessary in creating a club,” Kim said. “And for those clubs already existent on campus, it'll keep them in line and make sure they aren't falling out of place.”