First Big Debacle - Drama in School of Architecture

The past 24 hours have been interesting indeed.

It all started when I e-mailed Spring Cassidy Harrison about getting a mass e-mail sent out about my books. I also e-mailed Janice, Gargoyle Honors Society's president about letting other student organizations know about my fund-raising books.

And then the e-mail gets sent from SAH (Society of Architectural Historians):

"SAH started selling sketchbooks using paper that we collected from the computer labs and had bound starting last week during Pizza in the Atrium and plan on selling them until we are out. PLEASE think of another way to raise money. SAH used a considerable amount of our small budget to fund the start-up costs for this fundraiser and we NEED to make it back!!!

Selling your books will hurt both SAH's fundraiser and your own because I am guessing students won't be interested in buy from two different groups. We have been planning and collecting paper since last semester in order to get this fundraiser going.

Thank you for your understanding."

If that wasn't bad enough, this e-mail was sent out from SAH as well:

"I hate to be the spoiler, but SAH is a registered student organization in the School of Architecture and since we are selling pretty much the same thing (recycled sketchbooks) I am against letting Sophia sell her books at Pizza in the Atrium.

Just like all the other organizations, we need to raise money somehow to support the speakers we bring in and other activities. We, unlike most of the organizations, did not charge a membership fee, so this fundraiser is our sole means of supporting what we do in the future. Of course Sophia is welcome to conduct her own fundraiser to help her cause, however I don't believe it is right for her to directly compete with an RSO.

While it appears that both Gargoyle and AIAS support her and are registered organizations, this fundraiser is ultimately for her own activities while SAH's is purely for the activities of SAH."

And then this one from the Director's assistant:

"Director Chasco and I met this morning to discuss the question of individuals fundraising in the Atrium; specifically Sophia’s request to sell notebooks made out of recycled materials to raise money for the event called Bike and Build. I am responding to you on behalf of the Director.

We understand that Gargoyle is supporting Sophia in this endeavor but the School simply cannot support individuals participating in such events; we cannot do so for each of our students, so we cannot do so for one. We are committed to supporting all of the student organizations and have already given SAH permission to sell homemade sketchbooks during ‘pizza in the atrium’ time. Sophia’s personal fundraising event would be in direct competition to that student organization’s fundraising efforts.

Sophia, we wish you the best in your fundraising efforts and hope that you understand our position on this. There are many worthwhile events that our students participate in outside of the University but our facilities must be reserved for school sponsored events."

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First of all, I had thought that of all the people who would be excited about this event, it would be the School of Architecture and its student body. I had thought that young, enterprising people would be all for raising awareness and money for affordable housing. I was sadly mistaken. Apparently, some students consider restoring their own student funds to be of higher priority than providing homes for disadvantaged people across the country. Not just the student body, but also the very School of Architecture finds it an irrelevant cause. At this point, it's not even for the fund-raising money that I would want to do it. I mainly wanted to spread awareness about this trip and affordable housing to the people who I thought would be the most interested.

Perhaps it could be seen as "competition" but for one, they are selling theirs for $3 and mine are $10. They can't be that similar, can they? And why does it need to be competition? Why can't we work something out? Thank God I have other sources of funds unlike SAH, apparently.

I at least know that Janice, Ryan, and Tiffany are interested in helping out (presidents of Gargoyle, AIAS, and NOMAS.) Thanks to all of you; I really appreciate it.

In this light, 4240's donations and interest is all the more remarkable. Not just them, in fact. Tati Cycle, Turin Bicycle, all of my donors, and especially the mysterious Vermont donors.

Well, this certainly has been a learning experience.

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But all is not bad!!!

Ed, Denny, Michaeluk, Brittany, and Elise all came tonight to learn how to make books and to help me make them. We divided up all the labor, and in one night, we created 4 !!! (In a good night, I generally make 2.) Their enthusiasm is helping me get over the disappointing events of the past 24 hours. It's an incredibly fluid and adaptable book making machine that we have developed here. Awesome.

Also, Bruce Michelson of Campus Honors Program has been receptive (unlike the School of Architecture) and has already sent out an e-mail ad about my trip to all the people involved in CHP. Furthermore, I have already received e-mails from interested buyers.

My books are practically selling themselves. check them out here.