On Jan. 26, student government senators emergency allocated more than $12,000 to clubs requesting funding. Typically, the senate distributes about $1,000 in emergency allocations in one meeting. The trend is that senators must consider emergency allocating almost every meeting, but such a procedure is meant to be a last-minute resort. Emergency allocation for a club should not be used as a crutch as often.

During the Jan. 26 meeting, three clubs received funding. One was given $2,438.58 for equipment to begin events and projects; another was given $2,675 to cover fees from this semester and last semester; and a third was given $7,316.48 to pay for university vehicles and gas.

In one instance, the Lacrosse Team had an emergency, but it could have been avoided. The team still had to pay league fees from the past year and so could not participate this semester. Team leaders should have been on top of budgeting last semester so as not to owe large sums of money.

Another request came from the concrete canoe and steel bridge teams. The teams were unaware of the new rule banning gas compensation for team travel, except in the case of university vehicles. This point was made clear in a mandatory meeting for club officers that.

Furthermore, the teams had to show up at their competitions in official vehicles. Thus, the team had to ask for funds to pay for both the university vehicles to get to their competitions and the gas money they would spend on their way. Part of a club’s responsability is to know when rules change, especially when the senators make an effort to make help accessible.

Emergency allocation is a last resort, and should not have to be used so often. Pitt-Johnstown is attempting to train students for the real world, where we are completely in charge of our own budgeting. If one doesn’t budget in the real world for simple things, like food, the process for emergency allocation’s equivalent is not forthcoming. In job interviews, it is better to be able to brag about how one’s club was prepared for the semester than to admit that every purchase was paid for with emergency funds.

Senators should be less forgiving to club officers who do not budget. We understand that some clubs need allocations to survive, such as lacrosse and Backroads. We also understand that current officers cannot control what past officers did.

Nonetheless, club officers should be held responsible. Club members should be electing officers they think are responsible enough to handle budgeting.

If clubs are allowed to emergency allocate for everything, there is no incentive to be responsible.

Senators must let clubs deal with their own consequences.

Budgets were due Tuesday. Late budgets are to be accepted until Feb. 23.