Now that Sac State events are canceled, what’s next for campus clubs?

Clubs adjust, prepare for the future

Members+of+Sac+States+Student+Fashion+Association%2C+Swim+and+Ski+and+Snowboard+club.+The+clubs+have+effectively+scrapped+all+future+meetings+due+to+campus+closures+but+remain+optimistic+of+their+clubs+future.+Courtesy+of+each+clubs+respective+representatives.+Collage+by+Khala+Clarke

Members of Sac State’s Student Fashion Association, Swim and Ski and Snowboard club. The clubs have effectively scrapped all future meetings due to campus closures but remain optimistic of their club’s future. Courtesy of each club’s respective representatives. Collage by Khala Clarke

Jordan Latimore

After being notified about Sacramento State’s decision to cancel all on-campus activities, President of the Student Fashion Association at Sac State, Micah Saludares, felt thrown off. 

“I think (the coronavirus policy) really displaced a lot of the plans that we had in the works like our annual spring fashion show,” Saludares said via direct message. “We also had to cancel the remainder of all of our meetings and workshops.”

Sac State President Robert Nelsen announced on March 11 that all in-person events will be canceled for the rest of the school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

RELATED: Sac State Cancels all in-person meetings, events amid coronavirus concerns 

Due to cancellations, members of the Student Fashion Association are no longer focusing on running the club itself and are instead prioritizing their education, Saludares said.

“We don’t have a base to hold our meetings and members and staff alike have to set our priorities straight,” Saludares said in a text.

Currently, Saludares said that the club doesn’t have any virtual meetings planned. However, he is confident that once Sac State administration can sort out how the next semester will unfold, the Student Fashion Association can bounce back. 

“I feel that once we have a more concrete understanding of what CSUS plans to do next semester than we can build the club back up again organically,” Saludaras said. 

Similar to the Student Fashion Association, Sac State Ski and Snowboard Club has had to cancel a multitude of scheduled events. 

Sac State Ski and Snowboard Club is known for its large-scale trips and adventures to icy mountainsides all of which have been canceled for the spring semester. 

“This pandemic has effectively cancelled 50+ events we had planned for the semester,” said Dylan Phillips, the club’s vice president, via text message.

Though COVID-19 has left those involved with the club disappointed and saddened, the club’s long history and tenure on Sac State’s campus has leadership confident that the long-term effects of the cancelation policies won’t significantly impact them.

“Ski and Snowboard Club has been a recreational club for more than 50 years, which is among the oldest on campus, this pandemic is nothing we can’t overcome,” Phillips said. “We have no doubt that we will retain our members.”

Despite clubs such as the Student Fashion Association and Ski and Snowboard Club remaining positive about the long-term futures of their club due to their prominence on campus, smaller organizations aren’t as confident.

Amelia Shawley, founder and president of Sac State’s Swim Club, feels that the cancelation of gatherings and events could jeopardize the future of her club.

“We have hope for the further semesters,” Shawley said via text message. “(But) if fall classes are online and social distancing continues, I fear the Swim Club could start to dissolve and shrink.”

On top of Swim Club not having a large population, Shawley said she is worried that the progress in maintaining strength as an athletic program is also at risk.  She said that swimming is one of the few sports that requires a unique setting in order to have any participation, and pools simply aren’t at everyones disposal.

“Unlike other activities and sports, we can’t practice swimming at home,” Shawley said in a text. “This means we lose significant time and stamina that we have worked hard on.”

Currently, the Swim Club’s future is uncertain but club members remain positive.

“We will continue to have hope and keep up with President Nelsen’s updates with the policy,” Shawley said. “We will follow his instructions and go from there.”