Clubs

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:

  1. 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.
  2. Submit to the Office of Student Activities:
    1. a draft constitution for the organization, a template for which is available at from the Office of Student Activities;
    2. the following items, available from the Office of Student Activities:
      1. informational forms about student officers;
      2. 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
      3. an agreement, signed by the primary officer of the organization, that the organization understands and will abide by the rules of Rice University; and
    3. a completed Club Approvals Brief, which can be filled out online, for distribution to the Student Association Senate.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. The Student Association Parliamentarian will then place the approved constitution on file with the Office of Student Activities.