Official Recognition of Student Clubs and Organizations

Download as PDF

Formation of New Clubs and Organizations

Any group desiring to organize on campus must request permission by submitting Request for Official Recognition of Student Organization form to the Office of Student Services. With this form, the requesting organization must also draft and submit three copies of a governing constitution containing the following information:

  • Name
  • Statement of purpose
  • Membership eligibility requirement
  • List of promoting students
  • List of officers by title and any special function(s) of the officers
  • Statement of the terms of the officers and the time and method of election
  • Frequency of meetings
  • Statement of membership dues, including amount and frequency of payment and provision for disposition of any funds in the event of dissolution of the organization
  • Provision for club advisor(s) and name of at least one club advisor (must have been employed at least one year at Central Alabama Community College in a full-time capacity)
  • Statement of any national, state, or regional affiliation, if applicable (a copy of the affiliation’s constitution must be attached)

Approval Process

The Office of Student Services will review the documents to ensure that all requirements have been met and will forward the request to the Student Government Association Executive Council on the campus where the founding members are located. The Student Government Association Executive Council will review the documents and forward them to the Dean of Students or his/her designee with a recommendation. The Dean of Students will review the request and governing constitution and forward the constitution to the Central Alabama Community College President’s Cabinet for approval. Upon final approval, the requesting organization will identify its organization representative to the Student Government Association. This individual will serve as the organization’s liaison to the SGA.

Any change or amendment affecting the nature or purpose of the organization as originally approved must be approved by the Dean of Students.

Annual Recognition Procedures of Clubs and Organizations

A student organization must follow the process below to continue receiving official recognition.

  • Submit an annual report to the Student Government Association and the Office of Student Services.
  • The annual report (due two weeks before the end of spring term) must reflect how the organization has continued to fulfill the original purpose, goals, etc. of its charter, constitution, and bylaws and shall include a financial statement. Other information deemed necessary may be requested.
  • Complete and submit a Registration of Student Organization form to the Office of Student Services no later than October 1 of each fall semester.
  • Maintain an up-to-date copy of the constitution on file with the Office of Student Services.

Rights and Privileges of Official Recognition

Organizations that are recognized officially by the College are entitled to the following rights and privileges to:

  • Sponsor college-endorsed student events and fundraising activities.
  • Maintain a student organization funding account.
  • Publicize organization and organization-related activities on campus.
  • Use campus facilities for organization meetings and activities.
  • Receive event planning and promotional support from the Office of Student Services.

Responsibility of Club/Organization Sponsor(s)

All student organizations must have a minimum of one qualified sponsor. When membership exceeds 50, organizations are urged to obtain an additional faculty or staff sponsor. Any full-time faculty or professional staff member with at least one year of experience at Central Alabama Community College may, with the approval of the employee’s supervising Dean and the Dean of Students, serve as an advisor to a student organization. The supervising Dean and the Dean of Students must approve any change in club advisor. Any employee of the College may serve as assistant advisor; however, the designated faculty or professional staff sponsor serves as the primary contact for the organization and is the individual responsible for the conduct of the organization.

An employee who agrees to serve as a club sponsor accepts the responsibility of encouraging the organization in its purpose and activities within the limits of College policy and the goals and objectives of the organization as set forth in the statement of purpose and constitution. Sponsors are responsible for being familiar with and operating within the following parameters of:

  • The College Catalog & Student Handbook and other College regulations pertaining to the students, fundraising, and speakers.
  • The constitution and purposes of the student organization they are advising.
  • The activities and projects of their respective student organizations.

No meeting or other activity is authorized or recognized unless attended by the approved sponsor. Proceedings of meetings held with a substitute sponsor must be reviewed by the sponsor. Exceptions must be approved by the Dean of Students in advance. Sponsors must attend club-sponsored activities, with the exception of routine meetings.

Advisors/sponsors must attend on and off campus activities as well as in-state and out-of-state activities unless there are extenuating circumstances, and the Dean of Students approves an exception. Advisors must obtain emergency contact information on all students participating in any off-campus activity and distribute to the Office of the Dean of Students. Sponsors must take all appropriate steps necessary to resolve any conflicts while supervising student activities at the time of occurrence. Sponsors must review the Student Code of Conduct with students and obtain and maintain Acknowledgement of Student Code of Conduct forms from all student participants. Advisors are responsible for making appropriate notifications, using an Incident Report form, to the Dean of Students immediately when accidents, illnesses, conflicts, or other unusual circumstances arise.

Meetings

Recognized student organizations are required to hold meetings on campus and college facilities will be made available to them. Special permission must be obtained from the Dean of Students or his/her designee for off-campus meetings and/or for activities outside of the traditional meeting format.

Procedures for Conducting Campus Activities

Speakers and special programs sponsored by student organizations must have the formal approval of a club sponsor and the Dean of Students or his/her designee in accordance with the standards set forth by the College. Forms are available in the Office of Student Services.

The following procedures are required to receive approval of activities other than regularly scheduled on-campus meetings:

  • A Student Activity Request Form must be submitted to the Office of Student Services.
  • The Student Activity Request must be submitted a minimum of 10 business days prior to the proposed event.
  • A request for off-campus speakers or performers must be made a minimum of 10 business days prior to the issuance of an invitation by the student organization.
  • The activity is considered approved once the student Organization Sponsor receives a return copy of the Student Activity Request with all required signatures. If the Organization Advisor does not receive the submitted Student Activity Request within 10 days of submission, the student organization is not authorized to move forward.
  • If an activity is not approved, the Office of Student Services will notify the club sponsor and will present a copy of the Student Activity Request with an attached explanation of the disapproval.
  • If the activity requires students to miss class in order to participate, the Organization Sponsor must obtain permission for the excused absence by completing a Request for Excused Absence—College Function form and submitting it to the Office of Student Services. This form should be submitted at least three working weeks in advance.
  • Students must ride in college approved transportation for off-campus activities when college transportation is provided and sign an official General Release, Indemnity, and Waiver of Liability form and submit it to the Office of Student Services.

Visiting Speaker/Performer/Program Policy

In the interest of orderly administration, effective public relations, adequate preparation and reservation of facilities, and proper maintenance of the campus, the following procedures have been established by the College:

  • An outside speaker (one who is not a registered member of the student body or the faculty and staff of the College) may be invited to speak on campus only by an officially recognized student organization, faculty organization, or staff organization.
  • The officers and the sponsor of the student organization sponsoring an outside speaker/program shall assume full responsibility for making the necessary arrangements, paying all expenses, and preserving the peace and dignity of participants in the scheduled event. Any responsible officer or sponsor who willfully violates this policy will be subject to appropriate disciplinary actions as outlined in the Student Handbook or Employee Handbook.
  • Prior to extending an invitation to an outside speaker for a campus event, the organization shall submit a Student Activity Request to Office of Student Services in accordance with the procedures outlined for the Approval of Campus Activities.
  • Upon receipt of the properly completed Student Activity Request, the sponsor of the organization shall contact the Dean of Students and Dean of Academic Programs to identify any scheduling conflicts and the Business Office to determine the availability of adequate facilities for the proposed event.
  • When deemed necessary, the deans shall review the proposal to determine whether college regulations have been fulfilled.
  • Notices and printed material pertaining to the speaker or scheduled event shall:
    • Bear the name of the sponsoring organization and shall not contain any implication that the speaker or event is being sponsored by the College.
    • Be posted only at locations approved by the Dean of Students or his/her designee, who shall be primarily concerned with the prevention of any temporary or permanent damage to college property or the appearance thereof.
    • Be distributed on campus only at tables or booths provided for such purpose inside campus buildings. Any location for distributing such material other than the customary places must be approved by the Dean of Students or his/her designee, who shall be primarily concerned with the prevention of excessive litter spoiling the appearance of the campus.
    • Be removed by the sponsoring organization within 24 hours following the scheduled event, should such organization desire to preserve the material for some future use.
    • The sponsoring organization shall make it clear, at the time the speaker is introduced at the event, that views expressed by the speaker are not necessarily those of the College or the organization.

Student Club/Organization Fundraising Policy

All fundraising projects conducted at the College must be related to the mission of the College and of the Alabama Community College System. Any fundraising projects conducted by any College club, organization, or department must be approved in advance by appropriate administrators. The approval process should be initiated by submitting a Request to Conduct Fundraising Activities to the Office of Student Services for signatures, approval, and appropriate routing.

All funds collected from institutional fundraising projects will be processed through the Business Office and deposited into college accounts. It is illegal to deposit any funds into personal accounts. Revenues will be recorded as income in the club or organization account. Expenditures against those funds will be processed by requisition and purchase order and will be paid by check to the appropriate vendor. Under no circumstances should cash be taken from collected fundraising revenues and paid directly to vendors. Each contribution must be recorded on the Activity Receipt form. Activity Receipt forms and corresponding cash should only be collected, totaled, and submitted to the Business Office each day as funds are collected. Each club or organization must submit the name of the individual who will be responsible for submitting funds to the Business Office Cashier to the Dean of Students or his/her designee for approval in the fall of each academic year. Submitting funds must ONLY be conducted by the pre-approved individual for the club or organization. The cashier will prepare a separate receipt for each day’s deposit. The Organization Sponsor is responsible for maintaining these receipts. The Business Office will maintain all completed Activity Receipt forms as documentation for review by the Examiners of Public Accounts. When the fundraising activity is concluded, the Fundraising Activity Final Report form must be completed by the sponsor and distributed by the Director of Accounting as indicated on the form.

Student Club/Organization Purchasing Procedures

Organizations and club sponsors must submit requests to purchase items at least 20 working days in advance. Failure to do so may result in purchase orders not being approved in time for your purchase.

Clubs and organizations may not pay for student memberships out of agency (college) funds. Fundraising funds may be used for student memberships only when approved and included in the bylaws of the club or organization.

Generally, fund raising funds are allowed to pay for the following items and services:

  • Educational and service leadership trips and projects;
  • Club and organization t shirts, hats, and accessories;
  • Advertising and promotional products of the club or organization;
  • Guest speakers or professional development workshops and events;
  • Pre-approved entertainment events e.g. dances, competitions, etc., and
  • Refreshments, meals, and drinks for meetings and events and activities (with the exception of alcohol and products that are prohibited on campus).

Students may NOT make purchases for the clubs and organizations. All fundraising expenditures must be approved prior to purchase by the Dean of Students and must follow all Central Alabama Community College and Alabama Community College System purchasing policies and procedures.

General Policies for Clubs and Organizations

Campus organizations shall be open to all students without respect to race, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, or disability.

All clubs and organizations must conform to the laws and policies of the State of Alabama, the Alabama Community College System, Central Alabama Community College, and the Student Government Association.

No club or organization shall interfere or support interference with the regular academic pursuit of any student. No club or organization shall cause or encourage non-attendance of classes for campus activities without prior consent of proper college officials. No club or organization will encourage any action that might cause disrepute to a student, instructor, or college activity.

Student Transportation and Liability

Central Alabama Community College does not generally provide transportation to students to and from classes, course-related field trips, or course-related endeavors. However, students must ride in college approved transportation for off-campus activities when college transportation is provided. Seat belts must be worn by students at all times when riding in college transportation. If the College does provide transportation, Central Alabama Community College shall not be responsible for the safety of students or be liable for any loss of or damage to personal property or any physical injury suffered in traveling to or from or while participating in the respective activity. Students must sign an official General Release, Indemnity, and Waiver of Liability form and submit to the Office of Student Services when participating in off-campus activities.

Room Assignments for Overnight Events

Room assignments for overnight travel events are made on the basis of the biological sex of individuals unless a request is made on the basis of gender identity. If separate facilities are available at the time of the event, these separate, individual facilities may be made available as alternative overnight accommodations.

General Information