Launching a New Student Org
Guidelines to Form A New Student Organization
The Student Government Association oversees the process to form a new student organization at Millersville University. Once you have your required materials compiled you may submit the Request to Form New Student Organization on Get involved. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to email the SGA Director of Organizations at SGAOrgs@millersville.edu
Below you will find the basic steps you must take before submitting your request.
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Launching an Organization
Launching an Organization
If a prospective organization wishes to form at Millersville, it needs a minimum of three (3) members(a President, Vice President, and Treasurer). SGA also requires that prospective organizations submit the following documentation online via the Student Government Association Get Involved page:
- A petition of twenty-five (25) signatures from Millersville University students who express their support for the creation of the organization.
- An Advisor letter of support:
a.This is a brief letter of support from any faculty or staff member employed at Millersville University. This individual shall serve as the organization’s liaison and first contact in many situations.
3. A Constitution detailing the structure and purpose of the organization along with required language regarding Hazing and Title IX policies. Here is a link to a sample constitutionfor organizations to download and edit on their own.
4. The “New Organization Request Form”:
a.The members of the prospective organization need to register their organization. To do this, go to https://getinvolved.millersville.edu/and click on “Organizations” at the top. Then click on “Register an Organization” on the left and then scroll down to the blue “Register a New Organization” button on the lower left. This is the form that must be completed and the aforementioned documentation must be submitted. Once this information is gathered and reviewed, Campus Life will create a portal for the organization on Get Involved. Designated officers for the organization will receive confirmation from Campus Life that their organization was approved. The President, Vice President, and Treasurer as well as any other designated officers for the organization will then have access to edit and design their Get Involved page. An important consideration is that any student leader cannot serve as President and/or Treasurer for more than one active, registered student organization at Millersville.
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Status Review
Once the organization has completed the process to form a new organization, the Director of Student Organizations will contact the officers of the prospective organization and set up a meeting with the Student Organizations Committee of SGA. The committee willreview the materials and vote on the organization. If it is approved, all of that information will go to full membership of SGA. If it is approved by the body, the organization will be granted temporary status. After an organization has been approved fortemporary status, the officers will receive a memorandum that establishes them as a temporary organization at Millersville. This memorandum must be retained by the organization to contribute to applying for permanent status.In order to apply for permanent status (seen below), an organization must be active, registered, and temporary status, for one full calendar year.
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Temporary-Status Organizations
MembershipAn organization must have a minimum of three (3) members to be considered for temporary status. Of these three members, they must include a President, Vice President, and Treasurer. These positions must all be filled by different students. Other officer positions may be created as necessary.InclusivityMembers must be limited to students, staff, or faculty at Millersville University. Temporary organizations are prohibited from excluding any Millersville University students of any population or identity group. The organization must be a “Social Fraternity” as defined by the Department of Education. The DoE defines a “Social Fraternity”as a group that can answer “no” to all the following questions:1. Is the organization’s membership limited to persons pursuing or having interest in a particular field of study, profession, or academic discipline?2. Is the membership limited to individuals who have a high level of achievement in scholarship or any other endeavor?3. Are the members permitted to hold membership in other fraternities or sororities at the University?If a group answers “yes” to any of the above questions, the organization is not a “Social Fraternity”and is not allowed to have restrictions of membership on the basis of sex, gender, academic pursuit, or physical equity. Therefore, organizations who do answer “no” to all of the above questions mustaccept all members regardless of sex, gender, academic pursuit, or physical equity. Questions regarding this policy can be directed to Campus Life.DuplicationOrganizations that share a purpose statement with an existing organization will not be considered for temporary status. Organizations that share too great a similarity will also not be considered for temporary status so as not to undermine or influence the operations of the existing organization. See “Constitution” for more information on a purpose statement. ConstitutionOrganizations must have a constitution and submit it with their paperwork, as described in “Launching an Organization” for temporary status. The constitution must include, but is not limited to, the following:1. The name of the organization will be called ______________________.a.NOTE: Any organization beginning with “Millersville University” or “MU” will not be considered for temporary status. Please place University affiliation at the end of theorganization name (e.g. The __________ Club of Millersville University).2. The purpose of the organization:a.How to create a perfect purpose statement:i.Explain the primary function/goals of the organization.ii.Explain how those goals will benefit the campus community.iii.Express what students will gain from joining the organization (networking skills, professional development opportunities, a group to unwind or relax with, etc).3. A list of officers and their job descriptions.4. Membership information (such as who can join or any required dues and duties).5. The following language must also be included:a.“All Amendments to this Constitution shall not be valid until approved by the Student Organizations Committee of the Student Government Association (SGA) and its body.”i. SGA does this to ensure that every organization is keeping in line with University policies as both the University and the organization may go through policy changes.b.“If this organization is dissolved, any remaining allocated funds should be forfeited tothe Student Government Association, after all outstanding bills are paid.”i.SGA does this to ensure that the Student Activities Fee never goes to waste. If your organization were to dissolve, we would want another organization to use the funding that your organization was unable to use.c.The Statement of Non-Discrimination as well as the Statement of Non-Hazing must also be included as separate articles at the conclusion of the constitution. Their wordings are included in the sample constitution linked in the above section under “Launching an Organization.”If assistance is required for drafting the constitution, please reach out to the Director of Student Organizations and their committee for assistance.
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Permanent-Status Organizations
Membership
An organization must have a minimum of eight (8) members to be considered for permanent status. Of these eight members, they must include a President, Vice President, and Treasurer. These positions must all be filled by different students. Other officer positions may be created as necessary. An organization is eligible to apply for permanent status one calendar year after they were granted temporary status.
Any organization that does not meet the minimum membership requirements outlined above can fill out the form entitled “Membership Appeal Form” on the Student Government Association Get Involved page.
Requesters should send an email to the Director of Student Organizations asking to have a meeting with the Student Organizations committee to be heard for permanent status. Requesters don’t need to supply any documents; just face questioning through the committee. Once the committee has been met with, they will review the answers given and vote on the organization’s status change. If it is approved by generalmembership of the Student Government Association, the organization will be granted permanent status.
Motion: “Without any objections to this decision (insert org name) will be approved for (permanent status, temp status, name changes, etc) these organizations are limited to the constraints of the most recently approved ORG guidelines. Relevant objections will be brought back to the committee to be reexamined.”
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Revisions and Resources
Constitution and Bylaw ChangesBoth temporary status and permanent status organizations need to submit constitution and bylaw changes for approval by the Student Organizations committee and general membership of the Student Government Association. Organizations should send an email to the Director of Student Organizations requesting to meet with their committee to discuss and approve the changes. All additions must be marked in blue and subtractions marked in red on the documentation provided to the committee by the organization. Any approved constitution or bylaw changes should be added to the organization’s Get Involvedpage.Organization Name ChangesBoth temporary-status and permanent-status organizations need to submit name changes for approval by the Student Organizations committee and general membership of the Student Government Association. Organizations should send an email to the Director of Student Organizations requesting to meet with their committee to discuss and approve the changes.Important ResourcesAs a temporary-status organization, access is granted to resources such as the following:1.An opportunity to create a bank account for the organization through the Banking Center managed by Student Services Inc. located in the Student Memorial Center. This is where one can deposit any fundraising moneys the organization may have raised.2.Access to a mailbox located at the Student Memorial Center Information Desk.As a permanent-status organization, access is granted to further resources like the following:1.An opportunity to apply for and receive allocation of funds for the organization to supplement events, professional development, and basic operation. These fundscome through the Student Activities Fee (managed by SGA). More information on this can be found in the Finance Guidelines on the Student Government Association Get Involved page.