The Late Night Fund, which began in spring 2006 as a pilot program to support student groups hosting alcohol-free events, has been allotted $30,000 to continue next academic year.
Financial support for the fund is not permanently guaranteed, however, and will have to be approved every year. In order for the Late Night Fund to continue, the fund's board will have to show "that there has been success and interest" from the student body, said Shelley Adriance, coordinator for student activities and one of the advisers of the board that distributes the funds.
The fund has been replenished thus far because "a number of groups have benefited from the Late Night Fund and been able to provide events for the community on Friday and Saturday nights," Adriance said.
Student groups including Harambee House, Taiko, Athletes In Action and the swing, salsa and ballroom dancing clubs have taken advantage of the fund. The groups have hosted a wide range of alcohol-free events, including movie showings, karaoke nights, cultural performances and dances. Many of these groups have offered these events in the past but now "tailor them to meet Late Night's expectations and get funding," said Dani Levine '09, the student at-large representative on the Late Night Fund's board.
Funding for alcohol-free events is limited. The board was created to provide incentive for new programs, and student groups can only use the fund twice for their events.
This limitation forces some groups to seek financial support from the Undergraduate Finance Board.
The board only funds two events because it allows "other groups to have funding," Adriance said. "If (the board) funded only the same events, there wouldn't be any room for new and creative events to happen because the fund would be used up."
Harambee hosted "One Night Stand" last Friday with support from the Late Night Fund, said Cassie Owens '09, a member of Harambee.
Harambee has hosted several social events in the past using its UFB funding but has only attempted to get support from the Late Night Fund twice, Owens said, because she was hesitant to apply.
"My perception of the fund before I talked to Shelley (Adriance) in preparation for this party was that if you wanted to have a party, and it cost less than $500, you could propose it," Owens said. She said she was surprised to learn that groups could actually request complete funding, which she said Adriance encourages.
"I know that when people go in front of the UFB (to request funding), they get really intimidated and are peppered with questions, but we are more laid-back," Levine said. "We have a goal - which is to provide alcohol-free alternatives - and if a group comes to us with a great program, and they want money from us, we are delighted to help support them," she added.
"The great thing about alcohol-free programming is that there's so much creativity out there. Any event that you could possibly conceive of that doesn't involve alcohol could potentially get funding," Levine said.
"I think groups need to do the most creative programs possible to get the money and give it back to the community," Owens said.
The fund was recommended by the University's Ad Hoc Committee to Review Social Events Policy and Procedures, which was created in November 2005 in the wake of Queer Alliance's Sex Power God party, at which 24 students required emergency medical care.
