Forming a New
Organization
Step 1
Submit an initial proposal to the Director of Organization
Development addressing the following six issues:
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Group name
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Contact information for primary student leader
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Purpose of the group
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Statement indicating how this group would be unique
and/or different from other, similar groups and programs;
and demonstrating what needs this new group would meet
that are not currently being met by student organizations
or university programs
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General membership description and/or criteria for
membership
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Signed advisor form
Click here to download Proposal form.
Click here to download Advisor form.
While the director determines status, students do not have
Developmental, Provisional or Officially Recognized
Organizational rights. (See definitions below.)
Step 2
Organizations then have two weeks to meet with the
professional faculty/staff chair and SGA organization council
representative of the cluster to which the proposed
organization is similar (academic, government, Greek, honors,
media, performance, programming, religious, service, sports
clubs). After this meeting, the chair and
representative will send a statement to the Director of
Organization Development. The Director and the Vice
President of Student Life will make the decision whether to
grant development status to the group.
Click here to download Recommendation form.
Step 3
Once the first two steps have been satisfactorily met, the
organization will be granted development status. The
Director of Organization Development appoints, via
e-mail, two members of the Student Life Committee to oversee
bylaws creation and group development. New groups should
consult with the committee members, create new bylaws and
begin building membership.
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New organizations have three weeks from the time they
are granted development status to submit a draft of
bylaws to the two members of the Student Life
Committee.
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With their bylaws, organizations must also submit a
roster of member signatures. These must be students
who are committed to being part of the organization and
not just students who support the idea of the
organization forming. The minimum number of
students required to start an organization is 20.
Exceptions to these numbers may be granted in extreme
cases at the discretion of the Student Life Committee.
* Due to the nature of National Honorary induction
requirements, there is no set minimum an organization must
meet. Student organizations that wish to be recognized
as an Inter/national Sorority or Fraternity must consult with
the Greek Life office for specific requirements and
guidelines for expansion of the Panhellenic, Interfraternity
or National Pan-Hellenic councils.
Step 4
Student Life Committee Responsibilities and Actions
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Once the committee members assigned to the group
determine that the bylaws are successfully complete and
the group is ready to be evaluated by the full committee,
those members inform the Chair of the Student Life
Committee.
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The chair will circulate the bylaws via e-mail, solicit
corrections or questions, and then call for an e-mail
vote. Any bylaws that do not pass will be addressed in
the next meeting.
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If the vote is in favor of recognition, the committee
will make a recommendation to the Vice President of
Student Life, who will make final approval; if the Vice
President agrees with the committee's recommendation,
the university will grant Provisional Recognition to the
group for a three-month trial of operations.
Step 5
Student group meets with Student Life Committee for
three-month update.
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After three months, the student group is invited to
attend a meeting of the Student Life Committee to answer
questions about development and programs of the group.
After this meeting, the committee will vote whether or
not to recognize the group officially.
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If approved and officially recognized, the student group
has full Officially Recognized Organizational
Rights.
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Groups are required to maintain the minimum number of 20
members as stated above or their status may be left at
provisional for one semester. If at the end of that
provisional period, the group still has not maintained
the minimum number of members, the group’s status
may revert back to development.
Step 6
Student group commences business.
* If an organization fails to complete these steps within
the timeframe outlined above, developmental and/or
provisional status will be forfeited.
Definitions
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Note:
If the group is denied Development Status, Provisional
Recognition, or Official Recognition, or if the group is
inactive, the Dean of Student Life will provide a written
explanation of the decision. Denied or inactive groups
may resubmit materials after consultation with either the
V.P. of Student Life and/or the Director of Leadership.
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Inactive or Rogue:
No group that is inactive or has not petitioned the
Student Life Committee for official recognition will be
allowed to reserve rooms, vans, or equipment; use
"Elon" in the group's name; petition for
money from the Student Government Association; or in any
way be covered by or affiliated with official university
programs.
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Developmental Recognition:
The organization may reserve rooms for the purpose of
holding interest meetings and advertise via flyers,
posters, table tents, E-Net, WSOE, etc., that interest
meetings will be held to gain membership and assess
viability of the organization. The group may not use the
Elon name in official business travel off campus as a
group, conduct tryouts or otherwise commence activities
as an organization.
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Provisional Recognition and Official
Recognition:
the organization may function as a group (attend
competitions, hold performances, etc.); reserve rooms,
vans, and other necessary equipment; access the
university's liability insurance; use
"Elon" in conjunction with the name of the
group; participate in organizational fairs; be listed on
official Elon documents as a group; and request funding
from the Student Government Association.
