Arts and Features Editor

Dean of Students Ann Quinley, together with the Office of Student Affairs, has established a new student activities fund in order to foster an active campus social life.

Although rumors circulated that the fund was created solely for the purchase of alcohol, Quinley claims it was not earmarked for alcohol use alone.

"[The fund] wasn’t designed to buy alcohol. It’s a resource for all students to use and help maintain the social life here at Pomona," she explained. The new fund is designated for all campus activities, and created from matching contributions of $3,000 from both the ASPC senate and the Office of Student Affairs. The $6,000 total fund covers the ’99-’00 and ’00-’01 academic years, and is apportioned at $1,500 a semester.

College and ASPC policy, following state code, prohibit the purchase of alcohol using mandatory student fees. Traditionally, campus organizers have bypassed this by using door receipts to pay for alcohol, using the profits from one event to fund the purchase of alcohol at another, or by relying on private alcohol funding (often from various fraternities). The ABC’s new interpretation of existing state law, however, prohibits undergraduate institutions from serving alcohol at all events that charge admission. "I think what’s happening beyond Pomona is an increasing concern about alcohol and alcohol abuse," said Quinley. She also cited recent incidents of severe alcohol poisoning at schools such as MIT and UCLA.

Since the implementation of the new policy by the ABC, which made school sponsored events with alcohol virtually extinct last spring, Pomona’s administration has been struggling to find a legal avenue by which to make such events possible.

To date, the ideas suggested have shown a diversity in practicality and effectiveness; last spring the Student Affairs Committee voted to initiate a "bring your own" policy that would allow drinking-age students to bring a six-pack to on-campus events, and check it at the door. A more visible option is the creation of the Sagehen Pub and Grill in the Smith Campus Center, which is at least 40 days from obtaining its liquor license.

The new Student Activities Fund was established with funding from Quinley’s Office of Student Affairs, and the ASPC’s vending machine revenue - neither of which draw from mandatory collected student fees, and therefore follow college and ASPC alcohol funding rules.

Quinley and her office have traditionally administered a small fund made available for various student activities, which many campus organizers have turned to in times of financial need. The recent partnership with the ASPC and establishment of a standing $6,000 official fund is intended to broaden options for student events.