How to become a recognized Student Organization

Please print and fill out this form and return it to Student Development
New Student Organization Application

• The Student Commission By-Laws say the following about becoming a Student Organization:
  1. In order to be recognized as an organization, a group must submit its proposed constitution, a list of long-term goals, and leadership contact information to the Student Organizational Subcommittee which, after consideration, will submit them to the General Assembly for approval.
  2. A group must meet the following criteria to be recognized as a student organization:
     • Display Cultural, social, economic and/or educational advantages to the Kalamazoo College community.
     • Display student leadership without the need for Commission funded leaders or instructors.
     • Cannot require funds to compete directly with other schools.
     • Open membership to the entire Kalamazoo College community.
     • Cannot be the responsibility of departments of Kalamazoo College or pre-professional extensions thereof.
     • An organization may not secure a budget within the quarter of its recognition.
     • Once recognized, an organization is responsible for submitting both a list of goals for the quarter and any budgetary requests by second week of each quarter in accordance with the by-laws on
       Budgeting and Financial Oversight.
     • Once recognized, the organization may take advantage of the following privileges:
       1. Use Kalamazoo College’s name in its title;
       2. Use any “support units” afforded by the College, providing the organization secures funds for any and all costs incurred from such uses (i.e. transportation, meeting rooms, photocopier facilities, et cetera).
       3. Request funds from Student Commission, to be allocated out of its general budget.
     • If at any time, the Commission Assembly feels that any particular organization is not following these established criteria, that organization may be reviewed by the Student Commission to determine whether it will continue to be recognized.
     • A student organization which does not present a representative at the first Student Commission meeting of the quarter for four (4) consecutive quarters shall be automatically dissolved. An organization dissolved in this manner has ceased to be a recognized organization, and must be reapproved before it can enjoy the privileges of a student organization.

Please make sure to stop by the Student Development Office to pick up an application form. Applications for new student organizations must be submitted to StuDev by February 9, 2007.

Note: Any organization that does not inform the student commission that it is active for three consecutive quarters will be dissolved.

For more information, please contact the Student Commission Finance Director.