SMU’s Student Foundation, an organization designed to build community on campus, is suffering from a major membership decline this semester. Organizers estimate that 30 to 40 students are currently attending meetings. That compares with almost 90 students last semester.
“For the past few years Student Foundation has struggled to maintain a constant general membership,” says Student Foundation president, junior Katie Horgan “Initially, first years are interested, but our membership drops drastically in the spring semester…”
Student Foundation is an organization designed by students for students. It’s goal is to give students quality programming and build a sense of community on campus, encourage student leadership and relationships with alumni and friends of the University.
Some of the programs it sponcers include: Homecoming, Family Weekend and Celebration of Lights.
Now that spring semester is here, Student Foundation is encouraging members to invite friends to meetings. It’s also hosting mixers with new and current members to help spark interest, says first-year Kappa Kappa Gamma pledge, Jill Ballard.
Ballard sees a pattern to the membership decline, especially among females.
“Unfortunately, the huge decline in membership is a result of rush,” says Ballard. “Lots of upperclassmen join [in the fall] to rush girls and lots of freshmen join to be rushed.”
After rush in January, many of the students once involved in Student Foundation quit, Ballard said.
Incoming students are especially encouraged at AARO and Week of Welcome, to get involved on campus. As a result, these first years are initially enthusiastic about getting involved with organizations like Student Foundation.
Though getting involved in Student Foundation is encouraged, students often drop out before the real planning gets started, Horgan said, students feel their job is finished after the organizations major events in the fall semester.
“Planning and preparation [done in the spring semester] are just as difficult,” sophomore Student Foundation member Sarah Smith said.
Once fall semester ends, students do not realize all the planning for fall semester actually happens in the spring, member Angela Pena said. In the spring, Student Foundation does coordinating behind the scenes, this does not mean that not as much help is needed. In fact, the opposite is true, she said.
“People feel all the super fun and important stuff SF does is over with,” Pena said, “but really the spring semester is when they start making all the decisions…”
However, Smith says, Student Foundation “just simply cannot compete with the social bonds of fraternities and sororities.”
