How to Start a New Student Organization

Guidelines For Organizational Approval
Anyone wishing to form an organization at Otterbein College must first have it approved by the Vice President and Dean for Student Affairs. This administrative approval is for a period of no more than one year. During the period of administrative approval, the group must develop a constitution and bylaws, which must be approved by the Student Life Committee and the College Senate. Only after this process is complete, will the group receive official recognition by Otterbein College. In certain cases, the group may need approval of the Board of Trustees before recognition is granted.

In order to follow a consistent, fair, and progressive standard in the consideration of various organizations, and realizing that such standards are essential to the establishment of a better atmosphere within the student body, the Constitution Review Committee of the Student Life Committee hereby pledges to use the following criteria as its guidelines for the approval of campus organizations at Otterbein College.

All new constitutions must be typed and submitted to the Student Life Committee (via the Vice President and Dean for Student Affairs) in a clear and precise form. Typically, the Student Life Committee will refer the document to the Constitution Review Committee for a more detailed analysis and recommendations.
The organization should have a name not presently used by any other recognized organization.
The purpose of the organization should be clearly stated.
The organization must have officers to pilot its duties.
Officers' requirements and functions must be stated.
Procedures for election of officers must be stated, and the voting margins of elections must be stated, i.e., majority or plurality.
The organization must have a minimum of two advisers. At least one of whom should be a faculty member or a member of the administrative staff at Otterbein College.
Meeting requirements must be stated (i.e., how many times a week, month, etc.).
Attendance requirements must be specified, and if there are no attendance requirements, this must be stated.
Expulsion requirements and procedures must be specified, and if there are no expulsion requirements, this must be stated.
Financial obligations of the members must be specified, and if there are no financial obligations, this must be stated.
Processes for amendments to the constitution must be stated and amended constitutions must be re-submitted to the Constitution Review Committee and Campus Services and Regulations.
The following sentence must be stated in the constitution, verbatim: "Membership in this organization is open to all Otterbein students without regard to sex*, marital or parental status, race, color, religion, age, sexual orientation, national origin, or disability."

*excludes social fraternities and sororities

All organizations must be open to all students with the exception of the following classifications of groups, which are permitted to have eligibility requirements: Departmental, Honorary and Professional. The Student Life Committee will determine if the organization's classification is proper.
The organization must serve the best interests of Otterbein College and of the membership involved.
Upon the request of the Constitution Review Committee, one of the officers of the petitioning organization must be available to discuss or explain the Constitution submitted for consideration.

To aid interested parties in the development of a constitution, a sample constitution is attached. In addition, you are urged to read carefully the Campus Life Handbook, a copy of which is available in the Student Affairs office. As part of the Otterbein College Community, campus organizations represent and are considered accountable to the college. The college, in turn, is responsible for their actions. Therefore, all campus organizations as well as the individuals who compose the college community are expected to abide by the Otterbein College policies and regulations as they apply to them. For further explanation of these policies, a handbook on Campus Committees and Organizations is also available in the Student Affairs office.

Upon completion of the constitution, it should be submitted to the Vice President and Dean for Student Affairs. The material will then be transmitted to the appropriate review committee for approval, starting with the Constitution Review Committee. The advisors and the president of the considered group will receive notification of the decision. Please be advised the final approval or denial usually requires three to six weeks from the date of submission.