Timeline: Important dates for UA Clubs
Mid-year officer changes: Club Officer Transition Form
Meeting space: To reserve the Senate Office, email nazstuact@naz.edu
Each advisor approaches their role differently with some individuals playing a more active role than others. Regardless of their approach, advisors are encouraged to:
Be both accessible and interested in the group's activities; serve as a resource and guide the organization; motivate members to develop leadership skills, professionalism and personal growth; provide support, direction, and feedback to the group; notify college administration of any unacceptable behavior or noncompliance on the part of the student organization; regularly attend meetings; attend club programs/activities to show support for the student organization; sign off on yearly budget proposal; attend advisor training.
Your advisor serves as your mentor, team builder, conflict mediator, reflective agent, educator, motivator, and policy interpreter.
Just as your advisor has responsibilities to the student organization, you have responsibilities to your advisor as well. These responsibilities include:
Clearly defining expectations of the advisor; establishing lines of communication; notifying the advisor of meetings, activities, and programs; providing copies of meeting minutes in a timely manner; meeting regularly with the advisor to discuss organization matters; consulting with the advisor before making significant changes to the structure of the organization or policy changes; allowing the advisor to share their thoughts and ideas; showing respect and value for the advisor; considering the advisor's guidance and advice with an open mind.
All events that are open to students should be submitted using 25Live, so they will appear in the new Nazareth College App.
QUESTIONS? Contact Jeff Rahmlow in Marketing and Communications.
CAB is the programming arm of the student government. They are responsible for planning and implementing events and activities for the undergraduate student body as a whole. The group is made up of programming chairs and general members that work together to fulfill this mission. CAB can be contacted by email at cab@mail.naz.edu.
To learn more, visit their webpage.
A club roster is a list of all active members of your organization, noting officers and their respective positions. Each club’s constitution has a clause that explains what is considered an active member. It is important to be familiar with this clause and keep track of its elements. For example if a club’s constitution explains that active members are those that show up to 2/3 of the meetings and 2/3 of the events, the club must have members sign in to meetings and events. It is then the job of a club officer (most likely the secretary) to maintain these records and update the list of active members.
The Office of Student Activities and Leadership and the Undergraduate Association use this information to maintain records for student involvement. Your club roster must be submitted by the end of the fall semester to maintain active UA status.
Does your club have items that need to be stored for future use? The Club Storage Closet has space for you! There are community shelves from which groups can borrow with permission from Student Activities and Leadership. There are also club owned shelves where students must get permission from the club who owns the items before they can be borrowed. To reserve a space in the Club Storage Closet, see Office of Student Activities and Leadership staff. Clubs must provide their own labeled storage bins.
To make a conference or experiential learning proposal, you must fill out the required proposal form. Upon review by the Vice President of Finance, if the proposal has been filled out correctly and is accompanied by the necessary additional materials, you will be invited to the next Finance Committee meeting to explain your proposal in detail. After Finance Committee discusses your proposal, the VP of Finance will give you your decision.
All clubs are required to have a constitution that meets that guidelines outlined by the Senate. Please make sure that you have the most up-to-date copy on file with the Undergraduate Association. If your organization needs to make changes, you will need to submit a proposal to Senate. Take a look at a model constitution for an example of how your constitution should be formatted.
Students should not contact vendors or agents without approval from the Office of Student Activities and Leadership. All club contracts must be requested, reviewed, and signed by the Director of Student Activities and Leadership in order to prevent students from being personally liable. Under no circumstances is a student permitted to sign a contract using the name of Nazareth College.
If your organization is planning an event that requires a contract, your first step should be to schedule a meeting with either the Director or Assistant Director of Student Activities. This meeting should take place at least three weeks before your event (although more time is always better). During this meeting, we will collect the details we need to execute the contract on your student organization's behalf. Without this meeting, your student organization will not be allowed to pursue the contract.
If your club needs to have standard black ink copies made, please stop by the Student Activities Office and we can provide you with an account number to use.
If your club wants to order imprinted items (t-shirts, hoodies, pens, cups, etc.) you must schedule a meeting with Jessica Salaiz (jsalaiz4@naz.edu) to discuss your order. Students are not authorized to place orders for their club without having this meeting and any orders that are placed inappropriately may not be paid by the UA.
Any student organization showing movies or hosting video games on campus (outside of a residence hall room) is subject to federal copyright law. Any film showing or video game tournament must be approved by the Office of Student Activities and Leadership to ensure that appropriate licenses have been secured. It is illegal to (A) rent a movie or video game without public distribution licensing and/or (B) bring in a personal copy to show your membership or the general public.
Diversity Council is comprised of representatives from the diversity clubs within the UA who work together to educate the college community and foster a greater understanding of what it means to live in a diverse world.
You can contact Diversity Council by emailing diversitycouncil@mail.naz.edu.
Inclusive Programming
When programming, it is important to be mindful of the differences of people within the community. Below are some areas to think about when developing your program:
For help with inclusive programming, please contact the Office for Diversity and Inclusion.
Officer elections for clubs should align with UA elections and take place in March or April. The only exceptions to this are the freshmen class officers and any unfilled positions. These elections should be completed by the end of September.
As a member of a club, you are representing yourself as well as the organization and Nazareth College as a whole. It is essential that your actions and decisions be ethical and rooted in the values of your club and the institution.
Ethics Within Your Organization:
The Finance Committee is the sub-committee of Senate responsible for allocating funds to different UA clubs and organizations through annual budgets, processing line transfer requests, as well as providing funds to students for conferences and experiential learning.
A complete listing of UA financial policies as well as other financial information can be found online under the Finance page.
Notices, posters, or signs may be placed only on bulletin boards, approved posting areas on walls, or similar locations designated for such purposes. Notices, posters, or signs may not be placed on poles, posts, signs, trees, walls, buildings, doors, windows, glass, transparent partitions, or painted surfaces not marked as posting areas. Notices, posters, signs, etc., shall not be placed in manner or location that may obscure or mark exit signs, fire alarm boxes, safety rails, fire extinguisher cases, hand rails, and similar devices installed as safety equipment in a building.
Banners may not be hung outdoors without the permission of the Director of Student Activities and Leadership. Banners may not be placed on the exterior of buildings without specific approval of the building manager. It is the responsibility of the individual or organization hanging the banner to take it down by the date agreed upon. The Naz Student Handbook includes college policies.
Professional Communication:
When communicating on behalf of their student organization, members should utilize professional communication. If you are unsure how to format a piece of written communication or handle a particular type of correspondence, please connect with your advisor or Student Activities and Leadership staff.
Through participation in a student organization, you will work on and develop skills that enhance your in-classroom learning. Specifically, the Office of Student Activities and Leadership and the Undergraduate Association focus on the following learning outcomes:
All of the information in this handbook should help you to maintain your organizational status and avoid becoming inactive. The UA Constitution defines active status as doing the following during the academic year:
For more detailed information about UA functions, club expectations, and maintaining organizational status, refer to the UA Constitution.
The secretary of your club must take minutes for all officer and club meetings. Minutes must be submitted in a Word document saved as ClubName_MMDDYY.docx and emailed to naz_ua@naz.edu no more than five days after the meeting.
Minutes should include club name, officer meeting or club meeting, date/time, location of meeting, attendance (officers, members, advisor), meeting business, and next meeting date/time/location.
Incomplete minutes will not be accepted and will be returned with the expectation that they will be resubmitted within three days.
The College does not permit discrimination or harassment in its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, age, religion, physical and/or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status or any other characteristic protected by institutional policy or state, local, or federal law. The College does not discriminate on the basis of sex or gender in its education, extracurricular, athletic, or other programs or in the context of employment.
The College, as an educational community, will respond promptly and equitably to reports of sex discrimination and harassment, sexual harassment, sexual violence, stalking, intimate partner violence, and sex- or gender-based harassment that does not involve conduct of a sexual nature in order to eliminate harassment, prevent its recurrence, and address its effects on any individual or the community.
All Nazareth students, faculty, staff, visitors, and guests are expected to comply with federal, state, and local laws.
The mission of the Office of Student Activities and Leadership is to enhance the overall education experience of students through the development of, exposure to, and participation in social, cultural, multicultural, recreational, leadership, and campus governance programs.
This mission is accomplished through New Student Orientation and Welcome Week, advising the Undergraduate Association and its components, providing support for the different student clubs and organizations, collaborative programming with the Campus Activities Board, coordinating the College's comprehensive leadership program, and working closely with Diversity Council.
More about Student Activities & Leadership.
It is important that your organization put time and effort into creating a successful officer transition. By electing officers in March or April, your organization will have time to do this. Successful officer transition allows new officers to better fulfill their roles while also allowing the organization as a whole to achieve its mission.
A smooth transition is the responsibility of both the outgoing and incoming officers and a time for new officers to ask questions and old officers to share their insight and knowledge. It is also a time for outgoing officers to reflect on the past year and help the group avoid "starting from scratch."
Newly Elected Members: Once new officers have been elected, your club should submit this information to the UA. Please make sure you include first and last name, position, and email address. You should also indicate which member will be acting as your summer contact.
While there are many resources available online about successful officer transition, here are few suggestions ...
Advisor as Historian: In many ways, your advisor is the "keeper" of your organization's history, especially if our organization has had the same advisor for a few years. Take advantage of this expertise and ask your advisor to share your club's history with new officers.
Complete End-of-the Year Reflections: As outgoing officers you are ex[ected to write an end-of-year reflection that can be given to the person taking over their position. Potential topics to address include describing what went well during their term, what unfinished business still needs to be addressed, and what campus resources were the most useful.
One-on-One Officer Meetings: It can be helpful for new offices to "pick the brain" of outgoing officers. You can set aside time for one-on-one meetings so that incoming officers can ask questions and seek clarification of their roles. These meetings can be done either formally or informally depending on what works best for the individuals and the organization as a whole.
Transition Binder: Transition binders are a great way to share important documents and information with new officers. Outgoing officers can include their end-of-year reflection, budget information, checklists, notes, meeting minutes, and any other paperwork that may be needed by a new officer.
Hold a Transition Meeting: Scheduling a retreat for your organization gives outgoing and incoming officers a change to focus on the club, its needs, and sharing information without distraction. A retreat is a great time to set goals, develop a sense of team, and plan for the future.
When communicating on behalf of their student organization, members should utilize professional communication. If you are unsure how to format a piece of written communication or handle a particular type of correspondence, please connect with your advisor or Student Activities staff.
Officers are required to attend an initial training that will be hosted at the start of the fall semester. The Undergraduate Association will send out a notice about the training when officers return to campus. Officers are also expected to attend the annual Student Leadership Conference held each spring. In addition, advisors receive training regarding fulfilling their roles. Student organizations, officers, and advisors can also request additional training on specific topics through the Office of Student Activities and Leadership.
Reservations for spaces on campus should be made at least three weeks in advance; however, many locations on campus book quickly so more time is always better. When booking a space, make sure you discuss the set-up needs for your event (ex. tables, chairs, technology). If you end up canceling or postponing the event, make sure to adjust your reservation so that the space can be made available to another group.
Please refer to the "App" section of this Student Handbook.
It is important that student organizations consider liability and manage risk when planning events and activities so that everyone involved has a safe and fun experience. If you have questions about how best to manage risk for your event, please talk to your advisor and contact the Office of Student Activities and Leadership.
Things you can do to mitigate risk ...
All student organizations are required to have an advisor and to share this information with both the Office of Student Activities and Leadership and the Undergraduate Association.
Your advisor must be a faculty or staff member at Nazareth College or otherwise approved by the Director of Student Activities and Leadership.
If your organization is having trouble selecting an advisor, please consult with the Office of Student Activities and Leadership. We can recommend individuals and help make connections with people who may be interested in advising your group.
Senate is the governing body of responsible for assisting student organizations with constitutional changes or requests for additional funding for trips or large events that benefit the student body as a whole. This group also works with individuals to create new student organizations and provides a venue for the campus to be heard at the highest level of student government.
To make a proposal to Senate, you must fill out a Senate Proposal Form. The completed typed form must be returned to the UA Office by the required deadline. A listing of Senate meetings will be distributed at the start of the semester. These meetings are where you will meet with Senate to formally deliver your proposal and receive your decision.
Before making your proposal, make sure you have all necessary information such as funding and cost breakdowns, number of students participating, and any other information you think Senate will need to make an educated decision. If you would like additional help, please feel free to reach out to the VP of Executive Operations.
The UA has colored copy paper, construction paper, paint, crayons, stickers, scissors, and other assorted crafting supplies available for club use. Your club is responsible for purchasing any special supplies it needs from its own supply budget.
Lawn Games: We have Kan Jam, Ladder Ball, Corn Hole, Bocce, Kickball, and more that can be used by clubs. Once you have reserved these after confirmation from Student Activities, items may be picked up in the Intramurals and Rec Storage. Items must be neatly returned within 24 hours.
Video Games: There are gaming systems and games available for your organization’s use.
Board Games: The UA owns several board games that are available for your organization's use.
Stage Pieces and Sound Systems: The UA has stage pieces and a sound system that are available for club use; however, members must be trained.
Popcorn and Sno-cone Machine: Supplies are included at no cost.
Helium Tank: Need some balloons to decorate for your event? The UA has its own helium tanks that are available for clubs to use.
To use or reserve any of these items, email nazstuact@naz.edu.
Find information on the UA Exec board members here.
The UA Office is located in Shults 104. The email address is naz_ua@naz.edu and the phone number is 585-389-2795.
If your club is planning an off-campus trip and needs transportation, there are several options. Please schedule a meeting with Jessica Salaiz (jsalaiz4@mail.naz.edu) if you need to make travel arrangements that are outside the scope of the RTS Bus Service and UA van use.
RTS Bus Service: $1 each way and takes you all over the city! Routes to downtown Rochester are free with Naz ID on Friday and Saturday nights and Saturday afternoons. Routes to Wegmans on Wednesday evenings, Pittsford Plaza on Sundays, and Eastview Mall on Saturday afternoons are also free with Naz ID.
UA Vans: Clubs must have a current member who is certified to drive the college vehicles to utilize this option. Vans are only permitted to travel within a 75-mile radius of campus unless authorized by the Director of Student Activities and Leadership. Requests for vans should be completed online.
School Bus: A school bus can be chartered for transporting larger groups. To do this, your group needs approval from the Director or Assistant Director of Student Activities and Leadership. Requests must be made at least three weeks before the trip date.
Violation of Student Activities and Leadership, Undergraduate Association, or Nazareth College policies and unethical behavior on the part of a student organization or its members may result in disciplinary action for members and suspension of the group as a whole.
Waivers or liability release forms can be used to inform participants of the potential risks associated with an event or activity. By signing, individuals not only acknowledge their understanding of the potential risks but their willingness to participate. If an individual is under the age of 18, their waiver or liability release form must also be signed by a parent.
Before traveling off campus for a club sponsored activity or event, students should sign a liability release form or waiver. Completed forms from all participants should be left with Student Activities and Leadership before departure. If you think a waiver or liability release form should be utilized for an event (non off-campus trip) you are planning, please contact the Office of Student Activities and Leadership.
The time commitment for an advisor depends on the student group's activities and needs. We encourage you to talk with the group before committing to be an advisor to ensure that your availability aligns with their expectations.
To ensure that you can meet the expectations of each group, we suggest that you not advise more than two groups.
You may serve as many consecutive terms as the organization permits.
Yes, advisor training sessions occur at the start of each semester. Returning advisors are not required to attend; however, new advisors should plan to take part in one of the offered training opportunities. We also strongly encourage you to review the Student Activities webpages and the Handbook for Student Organizations and Advisors.
Generally, student organization advisors are not liable for the behavior of a student organization unless they had prior knowledge of the group's risky behavior and/or condoned/participated in the activity. If you have any questions about a student organization's activities, please contact Student Activities & Leadership
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