Organization in need of restructing after previous botches

Filip Panovski/Contributing Writer

The Biscayne Bay Campus  has been long known to be a mostly-commuter campus. Often times, students go to class or take the bus to the Modesto Maidique Campus, and then leave. Rectifying this has been a long-term goal for the Panther Power organization, which has found ways to persuade both new and existing students to mingle,  but the organization’s activity has all but grounded to a halt since the start of the Spring 2012 semester.

Panther Power’s motto has been “we invoke a sense of pride into each and every student of FIU by hosting events to enhance campus life as well as build a sense of community.”

Pep rallies, tail gate parties, organized bus rides to games and athletic picnics have been some of the attempts at raising awareness among the student base.

It seems that all of those will have to be put off for some time. Currently, the organization has but a single active member and is on indefinite hold for recruitment purposes.

“The organization is currently on hold for recruitment reasons. Most of the people graduated and are no longer part of the organization,” said Ivy Siegel, Assistant Director of Campus Life. “Some of them moved on, some work for FIU.”

Currently, there is only one candidate being considered and as a result, the executive board which the organization used in the past to convey plans is offline indefinitely until its ranks are bolstered.

Panther Power came under fire during the Fall 2011 semester due to the organizations negligence in submitting mandated Event Audit Reports to the Student Government Council at the Biscayne Bay Campus’ Operational Review Committee, head by SGC-BBC senator at large, Oluwatobi Adekoya.

As a result, Panther Power’s funds were temporarily frozen. This was not timely documented and enforced and had no practical effect on the Winter Wonderland event, which proceeded as planned.

“It was a minor hindrance at best,” Siegel said.

Student support for the organization is quite high and many people seem eager to be a target audience.

“I would use the facilities if they were advertised more. Right now, we usually hear about stuff last minute,” said Chanon Spencer, a freshman and Advertising major, referring to the carnival during Valentine’s Day week.

What seemed to draw the most attention to people was shuttle rides to FIU games; many were quite certain they would partake in any activities where transport was organized in a social and friendly manner, such as Juliana Aragon, a junior International Relations major, and Ezra Mintz, a senior majoring in Advertising. While both seemed rather uncertain whether they would spend a lot more time on the Biscayne campus, they would likely take advantage of the bus rides.

Despite the current state of affairs, the consensus seems to be that more event awareness would be a great way to get people involved on campus. Panther Power is due for Campus specific Activities and Service fee monies hearings and deliberations commencing on Feb. 24 to decided their financial fate for the upcoming fiscal year.