Clubs

Club Recognition is the process by which students propose the creation of a new club.

Eligibility Requirements

The following criteria must be met before club status is considered.

Mission Statement:

The club’s purpose and function must be consistent with the mission statement of the institution(s). A clearly defined statement on how the club’s mission is consistent with the mission of the institution(s) and the Catholic, Benedictine tradition must be included in the constitution.

Membership:

Membership is open to all CSB/SJU students exclusively. Currently enrolled students must be allowed to join any recognized club. Student club’s agree to comply with the Institutions Joint Human Rights Policy  in regard to membership. Clubs must have at least 10 student members in order to be recognized.

Constitution:

A club must have a constitution that clearly states its purpose and function. Please follow the constitution template on the Student Leadership & Engagement website as closely as possible. New constitutions should be submitted electronically to [email protected] and to Dylan Maanum ([email protected]). Contact Dylan Maanum at x2211 if you have questions.

Advisor:

All student clubs require advisors who are employees of CSB/SJU. Advisors must complete an Advisor Contract for club recognition, and each year after that as part of club registration.

Institutional Policy:

Student clubs are required to comply with all institutional policies and procedures as listed in the Bennie Book and the J-Book.

Joint Club Board (JCB):

Student clubs must comply with the Joint Club Board Guidlines. The guidelines devised by the Joint Club Board apply to both joint and individual campus clubs.

The JCB evaluates whether a potential club meets start-up guidelines. It assesses the constitution of each proposed club and votes on whether to recognize the club or not. 

Once a club has been officially approved, the JCB works with the organization to ensure that JCB guidelines are being met and that the club receives the necessary support. The JCB also reviews club grievances and develops club/organization policy.

Procedures for New Student Club Recognition

Students are welcomed to initiate and organize clubs whose stated purpose is consistent with the two institution’s mission statements and its Catholic, Benedictine tradition.

Recognition of a student club by the institution is an acknowledgment that the club has complied with all eligibility requirements and recognition procedures. Recognition also implies that the institution approves of the organization’s constitution and bylaws. Access to certain benefits (listed below) are available to recognized organizations.

A. Potential Clubs must submit the following paperwork to Student Leadership & Engagement one full week prior to the date that the Joint Club Board convenes to consider the club proposal:

1. A completed Club Recognition Form including the name of an advisor, a list of club officers, and a list of initial members — potential clubs must have a minimum of 10 initial members.
2. A copy of the club’s constitution. Also, email copies of your constitution to [email protected] and to [email protected].

Click here to see a template for creating a club constitution.

A signed Advisor Contract.

B. Potential clubs who require the use of CSB and/or SJU indoor or outdoor athletic facilities to achieve the club’s mission must obtain the approval of the CSB Club Sports Commissioner and the SJU Athletics Coordinator before submitting a proposal to the Joint Club Board.

C. Faith based clubs must obtain approval by CSB and SJU Campus Ministry prior to submitting a proposal to the Joint Club Board.

D. When all application materials are completed submitted to Student Leadership & Engagement- [email protected], Mary Hall 025, the proposed club’s file is ready for review by the JCB.

Review Process:

• The JCB will review the materials. The JCB will consult with the appropriate staff, faculty, advisors and/or student groups before considering granting or denying recognition of the proposed club. The JCB considers the following questions when evaluating a new club proposal:

  • Is the club beneficial to the student body in a way that is worthy of the commitment of institutional resources?
  • Is the club inclusive and welcoming to all CSB/SJU students? 
  • Will the club sponsor events that are inclusive and welcoming to all CSB/SJU students?
  • Are the club’s activities, mission and goals consistent with the Benedictine Values?
  • Is the club unique?  Does it duplicate the efforts of another club?
  • Is the proposed club sustainable over time?
  • Are there at least ten students who will be active club members?
  •  Is the club managed by CSB/SJU students?
  • Do the club’s election and management procedures reflect a concern for the interests of all potential students?
  • Will the potential club maintain its financial accounts at CSB/SJU and comply with institutional financial policies?
  • Will the club’s funding be used primarily for events for CSB/SJU students?

• The JCB votes to recognize or deny the proposed student club. If recognized, the co-chairs sign off on the Recognition Form. This form is then sent to Student Leadership & Engagement.

Benefits of Recognition

CSB/SJU recognized clubs are eligible for access to a number of services and benefits which currently include the following:

1. Recognition as an institutionally-affiliated group
2. Use of the institution’s name in the club’s title and in association with the club’s activities
3. Listing of the club in official publications of the institution including the Bennie Book and the J-Book
4. Consideration for funding during the academic year
5. Options for requesting to hold fundraising events and solicitation
6. Use of institutional printing services
7. Use of media services equipment
8. Inclusion in the annual club fair
9. Access to the staff, resources, and services of Student Leadership & Engagement
10. General coverage provided under institutional insurance
11. Use of the CSB/SJU Bulletin Board App for advertising.

Planning a club trip

1.Create a detailed budget that includes the following:

• Transportation costs including any airfare, busing, Uber, institutional vehicle use or personal car mileage costs

  • If you are flying include the cost of getting to and from airports
  • If you are renting a bus from a transportation company include the cost of a tip and the cost of lodging for the bus driver

• If you are traveling outside of the continental United States include the cost of travel for a CSB/SJU staff person required by institutional policy to accompany an international trip
• Lodging costs including tax

  • The tax on lodging is typically not included in the room rate that is advertised on line. These taxes can be significant. You can find the tax rate on the hotel website.

• Registration fees if you are attending a conference or competition
• Ticket fees if you are attending a show or event
• Food costs
• Travel insurance

If you are traveling outside of the continental United States include the cost of travel insurance required by the Center for Global Education for international travelers.

Once you have completed your detailed budget, email Dylan Maanum to set up an appointment to go over trip details.

2.Secure all of the funding for your trip.

• Clubs should submit an Expense Request to the Co-Funding Board to apply for funding.
• Clubs should instruct all travelers to deposit their share of hotel and travel costs into the club’s generated account and give the receipt from the deposit to the trip leader who will in turn give them to Dylan Maanum in Student Leadership & Engagement.
• Contributions from departments can be transferred to the club’s generated club account be emailing the business office.

In the Case of Travel Expenses the CFB may only fund: 

Up to 65% of the cost to rent a university van/car for the use of a student group.

Up to 65% of the cost of fueling the university van/car for the duration of the trip.

Up to 65% of the cost of other modes of transportation in situations where it is deemed cost-effective by the board.

Up to 65% of the cost of lodging/hotel fees for club affiliated attendees of approved conventions/conferences.

Up to 65% of the cost of the fuel for a non-university van/car.

Approved travel and lodging expenses not to exceed $8,000 per year.

In the event of a weather-related emergency or natural disaster, the CFB may fund 100% of unanticipated travel costs even if that causes total travel costs to exceed the $8,000 cap.

In the Case of Travel Expenses incurred during international travel the CFB may only fund:

Up to $300 per person toward the cost of lodging and travel.

Approved travel and lodging expenses not to exceed $6,400 per year.

In the e​vent of a weather-related emergency or a natural disaster, the CFB may fund 100% of unanticipated travel costs even if that causes total travel costs to exceed the $6,400 cap.

The CFB may not fund:

The cost of food for any participant of an approved convention or conference, unless included in the cost of the conference or event.

Individual membership fees except when the payment of such fees reduces the overall cost of attending the conference.

If the funding you are requesting is for international travel (travel outside of the USA), you must comply with additional policies and procedures before you can receive institutional funding.

CSB and SJU does not guarantee funding or reimbursements for advisor’s travel cost even though they are required by institutional policy for international trips. 

3.Once all necessary funds are secured, club travel costs (hotel and airfare) will be paid by Dylan Maanum in Student Leadership & Engagement with an institutional credit card.

• Individual traveler contributions must be deposited into the club’s generated account before travel arrangements are made.
• Although travel costs can be paid with an institutional credit card, when traveling students are strongly advised to bring an additional form of payment — such as a personal credit card — in the event of an emergency or an unexpected financial issue. ​

4.Complete Travel Forms

There are two types of forms that must be completed before students travel. These forms must be completed whether you are traveling a short distance (simply to St. Cloud) or a long distance and whether you are using a personal vehicle, campus vehicles or vehicles rented from an outside company. 

• Click here to complete a Trip Notification Form.  This form should be completed by the trip organizer and is used to keep track of travelers in the event of an emergency.
• Each individual traveler must complete an online Trip Waiver Form. The submission of this form can be tracked by Forms Manager to insure authenticity; the form is only valid if submitted from your personal Outlook account. Do not submit this form from another user’s account.

If your club hopes to use an institutional vehicle, reserve the vehicle by completing a Vehicle Reservation Form or by emailing [email protected] and copying [email protected] & [email protected].

All club use of institutional vehicles must be authorized by Aaron Voth in Student Activities.

5.Keep all travel receipts and return them to Dylan Maanum, SJU, Mary Hall 025.

This includes gas receipts, Uber receipts, hotel folios and any other paperwork that verifies a travel expense. You can only be reimbursed for travel expenses if you provide actual receipts.

REMINDERS

• If you are hoping to be reimbursed for travel expenses, the reimbursement must be approved by the Co-Funding Board prior to travel or the reimbursement is not guaranteed.

• All club use of institutional vehicles must be authorized by Aaron Voth in Student Leadership & Engagement.

• Only registered CSB/SJU students and current CSB/SJU community members are allowed to participate club trips.

• Students are not allowed to participate in CSB/SJU sponsored trips unless they have health insurance (click here to view the CSB/SJU Health Insurance Policy). 

• All international travel should be planned with guidance from the Center for Global Education.  Student clubs who want to plan a trip outside of the continental United States should begin by completing a Travel Permission Form.

• All international trips require that a CSB/SJU faculty/staff advisor travel and stay with the students.  The advisor’s travel expenses should be considered part of the cost of the trip, and trip participants will have to include these expenses in their travel budget. 

• The CSB/SJU Extra-Curriular Policy and Class Attendance Policy pertains to all students on institutionally sponsored trips.  

Involvement Fair Fall 2023 is completed.
Revisit here Fall 2024!

This form is for submitting a request for an Involvement purchase only. Registered clubs may spend up to $75 of the operational money they receive from the Co-Funding Board on promotional or tabling items for the Involvement Fair.  You can request either an online purchase or a purchase order that allows you to shop at a local vendor.

If you wish to make purchases beyond the $75 limit your club must have the generated funds to cover the expense.

Items purchased with Involvement dollars cannot be sold.

Use this form to request the following types of purchases:

• Food from CSB Catering
• On-Campus Purchases (Duplicating,  Bookstore)
• Online Purchases (Promotional Items, Event Supplies)
• Purchases from Local Vendors (Walmart)         

 You will be notified if your request is approved, and how to proceed with your purchases.

CSB/SJU departments and organizations are not eligible for Co-Funding Board dollars and must provide their own funding for Involvement tabling supplies.