CORRECTION APPENDED SEE BOTTOMThe Union Senate voted to charter A Cappella Etc., the umbrella group for all 11 campus a cappella groups, led by Dan Newman '09 and David Baumgold '10.

The Senate first recognized A Cappella Etc. in November 2007, and Newman has been trying to get the group chartered since then. Chartered clubs are entitled to request money from the Finance Board.

The Senate has never chartered a cappella groups since they hold auditions and therefore qualify as exclusive organizations. According to the Student Union bylaws, a chartered club must be open to all members of the Brandeis community.

Before the Senate chartered A Cappella Etc., the club had to demonstrate in its constitution that it was not exclusive. Senator for the Class of 2011 Alex Melman, Senator for the Class of 2009 Eric Alterman and Executive Senator Andrew Brooks '09 worked with Newman to draft the club's constitution.

"We wanted them to focus more on a cappella event planning," Alterman said. He suggested that A Cappella Etc. bring in outside speakers to conduct workshops and host benefit concerts, for example.

According to Newman, "As it stands right now, any money received [from F-Board] for A Cappella Etc. will be for an event." The money will not go toward individual a cappella groups.

All members of the Brandeis community can join A Cappella Etc. and request funds if they want to hold an a cappella-related event, Newman said. Everyone is also welcome, he added, to start an cappella group and join A Cappella Etc.

Some leaders of campus a cappella groups are hopeful that the Senate's decision to charter the club will allow them to host on-campus events more easily. Becky Sniderman '10, president of the all-female a cappella group Too Cheap For Instruments, said that TCFI could never serve food at events because it couldn't afford the University's mandatory $150 fee for a custodian.

"In the past, it's been pretty upsetting . that a cappella groups, which serve as a vibrant source of social life on campus, weren't getting funding from F-Board," Sniderman said.

Sniderman added that all the campus a cappella groups might use the funds to compile an album and distribute it to students for free.

The opportunity to request funds from F-Board, Sniderman said, "will allow us to have the events that we want to on campus."

Correction: The article originally incorrectly identified a student's class year. David Baumgold's class year is 2010, not 2009.