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Student Life

Haitian club overcomes deactivation

Neg Kreyol, an organization at the University of South Florida that empowers Haitian men, was almost deactivated as an official club due to the new minimum member policy.

The Center for Student Involvement has added the new policy “10 to Start, 10 to Maintain” beginning in the spring of 2012 that states all clubs must maintain 10 members on its roster.

CSI Director Kristie Gerber said, “In order to have vibrant clubs, we decided to have core membership of 10 people. Normally, two members run the club and two members burn out. We want the ones we have to be strong and vibrant.”

Neg Kreyol’s purpose is to promote more Haitian men as leaders. It wants to create a scholarship fund for Haitian students, participate in service activities at USF and reach out to Haitian teenagers in high schools about college opportunities.

Ralphe Jean-Poix, president of Neg Kreyol, said, “It has helped me become more responsible, become a better leader and I can say that for anybody who has been a part of the club.”

The organization’s five registered members were given a deadline to fill the roster so they implemented advertising strategies including posting flyers and promoting the club at events of related organizations like Club Creole.

Although the average number of incoming members per semester is one to three the club was focused on recruiting to avoid becoming an inactive organization.

Finding members for a club that targets a highly focused demographic and is only a couple of years old was definitely a hurdle. However, in January, the club surpassed its average with four new recruits attending their weekly interest meetings.

Luther Pierre, vice president, said, “I’d say we’ve been successful. I think we will have 10 members with the current people that have said yes.”

After rigorously posting fliers throughout campus, Neg Kreyol resolved the issue. The club recruited the last of its 10 members in the third week of February and will continue being an official USF club.

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