At the start of every school year, SU card season rolls around and, at a mandatory price of $15, the cards provide Harrisites with much of their necessities for the entire school year. Sarah Loew, the coordinator of the Student Union, referred to the cards as a “form of fundraising” for student-school relations because they often subsidize major school events and provide for student needs.
Some students, while understanding the premise of SU cards, have asked for more specifics on how the money collected for the cards gets used.
Ms. Loew explained that SU cards fund activities that “all students can enjoy or partake in.” This includes grade trips, the TVs in the cafeteria, various school performances as well as the money for clubs. Ms. Loew sees SU cards as a “two way street, as they help the school constantly improve… In order to get credit for something, you have to give…it’s kind of like taxes, everyone pays them and the money goes back to the things that everyone uses.”
Michelle Lee, the former SU Vice President, added that “the SU card is required for getting club credit…[which is necessary] for the THHS honors diploma,” and without them, events that play a major role in a student’s school involvement would cease to exist.
Some students suggested that SU cards should not be tied to club hours or have a purchasing deadline. Junior Emmily Cipriana also proposed that rather than providing incentives to attract students, SU cards should be given more exposure through events or publicity.
As for current SU card sales, SU President Annlin Su said, “Students have been doing a fairly good job with getting their SU card…the last time I checked, we have sold about 900 SU cards.” The remaining students are most likely “made up of seniors and they just need to pick it up since it’s included in their senior dues,” said SU Vice President Emily Tan.
“It’s hard to collect the large sum of money that we need to run the student government in any other way, so we feel like this is the most fair way across the board,” said Mrs. Loew. “If there are any ways that we can improve the program, I would welcome students to email the student government or email me if they find even better ways to collect or to fundraise. ”
