Despite classes being held online for the remainder of the semester due to the coronavirus, clubs at Bucks are still up and running.

Bucks has many clubs that students are a part of while they are attending college. Several of these clubs typically hold in-person events throughout the semester to raise funds. Other clubs have weekly or monthly meetings. However, Pennsylvania’s stay at home order makes these events impossible. Now clubs are forced to be creative on how they will function without in-person meetings.

 “Clubs are still holding meetings and being active,” said Evan Brooks, student government president.

Brooks, other members of the student government and the clubs/organizations staff have been working to ensure that clubs can stay afloat during this time. Clubs are following in the footsteps of many professors’ classes at Bucks by meeting virtually.

“Clubs are being held via a platform called Bluejeans, it is like zoom. Each club was given its own separate link it could use for club meetings by the college’s IT Department. How clubs use the link is by sending it out to whomever they wish to have in their meetings, such as club members, then at a specified time all the participants of the meeting click the link to join the call. They can video chat, just use their voices, they can message, record the screen on their phone or laptop to share it with those in the call, or even record the conversation altogether to share with those unable to make the meeting,” Brooks explained.

There is a total of 55 clubs at Bucks, and all have access to a Bluejeans link. Brooks believes that clubs being forced to meet online could have a positive impact once students can return to campus.

 “I believe that this could have both a negative and a positive impact on clubs and organizations at Bucks. The negative is more apparent with the inability for them to meet and talk in person, but this time where everyone is forced to be distanced from each other physically, they might just draw clubs to meet and talk more regularly online than they would have in person”, said Brooks.

Due to the fact that several clubs rely on funds to function student life has made accommodations. Even though no students have access to campus all clubs are able to use the funds they were allocated at the start of the semester.

 “I am really unsure if any clubs are able to fundraise, but student government has managed to work with student life to ensure that clubs have access to their club funds. They can spend the money allocated to them to continue to grow and be active”, said Brooks.

It can be hard to be a part of a club and not be able to see anyone face to face, but club presidents are working hard to ensure they remain active. A list of Bucks clubs be found at https://www.bucks.edu/catalog/info/clubs/.