The Office of Student Life announced Saturday, Oct. 17, that Club Week, originally scheduled for this week — Oct. 19-23 — is postponed until the spring semester. Social club activities have been suspended since Sept. 18 due to rising numbers of COVID-19 cases, but Student Life has since worked on plans to continue the club process for the future.
The final stretch of club receptions will last from Oct. 22 to Nov. 9 with each club deciding what their third round reception will look like. However, fourth round receptions and visitations will not be held until the second week of the spring semester. Club Week is currently scheduled for Jan. 24-29.
This information was not sent out to all students, but was available to students in the Interclub Council. Clubs have these options for a third round reception: an informal visitation in place of a mixer; a visitation plus a pre-approved, in-person reception in a controlled environment; and one Zoom meeting for both members and potential new members (PNMs). Each club will inform PNMs invited to their third reception of their chosen format and the details it requires.
Senior Easton Davis, president of men’s social club Knights, said the best way to move through these changes is to roll with the punches.
“It does no good to complain or to wish it was different or anything else,” Davis said. “We just have to accept the current circumstances and adapt accordingly.”
Junior Jackson Gilreath, vice president for men’s social club Omega Phi, said he is excited to continue planning Club Week and is optimistic about the work everyone is putting in.
“It’s hard to say whether or not it will work well, never having done it before, but it’s been encouraging to see people working hard to make the best of the situation, so that’s what I plan to do,” Gilreath said.
Gilreath also said he wishes the PNMs could experience a Club Week like he did.
“I am sometimes bummed knowing that it’s not possible to give new members the same experience I had when I joined Omega Phi,” Gilreath said. “However, it’s cool to be in a position where I can make changes that will ultimately benefit us moving forward.”
Some sponsors, like Ann Harrington — sponsor of women’s social club Delta Nu — are happy to see the club process continue.
“I do understand the need for caution with Club Week activities, but moving forward with the club process this school year will allow students a sense of normalcy and connection and community, and they need all of those things right now,” Harrington said.
Davis said he thinks following through with the club process in this school year is the right decision so clubs and new members can continue to grow and build relationships.
“I believe that we are trying to balance quality and speed,” Davis said. “We want to get new members in the club as quickly as possible so we can live, learn and grow together, but we want that entrance into the club to be special. Moving Club Week to next semester allows us to have a quality Club Week that is not as restricted. But finishing this semester with third round and voting allows new members to make their club decision and start to build relationships.”
