Student Organization Manual

Report Officers and Moderators -

Student organizations are required to have a minimum of four officers who are currently enrolled Daemen College students in good academic standing.   Each student organization is also required to have a moderator (many organizations have more than one moderator).  Any faculty member, or full-time staff member can serve as a moderator. 

The names and email addresses of the top four officers and moderator(s) need to be reported to the Student Activities Office at the beginning of each academic year, and/or whenever a change occurs.  If any of these positions become vacant, the organization will be considered in inactive status.  Persistent inactive status will result in an organization being considered defunct, and removed as a recognized student organization.

Moderators Role -

Student organizations are run by the student officers.  The moderator’s role is to provide mature advice and guidance, and to help ensure that College policies and local, state, and federal laws are upheld.  The moderator can often assume the role of an advisor, resource person, and student motivator.  Moderators should seek to challenge the student officers to be responsible leaders in charge of the organization.  Student organizations are great learning vehicles for students developing leadership skills.  Moderators often can also provide some continuity as student officers continually change. 

A moderator is often required to be in attendance at a student organization sponsored event, occurring on campus or off campus.  For this reason, many organizations find it beneficial to have more than one moderator.  Please recognize that moderators volunteer their time to advise student organizations, so be sure to THANK your moderator for all they do.

You’ve Got Mail! -

Student organizations all have mailboxes at Wick Desk.  This is a convenient method for communicating with organizations, distributing snail mail, forms, etc.  One officer should be designated with the responsibility of checking (and emptying) the organization’s mailbox each day.

As we become an increasingly paperless campus community, communication by email and the web are becoming standard practice.  Your Daemen email account is used for official correspondence, and needs to be checked regularly.  A listing of student organization contact persons (president, VP, and moderators) will be posted on the Daemen website.  Please email any changes or errors in posted information to the Student Activities Office.

Academic Clubs -

Academic Clubs have several resources available to them for funding their activities.  For campus-wide events, all recognized student organizations can submit funding request forms to the Student Association for consideration.  In addition, Academic Clubs also have access to funds directly through the Student Activities Office for many of their smaller co-curricular activities.  Each year the Student Activities Office budgets $500 per academic club in this fund.  At the end of the year the slate is wiped clean, and a new balance of $500 is allotted for the beginning of the new academic year.   Meet with the Director of Student Activities to discuss any questions you have regarding use of these funds.

Club “Bank Accounts” on Campus -

The college strongly advises student organizations not to set up bank accounts off campus, and does NOT permit use of the college’s tax ID number with any outside accounts. 

Student organizations can easily set up a “bank account” through the Student Association and Business Office on campus.  These are accounts often used for holding fund raising revenues, dues, and other club monies (personal funds should not be deposited to any student organization account).   These accounts maintain a year to year balance, so you don’t lose anything at the end of the year – balances simply carry over to the new fiscal year.   Depositing to these accounts is easily done in the Business Office, and withdrawing funds for various student activities is done using the college’s standard business requisition forms.  The Student Activities Office can assist student organizations in setting up these accounts and with day-to-day operating procedures.

Submitting Receipts -

FORWARDED CASH

Occasionally, we write checks to forward cash to a student organization for the purchase of decorations, supplies, etc. needed for student activities.  In these instances, we request that receipts (and any balance in cash) be returned to the Business Office in DS within 48 hours of the purchase.  (The total of cash re-deposited & purchase receipts submitted need to equal the amount forwarded,  for the college’s annual audit.)

REIMBURSEMENT

Occasionally, we write checks as reimbursement for materials purchased by student organizations for various student activities.  In these instances, your purchases should be prior approved by the Student Activities Office and the receipts brought to this office to be submitted for reimbursement.  We do not reimburse for sales tax, so please see the Director of Student Activities to obtain a tax exempt form for all purchases, before you shop.

Budget Requests -

The Student Association has Funding Request Forms for student organizations to use when requesting funding for an event or activity (available at Wick Desk.).  The Student Association does not generally fund the more narrowly focused activities of an individual club (refreshments for meetings, club t-shirts, club outings), but may fund activities of interest and accessibility to the wider campus community.  To be eligible for funding, the Student Association requires a club to be in attendance at more than half the weekly Student Association meetings in the prior semester (Yes, they do check and record meeting attendance!).  Student Association holds open meetings weekly, on Tuesdays, at 11:30 AM, in Wick Campus Center.

Photocopying -

Student organizations can use the Student Affairs Office copier during business hours for student activities purposes.  There is a limit of 40 copies on this machine,  If a greater number of copies is needed, the Print Shop on campus can make larger copy runs (Print Shop forms need to be authorized the Student Activities Office.)  In an effort to be ecologically conscious, please limit your copying needs to only what is needed, and make use of the electronic communication alternatives we have for advertising (web and email).

Banners in Wick -

The Student Activities Office has banner making supplies in their outer office (behind Wick Desk).  A large paper roll, ruler, and different color markers are available for making banners to hand in Wick Center.  The markers can be messy, and are not permitted to be taken out of the office.

In order to avoid "banner blindness" and manage the limited amount of hanging space we have, banners are permitted to be hung in Wick Center according to the following priority:

            1)  banners announcing an upcoming event

            2)  banners announcing meetings, sign ups, or individual club activities

            3)  congratulatory announcements and things similar

All these types of banners are permitted, however, when space is limited this will be the priority criteria employed.  Banners should not be hanging in the lobby for more than one week.  Banners need to be reviewed and stamped by the Student Activities Office before they are hung.  A ladder and tape are available at Wick Desk (ask for assistance if you are not comfortable using the ladder – we are happy to help).  Banners need to come down immediately following an event. 

The college no longer permits any on campus advertisement of bar parties and events that involve the use of alcohol outside the strict policy parameters regarding alcohol service at student events on campus.  See the Student Handbook at the Daemen College website for specific alcohol policies related to student activities, and see the Director of Student Activities with any questions that you may have.

Membership -

Campus organizations, including those affiliated with outside organizations, are open to all currently enrolled Daemen students in good academic standing without regard to race, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, national origin, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic predisposition, or carrier status.  To be officially recognized, a student organization must find a moderator who will agree to uphold College policies and regulations. A full-time College official or any faculty member qualifies as a moderator.

The Vice President for Student Affairs and Director of Activities are co-moderators to the Student Association.  The moderator for the College newspaper is appointed by the administration.  All other organizations are free to choose their own moderator(s) from the Daemen faculty or full-time staff.

Hazing and Other New Member Initiation Activities -

Hazing has been defined under section 6450 of the Education Law as any action or situation which recklessly or intentionally endangers mental or physical health or involves the consumption of liquor or drugs for the purpose of initiation into an affiliation with any organization.  Hazing is both a violation of the Penal Law and other laws of the state of New York.  The College reaffirms its policy that it will not condone hazing of any kind.  To this end, any student, faculty member, staff member, visitor, licensee, or invitee who engages in hazing may be ejected from the Daemen campus and, where appropriate, shall be subject to suspension, expulsion, or other disciplinary action.  Similarly, the College will rescind permission to operate on campus property and shall prohibit the use of the College's name to any organization whose members (whether individually or in concert) engage in hazing.

Contracts & Financial Responsibility -

All contracts for student activities that commit either college funds or facilities need to be arranged through the Student Activities Office.

Neither Daemen College nor the Student Association of Daemen College is liable for debts incurred by any class, club, organization, special-events committee, or individual for anything which was not first authorized by the proper authority, such as the Vice President for Student Affairs or the Director of Student Activities.

Physical Risks -

Certain student activities, in which students choose to participate, may involve certain personal physical risks.  Students should use caution and common sense when participating in any activities, and recognize that the College is not always able to provide for, and can never ensure, student safety.

Room Reservations -  

Recognized student organizations may reserve rooms in Wick Center for meetings and events (some events require an event moderator or college official to be in attendance). Newly forming organizations can reserve rooms for interest meetings in Wick Center with permission from the Student Activities Office. All student organizations reserve rooms in Wick Center through the Student Activities Office; college offices and other non-student organizations reserve space on campus through the Conference Office. Occasionally, student organizations need to reserve space in other campus buildings. Again, see the Student Activities Office and they can forward your request to the appropriate administrative office. At the Student Activities page on the Daemen website, there are instructions for submitting room requests on-line.

The Student Activities Office will frequently ask student organizations to complete an Event Assessment Form that is intended to help your student organization learn from the programming experience, improve upon future events, and help the Student Activities Office to be more effective in how they serve the campus community. Please take the time to thoughtfully complete this final stage of your event programming.

Event Moderators -

Student organizations are encouraged to sponsor activities and events for the campus community.  At most student organization sponsored events, one of your moderators (or a substitute campus official) should be in attendance.  Please confirm that one of your moderators can attend your event early in your planning process.

Event Checklist -

____ Discuss your event and date preferences with the Student Activities Office in the semester preceding your event.

____ Reserve your date/room/time in the Student Activities Office.

____ Discuss within your organization how you can be CREATIVE in making your event both meaningful and memorable.

____ Discuss within your organization how your event might relate to the Mission of the College, and/or the 7 competencies of the core curriculum.

____ Confirm your moderator’s attendance, and discuss other faculty or staff members you would like to formally invite to your event.

____ Discuss your food service order with the Director of Dining Services, getting pricing estimates, and deadline information.

____ Fill out a Student Association Budget Request form (available at Wick Desk) and meet with the Director of Student Activities to review this.

____ Discuss room setup and maintenance needs with the Director of Student Activities, along with any AV needs, and any services needed from off campus vendors. SUBMIT the needed requisitions for your final food service order, maintenance, and AV needs.

____ Review budgeting and financing plan for your event with your moderator and Director of Student Activities.

____ Organize your set up crew and decorating plan.

____ Organize your clean up crew and review your organization’s responsibilities.

____ Double check all your event details and trouble shoot as needed. Consider backup plans for possible problems that could occur.

____ Complete an Event Assessment Form and submit this to the Student Activities Office.

____ Send thank you notes (or emails) to those involved in assisting with your event, particularly those who made special efforts to help you be successful.

Participation in College Events

Your student organization is a vital part of Daemen College’s vibrant student life.  Your organization should make every effort to participate in events that showcase your organization, including the college’s Open House events and Organization Fairs that occur each semester.  Periodically, opportunities also arise where the college looks for a student organization to volunteer to be of service to the campus community.  These might include requests for:

- ushers for a guest speaker/lecture on campus

- student hosts for a campus reception

- assistance with an office event

- student organization competition or group participation in an activity

- community service activities

Take advantage of these opportunities to get involved in campus life by being where the action is.  That is part of what being a student organization is all about.