The How & The Why

1 The How and Why Manual Updated 08/2013

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A Note on the Format Change of this Handbook 2

Mission and Goals of the Office of Student Activities and Multicultural Programs 2

Expectations of Groups and Advisors 3

OSAMP Contact Information 6

THE HAVE TO’S

How to Start a New Group

How to Renew an Organization

How to Arrange to Travel

How to Pay For Things

o It’s “On Us” (Accessing Your Budget)

o It’s “On You” (Processing Reimbursement

How to Contract a Performer or Vendor

How to Cosponsor an Event

How to Reserve Space

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

THE WANT TO’S

How to Book a Speaker

How to Raise Money

o General Fundraisers

o Raffles

14

15

REFERENCE: Event Planning Timeline 16


Mission and Goals of the Office of Student Activities and Multicultural Programs

Office of Student Activities & Multicultural Programs:

The Office of Student Activities and Multicultural Programs strives to provide all

Emmanuel College students with a wide range of educational and social opportunities

that will facilitate the development of the whole person through an integrated co-

curricular program.

The Office of Student Activities and Multicultural Programs will provide diverse programs

that enhance our students’ educational endeavors and foster critical thinking through

leadership development, social and intellectual interaction and an awareness of the

world beyond the classroom.

To that end, the Office of Student Activities and Multicultural Programs also provides a

safe and supportive environment that promotes, encourages and celebrates cultural

differences; as well as deliver services and programs that focus on issues of diversity and

multiculturalism.

Goals:

1. To provide programming that exposes students to various cultures, ideas and

issues.

2. To provide a comprehensive student activities schedule.

3. To raise the level of school spirit, pride and tradition.

A Note on the Format Change of This Manual

When you speak up, whether you’re an organization advisor or a member of a

student group, we listen.

And after surveying you all to get feedback on how we’re doing, we realized that too

many of you were unsure of how to conduct many aspects of business with our office.

The goal of this manual is to change that.

In addition to understanding just how things are done, we also want to let you know

why they are done that way. This way, when something needs to be redone, or be

done in a more timely manner, you’ll understand how that affects the overall process

and who else is involved in conducting business.

With that said, if you have any questions or concerns that aren’t addressed in this

manual, please feel free to stop by the Office of Student Activities and Multicultural

Programs to ask. We are more than happy to help!


4. To provide opportunities for students to practice leadership, decision-making

and organizational skills.

Role of the OSAMP

The Office of Student Activities and Multicultural Programs (OSAMP) is responsible for the

management of all student groups recognized by, and including, the Student

Government Association. This includes program advisement, event approval and

enforcement of all OSAMP and Emmanuel College policies and procedures.

Emmanuel as a Catholic Institution

It is important to note that Emmanuel College is a Catholic institution, and as such, all

programs and activities endorsed and sponsored by Emmanuel’s student groups must

be in alignment with the practices and principles of the Catholic faith. The Vice

President of Student Affairs and the Director of Student Activities maintain the authority

and responsibility to be involved in determining the appropriateness of events and

activities sponsored by clubs/organizations.

Expectations of Groups and Advisors

Student groups funded by SGA and overseen by OSAMP are expected to:

1. Ensure that membership is open to all students and does not discriminate.

2. Recruit actively to preserve the longevity of the organization.

3. Actively monitor spending and transactions of on-campus accounts, with the

help of your club advisor and program advisor.

4. Register once a year with OSAMP.

5. Comply with SGA and OSAMP delineated policies, as well as those of the student

code of conduct, and those of Emmanuel College as a whole.

Expectations of the Advisor:

When asked to be an advisor, have a meeting with the organization and ask questions

about their expectations of you and share your own of them. Remember, this is a

mutual relationship. It is reasonable to be asked to attend scheduled meetings or

events.

When advising a club or organization, please take time to meet with that organization

at the start of the semester and develop some expectations. The following are a few

ideas:

Be available to consult with members of the organization.


Be familiar with the purpose of the organization.

Review financial accounts being maintained by the treasurer.

Screen all letters, invitations, and correspondence before they go out.

Stay informed of resources and opportunities that will advance the

goals of the organization.

All groups are required to have an organization advisor that is a member of the full time

faculty, staff or administration here at Emmanuel College. The advisor is an essential

resource in all aspects of the group’s activities. The OSAMP counts on the

Club/Organization Advisor to be the "front line" contact person with the group and to

be aware of its issues and challenges.

Eligibility:

May advise no more than two student groups

Must be a full-time employee of Emmanuel College, unless excepted by the

Associate Dean of Students/Director of Student Activities

Must have knowledge/experience related to the nature of the student group

Must assist the organization in abiding by the mission of the College, as well as

the guidelines set by OSAMP and SGA.

Responsibilities:

Act as a support system for clubs and organizations.

Attend as many meetings and events as you can.

Must sign ALL SGA paper work and room reservation forms.

Assist executive board to brainstorm event and program ideas.

Mediate intergroup conflict.

Provide network of resources based upon the mission of the club/organization.

Attend ALL programs that begin at or after 6:00 pm, and all off-campus events.

The Other Piece of the Puzzle: The Program Advisor

The Program Advisor is available to help clubs/organizations navigate the program

planning process as well as the organization's development. In planning events, once a

club/organization has developed an overall picture of what they would like to do, their

next stop should be with the Program Advisor.

Responsibilities:

Provide final approval before any event/program can take place.

Provide guidance in the planning and execution of events.

Review and assist the negotiating of contracts.

Assist club with obtaining food services/catering for events/programs.

Assist clubs/organizations order supplies, novelties, audio visual/technical


needs etc.

Approve reservation forms and guide clubs/organizations in scheduling

space for events, meetings and programs.

Communicate with facilities regarding event/program set ups.

Student groups must meet with their advisor prior to meeting with their Program Advisor

for the planning of events/programs.

It is MANDATORY for all clubs and organizations to meet with their Program Advisor

regarding any events, games and programs.

Any club or organization not complying with OSAMP policy will be sanctioned.


OSAMP Contact Information

Dan Darcy

Director of Student Activities and Multicultural Programs

Associate Dean of Students

[email protected]

Oversees Student Government Association

Program advises the Student Government Association and class councils

Coordinates campus-wide programming efforts and weekend programming

Jeff Smith

Director of Multicultural Programs

[email protected]

Coordinates multicultural and diversity initiatives across campus

Program advises multicultural student organizations

Kevin Farrell

Assistant Director of Student Activities, Programming and Leadership

Director of Student Center Services

[email protected]

Oversees operations of the Jean Yawkey Center and the Corner Pocket game

lounge

Advises ECPB, EC Dance Marathon, Omicron Delta Kappa, First Year Focus

Leadership Academy, Executive Suite Leadership Academy, Sophomore

Connection Leadership Academy and Women’s Leadership Academy

Coordinates assembly and publication of the E-List

Amma Marfo

Assistant Director of Student Activities, Involvement and Assessment

Coordinator for Commuter Services

[email protected]

Oversees Commuter Student Life

Coordinates assessment initiatives for the Office of Student Activities and

Multicultural Programs

Develops and implements training for student groups and their advisors

Program advises SGA-sponsored student organizations (see exceptions above)

Coordinates themed and wellness based programming, and ticketed events

mailto:[email protected]





THE HAVE TO’S

How to Start a New Student Group

In order for a student group to become a recognized campus organization, it must be

formally approved by the Office Student Activities and Multicultural Programs and the

SGA. To initiate this process, the organization seeking recognition must:

Arrange and attend a meeting with the Associate Dean of Students/Director of Student

Activities. At this meeting, the student(s) will receive a copy of this packet, which

includes all of the steps to starting a new club or organization.

The packet requires the following information:

Identification of an organization advisor, who must be a full-time member

of the faculty, staff or administration. That individual must submit in writing a

notice that he/she agrees to serve as organization advisor. *Note that an Advisor

cannot advise more than 2 clubs at a time.

List of executive board members, their titles and their contact information.

A copy of your organization’s constitution.

List of at least 2 programs and/or events, or description of publication, or

proposed athletic or performance schedule.

Thirty undergraduate signatures, from students who support the proposed

club/organization.

Indicate the potential budget for your organization (i.e. insurance if a club

sport, supplies, etc.), potential meeting location (i.e. gym, classroom, etc.), and

any potential off-campus travel (i.e. conference, sporting event, etc.).

Once the packet has been completed, you will set up a second meeting with the

Associate Dean of Students/Director of Student Activities. Your proposed organization

advisor will need to attend this meeting. At this meeting, your potential Program Advisor

(a member of the OSAMP staff) will be present to review the role of the Program Advisor

with you.

At the second meeting, the Associate Dean of Students/Director of Student Activities

will review all of the information. If all requirements are met, a memo will be sent to the

SGA President indicating that the club has met all of the preliminary requirements for

becoming a club and is ready to go in front of the SGA for a formal vote on their

recognition.

Lastly, members of the club will go before the entire SGA and make their request to

become formally recognized. Once an organization gains formal recognition through

the SGA, that recognition takes place immediately.


How to Renew an Organization

Each spring, your group will need to be renewed. In order to do this, a few processes

will need to be completed.

Attend Planning Day in full. This required day of updates to policy and training includes

an opportunity to receive the Spring Policy Agreement and to reserve space for club

meetings in the spring semester. Without your group’s full participation in Planning Day,

your funding and ability to operate will be threatened.

Exceptions to mandatory attendance at Planning Day must be cleared in advance

with the SGA Vice President for Club Relations; unexcused absences will threaten your

group’s ability to operate.

Sign and complete your Policy Agreement form. This form includes a space for all of

your officers to identify themselves, as well as a space to notify us who your advisor is. In

the absence of this form and the Student Organization Registration Packet, you will not

be able to conduct business (room reservations, contracts, fundraising, etc.). A due

date for this form will be provided- please return it to us in a timely manner!

Also, we will need a completed Student Organization Registration Packet. This online

form will allow you to identify the full membership of your organization.

Why Do We Have to Renew an Organization?

Groups change from year to year, and we require groups to be renewed so that we can

monitor where the money goes, if groups should be funded, and how many students their

funding is reaching. This information can help OSAMP and SGA to ensure that funding is

given to groups who are reaching the most students, or providing the most benefit to the

Emmanuel College community.


Why Complete a Travel Registration Form?

The Travel Registration Form is designed to help you map out all the costs that you’ll have for

your trip, and what considerations need to be made while planning your travel. We need that

information to prevent last minute “Whoops, we forgot…” moments. We hate those, and we

know you do too!

How to Arrange for Travel

Planning on traveling as a student group? Here are the steps you will need to follow.

First, complete the Travel Registration Form and work with your organization and

program advisors to finalize the budget for the trip. If this involves paying for travel,

make sure to go through the proper channels (see page 10) to do so.

Make travel arrangements with the help of your organization and program advisor.

Obtain confirmations for all elements of the trip (travel, lodging, schedule) and create

an agenda for what will be happening on the trip, when.

Next, collect Release of Claims forms for all students traveling, and a Trip Advisor

Consent form for any advisors traveling. We need emergency contact information in

case something happens while the group is gone and we need to get in touch with you

all. No student or advisor may travel without submitting this information.

Make sure to check in with your program advisor within three days of your trip, to get

information about on-call professionals who will be on duty while you’re gone. In the

event of an emergency on the trip, you will need to contact them as well as a staff

member of OSAMP.


How to Pay For Things

*A quick note: SGA allocated funds cannot be used to purchase food for club

meetings, T-passes for travel, or graduation items such as stoles, cords, or gifts.

It’s “On Us” (Accessing Your Budget- PREFERRED)

Meet with your club advisor and program advisor to determine what you’re going to

buy and from where. Create an itemized list of what you’ll be buying and how much it

will cost.

Schedule a time to use the credit card with your program advisor. Because we work

with so many groups and have to ensure that we don’t hit any preset spending limits,

“drop-in” use of the credit card is not permitted. Please allow 2 weeks when planning to

spend money, and bring your itemized list so we know what is being purchased!

Alternately, complete the following paperwork at least two weeks in advance to have

a check cut for a purchase:

An SGA Account Form, signed by the organization president and treasurer, and

the organization advisor.

Documentation for payment- an invoice or contract MUST accompany an SGA

Account form for a check to be processed.

This paperwork must be submitted to the SGA (office located in the basement of

St. Joe’s Hall), and not the program advisor, to be processed. The deadline for

account forms is each Tuesday at 9am.

It’s “On You” (Processing Reimbursement- must be submitted within 30 days of

purchase)

First, please note that any purchases of prohibited items (see the top of this page)

cannot be reimbursed. What’s more, funds can only be reimbursed for items that have

been budgeted for.

Complete an SGA Account Form, signed by the organization president and treasurer,

and the organization advisor. Include receipts for items that were purchased, or

reimbursement cannot be issued. Submit this paperwork to the SGA, and not the

program advisor, to be processed by Tuesday at 9am.

Why Do You Need So Much Time to Process Paperwork?

The staff members of OSAMP are far from the only people who see this paperwork. The

Business Office and, depending upon the payment, the Vice President for Student Affairs also

work with these forms. We allow extra time to make sure everyone has time to see and sign

it all.


Why Should We Complete a Contract for Someone Not Getting Paid?

Performers, vendors, or other service providers cancel or opt not to do what they’ve agreed

to all the time. We wish it wasn’t that way, but sometimes it is. Having a contract that both

sides agree to can make sure that you get the services you asked for.

How to Contract a Performer or Vendor

Before planning an event that requires a contract, please know that two meetings will

be needed in order for this event to proceed. The first meeting will be to go over the

logistics of the event- contract terms, location and time of event, and other details. The

second meeting will happen within three days of the event, to secure final details.

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ENTER INTO OR SIGN A CONTRACT WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE AND

CONSENT OF THE PROGRAM ADVISOR.

Obtain a written agreement for services from the performer or vendor in question,

signed by that person/organization. Please include a W9 (tax form available online)

completed and signed by the person/organization as well, to ensure that the payment

can be counted toward their taxes. Most who enter into these agreements know how

to do this; if they have any questions, direct them to OSAMP and we can help!

Please note: even if a speaker, lecturer, artist, or person providing a service is not being

paid, you should complete a contract.

Bring this pair of documents to your Program Advisor at least four weeks prior to the

event for approval and signature.

Once you receive a signed contract, which will be returned to the program advisor,

submit the contract and proper SGA paperwork to the SGA treasurer to ensure that

payment is completed.

Why Can’t We Enter Into A Contract On Our Own?

Contracts are only permitted to be agreed to and signed by the Vice President of Student

Affairs, and must comply with Emmanuel’s policies and Massachusetts law. The contract

must be looked over for compliance. What’s more, whoever signs that contract is

responsible for its contents, including payment. Trust us, you don’t want that to be you.


How to Cosponsor an Event

Interested in sharing resources, a participation base, and interest with a fellow

organization or department? Cosponsoring an event may be a great way to join forces

and create a great experience for those attending.

Once the participating organizations have determined what they’d like to do, each

group must meet with their advisor to discuss the organization’s involvement in the

project. The program advisor must also be made aware of the plans, to ensure that

they comply with SGA and College policies.

Using the Cosponsorship Form, each group should divide the responsibilities for the

event, both in terms of finances and duties. Each organization’s president and advisor

must sign this form before submitting it to the Program Advisor.

Some duties that you may want to ensure end up on this form include:

Design and hanging of flyers

Creation of a Facebook event/entry on Emmanuel calendar

Event setup and breakdown

Payment for food/vendors/other supplies

Schedule a meeting with the program advisor to go over the details of the form, and to

finalize that all arrangements have been made.

After the event, be sure to stop by and let everyone know how the experience was,

and how it could be improved next time.

Why Do We Need to Fill Out a Cosponsorship Form?

Much like with the contract for unpaid performers or vendors (see page 11), it is always

helpful to outline responsibilities in writing. That way, if the question “Who was supposed to do

[insert duty here]?” arises, you have a point of reference, that ALL have agreed to, to consult.


How to Reserve Space

*space for your organization should be reserved through this process ONLY.

The Room Reservation process is now hosted online, at the following link:

http://bit.ly/ECroomreservation

A few quick and extremely important point of note:

These reservations will be submitted to relevant parties ONCE A WEEK: Tuesdays

at noon. Any reservations not submitted by that time will not be submitted until

the following week. All timelines for reserving space (at least two weeks in

advance) hold, so plan accordingly!

We do not make arrangements for facilities or technology needs- contact

information for those offices is provided so you can make your own

arrangements. Please do not assume we’re taking care of it!

Because the advisor does not sign off on this form, all events for which rooms are

being reserved MUST be pre-approved by the organization advisor. Any reserved

space that is deemed disapproved by the advisor, will leave the group subject

to SGA sanctions.

All required fields must be filled out. Missing information will delay the reservation

process.

http://bit.ly/ECroomreservation


THE WANT TO’S

How to Book a Speaker

Is your organization interested in booking a speaker for a meeting or event? Much of

the payment process will be drawn from “How to Contract a Performer or Vendor” (see

page 11), but there are a few additional considerations.

First, meet with both the organization and program advisor to clear your idea. This pair

of meetings will be important for setting guidelines and expectations for the event.

These meetings should take place at least four (4) weeks prior to the proposed event

date. Requests coming in with less than four weeks’ notice will not be considered.

Be sure to confirm availability of an appropriate space for your speaker- for smaller

lectures, ADM 155-157 could suffice; larger lectures could go into the Fenway Room,

Administration Building Auditorium, or Library Lecture Hall. Make sure this is done before

signing a contract- there are few things worse than bringing a speaker, but having

nowhere to put him or her!

Once date, time, and location details are set, a contract should be submitted and the

procedure for “How to Contract a Performer or Vendor” should be followed. Only after

the contract is approved by both the speaker and Emmanuel College should the event

be advertised.

Why Do We Need So Much Time to Book a Speaker?

As with financial paperwork, many College staff and officials play a role in the success of an

event like a speaker. Apart from getting paperwork, room reservations, and payment

completed, some speakers may also require the attention and efforts of the Marketing

Communications or Government, Community and Public Relations offices. This timeline gives

all parties time to do their best work.


How to Raise Money

Now that fundraising is going to be asked for more often, here are some guidelines on

how to complete one for your organization.

Register your fundraiser with OSAMP by completing the Fundraising Registration Form.

Make sure to include all the relevant information- date, time, location, etc.

If your fundraiser is a raffle, you will also have to complete a Raffle Information Form,

AND assist OSAMP in completing paperwork after the raffle to ensure that appropriate

taxes are taken out and given to the State of Massachusetts.

Proceed with your fundraiser, ensuring that all money made each day is returned to

OSAMP. You are not permitted to hold money overnight, so please make arrangements

to return money to OSAMP at the conclusion of your event.

Following your fundraiser, schedule a meeting with your program advisor to go over

what money was made, how to deposit funds, and how to disburse funds to outside

agencies if applicable. Remember, organizational fundraisers require a refund of

invested funds to SGA! Those raising money for outside organizations do not, but that

money must be given to the organization through the College. Do not give them the

cash you raised!

Why Do We Have to Register Our Fundraiser?

In addition to making sure that the means of fundraising is legal and permissible by the

rules of the College, registering a fundraiser gives you an opportunity to claim space on a

busy schedule so your fundraising efforts won’t be challenged by other organizations

raising money.

Further, raffle taxes must be submitted by a deadline before extra money is charged; the

more information our office has about your fundraising efforts, the quicker that paperwork

can be completed, preventing a penalty from the State.


REFERENCE: Event Planning Checklist

New to planning events? No problem! We have a checklist designed to help you make

sure all elements are completed. Feel free to get in touch with any staff member of

OSAMP with questions.

Person(s) Responsible Completion Date

FOUR WEEKS PRIOR TO EVENT:

1. Select the performer or event. ________________ ____________

2. Reserve necessary facilities. ________________ ____________

3. Approval of budget by officers/board. ________________ ____________

4. Contact performer or agent ________________ ____________

Type of performance (context, format)

Verify time, date and location.

Review contract with advisor.

Number of performers.

Equipment needed.

Travel, lodging, meals.

Teasers by performers.

Decide on opening act and/or DJ.

5. Prepare and send news releases. ________________ ___________

6. Order or print tickets. ________________ ____________

7. Plan advertising campaign. ________________ ____________

Dates and types of publicity.

Prepare flyers (agency may have examples).

Design posters and send to printers.

Set up dates for poster blitzes.

Make table tents.


Send any letters to other organizations (on or off-campus).

Send notices to Residence Hall Directors.

Contact Academic Departments.

Plan any other advertising schemes.

8. Reserve any needed dressing rooms. _______________ ____________

9. Make any transportation arrangements. _______________ ____________

10. Schedule:

Hotel accommodations.

Hospitality.

Other.

11. Make ticket sale arrangements. _______________ ____________

12. Order decorations. _______________ ____________

THREE WEEKS PRIOR TO EVENT:

1. Order any food necessary. _______________ ____________

2. Put tickets on sale. _______________ ____________

3. Turn in work orders for tables, chairs, lights, etc. _______________ ____________

4. Preliminary check with security and/or police. _______________ ____________

5. Contact The Hub for coverage. _______________ ____________

TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO EVENT:

1. Put up advertising. _______________ _____________

2. Check status of ticket sales. _______________ _____________

3. Request parking permits. _______________ _____________

5. Confirm payment with Student Activities or SGA. _______________ _____________

ONE WEEK PRIOR TO EVENT:

1. Check with Facilities/Media for technical info. _______________ _____________


2. Delegate event responsibilities. _______________ _____________

3. Double check on hospitality arrangements. _______________ _____________

4. Prepare brochure to hand out at event, explaining

show or promoting your next event. _______________ _____________

5. Confirmation call to agent or artist for arrival time,

directions or any last minute information. _______________ _____________

6. Reserve cash box. _______________ _____________

7. Check status of ticket sales. _______________ _____________

DAY OF THE EVENT:

1. Set up area. _______________ _____________

2. Distribute final publicity. _______________ _____________

3. Meet or pick up artist. _______________ _____________

4. Assist with load in. _______________ _____________

5. Pick up cash box. _______________ _____________

6. Prepare hospitality set up. _______________ _____________

7. Check on room for set up. _______________ _____________

8. Assist with load out and clean up. _______________ _____________

WITHIN THE WEEK AFTER EVENT:

1. Complete evaluation forms). _______________ _____________

2. Remove ALL publicity. _______________ _____________

3. Write and send Thank You notes. _______________ _____________

4. Collect articles, ads, promos for file. _______________ _____________

Documents

The How & The Why