A five-step guide to starting a new All-Square club at NYU
Introduction. The Student Activities Board (SAB), a student government body responsible for recognizing and governing All-Square clubs at NYU, has created the New Club Development Program to assist groups of students wanting to start an All-Square club. The program begins in September of each academic year when the Student Activities Board accepts and reviews application to the program. Once the application process is closed, the Student Activities Board will not review applications again until the next academic year. The program takes two semesters to complete, fall & spring, in that order.
Take the following 5 steps to begin the process of starting an All-Square club:
STEP ONE: If your proposed club meets the All-Square club criteria, complete and submit the on-line "New Club Development Program Application", by the last Friday in September. (The link is included in STEP FIVE). All on-line applications go directly to the student members of the SAB who are solely responsible for approving or denying applications. The SAB will notify the founding members listed on your application via email by October 15 regarding the status of the application. (Note that the SAB is not in session over the summer therefore does not conduct official business requiring the deliberation of the full Board. The Board holds their first meeting in late September.)
STEP TWO: The SAB will forward approved applications to the Executive Director of the Office of Student Activities (OSA) who will assign those clubs accepted to the NCD Program an OSA club advisor. Since OSA is not notified by the SAB regarding applications which are pending or not approved, questions regarding the application process should be directed to the Student Activities Board, SAB Office, Kimmel Center, room 710, mailbox 216. 212-998-4948 or sab.club@nyu.edu.
STEP THREE: The club's OSA club advisor will contact the founding members listed on the application to set up an initial advisement session to discuss:
- Reviewing and revising, if needed, your mission statement.
- Setting goals and objectives for the club.
- Recruiting new members.
- Writing and ratifying your club Constitution.
- Electing officers.
- Applying for seed funding.
- Planning and hosting club activities or publishing your publication.
- Preparing for your final evaluation by the SAB. (February)
- Submitting a club budget for the next academic year. (Only if the SAB grants your club All-Square status following your final evaluation.)
- and following the timeline set by SAB that includes deadlines for completing each component of the New Club Development (NCD) Program.
STEP FOUR: This section provides explanations of the information the Student Activities Board will require you to provide as part of the application process for the New Club Development Program. It is suggest that you review this section now and refer back to section as needed as you complete the NCD Program application.
Club Name. The use of "NYU" or "New York University" as part of a club name is restricted to "at NYU" or "at New York University". For example your club is not authorized use the name "NYU Theatre Club" but it is authorized to use the name "Theatre Club at NYU". New clubs may not identify themselves as an "Office", "Council", "Board", "Center", "Department" or other names commonly used to identify official governing bodies, administrative or academic areas of the University. In cases where a club is a campus chapter of a national organization that includes these terms, the Student Activities Board will take consider an exception to their policy.
Club Mission Statement. The club's mission statement defines what your club is, what the club aspires to be, allows for growth and change, distinguishes your club from others, and serves as a frame work to evaluate your success as a club. An important intention of your club's mission statement is to keep current and future members of the club and the NYU community aware of the club's core purpose and values. To that end, your mission statement should include the purpose and values of the club, identify who the club's primary stakeholders are, outline the responsibilities of the club to it's members and the NYU community, and set out the main objectives the club will accomplish. Your mission statement should be brief and clearly stated so that it is generally understood by all. You can find the mission statements of existing clubs registered with the Office of Student Activities by going to the club directory at www.osa.nyu.edu and clicking on club names.
Club Uniqueness Statement. Your club's uniqueness statement provides the Student Activities Board additional details about your club beyond what you have stated in your mission statement. This is an opportunity to clarify how your proposed club is different from other existing clubs at NYU and how your club will have a positive impact on the NYU community.
Statement of Club Activities and Goals. This is your opportunity to outline the kinds of activities your club might engage in and what you hope to accomplish by hosting these activities. If you are a publication, discuss themes you plan to pursue in your publications, topics you hope to address, genres you will explore, and the impact you want to have on your readers.
Club Founding Members. The SAB requires that during the application process proposed clubs select four (4) NYU students who will serve as the founding members of the club until elections are held following the ratification of your club's Constitution. The founding members are required to be current NYU students in good standing with the University who are enrolled in academic courses working toward an academic degree. The Founding Members may all be from one school at NYU. It is important to provide all of the information requested for each of the founding members.
Restrictions. The following clubs will not be considered for the new club development program:
- clubs that do not meet the All-Square club criteria (these include school clubs, sports clubs, office clubs, student governments, honorary societies.)
- clubs engaging in activities that the University deems as posing potential personal health or safety risks to participants,
- clubs requiring additional insurance,
- clubs requiring paid coaches,
- clubs requiring the University to provide special uniforms or equipment,
- clubs requiring specialized practice/rehearsal spaces or other specialized facilities beyond the availability and scoop of what NYU can provide in our existing NYU facilities,
- clubs providing services more appropriately provided by University offices or government agencies,
- clubs with membership restrictions,
- clubs incorporated as for-profit businesses or non-profit organizations,
- clubs planning to hold off-campus activities or to attend off-campus activities without the official co-sponsorship of an academic or administrative office at NYU (except for community service clubs working with agencies within reasonable commuting distance of Washington Square).
- clubs with a mission or purpose that conflicts with the mission, purpose and values of the University,
- and honorary fraternities/sororities or societies affiliated with an academic program.
STEP FIVE: Click on "New Club Development Program Application" and submit the on-line online application by midnight of the last Friday in September. The Student Activities Board will notify your founding members regarding your application status by October 15th.