What do you think?

[yasava]

I could use some objectivity here, I apologize in advance b/c this will be a long post...all names will be changed here.

I was Pres. of a campus org and there was a treasurer, Pam. Pam and I were due to graduate so we had to find successors. There's a bank acct that names Pam as the primary acct holder and myself as secondary. Since Pam was the one who primarily handled the finances, I thought that she would be able to transfer the acct over to the new treasurer, Kim. However, the transfer didn't happen. Kim tried to contact Pam throughout the summer to settle the issue.

Sheila (the new pres) called me at work in early Sept. upset because she and Kim had been unsuccessful at contacting Pam. The first meeting of the year was in a few days. The three of them were supposed to meet and do the transfer. There was some kind of breakdown in communication b/c they did not meet. Kim contacted Pam and said that she and Sheila were waiting on Pam and she didn't show. Pam gets upset and curses Kim out, accuses her of lying. When Kim asked could Pam just withdraw all of the money and give it to her, Pam got even more upset. Now Kim & Sheila want nothing more to do with Pam because of that incident. So Sheila asks me what can I do. (To give some background info, Pam and I are not on the best of terms, either. Frankly, I don't like her. However, I managed to have a decent working relationship with her in spite of that) I got upset b/c Pam cursing out Kim sounds like something she WOULD do. I call the bank myself and find out that both Pam and I needed to be present to do a transfer. That was going to be difficult; the acct is in DC, I'm in IN and Pam is MI. However, one of us can close the acct. I don't have the acct information so I can't close it.

However, they need money for the meeting, I agree to withdraw some and send it to them. I ask them to look for a document I gave them with the acct info, get it to me and I'll see about closing it. Of course, they can't find said document that I am 99.9% sure I gave them. Kim calls the next day to thank me for the money and said that she just spoke to Pam. Five minutes after I get off the phone with Kim, my boyfriend (who's still in school & is advisor for the org) calls me asking what did I do to the bank acct. It seems that Kim told Pam that I actually closed the acct and gave them the money. This angered Pam, so she goes to our mutual friend Lisa who goes to my bf. I tell him what happened, that I sent them money but I did not close the acct. Pam calms down, issue resolved, right?

WRONG! Yesterday I get two messages from Kim; she hadn't received the check yet. I left her an email; the acct hadn't been closed yet and that I could not close it b/c I don't have acct info. However, Pam does and Kim needed to contact her and let her know that the acct needs to be closed. Before the email, I call my bf to put him in the loop if and when some more drama should jump off...he can nip the "he say, she say" stuff in the bud. I then find out from talking to Lisa that Pam had been in town ALL week, so Kim & Sheila had plenty opportunity to contact her ...Kim had been acting unprofessional towards her and that's why the incident occured. Later, I get a response from Kim that basically says "I don't feel like talking to Pam, can you just withdraw the rest of the money and send it to me...here's Pam's phone number, can you call her?"

Okay, here's my view. The first time I withdrew money was because it was a emergency, they had postponed the meeting a few times waiting on Pam. Because of my personal feelings toward Pam I know that I lost my objectivity and didn't go to find the other side of the story before I reacted. (I quickly sided with them b/c I know how Pam can be) Now, I feel that for me to withdraw the remainder of the money is unprofessional, not really ethical, and therefore I'm uncomfortable with doing so. And still I don't have the acct information. I felt that Kim was being unprofessional and childish b/c of her refusal to talk to Pam and asking me to do it for her. However, I wonder if I am also being childish b/c I don't want to talk to Pam either! I also think that it is not my place to do that.

I am looking for a way to let Kim down gently. Is this even possible?

Did I set myself up by being too open and giving to Kim & Sheila? Does it seem like they now depend on me to get them out of jams? If so, how can I let them know that they can't lean on me in that way?(again, softening the blow) I want to be a source of support, yet I do not want to be used...I have a feeling that if I handle this for them, then they will continue to come to me.

I'm sorry this is sooo long, but it is a long story and some things couldn't be left out. I know I can get some unbiased opinions here...I appreciate any honest suggestions, criticisms and feedback. I'm trying to stop a potentially "drama-filled" situation. Do I officially have the longest post in GC history?

[RedefinedDiva]

I think that I know what you are saying. Some of it confused me a bit, but I think that I've got the gist of it.

Yes, you were too open for them. You should have let them handle their business on their own. When you are the president of an org., you should know how to deal with all sorts of incidents that may arise. That being said, she should have been able to handle her business. For the sounds of it, they tried to clown on Pam (and I am not saying that she did no wrong in the situation. She probably got out of the way with them too) and when it got to big, they needed backup. They knew that they needed reinforcements and they called you. You fell into the trap. They didn't tell you the whole story; just the parts about how Pam was the root of evil.

Don't go out of your way for them. Let them handle their own dirty work from now on. Don't send them any more money. If they don't get it, oh well. Let them raise more. I do have a few questions though.

1. Why did you all have to go to an outside bank? Your school didn't provide an account? I was the treasurer of an org. in school and all on-campus orgs. get an account through the university. They should check into that.

2. Why didn't the transfer happen prior to graduation? There is usually a "last meeting" of campus orgs. prior to finals and graduation. That should have been handled then.

3. Where is your campus advisor? The advisor should have a copy of ALL information pertaining to the club, including account numbers. His/Her name should also be on all accounts. That would eliminate problems like this.

4. As the president, why didn't you have a copy of all information (i.e. account numbers)? Pam could have been skimming money and who would know? She could have very well emptied the account.

[RedefinedDiva]

I sort of understand your situation. However, it troubles me that you all had no campus advisor and that you had no campus acct. I was the treasurer for our campus chapter of NABJ and we only had 20 members, tops. I think that's a far stretch. Yet, we were able to get a campus acct. and it was really convenient. The money was right on campus and you didn't have to worry about all the hassle of outside banks. Sure, we had to go through the thing of having certain names on the acct., but we didn't have to worry about rounding up folks when it was all said and done. If someone graduates, then their name is automatically off the acct. If someone leaves the org. or something, we just pop in and get their names off.

As for the org. being small and having no advisor, that should not be. Sometimes, a faculty member's input an be vital. They are also good for some critical issues, such as this. I know that at my undergrad university, you had better not think about organizing ANYTHING without an advisor. Even though they may not seem to make a difference, they can help when it comes to whether or not your org. can operate on campus. It's more of a "cover your butt" type thing.

I hope that all works out for you guys. That's a tough spot to be in. I was in that spot also because I had MANY roles in our little org. and I graduated and had all the acct. info. However, with the campus acct., I guess they just bumped me out. Look at it this way.... Now that they are going through all this, does that campus acct. still seem like a big hassle?