The BYU Country Swing Dance Club has been a staple in the campus community for years. Students from around campus flock to the Wilkinson Student Center on Tuesday nights to participate in the club. This semester, club registration includes a membership fee.
The club has been running for more than ten years. Hundreds of club members attend every week, making it the biggest club on campus. Club president Mariah Hayes said the club brings people together.
“The point of the club, at least for me and a lot of people I think, is just having a community,” Hayes said.
Paying club dues is a new requirement this semester, which might catch some longtime attendees off guard.
For many people, the $5 fee is completely understandable and affordable. Some others wonder about the reasons behind the change.
Devin Ey, from Middletown, New York, has attended the club occasionally for the last few years. “I guess the question I have is where do those go,” Ey said.
Hayes explained that the fees go toward running the club.
“I think the biggest thing is understanding that our club is all volunteer-based… We have a DJ that comes, and he volunteers, we have students who volunteer, we have a faculty member who volunteers their time to support us, and the five dollars is just a contribution to make the club continue,” Hayes said.
Hayes says that $5-membership dues are standard BYUSA procedure for clubs.
“We’re just getting on board with the BYU clubs’ administration and their procedures that they’ve already had in place,” she said.
Even with the membership dues, students continue to pack the WSC Ballroom every Tuesday.
The club meets every Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the WSC. All BYU students are welcome.