STUDENT ORGANIZATION HANDBOOK CENTER FOR STUDENT ENGAGEMENT THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SPRING 2017 1 Student Organization Handbook Spring 2017 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 5 II. The CSE: Your Student Organization’s Home ............................................................................... 6 A. CSE Mission ...................................................................................................................................... 6 B. Student Organizations and the CSE ................................................................................................. 6 C. CSE Staff to Know............................................................................................................................. 6 III. Defining Student Organizations at GW ....................................................................................... 7 A. What is a Student Organization? ..................................................................................................... 7 B. Benefits of Being a Registered Student Organization ..................................................................... 7 C. Types of Student Organizations ....................................................................................................... 7 D. Categories of Student Organizations .............................................................................................. 8 IV. Membership ........................................................................................................................... 10 A. General Membership Criteria ........................................................................................................ 10 B. Types of Organization Membership .............................................................................................. 10 C. Organizational Officers .................................................................................................................. 10 V. Student Organization Advisors ................................................................................................. 11 A. Role of Your Staff Advisor .............................................................................................................. 11 B. Faculty Advisors ............................................................................................................................. 11 C. The Difference between Staff Advisors and Faculty Advisors ....................................................... 12 VI. Forming a New Student Organization ...................................................................................... 13 A. The Process .................................................................................................................................... 13 B. Starting a New Greek Organization on Campus ............................................................................ 15 C. Starting a New Club Sport on Campus........................................................................................... 15 VII. Student Organization Registration Process ............................................................................. 16 VIII. Creating an Email Address, Listserv and Website for your Organization ................................. 18 A. Creating an Email Address ............................................................................................................. 18 B. Getting your own Listserv .............................................................................................................. 18 C. Website Development ................................................................................................................... 18 IX. Securing Student Organization Office Space ............................................................................. 19 X. Policies Affecting All GW Student Organizations ....................................................................... 20 A. Student Organization Responsibility Policy ................................................................................... 20 B. Hazing Policy .................................................................................................................................. 20 C. Failing to Abide by Policies or Code of Student Conduct .............................................................. 21 D. Student Organization Legal Protection ......................................................................................... 21 XI. Umbrella Organizations ........................................................................................................... 23 A. Informal/Undergraduate Umbrella Organizations ........................................................................ 23 B. Graduate Umbrella Organizations ................................................................................................. 23 2 Student Organization Handbook Spring 2017 XII. Student Organization Finances ............................................................................................... 24 A. Types of Student Organization Accounts and their Policies ......................................................... 24 B. Funding Opportunities ................................................................................................................... 26 C. Making Purchases/Methods of Payment ...................................................................................... 27 D. Reimbursements ........................................................................................................................... 28 E. Collecting Payments ....................................................................................................................... 29 XIII. Contracts .............................................................................................................................. 31 A. Steps to the Contract Process with Only a GW Contract .............................................................. 31 B. Steps to the Contract Process with a Vendor-Created Contract ................................................... 31 XIV. Programming & Event Planning ............................................................................................. 33 A. Event Planning at GW: Steps to Planning an Event ....................................................................... 33 B. Venues and Available Spaces on Campus ..................................................................................... 34 C. Booking your space ........................................................................................................................ 36 D. Cancellation of Space .................................................................................................................... 36 E. Hosting an Event with Food ........................................................................................................... 37 F. Hosting an Event with Alcohol ....................................................................................................... 37 G. Hosting an Event with Entertainment ........................................................................................... 37 H. Hosting an Event with Outside Sponsorship ................................................................................. 38 I. Selling Tickets to or Charging Admission for an Event ................................................................... 38 J. Hosting an Event with a Raffle ....................................................................................................... 38 K. Hosting an Event with Amplified Sound ........................................................................................ 39 XV. Marketing and Advertising for your Student Organization ...................................................... 40 A. General Marketing and Advertising Tips ....................................................................................... 40 B. Campus Press ................................................................................................................................. 41 C. Other On-Campus Marketing Tools ............................................................................................... 41 D. Poster and Palm Card Design ........................................................................................................ 42 E. Posting and Palm Card Handout Guidelines .................................................................................. 42 XVI. Designing & Purchasing Imprinted Materials for your Organization ....................................... 47 A. Design ............................................................................................................................................ 47 B. Ordering your Imprinted Items ..................................................................................................... 47 XVII. Traveling as an Organization ................................................................................................. 48 A. Domestic Travel ............................................................................................................................. 48 B. International Travel ....................................................................................................................... 49 XVIII. Managing your