Club Requirements

To operate as an official club at Rice University, an organization must meet the following requirements:

Registration for established clubs takes place every fall after the start of classes and no later than October 1. Clubs must register every year, so the Clubs Office has current contact information, and the club remains eligible for all privileges. If you are uncertain of your club's status, check the Student Activities web page or email the Assistant Director of Student Activities.

To register your club, complete the following steps:
1. Fill out the registration form at Registering your club. If you do not have officers per se, simply provide the names and information for the club's main student contacts.)
2. Fill out the Club Approvals Brief at http:www.ruf.rice.edu/start.html if you are starting a new club.
3. Fill out and print a copy of the University and Student Association Information and Regulations Governing Clubs (see link above). Read, sign, and return the agreement to the Clubs Office (RMC Cloisters, MS-526).
4. Fill out and print a copy of the Faculty or Staff Sponsor Information and Agreement Form (see link above). Give this to your faculty/staff sponsor to sign and return to the Clubs Office (RMC Cloisters, MS-526).

Student organizations must be registered annually to have bank accounts through the Office of Student Activities and to be eligible to apply for funds from such resources as the President's Programming Fund and Student Activity Fund.

If your organization has a bank account through the Office of Student Activities:

5. Update your banking forms in the Office of Student Activities.
6. Have your treasurer attend one of the mandatory Treasurer Training Workshops (times/dates listed on the web page). If s/he cannot attend, then s/he must set up an appointment to meet with the Student Activities Department Coordinator.

If you have any questions regarding this process or the status of your club, contact the Assistant Director of Student Activities (x5115).

NOTE: If your club changes officers mid-year, notify the Clubs Office immediately regarding forms to be filled out.

New clubs may start up at any time during the year. Only currently registered Rice students can establish a club. The registration process begins by composing a constitution which must include the following:

A sample constitution is available online and in the Clubs Office. Any changes in the constitution must be submitted to the SA or GSA for approval.

NOTE: A Rice chapter of a national organization needs only to ensure the Rice portion of the constitution meets the above requirements.

Once you have completed the constitution, follow steps 1-3 of the Registration Process. Then submit the forms and two copies of the constitution to the Clubs Office for approval by the SA or GSA. You will be informed of the next meeting of the appropriate governing body (SA or GSA), and are expected to send a representative to that meeting in case there are any questions about the nature of the club.

When your club has been officially approved by the SA or GSA, you have the option of applying for a bank account. Applications are available in the Office of Student Activities. See the section on Financial Guidelines for further details.

Privileges of Registration

Note: Privileges are extended only to fully registered clubs. Clubs not registered by October 1 are not eligible for these privileges until registration is completed. Failure to use these privileges responsibly may result in revocation and possible dissolution of the club.

Responsibilities of Registered Clubs

FINANCES
In addition to registering annually, each club is responsible for its own finances. The officers are considered personally responsible for the payment of debts incurred during their term.

Clubs are also required to maintain a complete record of all income and expenses with supporting documentation. Treasurers are required to turn in an account summary to the Assistant Director of Student Activities by the last day of classes each semester. The treasurer may be asked to make a full account of the organization's finances to the Clubs Office at any time. Financial records may also be audited by the University at any time. If any financial difficulties arise during the school year, they should be brought to the immediate attention of the Assistant Director of Student Activities.

BANK ACCOUNTS
The Office of Student Activities has an arrangement with Chase Bank to handle accounts for Rice University registered clubs. Applications for bank accounts are available in the Office of Student Activities, and any changes on signature cards should be handled here.

MAIL
Club mailboxes are located in the Student Organizations' Resource Center, lower level of the RMC. Clubs should check their mailboxes at least once a week.
The mailing address for all clubs is:
Name of Club
Rice University
Clubs Office - MS 526
P.O. Box 1892
Houston, TX 77251-1892

OFFICER TRANSITION
The transition of leadership is one of the most important responsibilities. Passing on information to successive leaders insures that new officers are prepared to provide the club with effective leadership. Attending the Officer Transition Workshop in the spring is also key to a successful club transition.

A proper turn-over of leadership:

This transition does not take place for most clubs until the end of the academic year, but it is an important thing to keep in mind throughout the course of the year. Encourage a sophomore or junior to take on the role of treasurer so that important financial information is not lost when a senior graduates. Preparing an informative notebook for your successor as the year progresses is strongly recommended.

You should keep track of:

As an outgoing officer, it is also important to do the following at the end of the year:

NOTE: If this transition takes place mid-year, you must notify the Clubs Office immediately regarding the forms to be filled out.

Faculty/Staff Sponsor

Every club is required to have a faculty or staff sponsor who must be on campus during the time s/he serves in this capacity, (i.e. cannot be on sabbatical or leave of absence.) The sponsor must sign the Faculty or Staff Sponsor Information and Agreement Form when the club is started and when they register at the beginning of each year. See the Sponsor Manual.

When choosing a sponsor, consider what your club will require of that person and discuss the expectations and responsibilities of both parties with him or her. These responsibilities vary; however, faculty or staff sponsors can usually expect to carry the following responsibilities:

Working with Alumni

Alumni can serve as an excellent resource for your club. When considering working with alumni, please consult with the Office of Student Activities before any negotiations or relationship is established. Please keep in mind that alumni offer more than financial resources. They can also be great advisors and coaches, and provide a history of the club. When working with alumni, please make sure that expectations of both the club and the alumni are outlined before seeking any financial support. It is critical that the mission of the club as well as the vision of the club leadership be maintained and honored by both parties.

ESTABLISHING ALUMNI GIFT FUNDS

When alumni wish to create funds for your club, it is required that these funds be established through Rice University. The Office of Student Activities will assist in establishing and maintaining gift accounts. Club leadership should have a clear understanding with alumni about the purpose of the donated funds. Further, clubs shall not be involved in any outside accounts that have not been established by Rice University through the Office of Student Activiies. Please keep in mind that any unapproved financial accounts may jeopardize Rice student clubs' tax-exempt status. Should alumni in negotiation with a student club wish to pursue outside accounts, activities, etc. to benefit the club, please refer them to the Development Office.

Recruiting

Organizational recruitment must be limited to membership in the club and its related events (see Activities with Outside Groups). To attract new members to your group, you may want to utilize these recruiting tactics:

1. Access what your organization has to offer
• Does your organization offer fun, prestige, community service, or leadership opportunities?
• Knowing the answers to these questions can help define who you want to recruit and what you have to offer them
• Build what you have to offer into your recruitment technique.
• For your marketing plan, remember to differentiate your group from all of the others on campus.
• Know your group's purpose, history, goals, philanthropies, benefactors, etc.
• What are your future plans and how do these relate to the needs or desires of the group?
• Make sure your group is worth the time to join

2. Realize that students join motivated groups
• Motivated organizations know what they want; they have goals, a vision, and an action plan.
• When is the last time you evaluted your organization?
• Get organized and stay organized.
• Ask current members to evaluate the organization to better understand its strengths and where more attention needs to be directed in the following areas:
- Sense of purpose
- Internal communication
- Growth and development opportunities
- Team building and cohesive membership
- Member participation
- Recognition

3. Assess which students would be interested in your organization
• Build a profile of your membership.
• Are you targeting students from a particular major, class status, college, religion, or political affiliation?
• Consider the motivations and interests of prospective members in order to determine how the organiztion can meet those needs.
• Approach all new students, both transfers and freshmen. Most are eager to participate in campus activities and organizations.

4. Create a strategy to attract potential members
• Consider what advertising medium would interest your taget audience, such as posters, brochures, t-shirts, information tables, and personal appeals.
• Recruitment is not one person's job.
• Select current enthusiastic members to assist in recruitment. These members should portray a realistic picture of your group, believe in the merits of the organization, and communicate effectively with new members.
• Recruit throughout the year.
• A recruitment campaign should include specific techniques and tasks, a timeline, and an indication of who will be responsible for completing each task.
• Host a reception: invite potential new members to a party or reception to familiarize them with your organization's activities.
• Offer refreshments or a free meal.
• Create a slide show that outlines your organization's activities and highlights previous events.
• Display your organization's ephemera-scrapbooks, newsletters, flyers, etc.
• Invite interested faculty and staff.
• Invite former club officers and members.
• Have a current member act as host(ess) for guest arrival.
• Take the time to formally welcome guests, officers, and general members.
• Announce upcoming events and activities.

5. Publicize the benefits of joining the organization
• Be specific about the programs your organization sponsors.
• Share goals and mission of the organization.
• Ask current members why they joined, and share this information with prospective members.
• Encourage friends to join.

6. Publicizing methods
• World of mouth is EXTREMELY effective.
• Create a reward system for current members who bring friends to meetings.
• When appropriate, ask professors to announce meeting times during class.
• Send e-mails to all who might be interested in joining the organization.
• Distribute flyers, leaflets, or brochures about your club.
• Sponsor an information table.
• Have current members talk with interested potential members.
• Contact interested students immediately after they express interest in the organization.
• Utilize the organization's e-mail listserv.
• Encourage current members to invite a new person to meetings or activities.
• Prepare a display of club activities or photographs of previous events, etc.

TIPS FOR RECRUITING AND RETAINING
• Identify potential members: colleges, international students, clubs, etc.
• Decide how to reach your target group: flyer, activities fair, word of mouth, creative publicity.
• Tell them what you do, what you like about it and what they can get out of their involvement: fun, friends, experience, leadership skills.
• Follow up with them regarding meeting time and place: email, message, postcard, etc. If they miss one or two meetings follow up with them.
• Be consistent about meeting time.
• Have a special welcoming meeting or ceremony.
• Welcome new members in the meeting and make them part of the group with introductions, icebreakers, and name tags.
• Include some form of a group orientation program which includes goals and objectives of the group, organizational structure, rules, and norms.
• Delegate. You cannot do everything by yourself, you will get burned out. If members have a task, they have a reason to return to the meeting. Identify those who have skills and utilize them.
• Make meetings a combination of work and social time.
• Get to know members. Find out their major, hometown, goals, hobbies, etc.
• Invite them to take on projects and to develop leadership.
• Assign them tasks that are well within their skill level and that they can successfully accomplish.
• Be realistic with your expectations.
• Allow new members time to get involved and feel comfortable with the group.
• Ask for club members' feedback and input. People are more committed when they have a say in the process.
• Recruit throughout the year.

Planning Events

When your club is planning to sponsor a function of any kind, the most important thing to remember is to plan ahead! Regardless of what the event is and where it will be held, there are numerous steps which must be taken well in advance. For example, approval to have alcohol must be completed at least one month in advance.

Advance notice of any campus wide major events must be reported to the Director of Student Activities at least three weeks in advance. Approved events may be submitted to the Rice Calendar of Events. To publicize the event in the Rice Program Council calendar, you should attend the calendar meeting the semester prior to the event.

To add an event to the RPC's online calendar at any time during the year, log on to the RPC website.

RESERVING CLASSROOMS ON CAMPUS
Reservations for rooms on campus should be made through the Student Activities Room Request Form. Room reservation forms should be completed at least one week in advance. The reservation will be confirmed through the requesting student's email address.

RESERVING STUDENT CENTER ROOMS
Registered clubs wishing to reserve space in the Student Center should go to the online Student Center Room Reservation Form. All registered clubs are now required to have a user ID and password to reserve space in the Student Center. Groups that have not previously requested space should contact the Student Center reservationist at x3778 to receive a user ID and password.

Note: All Rice University facilities and scheduling of events therein are governed by the Policies for Using University Facilities and Scheduling Campus Events (see the Student Handbook online).

Note: If alcohol will be served at the event, it must be indicated on the reservation form, and the Alcohol Policy procedures must be followed. Refer to the section on Events with Alcohol.

RESERVING OUTDOOR SPACE ON CAMPUS
Registered clubs interersted in hosting an event in an oudoor space on campus must fill out the Student Activities Outdoor Event Form. Depending on the location, the Office of Student Activities will give additional instructions regarding approval.

Outdoor requests must be initiated at least two weeks in advance of the planned date to allow sufficient time to obtain all approvals. Noise level of the event and class schedules will be taken into consideration before approval (i.e. no loud musical events or activities will be approved during class times). Outdoor musical events or loud activities should be planned for the lunch hour or begin after 4 pm.

Generally the academic quad is only reserved for events of a sombre nature - for example, candlelight vigils, Martin Luther King, Jr. rememberances, etc.

Club Sports wishing to reserve fields for games or practice should call x5398 or email clubsports@rice.edu.

TABLE IN FRONT OF FONDREN LIBRARY
The Student Activities Table in Front of Fondren Reservation Form should be used to request a table in front of Fondren Library. Please note that any sales may conducted from this location need prior approval from the Office of Student Activities.

• Protect food that is served.
• All servers must wash hands and use sanitizers regularly.
• All serving utensils must remain in the container to be served from or washed, rinsed and sanitized before reuse.
• Ice used for comsumption must be from an approved source. Ice shall be held in bags until used and dispensed properly.
• Provide only single-service articles for customer's use.
• Do not store any food in contact with water/undrained ice.
• All baked goods should list their ingredients on the outside of the package.

CONTRACTS
If your club wants to hire an off-campus vendor (a DJ or a caterer, for example) or rent an off-campus facility, you will probably have to sign a contract. All contracts involving clubs must be submitted to the Office of Student Activities no later than three weeks prior to the contracted date, for signature by the Director of Student Activities after approval from University General Counsel. The Director of Student Activities is the ONLY person who can sign contracts for clubs. This review is established for the protection of the club, its officers and sponsor, and the University. Any contract signed before securing proper approval is the personal responsibility and liability of the individual signing the contract.

RENTING EQUIPMENT
When renting equipment from an off-campus vendor, please contact the Student Activities Office. The University Risk Manager (X4751) will insure the equipment in the event of theft, lost property, or damage, and protect your club from liability. Make sure that you contact the Student Activities Office before you make the final arrangements with the vendor.

ACTIVITIES WITH OUTSIDE GROUPS
While it is acceptable for clubs to have connections with groups outside Rice community, it is not acceptable for the club to recruit or advertise for any such group.

Likewise, affiliations with outside groups should in no way be construed as endorsement or support of this group by Rice University.

Sponsoring an event in a University facility with any group other than a Rice registered club requires the approval of the President of the University. Requests should first be submitted to the Director of Student Activities.

ACTIVITIES WITH POLITICAL PARTIES
Clubs wishing to sponsor candidates for political debates must invite all candidates for the contested office. In addition, the event must be approved by the General Counsel. The Office of Student Activities will assist you with this process. Please also note that soliciting funds for use by political parties is not acceptable.

Planning Trips

Clubs planning off-campus trips (whether local or outside of the Houston area) should read Travel Procedures for University Sponsored Activities on the Student Activities web page. under Travel Forms and Information. In addition, clubs must complete a Release Form Cover Sheet for each trip, to be filled out by the contact person representing the club and turned in at least one week prior to the trip. Each active member of the club should also have on file in the Office of Student Activities a signed Participation Agreement Including an Assumption of Risk and Release form.

Clubs expecting reimbursement from university funds for travel should keep original receipts (passenger receipts from airfare, itemized hotel bills, proof of registration, etc.).

Advertising

There are a variety of ways for registered student organizations to provide general information about themselves to the Rice community, and to advertise upcoming meetings and special events.

POSTING SIGNS
Copies of signs and the like may be made in the Clubs Office for a minimal fee.

Before posting signs, please consult with the Department where you would like to post or the online Student Handbook to confirm which spaces are authorized for positng notices. If you have any question about the appropriateness of a space, check with the department, faculty, or college responsible for the area you wish to place your poster. The posting of signs on building columns, bathrooms, and doors is forbidden.


Advertising for social events sponsored by colleges, clubs, and individuals should NOT focus on alcohol.

SUGGESTED AREAS FOR POSTERS

The Office of Student Activities will levy a $15 fine against any student organization or individual for placing posters in unauthorized locations (including, but not limited to: sign posts, lamp posts, garbage cans, trees, bathroom stalls, and building columns). Facilities, Engineering and Planning personnel will remove signs from unauthorized locations on a daily basis. In addition, those posting signs are responsible for any damage caused by signs they post. All signs must list the name and phone number of the sponsoring club and contact person.

Note: The posting of signs, posters, and other campaigning materials during the general elections in the spring is controlled according to special provisions established by the Student Association.

BANNERS ON FONDREN LIBRARY
To hang a banner from the front of Fondren Library, you must first secure a reservation for space in the Office of Student Activities. Second you must complete a Library Banner Agreement Form, available in the forms section of this manual, from the Office of Student Activities, or downloadable here. Specific guidelines for creating banners are listed in the forms section. Approval of the banner will be based on adherence to these guidelines and the organization's prior behavior in the prompt and tidy removal of banners. All banners must include the name of the sponsoring organization.

Approved banners should be taken, along with the signed approval, to the Library Admininstrative Office on the third floor of Fondren Library, where you will be allowed on the roof to hang the banners. Banners may be hung no earlier than one week prior to the event. Special approval allowing banners to stay up longer is given by the Director of Student Activities, pending space availability. Failure to remove a banner will incur a fine of $15.

BANNERS IN THE STUDENT CENTER
The banner wall above the Grand Hall Lobby may be reserved through the Student Center website by completing the Banner/Painting Request Form. Please include the title of the event, the dates the banner should be hung, the text that will be on the banner, whether the banner should be hung vertically or horizontally, and a contact person.

Banners will be hung for up to 8 days and should be delivered to the Student Center Office (2nd Floor, Rice Memorial Center) at least 2 days prior to the date it will be hung. Banners should be no more than 4' x 4'. If you wish to save the banner, you must inform the Student Center Office when you drop it off.

PAINTING ON THE STUDENT CENTER GLASS DOORS
The glass doors to the Grand Hall Lobby may be reserved for painting information and/or small artwork to advertise major functions. Space is reserved through the Student Center website by completing the Banner/Painting Request Form. You must include the dates you wish to display the publicity, the time you will paint it, the text of the advertisement, when you will remove it (a confirmed clean-up date), and a contact person.

Only acrylic paint may be used and the painting must be on the exterior side of the windows. At least 50% of the glass must remain unobstructed and free of paint. Your club is responsible for all paint removal. To remove the paint, you must use a Windex solution to loosen the paint and a straight edge to peel it away.

Failure to completely remove the paint from the doors by the designated date will incur a $25 fine for the first offense. The fine doubles with each subsequent violation ($50 - second offense, $100 - third offense). After the third offense, your club will lose privileges to request/paint the glass doors.

CREATING A CLUB WEB PAGE
Web pages for clubs may be either created under an individual's personal Unix account or in a departmental account (which requires the assistance of your faculty or staff sponsor). For more information, click here.

Be sure to email the Assistant Director of Student Activities when your club has created a page or when the URL of your page has changed, so the correct link can be included on the Student Activities website.

SETTING UP A LISTSERV
To set up a club listserv, see the online application form at mailman.rice.edu. One member of your listserv should be designated as the listserv manager. Information on listserv management can be found here.

OTHER MEANS OF ADVERTISING
• Meal-time announcement at the colleges
• Announcement at major club meetings (SA, RPC, RSVP, college cabinets)
• Submit your meetings and events to the Rice Calendar of Events from the Student Activities webside.
• Place an item in the calendar of the Thresher. Notices for each Friday's edition must be turned in to the Thresher office, 2nd floor, Ley Student Center, by the previous Monday at 5 pm. Display ads may also be purchased. Contact the Thresher advertising manager, x3967.
• Submit events to the RPC's online calendar. Meetings are scheduled at the end of each semester to collect dates for the next semester's calendar.

Copyright Issues
PRINTED MATERIAL
The Fair Use Doctrine (1978) of the Copyright Act governs the making of photocopies of copyrighted material. Photocopies may be made for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship or research as long as the reproduction or distribution is made without any purpose of direct orindirect commericial advantage. Rice University will follow the federal law in dealing with violations of the copyright code.

FILM AND VIDEO
Videocassettes may be shown, without license, in the home (or dorm room) or in certain narrowly defined face-to-face teaching activities. Non-classroom use in public places (i.e. TV lounge), regardless of whether an admission fee is charged, requires a license (see below). This means that student organizations cannot show films at organization events. Willful infringement for the purposes of commercial or financial gain is a federal crime and is punishable as a felony. Even inadvertent infringers are subject to substantial civil damages. Please contact Student Activities regarding ways to purchase a license.

VIDEOTAPING EVENTS WITH MUSIC
The Copyright Act also applies to the use of music. Should an organization wish to videotape one of their events with the intention of selling the recording, the use of copyrighted music will require a special license or permission from the copyright holder.

WWW PUBLICATION
For policies concerning World Wide Web publication and copyrights, click here.

SPECIAL LICENSES
Examples of situations requiring a special license or permission from copyright holder:

Please contact the Office of Student Activities with any questions.

USE OF RICE NAME AND LOGO
The use of the Rice University name and logo in the printing of t-shirts, hats, etc. is generally acceptable, provided that the design is in good taste, the items will not be distributed outside the University and the items will not be sold for a profit. However permission to use the Rice logo must be obtained by either the Office of Public Affairs or the Office of General Counsel. In order to obtain their permission you must see the Director of Student Activities who will assist you in the process. If your group intends to sell the items or distribute them outside the University, you must first secure approval from the Office of Student Activities.

RAFFLES
Due to the highly regulated and complex statutes governing raffles in Texas, Rice University does not permit student organizations to conduct raffles.

Dissolving a Club
An organization can dissolve itself by simply notifying the SA or GSA and the Clubs Office of this decision. A club may also be dissolved by a 3/5 vote of the SA Senate or the GSA Senate for violations of the Constitution or Bylaws, university regulations, or at the recommendation of the Director of Student Activities. Any money or property still in the name of the club at the time of its dissolution will become property of the Office of Student Activities after outstanding debts have been paid.