ASBSU

Student Organizations & Clubs Manual

2009-1010
 Table of Contents

I.Table of Contents.............................................................................................................2

•ASBSU Student Organizations and Clubs Manual..........................................2

II.The ASBSU and Student Groups

•Mission Statement............................................................................................3

•Incorporation....................................................................................................3

•Relationship to ASBSU....................................................................................3

•Funding............................................................................................................4

•Activities..........................................................................................................4

1.Conduct Policy for On-Campus Activities..................................4

2.Conduct Policy for Off-Campus Activities..................................5

3.Advertisement..............................................................................5

•Fundraising.......................................................................................................6

•Solicitation.......................................................................................................6

•Allocation of Funds..........................................................................................7

III.Student Club and Organization Establishment.........................................................9

•Club Report....................................................................................................10

•Sample Constitution.......................................................................................11

•Club Charter...................................................................................................12

•Sample Adviser-Club Agreement...................................................................13

The ASBSU Student Organizations and Clubs Manual will serve as the resource for policies and
guidelines of student groups. The manual is a resource for initial inquiries that student groups

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may have, prior to seeking information from the ASBSU Executive Vice President who serves as
the liaison between student groups and the ASBSU.

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 The ASBSU and Student Groups
Mission Statement:
The Associated Student Body of Simpson University encourages student organizations and clubs
as an outlet for members of the student body to pursue their passions, hobbies, academic fields,
and other fields of interest. Student groups may be spiritual, physical, artistic, intellectual,
and/or emotionally oriented in nature. This arena of student life is meant to foster community,
fellowship among members of student groups, develop leadership skills, as well as gain a greater
grasp of the area to which the club is designated.

Definition and Purpose

Students may form any social, religious, athletic, or educational club or organization with the
approval of the ASBSU and Student Development. Student clubs and organizations should serve
as a means of unity and therefore should be open to all undergraduate students in the traditional
program. Clubs are not to discriminate based on race or social class.

Each student club’s and organization’s purpose should be consistent with that of the ASBSU and
the Simpson University Student Handbook. Student clubs and organizations should be
committed to a clear, useful, and continuing purpose before submitting a club constitution, an
advisor-club agreement, and a charter to the ASBSU Senate.

Incorporation
All student clubs/organizations must submit a club constitution, an advisor-club agreement, and
charter to the ASBSU Senate, which shall include the membership criteria, officers, structure,
purpose, activities, and a faculty/staff advisor. These items are to be approved by the ASBSU
Senate and the ASBSU Advisor in order to be officially incorporated with the ASBSU.

All student clubs/organizations must meet the minimum membership requirement of five
students who are members of the ASBSU; each member must attend at least fifty percent of club
meetings, functions, and events and meet the other membership requirements as listed in the
constitution of the student club/organization. Clubs/organization must meet at least once per
month to retain incorporation.

Relationship to ASBSU
The ASBSU wishes to see the success of any incorporated student group and to see this vision of
success become a reality the ASBSU wishes to see strong relationships foster between student
government and student organizations.

The ASBSU Executive Vice-President shall serve as the liaison between student clubs and
organizations and the ASBSU. All questions, comments, and needs will be directed towards the
ASBSU Executive Vice-President; this guarantees a representative and contact for clubs and
organizations within the Executive Branch, with the express purpose of seeking to protect the
interest of student groups on campus.

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Funding
Student groups may request funds from the ASBSU Senate for events, functions, and
programming. All student clubs/organizations must keep an accurate accounting of their
financial status with the ASBSU Senate and the ASBSU Vice-President of Finance. For further
information regarding funding please see the “Allocation of Funds” section on page 7.

Activities
Activities must align with the purpose of the club and the guidelines established in the
organization’s constitution. All activities are subject to the approval of the ASBSU Senate.
Funding for events is available through the allocation process of the ASBSU Senate; funds are by
no means guaranteed and are allocated on an event-by-event basis. After every event, a Club
Report must be submitted to the Student Government Office within five business days following
the event. The Club Report can be found on page 10.

Policies for Activities:

1. Conduct policy for On-Campus Activities
i. As student groups of Simpson University, all on-campus activities must meet
the standards and guidelines outlined by the Student Handbook. The handbook
is provided to give students guidelines for appropriate behavior regarding
student programming.
ii.There must be a faculty or staff member aware and in approval of the event.
They may or may not be involved with the event, but they must at least be
observant as to what is occurring. Please keep that in mind that faculty and staff
seek to support the entire student body and wish to see the success of student
programming.
iii.Any actions of the club at large, members of the club, or participants of the
activity that do not reflect the standards of the university may result in the loss
of incorporation of the club.
iv.All room reservations for on-campus activities must be taken care of through
Conference Services, located in the Auxiliary Services Office on the third floor
of the Owen Student Services Center. Student representatives may check on the
availability of the room, but the staff advisor of the student group is required to
contact Conference Services with the official request. This official room request
can be submitted by email to conferenceservices1@simpsonuniversity.edu and
must state the specified room, the date of the event, the time frame of the event
(from time needed to set up to the completion of tear down), the group name,
and the contact information of the student leader in charge of the event. Room
reservations are on a first come, first served basis, with priority going to
Simpson University departments, official programming, and clients of
Conference Services. Conference Services requires that the event be scheduled
at least 2-weeks in advance.

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2. Conduct policy for Off-Campus Activities
i. As a representative of Simpson University, club/organization events that take
place off-campus will meet the standards and guidelines outlined in the student
handbook. The handbook is provided to give students guidelines for appropriate
behavior regarding student programming.
ii.There must be a faculty or staff member aware and in approval of the event.
They may or may not be involved with the event, but they will at least be
observant as to what is occurring. Please keep that in mind that faculty and
staff seek to support the entire student body and wish to see the success of
student programming.
iii.As representatives of the Simpson University community, actions in the
presence of the public must reflect the standards and principles upon which the
university was founded. We are very careful to maintain a positive relationship
with the community as all policies in the student handbook seek to maintain
that relationship.
iv.Any actions of the club at large, members of the club, or participants of the
activity that do not reflect the standards of the university may result in the loss
of incorporation of the club.

3. Film Policy
i. Any student group that wishes to view a film must seek approval from the
Director of Student Programs. It is federal copyright infringement to show
films in a public location, which includes lobbies, classrooms, and lounges,
without written permission from the distribution company or paying a licensing
fee to the production company. Simpson University may choose to contract
with production licensing companies for the right to publicly show films.
Violation of this policy and the federal statutes will lead to disciplinary action,
including the loss of funds, and potential loss of incorporation with the ASBSU.
Details of this contract are available with the Director of Student Programs.

4. Advertisement
i. Posters/Flyers
a. Please create an appropriate flyer or poster including the following
information
• Name of Club
• Name of Event
• Description of event
• Date and Time of Event
• Location of Event
• Contact information
b. An appropriate representative from Student Development must approve
the posters or flyers.
c. All posters and flyers must be posted on either an appropriate bulletin
board, a tack strip (the cork strips located around campus), or other
specified locations for signs. Postings placed in inappropriate
locations, walls, bathrooms, windows, etc., will be removed and the

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 student group may face disciplinary action, including loss of funds, for
repeat offenses. Permission may be asked of the appropriate
department to hang signs in further locations.
ii.PowerPoint Slides in Chapel
a. The slide must receive approval and be submitted to the Director of
Student Programs, which gives final approval for slides to be shown in
chapel.
b. Chapel announcements made at the beginning of chapel can be
requested through the office of Spiritual Formation and requires 72
hours advanced notice

Fundraising

All fundraising events involving students must go through an approval process. Forms for this
may be obtained from the ASBSU Office or the sponsoring area’s office. Completed forms
should be submitted to the area vice president, who will then take the form to the Foundation
Office for final review. Plans for the event should not be made until the approval process is
complete. All fundraisers must be held by a recognized student group and have a staff member’s
sponsorship. As with any event that uses campus facilities, be aware that any set up and/or clean
up costs or property damages will result in charges. The university will not approve any event
involving raffles or any form of gambling.

Solicitation

No collections or campaigns for funds are to be made among students for any purpose except by
permission of the ASBSU, Student Development, and the President’s Cabinet. Students and
outsiders will not be permitted to sell any merchandise, solicit subscriptions, or engage in any
kind of commercial activity on the university campus. Students who wish to provide a service to
other students may post an advertisement on residence hall bulletin boards designated for such
announcements, with the approval of a Resident Director.

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Allocation of Funds

Any allocation of funds must meet the standards outlined by the ASBSU Senate, including the
purpose for the request for funds, a description of the use of funds, the required cost for the use
of funds, and any pertinent details that the ASBSU Senate may need in order to make an
informed decision in allocating funds. The following is the procedure for the allocation of funds
by the ASBSU Senate for activities, events, and functions of incorporated student groups of the
ASBSU:

Procedure
1. The typewritten proposal must be submitted to the Executive Officers of the
ASBSU by the end of business the five business days prior to the Senate meeting at
which the proposal is to be heard.
i. The Executive Committee has the authority to add any time sensitive proposals
to the agenda if a simple majority of the committee deems fit.
2. The Executive Committee must review the proposal in order for it to be brought as
a motion to Senate. The standards of a proposal are listed below.
i. Any proposal that does not meet the initial standards of review, as outlined
below, from the Executive Committee may be revised to the point that it meets
the listed standards.
a. The proposal shall be typewritten.
b. The proposal shall list the name of the student organization, club, or
representative supporting the proposal.
c. The proposal shall state how the requested funds will serve the ASBSU,
whether meeting the purpose of the ASBSU outlined in the Constitution
of the ASBSU or the standards of student clubs and organizations as
listed in Article VII, Section 1 of the Bylaws of the ASBSU.
d. The proposal shall describe the purpose for the requested funds,
whether it is an event, a purchase of materials, a capital improvement,
etc.
e. The proposal shall give a detailed account as to the line items to which
purchases shall be made.
f. Any further information and details needed for the ASBSU Senate to
make an informed decision on the allocation of funds must be
contained in the proposal.
g. All submitted proposals must have the signature of the adviser as the
official form of adviser approval for the event.
ii.The necessary changes and approval of changes must take place 24 hours in
advance of the meeting so that it may be posted on the agenda, as required by
Bylaws Article I, Section 8, E.
3. The motion for the proposal will be posted on the agenda and a representative of
the student group will attend the meeting. When called upon, the representative
will motion that the proposal be brought to discussion under Robert’s Rules of
Order, as outlined in the Bylaws of the ASBSU Article II, Section 1, A.

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4. Upon the completion of discussion or at the end of the time limit established by the
chair, the motion will be called to question. A simple majority of the voting
members in attendance is required for the motion to pass.
5. If the motion is passed the student representative must wait until the meeting has
adjourned to speak with the Vice President of Finance regarding the allocation of
funds. If the proposal for funds is denied, the student representative no longer
needs to meet with the Vice President of Finance following the meeting.
i. Proposals that are denied by a vote in Senate shall not be brought a second
time, unless granted approval by the Executive Committee; the nature and
original objections of the ASBSU Senate must have been addressed and
corrected.
6. All funds that are allocated to student organizations and clubs must be tracked and
reported to the Vice President of Finance.
i. Student organizations and clubs that do not report expenditures properly or
misuse funds face suspension and loss of incorporation with the ASBSU.
ii.Funds must be spent on the line items to which Senate allocated the funds.
iii.All funds that are not spent will be returned to the ASBSU. Clubs will not
maintain a balance of funds.
iv.Any funds allocated must be spent or earmarked to a specific business, person,
or contract meeting the requirement of planned expenditures at least two weeks
after the date of allocation. Failure to do so will result with result in a loss of
remaining allocated funds.
a. An exception to this clause may be granted at the discretion of the Vice
President of Finance or if the event is specifically stated to take place
well in advance in order to meet planning requirements.
v. All receipts and accounts of expenditures shall be submitted to the Vice
President of Finance no later than two weeks after the expenditures took place.
7. At the Senate meeting following the activity, a report is to be given by a voting
member of Senate on behalf of the student group or a representative of the group
who attends the meeting.
i. No further funds will be allocated to a student group until Senate has received a
report of the group’s previous activities.

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 Student Club and Organization Establishment
In order for the proper registration and establishment of clubs to occur, there are the following
requirements to be incorporated with the ASBSU, receive funds, and to be officially recognized
by the ASBSU:

• ESTABLISHMENT OF A CLUB CONSTITUTION

• COMPLETION OF A CLUB CHARTER
• COMPLETION OF AN ADVISER-CLUB AGREEMENT

These steps will provide us with further evidence that each club and organization has taken the
proper steps to function effectively during the school year, as well as eliminate several problems
that have plagued clubs in the past. The Club Constitution will provide long term structure for
the club, the charter will give both the club and the ASBSU a direction for the year, and the
adviser-club agreement will set the expectations that the adviser will have with the club. On the
following pages are an outline for a club constitution and a job description to be provided to the
adviser. It is the club’s responsibility to create a constitution and adviser-club agreement for
their own club. What are provided below are examples. Also, a Club Report Sheet is below that
needs to be completed after every club event.

Clubs can go about developing a constitution for their club in the way they feel fitting, whether
the entire club collaborates to write the document or the elected officers develop a constitution
that is then approved by the rest of the club. For clubs that were incorporated with the ASBSU in
prior years, the Constitution for your club is available in the Student Government Office or may
be obtained from previous club officers. Once again, the overall process is to strengthen the
credibility of each club and give the ASBSU a better understanding of the clubs we serve. Once
all documents have been completed, they may be turned in to the Student Government office
located on the 1st floor of the Owen’s Center.

Student Government asks that these steps be completed by the first senate meeting of the
semester. It is important to note that no funds will be allocated until all documents are
completed. If there are any questions, please email Student Government at
senate@simpsonuniversity.edu.

Thank you for your diligence and service to the students of Simpson University.

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 ASBSU Club Report

Name of Club:

Name of Event:

Total Cost of Event:

Event Attendance #:

How did this event meet or not meet your desired expectations?

In what ways did attendees benefit spiritually, physically, artistically, intellectually or

emotionally?

Please completely fill out this form and return it to the Student Government Office no later than five business days following the event.

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 Constitution of the ________________ Club
Simpson University

Article I. Name
Section I: The name of this organization shall be__________________________

Article II: Purpose

Section I: The purpose of the ____________ Club is to ____________________
_________________________________________________________________

Article III: Officers

Section I: Officers serving as the Executive Board shall be the President, Vice President,
Secretary, and Treasurer.
Section II: The term of office for Executive Board member shall be one year or until
their successors are elected.
Section III: Executive Board members must be in good standing with the institution.
Section IV: The club shall have one representative to serve as a voting member of senate.
Section V: The Adviser shall be a member of the institution’s faculty or staff. The
adviser has no vote in the organization, and will meet the requirements established in the
adviser-club agreement of the __________ Club.

Article IV: Membership

Section I: Membership is open to any student. [The sections for this article will vary
according to the particular needs of the organization]

Article V: Election of Officers

Section I: Election of officers will occur at the last meeting of the spring term.
Section II: Each member in attendance at the last meeting of the spring term shall be
accorded one vote per office.
Section III: All elections will be held by secret ballot.
Section IV: A simple majority vote will constitute an officer election.

Article VI: Meetings

Section I: All meetings will be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at a
time and place to be determined by the organization.
Section II: All members must attend a majority of the meetings held during the year to be
eligible to vote at officer elections or be considered for an elected position.

Article VII: Amendments

Section I: Amendments to this constitution shall be adopted by a two-thirds vote of the
members present at a regular meeting following the meeting at which the proposed
amendment was distributed.

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 Simpson University: Club Charter
1. Club Name:

2. Mission Statement (purpose):

3. Goals for the year:

4. Structure (who can join?; When will meetings be held?; Any dues needed for
membership):

5. Activities already planned, or in mind?

6. Officers (please include all contact information, i.e. email, phone, CPO Box #):

7. Faculty or Staff Advisor/Sponsor and contact information:

8. Any other helpful/important information:

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 Adviser-Club Agreement
This document is an agreement established between the adviser and student organization in order
to clearly define the responsibilities of the adviser of the _____________ Club. Listed below are
all of the responsibilities asked of the adviser, (Adviser’s Name, Position at Simpson University),
and it is understood that all of these responsibilities are given to the adviser with their
knowledge, and with the understanding that the organization is the responsibility of the student
leadership of that specific group, not that of the adviser. Both parties are aware that the adviser
serves to guide and help the organization where both sides deem fit and that the adviser is not the
leader or head of the student organization.

The Adviser shall fulfill the following responsibilities which pertain to the
________________ Club:

• Attend all group meetings and functions, assuming these do not conflict with previous
obligations to the institution.
• Facilitate election of officials.
• Mediate any disputes among elected officials.
• Give advice regarding direction of club.
• Be the liaison between the club and staff and faculty.
• Respect the authority and responsibilities of the members of the student organization.

[These responsibilities will vary depending on the student organization, length of existence of the
club in terms of established responsibilities, and the agreement on both sides of what the
adviser’s role in the club shall be]

I hereby state that I understand the responsibilities given to me as the adviser of this student
organization, and will do all that is in my power to meet these responsibilities and serve the
students to my fullest abilities in this role.

____________________________________
Adviser’s Signature Date

I understand that the added responsibility the adviser is taking on is done to better my Simpson
experience and the members of our club, and is in no way an obligation of this staff/faculty
member. I will respect their contribution to our group and hold the adviser accountable to the
responsibilities we have asked of them, while fully understanding they are going above and
beyond in their service to the student body.

____________________________________
Club President’s Signature Date

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