Spring Break
Letters to the Editor: Club sports get more SAFAC funding because of greater need
Issue date: 5/30/08 Section: Ed-Op
Dear Editor,
James Breen's May 16 commentary in The Triangle on student organizations and SAFAC raise some important points about the student activities allocation but also fail to consider others.
Why is it that Breen chose to pick on the Equestrian Team and Women's Ice Hockey and not some other sport such as the Men's Golf Team or the Women's Crew Team? Unlike the Equestrian Team and Women's Ice Hockey, they are varsity sports and their budgets are not open to scrutiny. Breen does not acknowledge the dual nature of many of these student organizations that often receive higher allocations - they are club sports.
Club sports have a rich and long history; not only do they establish Drexel's presence in a wide variety of intercollegiate competitions, but they attract students who are looking for a university that has an equestrian team, women's ice hockey, badminton, sailing, rugby or paintball. For example, there are multiple people on Drexel's club sports teams that only applied to colleges with their sport, however mainstream. While the Equestrian Team is only three years old, other club sports have a long tradition; Drexel's Sailing Team has existed for well over a half a century. The Drexel Paintball Team is the only Drexel team to ever win a National Championship, which they did in 2002.
One cannot serve two masters, but club sports serve three: they are student organizations operating under all the policies and procedures of the Office of Campus Activities and SAFAC; they are club sports, and must abide by the policies of clubs sports, which are a part of the Department of Athletics; and they are teams competing as a member of a league, conference or some governing body and must abide by those rules and regulations. Likewise, many of these club sports require facilities rental, professional coaching, competition fees, capital costs, association dues, costs of hosting events and travel. Therefore it should come as little surprise that of the student organizations receiving more than $10,000 in the first round 2009 SAFAC allocation, only the Lexerd, the Architectural Engineering Institute and the Residential Hall Association were not club sports.
Breen is in luck, however, because these club sports are student organizations and not varsity sports, so some not only allow but encourage newcomers. If Breen truly believes that he will never "even have the pleasure of meeting a member" of the Drexel Equestrians, all he has to do is shut his door. The Drexel University Equestrian Team (DUET), however, has an open door: their web site states, "DUET is open to undergraduate riders of any ability, from the beginner through the show circuit veteran."
Tyler Drown
Alumni Relations Chair
Drexel Sailing Team
James Breen's May 16 commentary in The Triangle on student organizations and SAFAC raise some important points about the student activities allocation but also fail to consider others.
Why is it that Breen chose to pick on the Equestrian Team and Women's Ice Hockey and not some other sport such as the Men's Golf Team or the Women's Crew Team? Unlike the Equestrian Team and Women's Ice Hockey, they are varsity sports and their budgets are not open to scrutiny. Breen does not acknowledge the dual nature of many of these student organizations that often receive higher allocations - they are club sports.
Club sports have a rich and long history; not only do they establish Drexel's presence in a wide variety of intercollegiate competitions, but they attract students who are looking for a university that has an equestrian team, women's ice hockey, badminton, sailing, rugby or paintball. For example, there are multiple people on Drexel's club sports teams that only applied to colleges with their sport, however mainstream. While the Equestrian Team is only three years old, other club sports have a long tradition; Drexel's Sailing Team has existed for well over a half a century. The Drexel Paintball Team is the only Drexel team to ever win a National Championship, which they did in 2002.
One cannot serve two masters, but club sports serve three: they are student organizations operating under all the policies and procedures of the Office of Campus Activities and SAFAC; they are club sports, and must abide by the policies of clubs sports, which are a part of the Department of Athletics; and they are teams competing as a member of a league, conference or some governing body and must abide by those rules and regulations. Likewise, many of these club sports require facilities rental, professional coaching, competition fees, capital costs, association dues, costs of hosting events and travel. Therefore it should come as little surprise that of the student organizations receiving more than $10,000 in the first round 2009 SAFAC allocation, only the Lexerd, the Architectural Engineering Institute and the Residential Hall Association were not club sports.
Breen is in luck, however, because these club sports are student organizations and not varsity sports, so some not only allow but encourage newcomers. If Breen truly believes that he will never "even have the pleasure of meeting a member" of the Drexel Equestrians, all he has to do is shut his door. The Drexel University Equestrian Team (DUET), however, has an open door: their web site states, "DUET is open to undergraduate riders of any ability, from the beginner through the show circuit veteran."
Tyler Drown
Alumni Relations Chair
Drexel Sailing Team
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