Every club at Buffalo State, from Bengals and Bikes to the Gaming Guild to the Crochet Circle, all got their start in the same place: the offices of Student Leadership and Engagement, tucked away on the fourth floor of Campbell Student Union.
In Room 400B, Alexandra Green serves as a coordinator. She guides students through every step of the process of starting a new club. So how does a club at Buffalo State go from an idea in a student’s head to a school-affiliated organization?
The first step, Green says, is to find other students who are interested in your idea. This is because a would-be student organization requires at least five students.
Once you’ve established a demand for your club, Green says that the next step is to fill out the Non-United Students Government Affiliated Student Organization Application on Bengal Connect.
After you’ve completed this application, Green says that a Student Leadership and Engagement coordinator such as herself will reach out to set up a meeting where you’ll share some information about your club.
“Usually they have to put together a 15-minute presentation, letting us know what their organization is, how it will benefit Buffalo State, and what their top three goals are for the year if approved,” Green said.
Every student organization requires an executive board that consists of a president, vice president, treasurer, secretary and organization representative. An advisor, who must be a full-time faculty/staff member at Buffalo State must also be chosen. Green clarified that this advisor doesn’t need to be involved with the theme of the club at an academic level.
“Anybody can serve as an advisor. I served as an advisor for BookTok Club, and I kind of have an interest for reading, but not really,” she said. “They were really just looking for an advisor, and I was happy to do it for them.”
Another element of the presentation is preparing a constitution, which will serve to outline the main purpose of your organization. A template is available here.
After you give your presentation, the coordinator will let you know if your club has been approved or denied. Green says that the most common reason why a club would get denied is a lack of inclusion.
“Most of the time, what we see is that they’re organizations that are not open to all students. So we do really try to push that any student organization that we approve here on campus is open to everybody and not just limited to a group of people,” she said.
Green says that being a part of a club in college is a great way to develop yourself professionally. She also savors the personal connections she’s made along the way in her role at the office of Student Leadership and Engagement.
“I meet with so many students on a daily basis, and I always say, ‘I’m a connection for you for the rest of your life’,” she said.
“Even today, I reached out to a student because I was like, ‘Oh, remember when you came in my office and told me that you were interested in this? I found a fellowship,’ so I sent it to them. So I think it is all about making those connections and professional development.”