Editor’s note: This article was initially published in The Daily Gazette, Swarthmore’s online, daily newspaper founded in Fall 1996. As of Fall 2018, the DG has merged with The Phoenix. See the about page to read more about the DG.
SBC Chair Toby Levy ‘16 had not yet returned from Thanksgiving break, so SBC Manager Dylan Gerstel ‘17 led this week’s meeting.
Men’s Rugby
Luke Eppley ‘17 requested funds for scrum caps and shoulder pads ($600), and for rugby shorts for new players unable to afford them ($60). He also asked additional questions about funding to a tournament this coming weekend in Lancaster, PA.
Requests for both scrum caps and shoulder pads were motivated by safety concerns. Eppley explained that scrum caps prevent players ears from being damaged while in the scrum, a position where players from both teams are tightly interlocked. He went on to explain that some players on the Swarthmore team have sustained shoulder injuries, and shoulder pads, although they cannot be worn in games, would help prevent injury during practice.
According to SBC records, the team was allotted money for a single scrum cap during spring budgeting. Eppley explained that while the team trainer was originally willing to lend them additional caps, he was no longer able to. The team is now requesting three caps which will be lent to players throughout the season.
After a short discussion of how long scrum caps and shoulder pads last (four to five years, according to Eppley) Gerstel and SBC Manager Yein Pyo ‘16 suggested using capital replacement funds to pay for them. Capital replacement is slightly different than typical funding: it is used to pay for regular expenses that do not need to be paid every year. If the rugby team applied for capital replacement funds, SBC would pay for new equipment on a set schedule.
After discussing capital replacement, Eppley asked for additional information about getting transportation funding. While SBC would normally recommend that the group come back the next week with a full proposal that breaks down travel distance and cost, the tournament is this weekend. After determining the location of the tournament, the committee cobbled together an estimate of $60 for gas. It was agreed that the rugby team will pay any additional cost, or return any unused money.
Full funding for transportation to the tournament was proposed and passed unanimously. Funding for caps/pads passed unanimously, and capital replacement funding for them passed unanimously as well.
J Street
J Street was scheduled to request funds for attending a conference at UPenn, but the representative did not make it to the meeting. The Committee will discuss the proposal online this week, or at next week’s meeting.
