It seemed like the perfect event; a small flag football fundraiser for the Student Government Association (SGA). The council was ready, the event was scheduled, and all that was necessary for preparation to begin was approval from Mr. Gleason. However, the approval never came and the SGA gave up on the event before preparation could even start.

For both club and class councils, this type of scenario may seem familiar. For a new event to occur, it goes through multiple steps of approval, the first being SGA and adviser Leah Morgan. The final step is gaining approval by Mr. Gleason, but this can often be the hardest part. The process can take months, with some events being “pocket vetoed.”

Junior Liam Jamolod of Howell experienced the struggles of getting approval firsthand. Jamolod, next year’s SGA President, had taken the lead on the organization of the aforementioned flag football game.

“I believe administration is doing the best it can with limited staff running the entire building,” said Jamolod. “But I feel that the communication between [administration] and councils is not the best.”

Junior Colin Martin of Middletown shares the sentiment based on his experience serving as his class’s Vice President.

“As a council, you need to come up with exciting new fundraisers or events to get people engaged,” Martin said. “But that’s extremely difficult when approval takes months and often never happens.”

Junior Caelin Burgi of Matawan, who served as her class president this year, attempted to organize a Game Night fundraiser with the rest of the council. While SGA approved the event, the council abandoned the idea after lack of response from administration.

“We sadly never heard back from Mr. Gleason, and it eventually got too late to wait for a response and Game Night was forgotten,” Burgi said. 

The issue extends beyond just councils, with other clubs and events facing similar problems. Junior Jack McHugh of Manasquan tried to form a sports club. He waited over four months for a response from the administration, and gave up on forming the club when he did not receive one. 

“It would have been great if I at least got a response saying if it got approved or not,” McHugh said.

Senior Erica Sammarco of Colts Neck served as Vice President of her class and ran Battle of the Bands this year. She said that while working with administration can be challenging, she understands the need for their rules. 

“It can be frustrating sometimes… but they have their reasons,” Sammarco said. “Mr. Gleason is pretty open to helping students put together events.”

Gleason declined to comment specifically on the issue.