One of the duties of the Student Association Senate is to regulate the various student clubs on campus. The SA is the parent organization of such well-known campus organizations as KTRU, The Rice Thresher, and RPC. In addition, interested students may found their own clubs. A list of currently registered clubs is available from the Office of Student Activities.
The approval process is outlined here:
- Read over Article VII and By-Law D of the Student Association Constitution and By-Laws. These two sections are the primary sections governing registered student organization. The Constitution can be downloaded from the documents section of this website.
- Submit to the Office of Student Activities:
- a draft constitution for the organization, a template for which is available at from the Office of Student Activities;
- the following items, available from the Office of Student Activities:
- informational forms about student officers;
- a letter from a member of the Rice faculty or staff stating his or her intent to serve as the faculty or staff sponsor of the organization; and
- an agreement, signed by the primary officer of the organization, that the organization understands and will abide by the rules of Rice University; and
- a completed Club Approvals Brief, which can be filled out online, for distribution to the Student Association Senate.
- The Office of Student Activities will forward the necessary paperwork to the Student Association Parliamentarian. A representative from the club will need to meet with the Student Association Parliamentarian to discuss the club's constitution. The Parliamentarian normally holds weekly office hours (Mondays 9-10pm in the SA Office, 2nd Floor, RMC) to meet with prospective clubs.
- After the constitution has been reviewed, updated, and approved, the Parliamentarian will schedule a time for the organization to present in front of the Student Association Senate for approval.
- Send a representative or two (typically the primary officers) to the scheduled meeting. These representatives will make a short (45-second) presentation to the Senate. Not all clubs are approved: a club's representatives must be ready to answer questions and argue for the organization's approval.
- Upon approval by the Senate, the organization will become a registered student organization will all the benefits thereof, including the ability to reserve rooms on campus and have a bank account. Bank account application forms are available in the Clubs Office. See the Financial Guidelines section of the Clubs Manual for further details.
- The Student Association Parliamentarian will then place the approved constitution on file with the Office of Student Activities.