By Malak Monir
Because many student clubs were inactive in previous years at Northwestern University in Qatar, new organizations will have to plan a minimum of two to three events a semester starting this year to qualify for school funds, said LaKisha Tillman, coordinator for student activities and residential life.
Last year, three clubs—the Debate Club, Oh Snap photography, and the Theatre Ensemble—became inactive shortly after the club fair. This year, new measures have been put in place to prevent last-minute event planning and the squandering of the budgets provided by the school for the 11 clubs currently at NU-Q. Any club that fails to meet the new budget and event-planning requirements by September 25 will be stripped of its funding and will need to apply for reinstatement of its club status, Tillman said.
“We were giving out money and [the clubs] weren’t using it. They were not meeting the purpose and vision of the clubs and organizations,” Tillman said. “Academics is also about student engagement. If a particular club or organization is not getting students engaged and involved, then it doesn’t need to exist.”
In previous years, clubs were given a set budget for the entire year. However, this year they will be required to submit budget proposals to Tillman by September 25th outlining the events and activities planned for the coming months. A budget hearing on September 30th will then determine the funding each club receives for the semester. This process will be repeated for spring semester.
“We told the students, the clubs and the organizations, that whatever’s in your programming proposals, that’s what you’re going to do,” Tillman said. “We’re not having last minute events like we used to.”
Sarah Al-Derham, president of the Culture Club, sees benefits in having an event schedule mapped out, particularly in having more time to advertise and raise awareness of what’s being planned.
“I think the problem last year was that the idea [for a screening of the film “Journey to Mecca”] came up late, and we only had a week and half to advertise it,” Al-Derham said. “For our next meeting, I’m planning on creating a calendar so that we can start advertising everything from now.”
The Film Society, which saw its greatest student interest this year, with a record 45 students registering in it at the NU-Q club fair, also has big plans for the new semester, according to club president Zahed Bata. Though the club held few events last year and had low turnout to the few screenings it managed to have, Bata is optimistic about the coming year.
“We might be getting sponsored by the communication department, so our events are probably going to be a lot bigger,” Bata said. He added that the sponsorship would likely provide a bigger budget for events, as well as connections within the communications department that can help in organizing Education City-wide events.
“We’re looking into some collaborations with the Doha Film Institute, Al Jazeera and some with other clubs at EC. I know there’s a film society at Qatar University, so we’re going to see if they’re interested,” Bata added, clarifying that these partnerships are still being negotiated.
Tillman also noted that Education City has a budget set aside for student clubs and organizations this year, which can be used to fund collaborations between clubs from different entities in Education City, including other universities or the Hamid Bin Khalifa Student Center.
“We’re trying to get more cooperation, to have more people building these bonds and bridging these gaps, and really working together,” Tillman said. “That’s the goal.”
