Clubs at Heschel have always been a source of pride for students and the administration alike; however, it has become apparent that some students may be creating clubs for the wrong reasons. Some students, for instance, form clubs because they want to enhance their résumés, not because they necessarily care about the focus of the club. To combat this, the JSL office worked alongside Student Government to create a new process for any student who wants to lead a club. As someone who holds leadership positions in multiple clubs, I have found many inconveniences with this new process.

To begin a new club, one now must fill out a form listing every detail about the club, including the lesson plans for each meeting. While the Interfaith Club, one of the clubs I run, sees a consistently high turnout, the Improv club, my other club, is viewed by some as unimportant to the student body. Part of the reason I am frustrated with the implementation of the new club application system is because it may result in niche clubs, such as Improv, having their legitimacy questioned. Additionally, I am worried that this new process will take away the most important aspect of the Improv club: spontaneity. The main part of the Improv club is quite literally improvising– we see where the class takes us and run with it. Without knowing the group dynamic, it’s quite hard to create detailed lesson plans months in advance. However, I have spoken to many other club leaders who believe the new system will allow for more organized, meaningful club meetings. I agree with the purpose of this new system. It is important that clubs are established for the right reasons; to further students’ understanding and enjoyment of any given activity. However, I believe an interview between club leaders and JSL would be far less time-consuming, yet still effective.

While I understand the important role of the new system– to weed out clubs that are formed by those who will not dedicate sufficient time and effort– as someone who is passionate about all the clubs I lead, the new process is frustrating. Hopefully, though, it will prove to be effective.