For many new and returning students, attending general interest meetings (GIMs) is an important first step to getting involved with campus groups. But this year, some of the meetings are getting a late start.
Several groups will be holding GIMs after 10 p.m. in the coming weeks, including multiple club sports.
GIMs, held at various locations across campus, are designed to allow student leaders to give prospective members a taste of what’s to come within their organizations. For most student groups, GIMs are held early in the evening after classes have ceased for the day, but before students living off campus begin to travel home. On the B-Engaged calendar, most GIMs are scheduled around 6 or 7 p.m. Club sports, however, have been scheduling GIMs for 8:30 p.m. at the earliest, with some starting as late as 10:30 p.m. Many have two GIMs scheduled, with the second also at a late time.
Nicole Song, president of the Outdoors Club and a senior majoring in biology, said mandatory leadership training, which is required for e-board members to lead off-campus trips such as tournaments and competitions, impacts when club sports can hold their GIMs.
“A big reason why club sports have scheduled late GIMs is because of the conflicting leadership training all club sports presidents must attend for the first few days of school,” Song wrote in an email. “This year, these trainings go from 8 to 9:30 p.m. and make scheduling for GIMs a bit difficult.”
Although Outdoors Club held its GIMs at 10:30 p.m., Song said there was a good showing of potential members, with approximately 100 people attending a meeting on Monday.
David Trott, an undeclared freshman, said he preferred that GIMs are taking place later in the day. This week, he attended a GIM held at 9:30 p.m. for the Tennis Club, which attracted about 20 people.
“I prefer [later GIMs] because I do schoolwork during the day, and at night I’m usually free so I can really do what I want,” Trott said.
According to Craig Dube, senior assistant director of sports programs, late GIM times may also be part of a group’s normal practice schedule, which makes it convenient for club leaders to attend the meeting. Billy Cusack, president of men’s rugby club and a senior double-majoring in history and philosophy, politics and law, said GIMs need to be held late so that players don’t miss practice time.
“With a later time, our practice will have ended so no players will miss the valuable field time we have when they present at the GIMs,” Cusack wrote in an email.
Taylor Murphy, co-president of women’s volleyball club and a senior majoring in economics, wrote in an email that later GIMs actually help her club avoid time conflicts.
“With the beginning of the semester being such a crazy time for many students, a late GIM has seemed to have the least amount of conflicts with classes, other club GIMs and other various meetings,” Murphy wrote. “While I can’t speak for other clubs or organizations, Women’s Volleyball has historically held late, but successful GIMs which has helped our club grow.”