The first day of second semester Band and Orchestra Club adviser Joseph Updegraff logged into his computer to find an alarming email. While it wouldn’t affect him personally, he and Choir Club adviser Mark Swope had to tell their students that the trip to Six Flags may not be free for them.
The email, which was sent to all club advisors, said that there is no longer any available space to sign up for on campus food fundraisers for the rest of the year. The fundraising they had hoped to do would have covered the cost of the trip.

“In the end, no fundraising means students having to pay for themselves,” Updegraff said. “We missed out. We would’ve and could’ve done more sooner.”

While the music classes face the struggle of having to figure out how they are going to raise the money, other clubs also struggle with trying to get money for activities. The Snowboarding Club has to pay for their trips while the French Club has to pay for their annual field trip to San Francisco.
Several of the clubs on campus are affected because the Associated Student Body has to follow certain strict guidelines that were put into place at the beginning of the school year. Along with that, the deadline for all club money to be turned in is May 1, shortening the even shorter period of sale opportunity.

According to the California Education Code section 48932, there is to be no competition among clubs during fundraisers. This includes two clubs selling the same product at the same time, and having more than the ASB regulated number of one club selling at once.

“What is the purpose behind no competition?” Ron Tankersley, snowboarding club adviser, said. “Not being able to sell food on campus is understandable but outside should be unlimited.”
While the competition regulation affects the amount of money to be made by the clubs, the lack of available spots on the calendar of events only applies to on campus food sales. Clubs can still do fundraisers that don’t involve food and also fundraisers that are not on campus. This allows for clubs to still make money despite the recent news that little to no money can be made for the rest of the year.

“Having to do off campus selling is a lot more work,” Selena Magallanes, a senior, said. “It’s frustrating not being able to make as much money.”

The MESA Club is trying to fundraise for their annual trip to Great America, a reward for all their hard work over the year. While they have money from past years, they still struggle with trying to raise the amount they need. The lack of space forces them to resort to off campus selling which entitles “less support and a lower income estimation,” according to off campus event coordinator Selena Magallanes.

Part of the reason why the email’s content was a shock to advisers is because of what they describe to be a lack of communication between ASB and the clubs. Aside from the future event calendar and informed students, there is no way for clubs to tell who is selling what. According to California Education Codes, the clubs must sign up for fundraisers on a first come, first serve basis, so any clubs that signed up before the winter break landed spots.

“I hate it, it’s unfair,” French Club secretary Katherine Phan said. “I don’t understand why more than one club can sell.”

Phan, along with several other members from other clubs, weren’t informed about the lack of space for the rest of the year until after the second semester had started. ASB Advisor Ryan Berg said he is in the process of making a calendar with all the planned fundraisers that will be shared with all club advisors to avoid conflict in the future.