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Purpose of a Constitution:

A constitution is a governing document of an organization. Essentially, it is an agreement among members of how the organization should be structured and how it should operate. The best constitutions provide direction and guidance to their members. Constitutions should answer members’ questions or resolve disputes about the organization’s structure or operations.

Constitutions are meant to be enduring documents. Items or aspects that are subject to frequent revision are more appropriately included in an organization’s bylaws. (Bylaws are another type of governing document, secondary to the constitution, which formally outline an organization’s operations. Bylaws are typically easier to amend than a constitution and usually focused on procedures and operations of the organization, as opposed to the mission and structure. For most student organizations, a constitution alone sufficiently serves this purpose.)

Helpful Tips:

• Proper format for a constitution is outline or bulleted, not Concise descriptions associated with bullet/outline headings may be appropriate to provide introduction or context.
• The intention of the constitution is to provide long-term sustainability for the Write for the future of the organization: the constitution should provide you with a guide to answer and resolve issues that face the organization.
• The constitution you submit should be as close to final as possible. Prior to submission, ask someone NOT associated with your group, such as your advisor or a Student Activities Office staff member to review and proofread the constitution and provide feedback about your proposed Often, those writing the constitution may be so involved with it that they miss something apparent to an outsider.
• This guide is meant to help you develop a constitution that is appropriate for your Your constitution should address all the suggested topics but may do so in the manner that best serves your organizations’ needs.
• Helpful definitions:
  • Quorum: the minimum number of members that must be present to conduct organization That means if this number/percentage is not met, things like votes, discussions, and group decisions cannot take place.
  • Majority: more than half of the If you are voting among three options, at least one option must have more than 50% of the votes to constitute a majority.
  • Plurality: the number of votes cast for an option that receives more than any other option but

does not receive a majority. For example, if you are voting among three options and Option A receives 45% of votes, Option B receives 30%, and Option C receives 25%, then no option received a majority, but Option A received a plurality.

• Amendment: specific changes to the constitution adopted by an organization (not an entirely new document).

These statements must be included in the constitution of every chartered student organization. The statements should be included as-is and not edited.

• A Non-Discrimination clause: [Insert your student organization name] recognizes and will abide by º£½ÇÖ±²¥’s Non-Discrimination Policy: Respect for the rights of all and for the differences among us is essential for the º£½ÇÖ±²¥ community. Discrimination or harassment of others on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, age, marital status, place of birth, veteran status or against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability has no place in our intellectual community. If members of the º£½ÇÖ±²¥ community experience or witness any apparent incident of harassment or discrimination by students, faculty, or staff, they may discuss their concerns or request advice from deans, academic advisors, proctors, or resident advisors. Such incidents violate both the ideals of the College and its Code of Community Standards and may be subject to appropriate disciplinary sanctions. When such incidents violate the statutes of the State of Maine or Federal Law, criminal prosecution may be pursued. (Insert in Article III: Section 3)

• A statement that the organization will abide by º£½ÇÖ±²¥ College [Insert your student organization name] will abide by all º£½ÇÖ±²¥ College policies. (Insert in Article II: Section 2)

• Membership statement: Only currently registered º£½ÇÖ±²¥ College students are considered members of the organization; all others (alumni, friends, family, faculty, staff) are considered Guests are welcome to attend events, but they cannot hold officer positions, influence or vote on officer positions, or handle money on behalf of the organization. (Insert in Article III: Section 1)

If a constitution is submitted without the above listed elements, the Student Activities Office will not be able to register the organization until their constitution is amended to include this information.

Membership criteria must be consistent with the non-discrimination clause. Please work with the Student Activities Office or your club advisor if you have questions about drafting membership criteria for your organization.

Any membership removal process must be consistent with College policy, including the Student Group Disciplinary Process which states:

“All students are individually responsible for adhering to the Community Code of Standards (CCS) and other College policies during their time at º£½ÇÖ±²¥. Student groups may be held collectively accountable for violating any College policies as a result of the conduct or actions of individual members who act in concert with or as representing the group, even if not all members participated. Potential violations include, but are not limited to: disregarding a directive from a College official or group advisor; hosting, assisting, facilitating, or participating in the planning or concealing of acts that violate º£½ÇÖ±²¥ policies; and failure to be forthcoming and truthful to any College official on matters related to the activities of the organization or its members.

Individual members can be held accountable for their specific behavior as part of a group if it is in violation of College Policy.

Students participating in groups that have been banned or previously removed from campus (e.g., fraternities, organizations that have lost a charter, etc.) will be referred to the Student Disciplinary Process.”

Writing Each Section of a Constitution

The outline below provides questions you should consider as you are writing your organization’s constitution. It also provides sample language that you may choose to adopt if it is appropriate for your organization.

Preamble:

State the name of the organization and the purpose of its establishment.

Example: We the members of [name of organization], subscribing to the regulations and policies of the º£½ÇÖ±²¥ College, establish this Constitution to govern the matters within our organization.

 Article I: Name

• Section 1 - This should list the official name of the organization and should include any acronyms associated with the organization.
• Section 2 – If the organization is affiliated with any other organizations, such as a national organization or umbrella organization, indicate it in this Include any links to the national organization’s website. If not, this section may be omitted.

 Article II: Purpose

• Section 1 - What is the purpose of the organization? Describe the group’s mission and long-term goals. This section sets forth the aims, intentions and goals for the organization.
• Section 2 - This section should include a statement that the organization will abide by º£½ÇÖ±²¥ College policies. [Insert your student organization name] will abide by all º£½ÇÖ±²¥ College policies.

 Article III: Membership

This article defines the composition of your membership as well as the privileges and responsibilities of membership in the organization.

• Section 1 - Who is eligible for membership? (Remember, membership must be limited to currently registered º£½ÇÖ±²¥ students, but your organization may have further requirements.) What are the restrictions, if any? How does one become a member and/or maintain membership? What privileges are associated with membership? If different membership categories are appropriate for your organization, then outline the types of membership that exist, such as active, associate, social,
• Section 2 –Describewhyandhowmembershipprivilegesmayberevokedorvoluntarily
• Section 3 - Non-discrimination clause must be included as outlined

Example:

Section 1.         

The membership of the Student Life Club will be composed of currently registered º£½ÇÖ±²¥ students.

1. Active members will be currently registered students who participate in trainings monthly and attend 75% of meetings. Active members may participate in trainings and vote on organization business.

Section 2.            

Removal of Membership:

1. Members may pursue resignation by contacting the Secretary via email.
2. Member privileges may be revoked by a unanimous decision of the Executive Board, based on but not limited to the perception of the member’s participation, dedication, teamwork, and commitment to organization mission. Members may be nominated for privilege revocation by any member of the organization through an email to the Secretary.

Section 3.            

The Student Life Club recognizes and will abide by º£½ÇÖ±²¥’s Non-Discrimination Policy: Respect for the rights of all and for the differences among us is essential for the º£½ÇÖ±²¥ community. Discrimination or harassment of others on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, age, marital status, place of birth, veteran status or against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability has no place in our intellectual community. If members of the º£½ÇÖ±²¥ community experience or witness any apparent incident of harassment or discrimination by students, faculty, or staff, they may discuss their concerns or request advice from deans, academic advisors, proctors, or resident advisors. Such incidents violate both the ideals of the College and its Code of Community Standards and may be subject to appropriate disciplinary sanctions. When such incidents violate the statutes of the State of Maine or Federal Law, criminal prosecution may be pursued.

Article IV: Officers/Executive Committee

This article describes the titles and duties of the officers. Officer selection has high potential to be contentious and create conflict. Identifying specifics now can help settle future disputes in a fair way.

• Section 1 - How many officers are there? What are their titles and duties? Which officers constitute an executive committee? What are the minimum qualifications of officer candidates, such as experience in the organization, ? You may use traditional officer roles (president, vice president, treasurer, etc.) OR you may structure differently to serve the needs of your organization.
• Section 2 – Define the length of the officers’ terms and term limits, if
• Section 3 – Describe in detail the process by which officers are identified. What is the process: election, interview/selection, appointment, or something else? When will the process take place? When will new officers take office after their identification? What are the details of the nomination/selection process?
  • If electing: What is the method that will be used for voting? Who will be responsible for counting votes? What number of votes is needed to elect an officer (e.g., simple majority, 2/3 majority, plurality)? What is the procedure for a run-off election in the event of a tie or if a majority is not reached?
  • If interviewing and selecting: Who will be on the selection committee? What level of agreement among the selection committee is needed to select an officer (e.g., simple majority, 2/3 majority, unanimous consent)? How are interviews granted and in what time frame?
• On timing: When deciding your selection process, remember that the timing of selection will impact your officer transition. The Student Activities Office recommends transitioning officers in December or March so incoming officers may learn from outgoing officers before the end of the academic year. A transition prior to the March/April registration period also allows the incoming officers to be involved in any budget planning and submission (if applicable).
• Section 4 – Describe why and how an officer may be removed from their duties and the procedure for filling vacancies during current officer terms (usually appointment or by original selection process).
• Section 5 - Describe any standing committees, if (These may instead be included in the bylaws.)

Example:

Section 1.            

The Executive Board of the Student Life Club will be composed of a president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer.

1. The President will be responsible for presiding over general body and Executive Board The President will be the primary contact for the organization and serve as a representative for the organization. The President will have served as an active member for at least one academic year prior to taking office.
2. The Vice President will be responsible for coordinating trainings and serving in the absence of the President. The Vice President will have served as an active member for at least one academic year prior to taking office.
3. The Secretary will be responsible for taking attendance, maintaining membership eligibility records, recording and distributing meeting minutes, and handling membership
4. The Treasurer will be responsible for collecting dues, managing accounts, and providing monthly reports on the financial status of the organization.

Section 2.            

Officers will serve for a full academic year.

Section 3.            

Officer Selection:

1. Elections will be held during a regularly scheduled meeting in The meeting will be determined by the President.
2. Nominations for candidates will be open two weeks prior to the elections Any active member will be eligible to be nominated. Nominations may be made by active and associate members.
3. Voting will take place at the election meeting. A simple majority vote is necessary to elect an officer. If a majority is not reached, a run-off election will be held with the two nominees receiving the most votes. In the event of a tie, the President will cast the deciding vote. Voting will be conducted via secret ballot, with an officer not seeking reelection and an active member counting the

Section 4.            

Officer Removal:

1. Officers may be removed from their duties by a 2/3 majority of the active membership. Officers may be nominated for removal by a petition to the President or an officer not in question signed by 1/3 of active
2. Officers may voluntarily resign from their duties by notifying the President or, in case of resignation of the President, notifying the Vice
3. Should an officer resign or be removed from office, a vacancy will be filled by appointment from the Executive Board with approval from the membership of the appointment for the remainder of the

Article V: Operations

This article describes how your organization will meet and conduct the business of your organization.

• Section 1 – What is the intended format and frequency of meetings? What is the minimum expectation for the number of times your organization will meet over the course of the year (e.g., weekly, monthly, once a semester, regularly)? Who presides at the meeting? What is the attendance policy (if not defined elsewhere in the constitution)? How is quorum defined? If the group intends to follow Robert’s Rules of Order or any other formal procedure, specify it
• Section 2 – Describe any other relevant operations that are important enough to be constitutionally Are there any other operations that need to be defined, such as executive committee meetings? If this section is very long or complex, consider creating bylaws instead.
• Section 3 – You may wish to clarify the role of your advisor (optional).

Example:

Section 1.            

The Student Life Club will meet regularly while classes are in session. The President will preside at the meeting. Quorum will be defined as a simple majority of the active membership, including one officer.

Section 2.            

The Executive Board will meet regularly separate from the general body to discuss forwarding long-term goals and any issues that require privacy.

Article VI: Finances/Allocation of Funds

This article describes the financial procedures for the organization.

• Section 1 – Who will attend Student Activities Funding Committee (SAFC) Meetings, who is the alternate?
• Section 2 - How will financial records be kept? What is the process for approving projects or events to submit an SAFC request?

Article VII: Dissolution

This article provides a contingency plan in case the organization can no longer function. How is the organization dissolved? Under what circumstances and by whom? In this section include that all College funds and property will be returned to the Student Activities Funding Committee and the Student Activities Office.

Example:

The Student Life Club may be dissolved by a 2/3 majority vote of active members.

Article VIII: Amendments

All organizations must have provisions for amending their governing documents.

• How are amendments to be proposed and by whom? When will amendments be voted on following proposal? Will there be a delay? How are amendments to be voted upon? How many votes in favor of the proposal must be reached to approve amendments?

Example: Amendments may be proposed in writing by any active member by emailing the Secretary. The Secretary will distribute a copy of the proposed amendments to all active members for discussion at the next regularly scheduled meeting at least one week after the amendment was proposed. After initial discussion, the amendment may be voted on by a simple up-or-down vote. Amendments must be passed with a 2/3 majority vote.

Effective Date

Include an effective date and a contact person’s name on your organization’s constitution. This does not need to be a separate article but should appear on the last page of the constitution.

References

College of William & Mary Office of Student Leadership Development. (2015, January). Constitution Guide. Retrieved from

Dunkel, N., Schuh, J., & Chrystal-Green, N. (2014). Advising Student Groups and Organizations. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Treasury Chartering Commission Guidelines

The Treasury Chartering Commission (TCC) serves as the º£½ÇÖ±²¥ Student Government (BSG) governing body on club recognition and manages the chartering process. The TCC will use this document as guidance on what we see as essential for an organization or proposed organization to be considered for recognition as a chartered student organization, and what should disqualify a club or proposal from being recognized. Please remember that these are just guidelines, not fixed rules. The TCC withholds the right to make chartering decisions at their discretion. Please contact the Student Government Charterer if you have any questions.

1) College and BSG Policy
All clubs and organizations on the º£½ÇÖ±²¥ College campus, chartered by the TCC or nonexistent otherwise, will submit their amended club contracts to the TCC. These contracts will adhere to the following requirements:

• Be fully inclusive and open to all students. They must admit all students regardless of race, religion, age, ethnic or national origin, gender, ability, or sexual orientation. They may not be exclusive in any way, shape, or form. This policy is all-encompassing and will be enforced by the BSG and the Student Government Charterer without apology. Any reason for concern will result in a meeting with the Student Government Charterer to resolve the issue in conjunction with the Assembly and action the College administration deems necessary and appropriate.
• Abide by the º£½ÇÖ±²¥ Social and Academic Honor Code.
• The entirety of the Student Handbook as put down by º£½ÇÖ±²¥ College. This handbook will remain as the parameters and framework of each and every club contract. The Student Handbook may be found at the following link: http://www.bowdoin.edu/studentaffairs/student-handbook/
• The By-Laws of the BSG (http://students.bowdoin.edu/bsg/about/) will remain as further parameters of each and every club contract.
• The formatting of each club’s contract will remain in alignment with the Rules and Regulations of the TCC.
• No group, if part of a greater local, regional, national, or international organization, will allow said group’s guidelines to supersede College and BSG policy.

2) General Policies

• Official meetings may not take place by a club that has not been chartered, that has a suspended charter, or that has been stripped of its charter.
• Informal meetings may be held by non-chartered clubs to gauge interest. They may not program.
• Clubs and organizations cannot sign any contracts on behalf of the College
• Active clubs and organizations must:
  Offer an opportunity to hear diverse viewpoints and enhance the cocurricular life of the college
  Benefit the º£½ÇÖ±²¥ student body and enhance student life on campus. Events and activities should not primarily occur away from campus or exclusively benefit off-campus groups.
• Adhere to the following advertising rules:
  a. Official º£½ÇÖ±²¥ logos and wordmarks (i.e. the º£½ÇÖ±²¥ seal) may not be placed on any advertisements without the express permission of the Communications Office.
  b. Club posters and advertisements must have the full name of your organization easily visible.
  c. Online conduct by all organizations through social media must still abide by the College’s Social and Academic Honor Code.
• Adhere to the following Accessibility rules:
  a. At least the first two club meetings must be held in an accessible location
  b. It is at the committee’s discretion to decide who remains in an accessible location
  c. If a student organization is meeting in an inaccessible location, they must state on all platforms (i.e. Blink, posters, etc.) that students can get in touch with any member of the TCC or club leaders to discuss accessibility issues

3) Managing Your Club
Active student organizations must:

• Be run by currently enrolled º£½ÇÖ±²¥ Students
• Hold events that benefit and are inclusive to all club members
• Not hold events that cause students to skip classes or other academic-related events. Clubs must always support an “academics first” mentality.
• Not be dependent on a national organization for campus activities, guidance, or support. Clubs may be chartered as a chapter of a national organization if it allows for access to resources not otherwise found at º£½ÇÖ±²¥.
• Not place the bulk of the work and leadership responsibilities to an advisor. Advisors support student leadership and can provide a historical perspective.
• Submit re-charter forms every year. By this time, new leadership should have been elected. Because the recharter form includes vital details necessary for the rechartering process, including the names of the new leadership, negligence of this deadline will result in the suspension of a club’s charter for one semester. If a club is on its probation period, it will not be given a full charter.
• Meetings should be held at least once during the following months: September, October, November, February, March, and April. The inability to accomplish this will risk a charter suspension.
• No events, meetings, or programming of any kind by TCC-chartered clubs may take place after the first two days of Reading Period.

4) Club Contracts
All Club Contracts will contain the following articles, except Article (A), followed by articles that may be amended by the club.

A) Club Charters

• To be chartered, each club will go through the TCC Charter Process. This includes filling out the online forms and meeting with the TCC. At the semester end re-chartering Process, successful clubs will receive a full Charter.
• Clubs can be chartered as either Charter A or Charter B. Charter A clubs will have access to full TFC funding, reserving campus spaces, etc. Charter B clubs will have access to reserving campus spaces and are limited to funding for the snacks, vans, and posters.

B) Leadership

• All clubs will vote for exactly two members to top leadership positions. These position names may be supplemented by the club and may be Co-Presidential, Presidential-Vice Presidential, or any other combination or terminology that the club thinks appropriate. These positions MAY NOT be liaison positions to the BSG. This will serve to establish quick, effective, and direct communication between club leaders, the BSG, and the College.
• If applicable: ALL leadership, current and newly voted for the next year, will be present at TFC operating budget meetings at the end of the academic year.
• All clubs must have at least two leaders attend the mandatory club leadership training prior to holding any club events or activities as well as any other mandatory Student Activities-BSG-run Leadership Development Series. If the TCC strongly believes a certain club should be in attendance, the TCC reserves the right to include a mandatory attendance article for the leadership in a club’s contract.
• All club leaders will be required to attend an annual hazing workshop at the start of the year, hosted by Athletics or Student Activities.
• Leadership must be updated as appropriate on CampusGroups. This includes any electoral changes or changes in leadership due to a student’s abroad status.
• The TCC reserves the right to remove individuals from leadership positions, call for elections within a club, and establish a new leadership in the case of violations of the TCC Rules and Regulations. Club members may petition the TCC to commence an inquiry to evaluate the effectiveness of the current leadership.

C) Membership

•  If a club has not attained sufficient membership, is experiencing funding difficulties, etc., the TCC reserves the right to examine the benefits of re-chartering a club. This may be due, among a variety of reasons, to the following:

1. A club with low student interest and high cost-per-student, may not be chartered or re-chartered if the TCC believes they will be unable to provide a club the support it needs without sacrificing the support of other clubs.
2. The existence of another club that has greater membership and fulfills the same or a similar mission statement as the club in question.
3.  Lack of interest in a club from the student body.
4. Because “sufficient membership” and “funding difficulties” are subjective, clubs are assured that the BSG and TCC understand that each club is different. A majority vote from the TCC and the opinion of the Chair of the Treasury will be taken into account when making final decisions.

D) Mission Statement

• Each club is required to have a mission statement that includes what the club is and some goals that it hopes to achieve. It must highlight how each club on campus is unique and diverse from others.
• The mission statement reflects the purpose of the club and therefore will be used to help the TFC make funding decisions in that items that do not help the club’s mission will only be funded at the TFC’s discretion.
• Mission statements may be revised through a meeting with the TCC.
• Mission Statements must:

1. Be distinct and unique from all other clubs on campus.
2. Explain how the club helps the º£½ÇÖ±²¥ community.
3. Ensure that the club will have continuity from year to year. Clubs should not have a potential end in their mission statement.
4. Not include any events that the club will hold that could possibly lead to a liability for the college. Any mission statement that includes events that could potentially be dangerous to students will not be approved.

Active student organizations must have:

• At least ten active members
• A staff or faculty advisor who is actively involved in the affairs of their organization. The advisor should not control or make decisions for the club but rather help organizations make informed decisions. Groups are free to change advisors as needed.
• Two club leaders who are on campus in order to ensure proper leadership and continuity for the club
• Logistical requests that are within the ability of the campus to support your needs. This includes the ability to reserve practice space, storage space, etc.

6) Club Sports

Club Sports must:

• Establish the season or seasons that they will be active in with the TCC. Club sports are chartered for only one season and may only have club events, practices, and competitions within that season.
• Not consist of individual events or competitions and must be team-based. Club sports must be competing for º£½ÇÖ±²¥ College.

Policy for Starting a New Club Sport

1. Eligibility: Students are welcome to propose new club sports but should be mindful of two conditions for eligibility: If a varsity team or intramural program for the proposed sport already exists, the proposed sport is considered ineligible; and/or The proposed sport will not be approved if it is considered very high or high risk (see below for detailed list).
2. Space Availability: Separate approval from º£½ÇÖ±²¥ Athletics is required to ensure adequate field or gym space is available.
3. Insurance Coverage: The sport must be or be able to be covered by º£½ÇÖ±²¥'s insurance. Approval of sport is contingent on the actual purchasing of insurance which will take place over the summer.
4. Contact Sports: For contact sports, approval from the Head Athletic Trainer Dan Davies is required to ensure adequate staffing for safety.
5. Cost Per Student: The cost per student participating in the sport will be taken into consideration.
   Once a proposed sport meets these requirements, the Treasury Chartering Commission must issue the final approval. Club sports will be approved on an annual cycle in the spring, so that the College can add them to our insurance policy in anticipation of the upcoming academic year. List of Very High Risk and High Risk Sports List Provided by our Insurance Company VERY HIGH RISK: Boxing Tackle Football Gymnastics Ice Hockey Polo Rodeo HIGH RISK Rock Climbing (not indoor on a wall but real mountain/rock climbing) Diving Field Hockey Martial Arts/MMA Lacrosse Roller Hockey Snowboarding Surfing Wakeboarding Wrestling

7) Political Activity Policy Established Student Groups (such as the College Democrats and Republicans):

• May use º£½ÇÖ±²¥ resources for partisan political purposes, reserve rooms, tables, and TFC funding. 
• May endorse candidates or an issue.
• May invite candidates to hold rallies or speak on campus.
• Cannot accept funding or donations from outside organizations or campaigns.
• Must clearly state the sponsoring student organization in all posters. Placement of posters must be in accordance to the poster display policy in each building and must contain the following statement: “The views or support stated are of those of the (Student Organization) and do not express the position or view of º£½ÇÖ±²¥ College.”
• When Working with an Outside Political Organization: Student organizations can reserve rooms and Smith Union Info tables to support these causes and organizations. A student member from the sponsoring organization must be with the candidate or members of the outside organization at all times.

8) Other Chartering Source

• Proposed organizations must look at what other departments they could be chartered through before approaching the TCC. Generally, if the mission statement falls within an obvious college department or creates a duplicate event that is already sponsored by a department, the club should work within that department to sponsor these events.

• If your proposed organization falls under one of these categories, please look into academic departments that you could be chartered through or sponsor events through instead:

1.  Is only open to students within an academic department.
2. Consists of members whose makeup falls solely within the same major.
3.  Pre-professional and academic groups

• If your proposed organization falls under one of these categories, please look into working with the
  McKeen Center to pursue your mission instead:

1. Has a mission that has a primary focus on fundraising.
2. Has volunteer or community service as the focal mission of the club.

9) Role of the TCC

• The six voting members of the TCC are the four Class Council Vice Presidents and the two At-Large representatives. The Student Government Charterer only votes as a tiebreak.
• The Chair of the Treasury may participate as a non-voting member with the privilege to participate in TCC deliberations.
• If a TCC member is attempting to charter an organization, they must abstain from votes pertaining to said club. They may participate in deliberation but must make their role known to the TCC.
• The TCC, in collaboration with the Office of Student Activities and Chair of the Treasury, works to grant and deny proposed charters as well as review existing charters.
  ○ Charter and rechartering requests may receive an approval, conditional approval, or denial following TCC review.
  ○ Leaders of an application receiving a conditional approval must satisfy expressed requirements from the TCC and notify the committee in order to gain access to next steps in club establishment. Leaders may also appeal the decision through further communication with the committee.
  ○ Leaders of an application receiving a denial may reapply and may do so at any time the new club application remains open.

• The TCC will assist clubs throughout the year in event planning and advertisement as well as advocating on behalf of club leaders in dealing with the administration and larger policy changes. Historical examples of changes include the following.
• Name Change - Clubs must provide proper justification and detail concerning the choice to change the club name and the choice of the new name. Proper approval must be expressed by the Treasury Chartering Commission to enact such a change.
• Charter Change - Clubs that wish to change between Charter A (general club subject to general funding guidelines outlined by the Treasury Funding Commission) and Charter B (clubs with funding access restricted to vans, posters, space reservations, and snacks) must seek approval from the Treasury Chartering Commission to process the conversion.
• Constitution Change - All publications and revisions of club constitutions must be reviewed and approved by the Treasury Chartering Commission before they may be publicized on the club CampusGroups page.
• The TCC is responsible for updating records of club members by administering a Club Census near the conclusion of each semester. Data from the census will be managed by the Student Government Charterer and shared with the TFC for funding regulation purposes.
• New Club Charters

All new club applications should adhere to the following in order to achieve a successful charter.

• Adhere to all terms described in the guidelines thus far.
• Applications in the spring semester must be led by two student leaders who are not seniors.
• Establish a club name that avoids the potential to be polarizing, derogatory, or directly misleading.
• Non-mergeable with any existing campus organization.
• Clearly define a club leadership structure and transition process.
• Clearly define recurring meeting activities or set of potential events.
• Funding and resource demands to run club operations that are realistic under TFC guidelines.

10) Revoking a Charter

The TCC holds the right to revoke the charter of any organization on campus. A charter can be revoked through a vote of the TCC. Chartering of a club may be revoked for the following reasons:

• Failure to comply with the guidelines and policies mentioned above
• Failure to comply with the TFC guidelines and policies and misuse of funds received from the TFC
• Failure to comply with º£½ÇÖ±²¥ College’s policies and procedures
• Acting outside of a club’s mission statement
• Holding events or fundraisers that have not been approved by the Student Activities Office
• Requiring members to pay dues

The organization’s club leaders will receive a notification from the TCC of the revocation of the organization’s charter and shall be given the chance to defend their case. Any club that violates the TCC guidelines three times will be automatically unchartered for the year.

Effective Date: April 18, 2025

Contact: TCC Email (tcc@bowdoin.edu)
Tyler McGrath (tmcgrath@bowdoin.edu) Chair of TCC

Meetings & Important Dates for Student Organizations  

There are several meetings that Chartered Student Organizations must keep in mind:  

•  Fall Mandatory Club Leader Training  
•  Fall Mandatory Club Sport Captain Training  
•  Fall Student Activities Fair (held during the second week of classes Fall Semester)  
•  Newly Chartered Organizations Mandatory Leader Training (held monthly starting in October)  
•  Spring Student Activities Fair (held during the second week of classes Spring Semester)  
•  Re-Chartering of Student Organizations (typically held in April each year)  
•  Operating Budget Meetings (for student organizations on operating budgets- held in April/May for the following academic year)  

Please note: Organization activities end on the second day of Reading Period and don’t begin again until the start of the next semester. No programming can take place after the second day of Reading Period.