How to Form a Recognized Student Organization
1. Fill out an Intent to Organize Application
The Intent to Organized form is the 1st step to getting your organization recognized. Once the form is filled out and submitted, your organization while obtain certain privileges that include: reserving rooms/tables in the UCEN and UPAV, posting privileges, and usage of banner making supplies.
2. Start recruiting
Get as many people interested as you can with flyers and meetings. Each organization is required to have at least 4 UM-Flint students for existence. Set up an information table on the 3rd floor UCEN, post flyers announcing a new club and/or hang banners the UCEN or UPAV. At this point, you should also be looking for an faculty/staff advisor for your club.
3. Hold your first organizational meeting
Get all the students interested in your organization together and collect their ideas on how to draft your club's constitution. You may also want to elect officers at this meeting so you can put their contact information on the application. Also discuss and create a basic operational budget for your club during this meeting.
4. Read and complete the Application for Recognition and write your club's constitution.
While completing these items, keep the following items in mind:
Purpose
How are you going to define your organization?What are your proposed goals?
What are you hoping to accomplish?
How do you fit in on campus?
What role do you want to play?
Who will function as your advisor?
How will you choose your advisor?
Is there a department you can or will be affiliated with?
Membership
Are there other people you already know who would want to join?
How are you going to identify others?
How are you going to convince them to join?
What will this group have to offer? Can they find it elsewhere?
What kinds of commitment will they have to make?
What makes this group unique?
Structure
Will this be a formal, long-term group or are you forming to work on a particular, one-time only issue and/or activity?Will there be officers? How will they be selected and for how long?
Do you have a Constitution? By-Laws?
How often will you meet? When and where?
5. Submit the Application for Recognition form and Constitution
When the application has been completely filled out and the constitution (and by-laws if you so choose) has been written, submit them to the Student Activities Office (361 UCEN). This information will be forwarded to the Political Affairs Chairperson of the Student Government Council (SGC).
6. Receive Official Recognition from the Student Government Council
Barring any revisions to your application and constitution, SGC will vote to official recognize your organization.