Student Club Resource Guide

Contact us with any concerns, questions or ideas!

Claire Richardson, Director of Student Activities
Recreation Center, room 117
richardsonc@brcc.edu
540-453-2368 (Direct Line)

Guidelines and Policies

Student organizations and clubs at Blue Ridge Community College must follow the Student Activities regulations, as listed below.

General Guidelines

All student organizations operating on the Blue Ridge Community College campus must be approved.

Student Clubs (all students) must follow BRCC Policies. All students are encouraged to become familiar with college policies by visiting the student handbook at catalog.brcc.edu/

Faculty/Staff Advisors

A faculty or staff advisor is required for each student organization. However, student clubs and organizations should be student directed and student led. Decision making related to the club’s activities, goals, and expenditures should ultimately be the responsibility of the students. The advisor’s role is to ensure that students are following policy and procedure, and provide guidance to encourage wise decision making.
Faculty/Staff advisors need to be involved and participate in club meetings.
Students may hold an interest meeting to determine viability of club prior to obtaining a faculty advisor, under the supervision of Student Activities. Such organizations are not officially recognized and may not continue meeting without a faculty or staff advisor.
The advisor in collaboration with the club leadership are responsible for securing meeting rooms for club business and/or meetings. The faculty or staff advisor shall serve as a point of contact for college processes.

Student Club Leaders

Student organization officers/leaders are required to be enrolled in classes for the current term of their leadership position. It is the club’s responsibility to update the Student Activities office with leadership changes.
In order to gain approval or maintain active club status, each club or organization must have a minimum of four students as members.

Club Membership

Clubs must have a minimum of 4 members, at all times. One to two members are required to be the Chair and/or Co-Chair. Rosters should be updated routinely.
Some clubs have an academic reason for limiting membership (Club coordinates activities for a program with restricted admission; Honors club has a minimum GPA requirement). Otherwise, clubs must have membership open to all students on campus.

Inactive Clubs

A club will become inactive when it has less than 4 students serving as members for the current term. In an effort to assist clubs with regaining membership, the club will continue to be listed on the college website and other official listings. However, the club will be removed from the website and club listings when it has been inactive 2 consecutive semesters (not including summer semesters).

An inactive club will lose their ability to use their budgeted monies, plan events, fundraisers, and participate in service activities.

It is the club’s responsibility to update the Student Activities Office with club leadership changes throughout the year.

Club Naming Guidelines

Student organizations and clubs must be clearly named so that the campus and community can differentiate between communications from student clubs and official college departments.

Club name should include a word that indicates student club status. Examples include: “club,” “student organization,”“student group,” “student association,” “chapter,” or “society.”

Administration of Clubs

Student Activities believes that every student club should have agency in deciding how their club will be administered. Each club should decide how their club leaders will be elected, what/how many positions are appropriate for the club, and how clubs should make decisions together. Some clubs may choose to be more formal than others, but every club must have 4 total members, 1-2 of which must be Chair/Co-Chair and lead the club in meetings and planning.

Sometimes liability, risk or other factors preclude clubs from being offered as an official club at BRCC. Administration reserves the right to deny approval.

Reserving/Using Space for Events and Meetings on Campus

Please work with your faculty/staff sponsor or Student Activities staff to reserve rooms, tables or spaces for meetings, fundraisers and events. Spaces are available on a first come, first served basis. Academic needs for classroom space retain first priority for space use on campus.

Alcohol: Student clubs and organizations are not permitted to sponsor activities involving serving alcohol.
Candles: Candles and other items with an open flame are not permitted on campus.
Cleaning: Please leave each room or space in the condition it was when you arrived. If necessary, pick up trash, wipe up spills, sweep or vacuum major debris. This includes cleaning up after regular club meetings.
College Closing: All events are cancelled when the college is closed.
Costumes: Events with masks should be cleared by the Student Activities director prior to the event.
Decorations: Do not ever use tape, putty, push pins, command strips, or any other material on campus walls, doors or windows. All these items will leave residue or leave damage to the walls and paint. Contact Student Activities for more information on flyer posting.
Food and Drink: Clubs and organizations may serve food at an event. If purchased using club funds, the food and/or drink purchase request needs to be sent to the Student Activities at A MINIMUM 7 days prior to the food event. Students and Advisors will not be reimbursed for food purchased. A Business Meal Approval Request Form must have been completed ahead of time.
Please contact student activities assistant to request food and drink for club events: baberw@brcc.edu or 540-453-2575.
Movies: It is against Federal law to show any film (includes documentaries and TV shows) without following proper licensing procedures — no matter the admission is free or paid. Educational exemptions are not available for Student Activities or club events. For more information, contact the Student Activities Office. If your organization is interested in showing a film, but does not have adequate funding for the performance rights consider requesting financial support from the Student Activities Office.

Financial Procedures and Policies

Club Funds

Student Activities provides funding to approved, active clubs each semester. A total of $500 per semester is awarded. If clubs want to spend above the awarded amount, the Advisor may request additional funding.

Additional funding is limited and available on a first come, first served basis. Priority is given to activities that will enrich the campus community, or significantly enhance the academic or personal development of club members.

Club Purchases – Food

The Student Activities department will place all orders for club food purchases. Reimbursements are NOT allowed. Food requests must be within, and not exceed the allowable per diem rate.

The process for food purchases includes the following:

Seven days prior to your club activity, send an email with your specific
request to clubpurchase@brcc.edu. Email should contain the following info:

Specify restaurant
How many students/advisors are participating.
What type and quantity of food- i.e. 3 cheese pizzas, 3 gluten free pepperoni pizzas, 2 club sandwiches, etc)
Location of luncheon
Should food be delivered by restaurant? Will an advisor pick it up? What time? AND time of actual luncheon
BRCC local club code to be charged
ALL receipts from delivery driver/restaurant must be delivered to Student Activities ASAP.
If requesting food items from a grocery store, club representative must be present and on site to do the actual shopping, NOT Student Activities staff. The SA staff are only there to pay. This also must all be prearranged.

Club Purchases – Nonfood

The Student Activities department will place all orders for nonfood club purchases, such as supplies, services, trips, dues etc. Reimbursements are NOT allowed. The process includes the following:

At least 2 weeks prior to your club activity or club supply need, send an email with your specific request to clubpurchase@brcc.edu. Email should contain the following info:

What is the name of the event?
Exact URL link to the item(s) the club wishes to purchase.
Quantity of the requested item(s).
OR invoice from company the club has previously selected.
Date items are requested by (need to build in adequate purchasing and shipping time).
Who should we contact to pick up items once they arrive?

Student Fundraising

Clubs are permitted to raise funds, though prior approval is required. Proper procedures and application form can be found here (Google doc).

Club Travel

Clubs sanctioned/sponsored events off campus must be attended by an Advisor. The following forms are required:

Day Travel Only:

Overnight Travel (in addition to the day travel forms):

Student Travel Estimate Worksheet (Google doc)

Advertising

Need help advertising your club? Contact Student Activities for ideas.