Registered Student Organization Handbook

Registered Student Organization Handbook 1 Table of Contents Section 1 Introduction and Welcome Section 2 What it means to be a Registered Student Organization Section 3 Organizational Practices, Recruitment, Meetings, and Conflict Section 4 Finances Section 5 Event Planning and Programming Guide Section 6 Policies Section 7 Closing Appendix 1 Campus Resources 2 Section 1: Introduction and Welcome Greetings, As members of the UMass Student Involvement and Activities (SA&I) team, we would like to welcome you to the 2016-2017 academic year. Your involvement in student organizations can play a positive role in your college experience and influence the greater UMass community. Our role is to help you and your organization(s) maximize your potential by building character, engaging in collaboration, and promoting campus-wide and global citizenship. The 2016-2017 Student Organization Handbook is the first step in fulfilling this role. This handbook will provide you and your organization with tools and resources to navigate your way through the complex and ever-changing nature of the University of Massachusetts. The student organizations of today will be able to shape the culture, reputation, and history of the UMass of tomorrow. From cultural showcases to national competitions to local and global service projects, student organizations present an opportunity for students to express passion, reflect on experiences, and understand diverse voices and perspectives. During your time at the University of Massachusetts we hope that you take the opportunity to explore multiple organizations to expand your knowledge and experiences. Along with this handbook, we have created a student organization resource series that includes workshops, videos, and handouts regarding areas of policy knowledge, financial management, organizational management, and community building. Be sure to check out Campus Pulse to see our upcoming events and access our online resource. We hope that this handbook serves as a valuable tool for your organization’s success and we look forward to working with you and your organization. Your experiences as a student leader at UMass will be challenging and rewarding, and we are excited to see what you accomplish. Go UMass! ~ UMass Student Activities & Involvement Team 416 Student Union Building 413-545-3600 3 About Us University of Massachusetts Student Activities & Involvement UMass Student Activities & Involvement (SA&I) strives to offer the UMass community with support for event planning and campus programming needs. Our multiple unique teams provide a wide array of services available to UMass community members. SA&I is made up of Student Activities, Fraternities and Sororities, and the Student Organization Resource Center (The SORC). Mission & Goals Student Activities and Involvement strives to be an office that is student-centric and recognizes learning takes place both in and out of the classroom, and that creates opportunities for students to expand their knowledge and skills in new settings. An office that is exemplary of the best practices in stewardship and fosters innovation. An office that provides integrated support services that embrace and further the strategic goals and initiatives of the Division of Student Affairs and Campus Life An office that is resourceful and channels efficiencies into furthering the co-curricular student experience and the goals of the department. An office that seeks to increase the overall campus presence of student leadership and community service. Offices Within Student Activities & Involvement Student Activities Student Activities & Involvement helps keep most of UMass Amherst’s student life running smoothly: student organizations, the Student Government Association, student businesses, fraternities and sororities, student success centers and multicultural resources. Although most of the organizations within Student Activities are fueled by student members, the Student Activities staff provides essential assistance and oversight, helping students successfully run their organizations. They also help the groups work together and find common ground in their programming and events. Student Activities’ resources include help with managing organizations, financial record keeping, purchasing and payroll, budgeting, fundraising and grant seeking. Each RSO is assigned a Student Activities Advisor and Account Specialist. These are the people that you will work with when planning events, traveling, and applying for funds. Your Student Activities Advisor is a resource that you and your RSO should stay in contact with on a regular basis. Office of Fraternities and Sororities Collectively, fraternities and sororities constitute one of the largest student groups on campus, and membership makes up about 5.5% of the undergraduate population. Fraternities and sororities are about scholarship, community service, philanthropy, brotherhood, sisterhood, leadership, and lifelong friendships. It's about bettering the UMass Amherst community and the Town of Amherst through service and social functions. It's about traditions, learning valuable lessons, and establishing life-long friendships. It's about shaping the identity of one of the nation's most prestigious campuses with a continuing fraternity presence since 1869. 4 Student Organization Resource Center – The SORC The Student Organization Resource Center or SORC is the first stop for RSO questions and support. The SORC is staffed by students trained in skills to support RSOs and their members. Many of the student staff members are members and leaders of RSOs themselves and they have firsthand knowledge of what is needed to function as an RSO here at UMass. The SORC is where your RSO mailbox is located as well as computers and printers, SA&I documents and forms and where you can make appointments to meet with SA&I staff. Student Government Association (SGA) The SGA is a group of undergraduate students elected by the UMass student body. The main duties of the SGA in regards to RSOs are: Advocate for the needs of students and student groups Oversee the Student Activities Trust Fund Run the annual budget process, through which money is allocated to RSO for the upcoming year Review and approve new RSOs Organize and allocate office space within the Student Union Building Provide emergency funding to RSOs throughout the year Secretary of Registry: The Secretary of the Registry interacts with many student groups to help prepare them to become and operate as Registered Student Organizations (RSOs). The Secretary is the person who helps acclimate students to our RSO processes and affirms the success of our newest organizations. The Secretary of Registry’s job is to represent RSOs to administration, defend them from unfair policy changes, and represent their best interests, with consultation from many differing groups. The Secretary of the Registry also oversees student office spaces in the Student Union/Campus Center complex and provides access to three different conference rooms. RSO promotion and the New RSO Process are some of the largest projects undertaken for the year. Email: [email protected] Section 2: What it Means to be an RSO There are a few types of student organizations. This handbook primarily focuses on undergraduate organizations recognized by the Student Government Association as RSOs. The end of this section will cover basic information regarding other types of student organizations. Before getting started it is important to understand the context in which you will operate as an RSO. The RSO designation is awarded by the Student Government Association (SGA) and gives groups certain rights and responsibilities. It provides groups with official recognition as part of the University, but also makes them subject to all policies and procedures that govern the operation of a large, complex institution. Authority and responsibility for these operations begins with the Board of Trustees and is delegated downward through the University hierarchy. For student activities, the Trustees authorized the creation of the Student Activities Trust Fund (SATF) to provide an accounting framework for all activities. The mandatory Student Activities Fee that is required of all undergraduate students is put into the SATF and distributed by the SGA to provide funding for student organizations and programs. 5 As an officer and a member of an RSO it is important that you are aware of all levels of accountability and that you remember that you and your RSO represent the University and the student body at all times Definition of an RSO As defined by the SGA, all Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) shall be associations composed primarily of undergraduate students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, which are democratically directed by their members, independent, and registered by the Student Government Association. Each RSO shall enhance the social, cultural, educational, and/or recreational experience of undergraduate students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. A two-thirds majority of the members of an RSO must be undergraduate students enrolled at UMass Amherst. No less than ten UMass undergraduate student members must be active members of the RSO at all times. For the purpose of this definition, “membership” shall refer to active members with full voting and participation rights. Membership must be voluntary and actively entered into by each member, and may not be automatically established. This definition does not preclude an

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