How to Form a Student Group

It’s easy to form a new group at Student Association (SA) if you have five interested people (including yourself). The first step to becoming an SA recognized or funded group will be to draw up a constitution. You can get a sample constitution from the Administrative Assistants at the front desk in CC 116. Use the following guidelines to help you.

Your constitution must include:

• the name of your organization
• its purpose
• a list of members and officers (you must have at least four)
• its form of government
• provision for meetings - provided that the group will meet at least once per semester
• the definition of a quorum (must be 2/3 of the group's general membership)
• provision for dues, if desired
• provisions for impeachment of officers (generally impeachment is for neglect of duties, removal is determined by a 2/3 vote of the members)
• provisions for amendments
• provisions for ratification

Once this is done, one of your group officers will submit the constitution to the SA President, along with a signed statement which must include:

• a list of acting officers and contact information, i.e. the group registration form
• a certification that:
  
  "the group has voted to observe the rules established by the Student Association for the coordination of organizations"
  
  "the group has voted to observe the rules provided for in the Student Guidelines, with regard to reservation and use of university facilities (rooms, equipment, etc.)" (see Student Involvement & Leadership in CC 130 for a copy)
  
  "the group is composed largely or entirely of students"

It is then up to the SA President to grant you temporary recognition for the purpose of holding up to three organizational meetings.

If the SA President does not approve your group’s operations, you can appeal to Senate, which observes the right to grant final operational recognition on final appeal.

A group seeks SA recognition for funding as well as for the ability to function as an on-campus organization. However, you must receive permanent recognition before you can receive funding.

After you have temporary recognition, hold up to 3 meetings and keep minutes and attendance lists from those meetings. An SA representative must be present at one of the three meetings to be considered for permanent recognition. You can arrange this with the President at your appointment during which you are temporarily recognized. The minutes, attendance list, list of acting officers, and cover letter “request to President for permanent recognition” should be submitted to the SA President for consideration for permanent recognition.

Once permanent recognition has been granted you may request to meet with the Board of Finance, which decides on funding.

If the Board of Finance approved funding, Senate will vote on it, and, if approved, will assign a department number. If you do receive funding, the last step is to gain signatory powers for your President and Treasurer by meeting with the Comptroller, and taking the Treasurer’s Exam.