The hammock structure on campus enjoyed by many students since last semester was removed last week because of a lack of funding. 

UT student startup Nido began in June 2016, and the company set up the hammock structures last semester in various locations, including the Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Building, the Student Activity Center and, most recently, near the Art Building. The hammock structure was created by Nido using its company funds, but after failing to receive financial support from UT and Student Government, Nido decided to withdraw its structure from campus.

To help fund the hammock structure on campus, Nido launched a Kickstarter last month with a goal of raising $6,000 from UT students in a month. Nido member Margaret Berno said the $6,000 includes the base of the structure, hammocks and paint. 

“We’ve contacted the University about permanently purchasing one, and according to them, there’s not (enough) interest from students to use it, which is kind of ironic because it’s one of the most heavily used things on campus right now,” said Berno, a finance and business honors sophomore. 

Women’s Resource Agency director Rebecca Sostek is a rhetoric and writing, biology and psychology junior. Sostek passed a Student Government resolution in April 2016 to add hammocks to the Speedway Mall Project. Although Sostek was promised a grant from SG’s special projects fund to implement the idea, Sostek said she never received the money but started working with Nido to get their structure on
campus anyway.

“The only reason that their Kickstarter is still a thing is because Student Government, as great of an organization as it may be, still hasn’t gotten us the money,” Sostek said. 

SG internal financial director Jonathan Harper said SG approved $5,250 for the hammocks Feb. 26, but large requests of more than $1,000 take at least a month to process. 

Nido, not wanting to wait for the funds to process, decided to withdraw its structure, Sostek said. 

“Everybody involved wants these hammocks to be there,” Harper said. “Even if there’s procedural issues … like not being able to spend as much time getting this through as early as I would’ve liked, that’s not an indication at all of not wanting the hammocks there.” 

Currently, the Kickstarter has $1,065 pledged of the $6,000 goal, which must be fulfilled by April 19 to be funded.