By Rebecca Mueller

The display cases in Kryzsko Commons used by student clubs will be redistributed under a new lottery system for assigning display cases to active student organizations this summer. The need to redistribute the display cases was caused by a desire to give all student clubs an equal opportunity to use them.

The display cases are located in the Upper and Lower Hyphens in Kryzsko Commons, and are intended to allow student clubs and organizations to advertise to the student body. There are currently 48 display cases in Kryzsko Commons and 186 student clubs and organizations. Most of the academic buildings on campus also have bulletin boards or display cases for specific student organizations to use.

Alexandra Griffin, the director of the Alliance of Student Organizations and vice president of Student Senate, announced the change at the April 11 Student Senate meeting. Griffin has been working with Tracy Rahim, the Associate Director of Student Activities and Leadership, and Joe Reed, the Director of the Student Union, as well as a task force of fellow Student Senators, since the fall 2011 semester to find a solution.

“The beauty of it is you let the students work it out,” Reed said. Student Senate is in charge of assigning display cases to student clubs.

In order to be eligible for a display case under the new system, student clubs must fill out an Annual Financial Review, or AFR, and indicate on the form that they would like a display case. Student Senate will draw clubs randomly from the names received. The deadline for AFR reports was April 16. Griffin hopes to have the display cases updated by the end of the spring 2012 semester.

Under the current rules, once a club has a display case, there is no specified limit to how long they can use it.

“It’s just expected that the clubs that currently have them will always have them,” said Carl Clemenson, the president of Video Games Club, treasurer of Anime Club, and vice president of pledge election for Delta Sigma Pi.

A number of new clubs are created every semester, but the limited number of display cases means new clubs might not be able to use them. Student clubs such as the Harry Potter Club do not currently have access to a display case because older clubs have had access for much longer.

“It’s a difficult balance between clubs that have them and use them as their only form of advertising, and letting other clubs have a chance,” said Joanna Sizer, president of Harry Potter Club. Under the new system, Sizer’s club and other new clubs will have an equal opportunity to use the display cases.

In some cases, clubs still have display cases although they have become inactive. Recently, YAWP! The Winona State English Club replaced Grub Street, which had been inactive for a few years but still had a display case.

“The Grub Street display case was there for years and the club didn’t even exist anymore,” said Olivia Wulf, president of YAWP!. “[The lottery system] seems to be the only fair way to redistribute the cases and to be certain they’ll be well kept.”

The process to create the new lottery system for the display cases has been long and frustrating for a number of clubs.

“I don’t think a lottery system is exactly fair if you don’t tell everyone,” said Candace Ewers, Public Relations for Video Games Club. She notes that communication has been inconsistent between the ASO and student clubs.

Due to the increasing demand for display case space as more clubs are created on campus, Reed and Rahim have considered installing more display cases in Kryzsko Commons. Reed estimates that 10 to 12 more could be added in the Alumni Lounge on the upper level of the building.

“It’s basic Economics 101,” said Reed. The display cases have always been subject to the rules of supply and demand, as there are more student clubs than display cases.

Additional display cases have been installed in the building in the past. Reed notes that the display cases in the hallway leading to the Winona State Bookstore are the newest ones to be installed.

Information about clubs and student organizations at Winona State University is also available online. Visit the clubs page to view a directory of the existing organizations.