To members of the University community:

After many hours spent reading, discussing and evaluating, the UnCommon Fund Committee has finished deliberations on the proposals submitted by both undergraduate and graduate students. The UnCommon Fund, in its second year of a two year pilot program, has grown from last year’s New Initiatives Fund into a $60,000 grant making fund, made up from $40,000 of the student activities and $20,000 from ORCSA. Proposals were judged on certain pre-decided conditions including proof of concept, uniqueness and originality, strength of budget presented and affect on students and the community.This year’s UnCommon Fund saw a great number of passionate and interesting proposals. Undergraduate and graduate students alike sketched their ideas for new and diverse improvements to student life at The University of Chicago.The Committee would like to, at this time, announce the recipients of the UnCommon Fund.In no particular order…

Oyá, Obba, Yewá: Death through an Afro-Cuban Lens:

Submitted by graduate students led by Elizabeth Perez, the proposal is for an original theatrical performance by Afro-Cuban singers, dancers, musicians and visual artists. “It aims to address societal fears about dying and present new cultural perspectives on death using the three main Afro-Cuban deities of the cemetery.” It also interweaves testimonials on Hurricane Katrina and inner-city community relations in order to “inspire us to rethink our responses to dying, catastrophe, and violence.”

Vermiculture Workshop:

From the Sustainability Council and Green Campus Initiative, this proposal will host vermiculture compost workshops and provide vermiculture compost kits to 60 participants of the University during Earth Week.

Max Brooks Event:

The Zombie Readiness Task Force’s proposal will bring Max Brooks, author of The Zombie Survival Guide and son of the acclaimed Mel Brooks, to campus for an uncommon lecture.

Recording Studio:

A joint endeavor of the acapella community on campus, equipment will be purchased for groups to record and mix cds in open environments such as Rockefeller and Bond Chapels.

Cinco de Mayo:

The ladies of Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc., will be organizing an event to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a mariachi band, dancers, and awesome food.

SPLASH!:

After an outstanding kick off this past fall quarter, SPLASH! will come back next year with more opportunities for UofC students to teach creative and uncommon classes to Chicago high school students.

Lascivious Ball:

HYPE will bring back this time honored tradition next year on Halloween for not only a huge extravaganza, but also an exploration of sexual awareness.

Winter Arts Festival:

Submitted by Sliced Bread, but supported by many other arts groups on campus, the Winter Arts Festival will be an opportunity for The University of Chicago Community to participate in arts and crafts, exploring their own creativity. There will also be performances and showcases from affiliated groups on campus.

First Responder Equipment:

The University of Chicago First Responder Corps (UCFRC) will be purchasing equipment to start teams of student responders, as well as continue their training sessions.

Lunar New Year:

The Asian Students Union will be putting together a celebration for the Lunar New Year, including decorating the Reynold’s Club, dance and performances, and celebratory food.

Due to the breadth of outstanding proposals submitted, not all were able to be funded. The Committee discovered other opportunities for events and improvements that the Fund itself could not cover. However, that doesn’t mean that these events will not come to life. We would like to extend our congratulations and support to Bobby Zacharias, whose Stone Carving Exhibition will be funded and held by ORCSA. The event will bring a renowned stone carver to the University for a lecture and exhibition on the quads.

The Committee was also presented with an outstanding proposal from students for Renovating the Midway Ice Rink. The proposal outlined the ways in which the Midway Rink could be renovated to meet specifications for ice hockey to be played competitively by undergraduate and graduate students on campus, as well as rejuvenating the rink for all other university and community members. This proposal was extensively discussed and supported by members of the Committee. However, we felt that we did not have enough resources to provide sufficient funding for this capital improvement venture. While we could not support this proposal monetarily, we support their idea and wish them the best of luck in finding avenues for funding.

The UnCommon Fund Committee would again like to extend congratulations to all groups involved in this process. We look forward to seeing these plans in action.

-The UnCommon Fund Committee

Amanda Steele, Chair

Huiying Chan

Scott Duncombe

Ben Field

Sharlene Holly

Ryan Kaminski

Jay Kim

Devika Persaud

Maria Sierra