Erie Community College, State University of New York

Policies and Procedures

Club Eligibility and Guidelines

1. Officers/Club Eligibility

Students may hold office in one club only. The Dean of Students or designee is responsible for making sure that the SGA club officers, publications editors, and student employees’ academic status is in order by checking the third-week roster, mid-term roster, the last day withdrawal roster, and final roster. Attendance reports for all officers, publication editors, and/or student employees will be monitored to see if students are attending classes to satisfactorily meet faculty requirements. Students may be removed from office or publication positions if they are in violation of academic requirements. The SGA President will also canvas the clubs periodically to make sure the officer list is current.

Any student who holds a leadership position and/or receives financial remuneration from student activity fees must be matriculated and enrolled in six credit hours per semester concurrently.

2. Tenure

Officers of SGA Clubs and SGA Executive Boards, including publications, will be limited to three, one-year terms. Any student who holds a leadership position and/or receives financial remuneration from student activity fees must be matriculated and enrolled in six credit hours per semester concurrently.

3. SGA Club Advisor

Any advisor for a student club, organization, or publication receiving SGA and publication funding will be prohibited from voting on the ASC Board on items pertaining to their individual budgets.

4. Club Charter Acceptance

The Dean of Students, Student Activities Coordinator, SGA President/Trustee, in consultation with their SGA, will meet to review and approve all club charters to determine if the charter relates to the mission of the College and ensure there is no duplication of purpose on mission and activities. The Dean of Students will make the final determination.

5. Advisor/Number of Clubs

Advisors will be allowed to advise one club, publication, or Student organization only, unless otherwise authorized by the Dean of Students.

How to Establish a Club

1. Students who want to form an organization to serve a unique interest should meet together to discuss that interest. Form your ideas into the goal, purpose, or objective of your club. Be sure to keep notes of your discussions.

2. Ask an interested faculty or staff person to act as an advisor. An information sheet, “Guidelines for Club Advisors” is available.

3. Ask to review the Student Life “Club History” record. A charter and/or constitution may already exist for a club (currently inactive) having the same interests.

4. Hold an organizational meeting. Choose a chairperson, and be sure to keep notes of your decisions. A minimum of 10 matriculated students is necessary to constitute a club. Finalize club objectives, and have the members who are pre- sent approve it. Incorporate it into the club constitution. Draft a constitution. Students may request sample copies of other club constitutions to use as a model.

5. Finalize the constitution, and have members ratify (approve) it. Make several copies of the final constitution. A good idea would be to have the members who ratify it, sign and date the original. The original would be kept for the club files.

6. Submit a copy of the club’s constitution to the Student Government Association. Note: All student clubs are required to file their constitution with the Student Activities Office and the SGA in order to have ASC access club bud- gets throughout the year. Remember: Club budget hearings are held early in the semester; SGA should know about new clubs as soon as possible.

7. Following the rules in the constitution, nominate, and elect officers. Again, remember to record all actions when the elected secretary takes office.

8. Plan club activities for the academic year/semester. Estimate how much it will cost for these activities and possible fund- raising events which the club could hold. Formulate this into the club’s budget. Students may request copies of other club budgets to use as a model.

9. Submit a copy of the club’s budget and a listing of club officers and advisors to SGA. Officers must include a SGA delegate and a SGA alternate.

Chartering a Student Club

The Student Government Association has the power to issue charters to campus clubs. Chartering grants the official recognition and the following privileges to student organizations, subject to campus and college policies and procedures.

1. The use of campus facilities and student media.

2. The right to request funds through the SGA.

3. Eligibility for awards and honors given to campus organizations.

Charter student clubs retain their privileges from one year to the next based upon submission of a club budget, the inventory sheet, and a listing of club officers for the upcoming academic year.

Revocation of Recognition

The Student Government Association is authorized to remove the charter of any student organization. Recognition may be revoked or suspended for:

1. Evidence of failure to comply with the college regulations or procedures governing recognized organizations or individual students.

2. Evidence that the organization is not attempting to abide by its constitutional objectives.

3. Failure to have a faculty or staff advisor.

4. Evidence of inactivity for two semesters.

5. Failure to participate in Student Government Association meetings.

6. Misappropriation of student activity fees.

Admission to an Event

Representatives from the SGA/Club will be at an admission table to welcome the guests and to collect any admission fee charges. Also present will be a member of the Campus Security force.

1. One guest per student will be admitted and must be accompanied by the student.

2. I.D. requirements must be contained on all advertisements posted prior to the event.

3. The Dean of Students or a delegate, at all times, will have the final decision as to whether a person seeking admission to an event will be allowed.

Student Identification Cards

Student Identification Cards are required for voting, entrance to all campus activities, and for other identification purposes. Cards are available from each Campus Security Office.

Campus Publicity

1. All advertising on campus, including posters, signs, and so forth, must be approved by the Dean of Students or Activities Office.

2. Posters and signs must be placed on the building bulletin boards. No signs or posters will be allowed on the walls.

3. Publicity for on-campus evening events must state that no one will be admitted or readmitted after 11:00 p.m.

4. All publicity must be taken down on the first day following the event.

5. Outside organizations that wish to advertise on campus must first have their advertising approved by the Dean of Students Office.

Guidelines for Raffles

1. Plans for a raffle should be formalized at least three weeks before the raffle begins.

2. Prizes must be secured before the raffle begins.

3. No raffles involving cash or alcohol prizes will be permitted.

4. The prize or prizes awarded must be exactly as advertised.

5. Tickets may be pre-printed (roll-type) or created (self- design), but:

• all tickets for one raffle must be identical
•  all tickets must be numbered; and 
•  all tickets must require buyer’s name and address or name and phone number, or name, address, and phone.

6. There must be a set period for selling tickets, two to three weeks is suggested.

7. The date, time, and place for the drawing must be deter- mined and publicized before the raffle begins.

8. A record of members selling tickets must be kept. This record must include the quantity of tickets taken and the number of the tickets taken.

9. Members must return unsold tickets, ticket stubs, and money to the raffle chairperson no later than the day before the publicized date of the raffle.

10. After the deadline, only “immediate response” sales would be allowed (sales in which there is an immediate return of the ticket stubs and money).

11. Select a “non-involved” person to draw the winning ticket(s), not a club advisor or member. That person, of course, should not purchase a raffle ticket.

12. Have an audience for the drawing. Have the drawing in a public and not a secluded place.

13.For the drawing, use a container large enough for the stubs to be mixed well. Try to avoid a clear container, through which the stubs may be seen.

Guidelines for Travel

1. The trip has to be within the scope of the objectives stated in the approved constitution of the club/organization.

2. The trip has to be within the scope of the contract between the Auxiliary Services Corp. and the College.

3. The cost of the trip has to be commensurate with the number of individuals involved.

4. The club/organization will use an acceptable mode of transportation. When disabled individuals are participating in an off-campus club/organization sponsored activity, accessible transportation must be provided. (Acceptable mode of transportation shall be defined to mean that which is designed by an established transporter.)

5. The club/organization shall ask the transporter to provide an Insurance Certificate evidencing coverage for the student, guests, and/or faculty/staff transported.

6. The club/organization shall submit the Insurance Certificate to the Student Center prior to leaving on the trip.

7. The club/organization shall submit a completed SGA/Club Travel Form to the Student Center prior to leaving on the trip.

8. The club/organization shall submit a complete list of the name, local address, and emergency contact person for every person going on the trip.

9. The club/organization must provide a designated group leader for every trip.

10.The designated group leader for a trip involving an overnight stay must be a faculty or staff person.

General Policies

1. Any damage that may occur as a result of a facility being opened for a particular event shall be the responsibility of the student organization that is sponsoring the event.

2. The total number of socials to be held in an academic year will be established and agreed upon by the executive committee of the Student Government Association and the Dean of Students. This, in turn, will be submitted to the appropriate Vice President who will present the request to the Board of Trustees for Approval.

3. The types of events, social and/or activities planned, must reflect any changes in local, state, or federal law.

4. Equipment check-out: An Erie Community College identification card must be presented when checking out equipment of any type. Failure to do so will result in the privilege being withheld.

5. The Dean of Students will make the final decision as to whether an event will be curtailed or extended.