Standard Club Hours Could Increase Engagement, Benefit Students

Adriana Silvestre | Writer

As students begin their first semester, they usually plan for a club to help build their extracurriculars. Many students are creating resumes and feel that clubs are a great way to cultivate connections that will help them succeed.

But are the clubs’ meeting times helping students? Most clubs meet during class hours, making it difficult for students to attend, or even join in the first place.

"Any club I'm interested in has always had hours during class,” said Cheyanne Beaumont, an LCCC student. “There's no way for me to be a part of a club without dropping the class or prioritizing the club hours before class or work hours.”

If there was a set club period or activity period that allowed students to have the opportunity to join clubs, engagement could potentially increase.

According to Gene Eden, Director of Student Life, the club officers and advisors are the ones who determine the majority of the club meeting hours. For instance, the anime club and Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), an on-campus honor society, have meeting times that have been worked around the club members' schedules, at least to the best of their ability. Due to differing schedules, setting certain club hours is often difficult.

"Due to the curriculum changing from a 15-week semester to a 14-week semester, it's become harder to try and have a designated activity period," said Eden. "Changing the club hours is hard but not impossible.”

The club engagement rate has decreased due to student life going hybrid, and LCCC being a commuter college does not make the club situation easy. Many students find it hard to join clubs because they conflict with their schedules.

"I am in PTK, and, sadly, it doesn't work in my schedule because I have a class during our club meetings,” said Anna Liable, an LCCC student. “I wish the hours were different so I could be more involved in the club."

While club hour attendance is not an easy problem to solve, perhaps students, faculty, and staff can work together to find a solution.