Councils thrive despite low funds

Due to the recent economic crisis and Middlebury’s current financial balance, executives of the Middlebury College Activities Board (MCAB) imposed major budget limitations on commons councils at the beginning of the 2009-10 year. In spite of these loses, as the College enters the midway point of the spring semester, the councils remain active.

The budget for each commons council has been restructured — allotting less money directly to each commons but providing access to a greater amount via a central pool fund. Under the pool fund, controlled by MCAB’s executive board, each commons may petition for money to fund any event or initiative.

Though this restructuring does achieve a workable solution for the reduction of budgets amid Middlebury’s tight economic situation, commons representatives are affected by the change.

Ross Commons Co-Chair Clara Loebenstein ’12 acknowledges that the fiscal restructuring has affected the activities of each commons.

“We initially received less money than last year. The numbers are confidential, but they are significantly less,” she said. “Middlebury just doesn’t have the kind of money it did before.”

Despite the decrease in individual funding for each commons at Middlebury, the budget cuts have not been so detrimental as to prevent commons councils from funding student proposals and planning their usual slew of various events.

Loebenstein said the Ross commons council has continued to fund a number of student initiatives and will host a large spring party.

“So far, we’ve spent our budget on a Ross ping pong table, T-shirts, a rejuvenation of the Ross Fireplace Café and Ross Game Room, bonding dinners, snacks and dances,” she said.

“We’re also planning a big spring fling called ‘Something Like a Brazilian Carnival.’ It will be a catered event with desserts, a beer garden for those of age, a band and a dance party afterward. It will finish off most of our budget and will dip a bit into the MCAB pool fund.”

Co-Chair Armaan Sarkar ’12 said Wonnacott Commons has used its funds to bring musical acts to campus, in addition to smaller, weekly events.

“Our major expenditures have been on performances and concerts such as Global Rhythms, Ryan Cabrera and our to-be-announced charity concert, ‘Raise The Volume,’” he said.

“We have also put much effort into small community events for Wonnacott Commons such as weekly yoga, fondue Friday, coffee hours, trips to Burlington, rafting and community service.”

While Middlebury students may not see every activity and event they propose to their commons councils carried out, there continues to be funding for events with substantial student support.

It is the advice of the commons councils that, should any students have an idea for a commons-sponsored event, they should take the initiative, gather support for their idea and propose it to their commons council at a weekly meeting.