Student Club FAQs

What is the difference between a student interest group and a student club?

A student interest group is a group of students who wish to meet on an informal basis. The development of a constitution and formal structure are not necessary.

A student club anticipates a more permanent function and seeks college funding, will go through a formal process to become a college-recognized student organization, including having a faculty/staff member serve as an advisor.

How do I start a new student interest group?

You'll need six current Brightpoint students to form a student interest group. You can then submit an Application for Student Interest Group to the Office of Student Activities. The Coordinator of Student Activities will provide notice of approval or disapproval of your group within ten business days of receiving your application.

How do I start a new student club?

To start a new student club, take the following steps:

• Find a faculty or staff advisor
• Have at least 6 students interested in joining the student club
• Host an unofficial club meeting to vote on club officers
• Complete the application to include faculty advisor, signatures of 6 interested students, and Constitution/by-laws 

You can then submit the Application for Student Organization to the Office of Student Activities in person or via email. After the submission of the completed Application for Student Organization, the Student Government Association (SGA) will review and vote on the club constitution. This process can take up to 2 months.

If the club constitution is passed by the SGA, your club will be officially recognized as a Brightpoint Student Club. If the SGA denies your constitution, the SGA will provide the potential club suggestions to make to your club constitution.

How does a student club get approval to hold a fundraising event?

Submit a completed Student Group Fundraiser Proposal that has been signed by your advisor to the Office of Student Activities at least two weeks prior to the event date.

Student interest groups may not hold fundraising activities except through the sponsorship of an officially recognized student club which bears full financial responsibility and liability for the activity.

NOTE: Homemade food products cannot be sold, served or otherwise provided at any Student Activities-related event. This includes all events, programs, fundraisers and other activities sponsored by student clubs or interest groups. Bake sales and any other sales of consumable homemade goods are not permitted.

What do we do with the money raised from the fundraising event?

1. Complete the Student Activities Deposit Form.
2. Give the form and the money to your club's treasurer.
3. The treasurer will get the advisor to sign the form.
4. The treasurer or the advisor will put the form and money in a sealed envelope with the club's name written on the outside and deliver it to the Office of Student Activities.

How do I get reimbursed from our club account for item(s) purchased for a club event?

1. Complete the Student Activities Check Request Form.
2. Attach the original receipt, invoice, or other payment verification (must include date of purchase, amount of purchase and item summary).
3. Give the form and payment verification to your club's treasurer.
4. The club's treasurer will get the advisor to review and sign all check request forms.
5. The advisor or the treasurer will deliver the check request form and payment verification to the Office of Student Activities in a sealed envelope with the group's name written on the outside.

NOTE: This form is to be used only for being reimbursed from individual club accounts. Club members cannot be reimbursed from Student Activities funds. Student Activities funds must be used in advance of an event.

How can a club use Student Activities funds (as opposed to club funds)?

Student Activities funds must be used in advance of an event. Clubs or individuals cannot make purchases on their own, and then expect to be reimbursed from Student Activities funds. Reimbursement is possible only from individual club accounts.

In order to use any Student Activities funds that your club has been allocated by the college to make purchases in advance of planned events, you must complete the Request for Expenditure of Student Activities Funds and meet with the Office of Student Activities at least one month prior to a planned event in order to avoid delays in the processing of your request. The processing of Student Activities funds requires greater lead time, so it is important that you plan ahead, complete the above form, and meet with Office of Student Activities as soon as possible, and no later than one month prior to the planned event.

What are the responsibilities of club officers?

• To respond to requests, attend necessary meetings, and provide timely correspondence with the Office of Student Activities and the group's advisor.
• Make sure that communication lines are kept open among members of the club, the advisor and the Office of Student Activities.
• Obtain the advisor's signature on all forms and requests before submitting them to the Office of Student Activities.

All other specific duties should be set forth in the club's constitution or by-laws. In the absence of a constitution or by-laws, the student officers are responsible for providing the Office of Student Activities with a document outlining the purpose of the club and any additional information regarding the group's existence at Brightpoint.

What are the responsibilities of the club advisor?

• To provide leadership, guidance, advice, and supervision to the officers and members of the student club.
• The advisor's role is essential to the functioning of the club; it is recommended that the advisor be present or at least aware of every club meeting and event.
• The advisor must sign all forms and requests provided to the Office of Student Activities. No forms or requests will be processed without this signature.
• All functions of the student club are ultimately the responsibility of the advisor due to their supervisory role.

If an advisor is no longer able to serve as the advisor of the organization, they must inform the Office of Student Activities and assist in finding a replacement advisor. In the event no replacement advisor is found, the club will be given the option to become a student interest group until a new advisor is found, during which time the club's ability to fundraise, hold events, and access the club account (finances) will be suspended. So long as a new advisor is identified and confirmed with the Office of Student Activities within three months, the club will be returned to status as a student club. Otherwise, the group must seek formal (written) approval from the Office of Student Activities to have the status returned.

For more information, prospective club advisors or current advisors may consult the Faculty-Staff Club Advisory Manual.