Sparrow, who received an additional $100 from Dean of Students Ben Lieber and plans on "trying to obtain more funds from the school in order to improve our class' financial situation," purchased VCRs for each of the five first-year common rooms.
"I thought freshmen needed a communal place to watch movies, so that people would not have to cram into each other's rooms," he said. VCRs have already been installed in North and South Colleges and Stearns Hall, while VCRs in James and Valentine should be installed by the end of the week, according to Sparrow.
"This way, people who don't have TVs and VCRs in their room will be able to watch movies in their dorm," said Michael Schlossman '04.
Sparrow and Jun Matsui '03, who is the sophomore class president, are both planning on using some of their funds for class t-shirts. "It was Jun's idea, and I managed to get us a great deal on the shirts," Sparrow said.
Matsui plans on hosting a panel discussion on how to choose a major.
"I [also] bought a class gift for the library-a paper cutter for student use," she said.
Matsui said she supports more flexibility in discretionary funding for each class. "I actually think that it should be a $2000-per-year deal since that allows us to have a bigger event one semester, and would make for less waste, since not all of the $1000 is used in one semester and can't be carried over into the second semester."
Last semester, Katherine Vondy '02 used her class' discretionary funds to organize a class party and a junior class sweepstakes. She also put candy into junior mailboxes during exam time. "This semester, there will definitely be another class event and hopefully a community service project as well," she said.
"Having class events such as the ones which took place last semester and the ones which are to come this semester gives the members of the class opportunities both to socialize with people they already know and to meet new people," Vondy said.
Dan Cooper '01, president of the senior class, organized "2001 Hours," a party that took place on Sunday night at Atlantis, a local bar.
Cooper said he will also be using some of the discretionary funds for Senior Week, which occurs in between the end of finals and graduation. "[Senior week] is an informal but class-sponsored" gathering, Cooper said. Usually the senior class has some form of planned event in Myrtle Beach or elsewhere, "although many seniors choose to make their own plans," he said. Cooper secured a group rate from the Ocean Drive Beach and Golf Resort in Myrtle Beach.