Starting a New Club

Guidelines for Starting a New Student Organization

 A (New Student Club Registration) (msword 90.50 kB) must be submitted to the Student Activities Office (Student Union, 185) in order to start and register a student organization at TCC. A new organization can be registered at any time throughout the school year. An existing organization should re-register annually by April 1 for the following academic year. Organizations will not be allowed to utilize approved college and/or organization funds and other college resources without a current registration on file with the Student Activities Office. However, for organizational purposes, a group may start advertising and informing students about their club or team without a registration form being submitted. If you are requesting to start a Student Team, please contact the Student Activities Coordinator at (850) 201-8090 prior to completing the form (you can also visit the Student Activities Office located at the Student Union, Room 185) .

The review process for an organization to be officially recognized by TCC is as follows:

1) Student Club applicants completes a New Student Club Registration Form. The application must include:

• At least three (3) executive board members, one of which will be responsible for the fiscal matters and financial operations of the student club;
• At least, one (1) faculty or staff advisor;
• At least seven (7) student club members (not including the executive officers) – student must provide TCC student ID#, TCC e-mail and signature (a total of 10 student club members including executive officers);
• Mission statement/purpose;
• Measurable goals for academic year;
• A constitution, if the club (chapter) is affiliated with a professional organization (i.e., Phi Theta Kappa, NAACP, etc). Usually this involves an organization required to collect membership dues and submit to national headquarter.

2) The registration form must be submitted to the Student Activities Office (SU 185), and date stamped.

3) The Student Activities Coordinator (SAC) will:

• Review the form/application for completion;
• Verify the students on the application are currently enrolled TCC students; and
• Ensure the mission and goals do not duplicate the mission and goals of another organization.

4) If in compliance, the SAC will sign-off and mark "approved" on the form.

5) The SAC forwards the form to the Student Organizations Council Chair. The SOC Chair will notify the club of the approval via e-mail, and place the club on the SOC agenda for ratification by the student members of the council. The student club president will be required to attend the next SOC meeting.

6) At the next SOC meeting, the new student club president provides a presentation and introduction about the club to the members of the Student Organizations Council.

7) The SOC council may ask questions, and then, officially ratifies the new student club as a student club, and member of the Student Organizations Council. (NOTE: The Student Organizations Council is the governing body for all student clubs, and is comprised of the student club president for each registered student club).

8) At that time, the student club president is formally invited to take a seat at the SOC table as an official voting member of the SOC.

9) Prior to requesting or spending any funds, the student organization president and financial officer will be required to attend a Financial Management Workshop which is offered at the start of each semester.

To maintain registration status, all student clubs must complete the Student Organization Membership Roster Form (msword 225.00 kB) , and submit the form the Student Activities Office no later than November 1, 2009 for Fall Term, and no later than April 1, 2009 for Spring Term.

Membership

 Membership in all student organizations is open to all registered students without regard to race, color, religious beliefs, national origin, gender, marital status, sexual orientation or disability.Active membership is limited to students currently enrolled at the college. Honorary membership can be given to alumni if this is addressed in the constitution.

Hazing

Hazing of any form is prohibited. "Hazing" means any action or situation which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation or admission into or affiliation with any organization operating under the sanction of a community college.

Organization Records & Budget Requests

The organization shall record minutes and/or a written summary of the business conducted at their meetings. This documentation should be shared with members at the next regularly scheduled meeting and should be on file in the Student Activities Office. All financial transactions must be supported by written documentation such as minutes or summaries of appropriate meetings which substantiates the intent and plans of the student membership.

To spend student club funds, the student club president or financial officer must submit Requisition Form, prior to the purchase of any item, good or service. All new student clubs are automatically awarded $250 as start-up funds for the clubs. The club president and financial officer must attend a workshop before any of the funds can be spent from the clubs account.

If you do not have any funds, the student club must complete a Budget Request Form and submit it to the SOC Chair, via e-mail (socchair@tcc.fl.edu) by the appropriate deadline; please review the Budgetary Rules Manual (msword 425.00 kB) for the appropriate use of funds.

Constitutions

 Although constitutions are not required to register a student organization, unless you are a charter or affiliated with a national organization/headquarter. However, student clubs are highly encouraged to develop a constitution to ensure consistent, fair and ethical business practices within the organization as well as provide for established procedural systems.

However,  if the student organization is an affiliate or becoming a charter of a national/international association or organization, a constitution should be submitted to the Student Activities Office with the registration form . The constitution will be kept in the organization's permanent file. The Student Activities Coordinator will review all constitutions to ensure compliance with all applicable Florida laws, college policies and Student Activities regulations. The constitution will remain in effect until it is amended by the organization and will become null and void if an organization disbands.

Please contact the Student Activities Coordinator if you require assistance in developing a constitution for your club.

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