What is the club recognition process to start a new club?
1) The club must submit an application via LINC. This application includes a club constitution, list of club officers, statement of consent from a faculty/ staff member that will serve as advisor to the club, and a petition of at least twenty-five students that support the club.
2) The club must present its goals and purposes to the Club Affairs committee and answer any questions that the committee may have.
3) Once the club has presented, Student Senate will vote to either grant or deny the club preliminary recognition.
4) If granted, preliminary recognition is a six academic week trial period for the club to function during which the club with be afforded a $100 budget to spend during this period. Club performance over this trial period will be evaluated in deciding whether or not to grant full recognition. Also, any club that is eligible for funding (all clubs are eligible except for those with restricted membership) will receive a limited budget. Similarly, the spending of this money will be evaluated when deciding whether to designate a club as budgeted or non-budgeted.
5) At the end of the trial period, the club must present itself to the Club Affairs committee in order to receive full recognition. The club is responsible for listing its accomplishments during the trial period, explaining its goals and future plans, and answering the committee’s questions. After this meeting, Student Senate will vote to accept full recognition, extend preliminary recognition, or deny recognition.
Why should my club apply for Student Senate Recognition?
Recognized clubs are formally recognized by the University as an offical organization on campus and can also reserve on-campus spaces for events and meetings. Recognized clubs recieve annual finding for events and sponsorships and can be eligible to apply for further allocations throughout the school year. Recognized clubs have a profile and access to the LINC system online.
What groups can apply for Student Senate recognition?
To be recognized by Student Senate, an organization must schedule a presentation with the Club Affairs committee to present on their organization structure, executive board, and role on campus. The group must present an executive board of all undergraduate students. Additionally, the majority of the club’s members must be undergraduate students, although graduate students are allowed to participate. The club should have a substantial roster of current or potential members as well as ambitions to grow with time. Student Senate does not recognize social fraternities or sororities. However, clubs with restricted membership are not eligible to apply.
Can any recognized club receive funding?
No, any club that has restricted membership such that not every undergraduate student can join and participate is automatically ineligible to receive funding.
What kind of club will be granted preliminary recognition?
Although every decision is made on a case-by-case basis, there are certain qualities that a preliminarily-recognized club should have. Ideally, a club at this point of the application process will have:
• proven interest from the student body
• a unique purpose the will benefit the Lehigh community
• evidence of sustainability such that the club will have a lasting impact
• ideas for getting new members
• plans or agendas for a few events or meetings
• considered different ways to fund club activity
• interest in working with Student Senate
What kind of club will be granted full recognition?
Clubs applying for full recognition are already preliminarily-recognized and should therefore possess all the aforementioned qualities. Additionally, a club at this point in the application process will have:
• increased participation from members
• stable and well-organized leadership
• new ideas and goals for the future
• plans to transition the club to new leadership
• appropriate spending practices
What happens if Student Senate denies the recognition of a club?
Any club that is denied trial recognition is eligible to re-apply immediately. However, they must start the application process from the beginning and submit a new application via LINC.
A club denied full recognition does not become a club but also loses its preliminary recognition; Student Senate may also vote to extend a club's trial (please see below for extention of prelimary recognition). The club may re-apply for recognition from Student Senate, but must wait fifteen academic weeks to do so. Again, the club must start the application from the beginning by submitting an application via LINC.
What if Student Senate votes to extend preliminary recognition?
If this happens, the club is not granted full recognition, but does not lose preliminary recognition. Instead, the club has an additional fifteen academic week to function. At the end of this period, the club must meet with the Club Affairs committee once more and Student Senate must vote whether or not to grant full recognition.