Two groups apply for MEF
Two groups apply for MEF
Emily Zhao ’12, UA Finance Board chair, reported yesterday to the UA Senate that two groups asked for funding from the new Medium Events Fund (MEF), Finboard’s newest allocation fund. The MEF was created earlier this semester with the intent of funding events that were too small for the Large Event Fund (LEF) and too expensive for student groups to fund on their own.
“The first funding period garnered fewer applications than we expect in future rounds, but was on par with expectations,” Zhao wrote in an email to The Tech. “In fact, because it was such a new concept and for events so far in the future (July–December), I was not sure any groups would apply at all.
The two groups that applied are the African Students Association and the Southeast Asian Service Leadership Network at MIT (SEALNet@MIT). The African Students Association was fully funded ($792.61) for their fall freshmen barbecue event. SEALNet@MIT received $1,500 out of their requested $2010–2370 to host the Southeast Asian Cultural Night, which requires funding for dances, performances, and food-related booths. Full funding was not awarded on the basis that “they did not provide enough on the performances and they could probably get groups to perform for free.”
MEF will give out funds twice annually. The second round of MEF will happen in either October or November, according to Zhao.
—Robert McQueen