STUDENT MANUAL
FOR
ORGANIZATIONS
2004–05
Office of Student Development
G-206, Ext. 4205
______
Table of Contents
An introductory letter to Student Leaders
I. Characteristics of a Good Organization 1
II. Office of Student Development 2
Statement of Purpose, Role 2
Kinds of Organizations 3
Lists of Official Organizations 4
Procedures for Establishing and Registering Student Organizations 5
Review Status for Recognized Clubs, Decertification of Organizations 6
Funding Policies and Procedures 7
Requests for Expenditures 9
Ticket Sales and Revenue 9
Evaluation of Proposals 10
Evaluations of Organizations 11
Scheduling Activities, Facilities, and Office Space 12
Policy for Social Events Held at Stockton 13
III. Student Organization Leader Responsibilities 16
IV. Operating Procedures for Sponsored Organizations 18
Obtaining a Check, Depositing Revenue, Travel Registration 18
Travel Meal Reimbursement, Students Driving College Vehicles 21
Reserving College Vehicles, Ordering Buses , Using Personal Vehicle 22
Purchasing Supplies from Outside Vendors/Central Stores, Using Print Shop 23
Fund-raisers/Vendors 24
Using Alcohol, Producing a Program/Event 25
Processing/Securing Performers’ Contracts, Using Food Services to Cater 26
Requesting External Food Vendor, Requesting Banners, Posting Policy 27
Event Cancellation, Use of Sound Equipment 28
Student Office Space, Student Office Usage, Electronic Publications 29
How to Write a Constitution and Bylaws 29
V. Advisors 30
Fall Term, 2004
Dear Student Leader:
The Student Manual for Organizations is an extremely important tool. It is designed to provide all the information necessary for a student organization to operate efficiently at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. As such, it contains some procedures that must be followed. Please familiarize yourself with these procedures so that you will be able to enjoy, as much as possible, the efforts that you invest in student leadership. Student activities are meant to be pleasurable, as well as worthwhile educational experiences. If the Office of Student Development can help add to your participation in any way, we would like to have that opportunity.
It should be noted that this manual is a combination of operating procedures from the Office of Student Development and the Student Senate. Therefore, either the Office of Student Development or the Student Senate may address specific questions or problems.
Obviously, not all of the possible problems that may occur are answered in this manual; but careful attention to the separate sections will be helpful. In the first section you will find characteristics of a good organization. The second section deals with the role of the Office of Student Development and policies and procedures of the college. The third section contains student organization leader responsibilities. The fourth section provides operating procedures for organizations. The role of the club/organization’s advisor is in the fifth section. The last section is an appendix with the academic calendar.
I would like to congratulate you on taking the first step to becoming an effective student leader. You accomplished that task by picking up this manual and reading this far. I would like to challenge you to continue and help us all to make a better living and learning environment for The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey.
Sincerely,
Tom O’Donnell
Director of Student Development
Characteristics of a Good Organization
at The Richard Stockton College of
New Jersey
A. It has a clear sense of identity, purpose and direction.
B. It communicates effectively both internally with the membership and externally with other organizations.
C. It maintains a competent leadership with good organizational skills, a strong value structure and the ability to work in concert with the organization’s membership.
D. It is durable and continuous, possessing the ability to recruit and train both members and leaders with respect to its purpose, and also in regards to the identity and direction of the organization.
E. It possesses the vitality to grow, and renew and progress.
F. It effectively manages its resources of time (the non-renewable resource), finances and people.
G. It is responsibly responsive, meeting the needs of its membership and the institution of which it is a part.
H. It accomplishes program objectives and evaluates programs on a regular basis.
I. It has open access and have opportunities for those who wish to participate.
J. It is cooperative and supportive of other organizations in that it seeks out and identifies opportunities to carry out inter-organizational activities.
Office of Student Development
Student Manual for Organizations
1. The Office of Student Development, under the direction of the Dean of Students and in consultation with the Office of the College Center, will annually produce the Student Manual for Organizations, which reflects all regulations concerned with the development of organizations. This will be available for distribution to those groups interested in forming student organizations and to those groups that have been established.
2. Assistance will be available within the Office of Student Development for persons or groups
seeking to establish college organizations, along with continued assistance to established organizations to help them meet their goals and to coordinate activities.
Statement of Purpose
The Office of Student Development is responsible for the recognition, classification, supervision, and evaluation of organizations identified with The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. Every co-curricular organization that seeks official recognition and funds from the college must comply with the procedures in this manual.
The purpose of the manual is to provide guidelines for the operation of organizations at Stockton. It is anticipated that a substantial range of different organizations will provide diverse and balanced co-curricular programs and will give the members of the college community opportunities to develop skills or interests of greatest importance to them.
Role
The Office of Student Development has a central responsibility for college organizations and their activities. Listed below are the functions of the Office of Student Development that relate to student organizations. The term “college organization” refers to those groups of students, faculty, and staff who comply with the procedures outlined in the manual for both recognition and operation.
1. Maintenance of a college-wide plan for the overall development of college organizations and determination of the nature of the relationship of organizations to the college.
2. Assistance to the Student Senate in the disbursement of the college activity fee.
3. Ongoing evaluation of college organizations to determine whether or not their “recognized” status should be continued. A listing of recognized college organizations shall be maintained and shall be published at least annually.
4. Financial procedures and records shall be maintained and provided for all college-sponsored organizations by the Office of Student Development and the Office of the College Center.
5. Assistance to student organizations in the development of a balanced, co-curricular calendar designed to benefit the college community.
6. Promotion and development of effective student leadership through formal and informal training programs.
7. Coordination and maintenance of a comprehensive schedule of programs and activities and subsequent publication of it.
8. Act as a liaison with the Office of Event Services regarding appropriate space reservation and co-curricular program planning.
9. Provisions of total facility support for activities scheduled at the college including audio-visual equipment needs, room set ups, security, publicity, and food service.
Kinds of Organizations
Three facts must be emphasized. First, the college will regulate any organization using the name of the college or claiming an association with the college. Second, those organizations that come into being largely because the college exists and which draw their membership primarily from members of the college community will not be supported if they espouse or pursue goals that conflict with those of the college. Finally, although interaction with members of the local community is encouraged, it should be emphasized that organizations at Stockton should be primarily composed of members of the college. Any organization with more than ten percent of its members not affiliated with the college must receive special authorization in order to obtain recognition.
At Stockton, provisions have been made for the development of four different types of organizations. These are described as follows:
1. Sponsored Organizations offer membership and contribute directly to the functions and objectives of the college. A programming organization, a special interest group, or a service club may, for example, qualify as a sponsored organization. Sponsored organizations usually operate with funds obtained from or through the college; they also may use college facilities by completing a space request form with the Office of Student Development.
2. Independent Organizations are much narrower in their focus than are sponsored organizations. Although comprised of students, faculty, and staff, an independent organization’s view or aim may not be representative of the institution as a whole. Religious, political, and social clubs may, for example, qualify as independent organizations because of restricted membership. These organizations receive no financial support from the college although they may use the college name and are eligible to apply for space.
3. Off-Campus/Non-College Organizations are generally civic or private organizations with membership neither limited to nor dependent upon the college community. The college will not sponsor, certify, or support such organizations; nor will the college bar any students or staff from affiliation with these organizations. Off-campus organizations will request use of college facilities through the Office of Event Services. That office will coordinate all facilities and support services for these organizations. Off-campus organizations that conduct activities on campus will be subject to all appropriate regulations and will generally be subject to a charge for rental of college space.
4. Non-Profit Corporations are usually organizations that have developed from one of the first three categories. These organizations develop services or products that can be purchased by the school. Examples are a cooperative or a newspaper. These organizations may rent space when it is available. Their conduct will be subject to all college regulations.
NOTE: Independent organizations, which sponsor events that are open to the college community and utilize college facilities, must submit a detailed plan (at least two weeks before the proposed event) to the Director of Student Development.
Office of Student Development
OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
Service Clubs Special Interest Clubs
Asian Student Alliance Accounting and Finance Society
Board of Activities (BOA) All-Starz Dance
Campus Religious Council Anime Club
Caribbean Students Association Art Club
Certified Peer Educators Biology Society
Coalition for Women’s Rights Break Dance Club
East Asian Students Chemistry Society
Free-To-Be (Child Care Center) Chess Club
Graduate Student Council Communication Society
Greek Council Computer Society
International Student Organization (ISO) Criminal Justice Society
Los Latinos Unidos (LLU) Dance Club
On the Go Student Organization Economics Society
Pride Alliance Education Club
Silver Edge and Disabled Students Equestrian Club
Speech and Hearing Club Future Health Professionals
Stockpot (Literary Magazine) Geology Club
Stockton Action Volunteers for the Environment (SAVE) Gospel Choir
Stockton Residents Association (SRA) History Club
Stockton Student Television (SSTV) Hospitality Management Society
Unified Black Students Society (UBSS) Instrumental Music Society
International Business Society
Independent Organizations Literary Society
Admissions Ambassadors Marine Science Club
Amnesty International Marketing/Management Society
Books Without Borders Occupational Therapy Club
CHANGE Philosophical Society
Circle K International Physical Therapy Club
Deep Sea Fishing Club Physics Society
Hellenic Heritage Society Psychology Club
Jewish Student Union/Hillel Public Health Society
Muslim Student Association Social Work Club
NAACP Theatre Club
National Panhellenic Conference Water Watch
Newman Club/Catholic Campus Ministry
Rotaract
Stockton Chorale Society The Student Senate
Stockton Christian Fellowship
Stockton Gaming Guild The ARGO (Student Newspaper)
Walt Disney World College Alumni Association
Young Life
Office of Student Development
OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
Greek Life
Fraternities
Alpha Chi Rho Alpha Phi Delta Iota Phi Theta Kappa Sigma
Lambda Sigma Upsilon Lambda Theta Phi Phi Beta Sigma Pi Kappa Phi
Tau Delta Phi Tau Kappa Epsilon
Sororities
Alpha Gamma Delta Alpha Kappa Alpha Delta Delta Delta Delta Sigma Theta Delta Zeta Lambda Theta Alpha Mu Sigma Upsilon Sigma Gamma Rho Sigma Iota Alpha Sigma Sigma Sigma Zeta Phi Beta Zeta Tau Alpha
Procedures for Establishing and Registering Student Organizations
Establishing a new organization
The Office of Student Development will be responsible for groups seeking recognition as a college organization. These groups must meet with the Director of Student Development or his/her designee. The director will review the policies and procedures that need to be followed to establish a new group on campus. The director is located in G-206, ext. 4205. After meeting with the director, the organization representative should proceed with the following steps:
1. Submit a copy of the constitution, updated membership list, and activities and programs you would like the organization to hold. An example of a constitution can be found in the Student Manual for Organizations on page 29, “How to Write a Constitution and Bylaws.”
2. Provide opportunities for membership without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, disability, age, sex, affectional or sexual orientation, marital status, liability for service in the Armed Forces of the United States, or nationality.
3. Secure an advisor for the organization, i.e., a faculty or staff member.
4. Adhere to college regulations, as well as state and federal statutes.
5. Upon approval, be placed on probation for two semesters. At the end of the probationary period, barring any problems, the organization will be formally recognized by the Office of Student Development and the Student Senate, and will be eligible for funding.
6. Fill out a copy of the Office of Student Development Registration Form. Registration forms are available in the Office of Student Development in G-206.
7. Provide the Office of Student Development with the names, addresses, and phone numbers of the two people who will be responsible for signing requisitions and keeping track of equipment controlled by the organization.
Club Registration
All clubs and organizations must register each year in the Office of Student Development by October 15. The club must also provide the Office of Student Development with an updated membership list within the first three weeks of the spring semester. If the file is not completed by the deadline, the club will be placed on the inactive list and all privileges will be lost. Non-compliance for two consecutive semesters will result in the club’s loss of recognition. The Director of Student Development will then notify the Dean of Students, the Club Advisor, and the Club President about the loss of the club’s recognition.