At 7:00 AM on the first Monday of every month, the Bob Jones Council of Presidents (COP) convenes. COP is a parliamentary body composed of all the club presidents throughout the school, from Baseball to Book Club. Within the Council, there exists the Executive Board, chaired by Simon Adkins, and a whole host of other sub-committees – examples being the Financial and the Public Relations committees. COP has remained a nebulous or unknown entity for a majority of students at this school. With these articles (yes, I’m writing another series), I aim to move COP from the shadows to the spotlight.
“Ok, so what does COP do exactly?”
The principal function of the Council is to distribute the school’s PTSA fund to the clubs that request money. If a club needs cash, their delegate will present their argument in front of the entire Council. The Council can either approve, amend, or reject their proposal. Last session alone, the Council approved $1,500 for Model UN, $1,350 (amended down from $1,500) for Swim and Dive, and $255 for Book Club.
“That actually sounds pretty cool! How could I obtain a seat on the Council?”
It’s not an easy path. To be a representative, you first must join a club that you are passionate about, and rise up the ranks of said club. The last step is to be appointed the delegate for your club from said club’s sponsor. Most delegates on COP are seniors, so if you’re aspiring to obtain this, it will almost certainly require significant patience.
Most COP delegates would recommend others to pursue a seat on the Council. Katie Nguyen, delegate for Flag Football, explained her thoughts.
“COP is a great way for people to get involved in their clubs, you basically become representative [of your club] and deal with financial transactions, debate, and stuff like that. It not only helps your club, it helps you develop an individual personality.”
Further developments of COP will be reported as they happen, and each meeting henceforth will receive a tailor-made article.
