A gaggle of wagging tails inspired Jaimie Richards and her sister Kiersten Richards to start a club at Ohio University.
The Richards began volunteering last October at the Athens County Dog Shelter after being introduced to Friends of the Shelter Dogs, an all-volunteer group dedicated to dog rescuing. Jaimie realized she wanted to help even more.
She decided to form a club — Bobcats for the Shelter Dogs.
There are more than 350 registered student organizations at OU. Along with a number of clubs, these organizations also include club sports as well as sororities and fraternities, according to the Campus Involvement Center.
In order to be recognized as a club by the Campus Involvement Center, the organization must have a name that does not duplicate another organization, officers, an adviser, a constitution and by-laws and at least 50 percent plus one of the members must be enrolled at OU.
Jaimie said it was relatively easy to start Bobcats for the Shelter Dogs.
“(The Campus Involvement Center) gave me information and all I had to do was search online to make sure it wasn’t already a club,” Jaimie said.
Once registered, student organizations are offered free advising and banking services through the Office of the Bursar, discounts through Dining Services and Printing Resources and eligibility for funding through the Student Senate Student Activities Commission.
According to Carter Phillips, the commissioner of the Senate Appropriations Commission, the Student Activities Commission funds clubs that are registered and that have attended the Campus Involvement Center’s workshop, which includes a presentation on how to receive funds.
“An organization signs up for interviews (and) the commission asks why they need money to make sure we are spending the money to the best of our ability,” Phillips said. “Then the appropriations commission votes.”
This school year the Student Activities Commission has $100,000 that can be granted to the various organizations that apply for funds.
Advisers have to sign the application for SAC funding, such as Bobcats for the Shelter Dogs’ advisor, Natalie Kruse, professor of environmental studies and “lifelong dog lover.”
“The leaders of the group run the group well and I’m happy to support them when they need it,” Kruse said.
cs951612@ohiou.edu
@claireismatic
