Use your resources.We’ve all heard the expression many times, so why is it that we always neglect to comply?

At TCU, the world is at our fingertips. With so many opportunities available, students are able to accomplish just about anything they set their minds to.

Yet sometimes we falter and don’t adequately utilize the means we have here, a major one being the Activities Funding Board. The AFB was created in 2005 and is a fund of $60,000 that is handed out to student groups on campus through the House of Student Representatives. Its main purpose is to allow school sponsored clubs and organizations to come before the Student Government Association and request money for the following semester.

Any of the 140 eligible student organizations or any sports club or team may apply for AFB. To be eligible, groups must be recognized by Student Development Services and be in good standing with the university. In 2005, more than 50 of these groups received part of the $50,000 that was given.

This is an extremely useful opportunity for any of TCU’s various groups. In applying for the AFB, an organization may be able to receive funds that can enable it to sponsor an on-campus activity or send members of the group to a variety of conferences.

With this, groups are given a means to experience and learn in a variety of ways, depending on how the money is spent. Students are thus able to share their experiences with their fellow students, making TCU an even better environment.

With eight people on the board (two leaders and six members) who review applications and allocate funds, the AFB is a fair and even way for money to be given to various student groups.

In the past, giving funds to groups was not nearly as just. First of all, the money that SGA had to allocate was limited, so in almost all instances, groups were given less than they requested. Also, a problem arose because at the beginning of the semester, there seemed to be a large amount of funds to be dispersed to various groups. As the semester passed, money needed to be conserved and, subsequently, groups looking for funds in the middle of the semester would find themselves receiving less money than groups who had asked earlier. Then, at the end of the semester, the last few groups to ask would get the most because the budget would need to be drained to zero before the semester came to a close.

Now, with the creation of the AFB, the system is completely fair, and groups are given the same opportunity to receive funds as they apply at the same time. Applying for funds through the board is also extremely simple. All one has to do is log onto sga.tcu.edu and click on the AFB link. Once the application is acquired, it must be completed and submitted, and a presentation must be given. After these three steps are completed, it will be reviewed by the board and funds may then be given to a group.

With the March 31 deadline rapidly approaching, it is pertinent that all groups quickly submit their applications to TCU Box 297326 to receive funding for the fall 2006 semester.

It is time that we all get out there, seize the day, and make use of that which is so easily accessible to us. With such a valuable resource out there waiting for us to take advantage of, it is foolish for anyone of us to let such an opportunity pass by.

Laura Prus is a freshman advertising/public relations major from Houston.