Club Leader Manual

Students should place the highest priority on their academic work. Extra-curricular activities are also crucial to the College’s purpose of developing the individual talents and abilities of students. In cases where academic and extra-curricular activities conflict, students are expected to place highest priority on academic activities. 

When scheduling, all Student Organizations should make every effort to minimize missed classes. No activities shall be scheduled in the final two days of the reading period, during the exam period or over the summer. Students are responsible for all course material missed due to any absence from any academic activity. 

When conflicts arise it is expected that students will approach faculty in a timely and responsible fashion to discuss these situations. Faculty are under no obligation to make any exceptions. As a reference, traditionally students have been allowed to miss no more than three hours of a single class in any semester. 

With regard to post-season competition, weekend conferences and other extra-curricular events that arise from the achievements of students during the semester, the College recognizes that these are unique and special opportunities. However, while cooperation is encouraged, faculty are under no obligation to make exceptions.  

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE (SOOC)  

The Student Organizations Oversight Committee is the Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) committee tasked with guiding and supporting club life on campus. Paired with the Student Activities Office, the SOOC ensures that clubs can function easily and effectively. If you have any questions that aren’t answered below by this Manual please don’t hesitate to contact SOOC Chair or any member of the Student Activities Office.  

Directions on how to Start a New Club - Click Here

Meetings & Important Dates for Student Organizations  

There are several meetings that Chartered Student Organizations must keep in mind:  

•  Fall Mandatory Club Leader Training  
•  Fall Mandatory Club Sport Captain Training  
•  Fall Student Activities Fair (held during the second week of classes Fall Semester)  
•  Newly Chartered Organizations Mandatory Leader Training (held monthly starting in October)  
•  Spring Student Activities Fair (held during the second week of classes Spring Semester)  
•  Re-Chartering of Student Organizations (typically held in April each year)  
•  Operating Budget Meetings (for student organizations on operating budgets- held in April/May for the following academic year)  

Please note: Organization activities end on the second day of Reading Period and don’t begin again until the start of the next semester. No programming can take place after the second day of Reading Period.  

Student Engagement Portal

CampusGroups is the Student Engagement Portal for student leaders. This portal will help you manage your club’s roster, send e-mails to your club and other club communication including chats and group feeds, run elections, create forms for your clubs, upload important club documents or photos, and schedule events on campus! It is the responsibility of each club’s leaders to maintain an accurate roster on CampusGroups.  

Each year all Student Organizations are asked to recharter their organizations with the Student Government. Charters include the club’s mission, leader names, and an agreement to adhere to BSG and College Policies. Clubs on an operating budget will submit their recharter forms by April 1st of every year. Clubs asking for an operating budget will submit for funding for the year’s budget from the Student Activities Funding Committee (SAFC) in the spring. Operating budget clubs are not allowed to ask for additional monies during the school year.  

Non-operating budget clubs must submit recharter forms by April 15th of every year. Non-operating budget clubs will submit a budget during the school year to the SAFC to receive their funding. By this time, two weeks should have passed from the end of Spring Vacation, and new leadership should have been elected. If Spring Break has not passed, April 20th will be the deadline. You will receive rechartering information from the V.P. of Student Organizations, which requires you to provide vital details necessary for the rechartering process, including the names of the new leadership. Negligence of this deadline will result in your club not being able to reserve space or access funds at the start of the new school year and potentially result in the suspension of a club’s charter for one semester. If a club is on its probation period, it will not be given a full charter.  

All rechartering forms must be completed by the organization’s incoming leaders.  

Constitutions 

Student Organizations are required to have a constitution, as part of the rechartering process please review your constitution and update as needed. Failure to have an up-to-date constitution will result in losing access to your CampusGroups page until a new constitution is submitted.

The SAFC requires that a cost benefit explanation as well as pricing options be included with any request for equipment. Club equipment/jerseys will only be funded if they are necessary for a club to compete or participate in an activity. The SAFC will not fund any item that is purchased for individuals. All equipment must stay with the organization from year to year, without exceptions. 

The SAFC will not fund gear that is already freely available for students to use on campus (e.g. in the Buck Fitness Center, Buck 3rd Floor Facilities). Furthermore, the SAFC cannot fund gear to be kept by individual club members, gear to be freely distributed to the campus community or public, or any type of ‘giveaways’. 

Storage and Usage Policy 

When requesting funding for equipment, please include information regarding intended storage. This should clarify where the equipment will be kept and if it will be available to all student organizations or solely to your organization. If you need assistance finding storage space, please contact the SOOC or Student Activities; note that student housing is not an acceptable location for club storage. 

Liability 

Club leaders are financially responsible for any gear funded by the SAFC. Gear lost or stolen as a result of leadership oversight may not be replaced the following year, and it is the responsibility of all club members to ensure this does not occur. 

Organization Paraphernalia (T Shirts, Sweatshirts, etc.) 

The SAFC does not fund nonessential team clothing, but it may provide loans to organizations for these items. If given a loan, you must sign a contract with the Student Activities Office, requiring the club to repay the loan by the semester’s end. Items must be sold at cost, without profit. 

Mediation/Facilitated Dialogue  

Over the course of the year, your group may experience a conflict or a group member behaves in a way that is at odds with the group’s expectations. If your group’s leadership is unable to resolve the issue, you may wish to explore mediation or facilitated dialogue. Click here for more information. 

As leaders of Bowdoin-sponsored clubs, you are responsible for ensuring that the conditions created by your club meetings and events are safe and respectful for all members of the Bowdoin community. Leaders are expected to abide by all College policies and create an environment where all of their club members do as well.

Bowdoin College Title IX Resources

Code of Community Standards

Special Collections & Archives 

Posters, meeting minutes, photographs all tell the story of your organization. The staff of the College Archives can assist student group leaders with recording their group’s history. Preserving the voices of student groups ensures that future members, as well as research scholars, understand the valuable contributions student organizations make to the College. We have a Student Group Records FAQ available as well as information on do-it-yourself archiving of both digital and physical materials. Fill out this form if you are interested in transferring records to the Archives.  

Costume Shop and Prop Barn Use

The Bowdoin Costume Shop and Prop Barn are great resources for student groups who may need to borrow a specific costume piece or props from time to time. However, failure to return borrowed items can result in fees of $25 and up. Any costume shop or prop barn fee will be charged to the responsible student’s tuition bill. If there is a second violation of the costume shop/prop barn return policy, the club will lose privileges of borrowing items for the following semester. To borrow costumes from the Bowdoin Costume Shop contact Theater and Dance Click here for more information.

The Student Activities Funding Committee (SAFC) is a branch of the BSG that provides funding for student organizations. This student-run committee allocates money from the Student Activities Fund to campus organizations including club sports, cultural organizations, college houses, etc. Keep in mind that only chartered organizations may request funding from the SAFC. 

With great (monetary) power (and freedom) comes great responsibility. This is true for student organization leaders. Budget allocations represent significant trust in student organization leaders to utilize funds to enhance student life. Your organization’s maintenance of financial records is CRUCIAL to the continued allocation of funds this year and in the future.  

Always be aware of how much money is in your organization’s account by keeping accurate and up-to‐date financial records. Several financial management tips are provided later in this handbook to help you stay on top of your budget. Do not overspend your budget. Club Leaders may stop by the Student Activities Office at any time during the year to check on their club’s spending. A member of the Student Activities Office can print out a report for you via the Financial Reporting Tool. Intentionally overspending or spending SAFC funds without submitting an SAFC request may result in the loss of future access to SAFC funds. 

The Student Activities Funding Committee (SAFC) meets weekly and allocates money from the Student Activities Fund to chartered organizations. Please review this manual and SAFC Guidelines to help clarify the SAFC’s decision process and illuminate what is required in each budget. If you need any additional assistance regarding funding, please do not hesitate to contact the SAFC Chair or members of the Student Activities Office. The Student Activities Office will gladly walk your club through your first SAFC proposal online if you have never put in a request.  

Contacts  

Please refer to the following contacts if you need any additional assistance regarding funding:  

• SAFC Chair – Maxwell Payne mpayne@bowdoin.edu
• SOOC Chair – Vincent Chen vchen@bowdoin.edu
• Director of Student Activities – Nate Hintze nhintze@bowdoin.edu
• Associate Director of Student Activities – Silvia Lorrain slorrain@bowdoin.edu
• Assistant Director of Student Activities – Emma Gould e.gould@bowdoin.edu

 Before Submitting a Budget

• An organization must be chartered by the SOOC before receiving SAFC funding. Contact the SOOC Chair for more information on chartering, or see Starting A New Club. 
• Budgets must be submitted at least two weeks in advance of the event. 
• Consult with the Student Activities Office to ensure your event does not conflict with anything else on the calendar. 
• If negotiating a Speaker/Coach Fee, Student Activities staff should be involved in the process. 
• If you require a Van, you may reserve it online using the Vehicle Request Form before you have secured funding, with the option of cancelling the reservation later. 
• Budgets must be submitted at least two weeks in advance of the actual event. Larger budgets (e.g. $500 or over) or budgets involving bringing a speaker or performer over $1000 must have prior approval from the Student Activities Office. When planning to bring a speaker or performer over $1000 to campus, the student organization must contact Student Activities no less than 4 weeks before the proposed date and fill out a Contract Negotiation Form with a member of the Student Activities Office.

Submitting a Budget  

• Review the SAFC’s Club Funding Guidelines.  
• Download the Budget Request Spreadsheet (available on CampusGroups and BSG website) and complete it fully. 
• Make your request as specific as possible, itemizing everything and adding explanatory comments where necessary. However, it is better to submit an early, tentative budget than a late, definite one. 
• The cost of meals while traveling, vans and posters will be calculated automatically.  
• Ensure the contact person(s) details are correct – they will receive the allocation email.  
• Submit an online Budget Request Form on CampusGroups. Upload the completed Budget Request Spreadsheet and provide additional information.
• Budgets submitted before midnight on Friday will be reviewed on the following Monday.
• Attend a SAFC meeting, if necessary (you will be notified my midday on Sunday). Meetings are held between 5:30PM-8:00PM on Mondays.

Monday SAFC Meetings (5:30-8:00pm) TBD 

Wednesday: Allocation Emails Released (midnight)  

Friday: Budget Submission Deadline (midnight)  

Sunday: Meeting Schedule Released (midday) 

How to submit a successful budget:  

1. First consult the Club Funding Guidelines.
2. Make requests as specific as possible. Any requests for funding should be justified with line item breakdowns and explanations of each item. However, it is better to submit an early tentative budget than a late final budget. Budgets must be submitted by Friday at midnight to be considered for the following Monday’s meeting. All meetings occur starting at 5:30PM on Mondays. 
3. Student Activities can help you figure out what costs have been previously submitted. 
4. Club leaders and the creator of the budget must attend the SAFC meeting if they are scheduled on the agenda (an email will be sent out each Sunday evening with the agenda) 

When live, the online Budget Submission Form is located on the homepage of CampusGroups.  

Reimbursements for costs that have already been incurred will not be funded by the SAFC.  

Misuse of SAFC funds will result in a meeting with the SAFC and SOOC Chairs, a serious examination of future budget proposals and, in extreme cases, suspension of a charter for the length of time deemed appropriate by the Chairs and the Student Activities Office.  

ACCESSING AND USING YOUR MONEY  

Money appropriated to your organization is placed in your organization’s account. Students do not have direct access to organization accounts, to access club funds you will need to work with Student Activities (Karla Nerdahl – knerdahl@bowdoin.edu) to use the following methods. Failure to follow your SAFC budget and intentionally overspending may result in the loss of future access to SAFC funds. Failure to properly log your purchases and submit your receipts may result in the loss of future access to SAFC funds.  

Project Codes  

All officially chartered Student Organizations will receive a project code. Project codes can be found at the Student Activities Office. You will be asked for this code when reserving space, submitting SAFC budgets, requesting board transfers, printing posters and managing your club’s finances. If you are a newly chartered club, you will receive the project code after completing the mandatory club leader training.  

Smith Union Operations – Bookstore, C-Store, Mail Center  

The easiest way to purchase supplies from the businesses located within the Smith Union is to pay with your Project Code. Any of the operations within the Smith Union will accept your Project Code as a means of payment. The funds will be seamlessly transferred out of your approved funding.  

Walmart Credit Card (for purchases at Walmart only)  

Student Activities has a Walmart credit card that is available for check out. To do so, you will need to come to the Student Activities Office, provide proof of funding, sign it out, and return it (accompanied with the itemized receipt) by 5:00PM on the same day. Please note, the Walmart card is accompanied by a tax-exempt card which must be given to the checker before they begin ringing up your items for purchase. The Walmart credit card is available on a first come, first served basis and may not always be available for checkout.  

Student Activities Corporate Credit Card (for online purchases only)  

If you are placing an order online, you can use the Student Activities Corporate Credit Card in our office. To use the card, you must provide proof of funding, place your order in our office, log your purchase/s, print out your receipt/s, code the receipt with your Project Code and Account Code and place your receipt in the log binder. If you are ordering food, you must provide an itemized list of what you are ordering before placing your order. 

Items ordered must be shipped to our office (not your SU box). Please note, the credit card is not available for checkout and credit card information cannot be sent via text or email.  

Amazon Prime, Pay Pal, and Walmart Online  

The Student Activities Corporate Credit Card is linked to an Amazon Prime account (free two-day shipping) as well as a Pay Pal account and a Walmart Online account. You can use these accounts when you are in the Student Activities Office to purchase supplies/products for your club or to pay for dues and fees. These purchases are treated as credit card transactions and so the same protocol applies; the credit card log sheet must be completed, and receipts must be printed, coded, and filed in the credit card binder immediately.  

Reimbursements  

If you are certain that your club has the funds in your organization’s account, you can also spend your personal money to pay for club expenses and be reimbursed. This is true for everything except Contract payments. Students are not authorized to pay for college-contracted services with their personal funds.  

To be reimbursed, you will fill out SAFC Student Reimbursement form on CampusGroups, upload the appropriate receipts (all receipts must be itemized, non-itemized receipts will not be reimbursed) and submit your reimbursement for repayment. Once approved, if you have an active direct deposit arrangement for paychecks, the reimbursement will be deposited directly, otherwise you can expect a check in about two weeks after approval.

Please note: Polar Points cannot be reimbursed. Do not use your Polar Points to purchase club food.  

Cash Advances  

If the funds in your account allow, you can obtain up to $200 in cash from the College to purchase items related to your event. If your group needs to obtain more than $200, you will need to receive prior authorization from the Bursar’s Office. Student Activities will help you receive this authorization. To obtain a cash advance, you must fill out an Advance Voucher in the Student Activities Office located behind the Smith Union information desk.  

After you have completed the voucher and it has been signed by a member of the Student Activities Office, you need to take the voucher to the Bursar’s Office on the 1st floor of 216 Maine Street (located across Maine St. from the Chamberlain statue) to receive the cash. Please note that once you receive the cash, you take responsibility for it.  

Within 10 days from receiving your cash advance, you must reconcile it in the Student Activities Office with receipts (all receipts must be itemized, non-itemized receipts will not be reimbursed), unused cash, or a combination of the two.  

Venmo Transactions  

Venmo prohibits Colleges and Universities from having accounts. Groups are not allowed to use Venmo for club related activities.  

Financial Assistance  

If a specific cost not allocated by the SAFC for a student activity poses a significant financial strain to any students in your club with financial need, extra money may be available. If a member of your club is interested in finding out if they qualify for financial assistance, please have the student contact their Dean or Nate Hintze, Director of Student Activities, and the David Saul Smith Union.

When organizations co-sponsor an event, one organization must be designated as the primary account that will be accessed for accounting purposes. This is the organization that should submit a budget to the SAFC. However, if one of the other sponsoring organizations runs on an operating budget or is a department, a Journal Entry must be completed to transfer the funds from that operating budget into the primary account for the event.  

Journal Entries can be completed by the Student Activities Office. An email needs to be provided as a back-up for the funds pledged indicating support for the club’s event. A department coordinator may also fill out the Journal Entry once they are provided with the project number of the group organizing the event. Club leaders should provide a copy of the Journal Entry to Karla Nerdahl in the Student Activities Office when a different department makes the transfer. Please Note: You will not have access to any of your funding, either allocated by the SAFC or the transferred funds until all the transfers are complete.  

Departments

Relevant departments may be able to contribute to your event. If you are interested in this sort of funding, please contact a member of that department directly. To transfer funds from a department to a student organization’s account, a Journal Entry must be completed.  

The College Houses:

To co-sponsor with  a College House, please contact the house leadership directly.  

The Donald and Barbara Kurtz Fund:

Managed by the Office of Residential Life, the Kurtz Fund supports campus events that encourage learning and discussion outside the classroom and bring faculty, staff and students together within the College Houses. It is not enough to just host your program inside a College House- there must be some true collaboration on the event from start to finish.  

Career Exploration and Development (CXD):

Bowdoin Career Exploration and Development can help you engage alumni!  They are glad to support you in identifying and connecting with interesting and influential alumni who have indicated a willingness to offer advice about navigating your time at Bowdoin and about your careers.  CXD often co-sponsors career exploration or student-alumni community-building events with clubs or can point you in the right direction for your own event.

Because your contact information is public, you’ll find that employers may reach out to you directly (and sometimes aggressively) to recruit your club members. If an employer reaches out to your club or organization with a request to host an event or promote an opportunity, immediately direct them to the CXD cxd@bowdoin.edu or the CXD staff member you work with most. Student clubs are not allowed to host recruiting events; they must be owned by CXD (though clubs can co-sponsor w/ CXD).  This is because Bowdoin is committed to equitable access to jobs and internships for all students which requires that all students are aware and can attend events and can see all posts in Handshake.  Once CXD has posted the opportunity or created the event, CXD invites and encourages club leaders to promote opportunities that are publicly posted on Handshake that might be of interest to their club members.

Bowdoin and CXD also do not accept corporate sponsorship for recruiting activities.  If an employer, or an alum, approaches you about paying for an event that might also benefit their company’s recruiting or profile on campus, stop and consult CXD and Nate Hintze.  (See also the rule that explains clubs can’t fundraise.)

https://www.bowdoin.edu/cxd/staff-directory/index.html

Lectures and Concerts Committee: 

The Lectures and Concerts Committee reviews applications from the faculty for assistance in funding events that enhance the academic life of the College, including lectures, discussions, readings, workshops, concerts, dance and theatrical performances. The application to the Lectures and Concerts Committee must be submitted by a faculty member, therefore clubs that would like to apply for funding must partner with faculty. The awards are drawn from funds allocated to the Committee from the College’s operating budget, from the Jacob Jasper Stahl Fund, the Annie Talbot Cole Lectureship, the Charles F. Adams Lectureship, the Blythe Bickel Edwards Fund, and several endowed lecture funds. 

Students are not allowed to enter into contract negotiation or agreements on behalf of Bowdoin College. To be valid, all contracts need to be signed by a Bowdoin Administrator. Please have one of the following administrators sign off on your negotiation form for each of the following sections (Nate Hintze, Silvia Lorrain, Eunice Shin, and Eduardo Pazos Palma). This process must be started no later than four weeks before your anticipated event date and for any speaker over $1,000. 

The Student Activities Office uses a standard Bowdoin College contract for many speakers and performers. This contract template can be obtained from the Student Activities Office.  

1. Contact Guests

In your initial email or phone call inform all agents and artists that you are simply gathering information about their service and are not authorized to make or confirm an official offer at this time. If you have a budget for this event, do not reveal that amount at this time.  

You are required to ask your potential speaker/agent the following questions:  

• What is the speaker's honorarium or fee? 
• Is there any room for negotiation on the fee? 
• What are the accommodations (e.g. travel expenses, lodging, meals, etc…) they require? 

If the fee includes accommodations, ask, "is the speaker fee requirement open to an all-inclusive offer/contract?"   

• All-inclusive means that Bowdoin pays one flat fee that covers all costs including speaker fee, travel, hotel and meals. 

2. Meet with Student Activities and start a Bid Process.

Meet with Student Activities to discuss opportunities and steps for negotiating speaker fee and ideas for collaboration or supportive funding across campus. Bring along or email in advance of the meeting a proposal answering the following questions:  

• Program description 
• Benefits of bringing the speaker to campus 
• Event marketing plan 
• Potential partnerships or collaborators 

You will need to meet with the Student Activities Office and form a bid offer before going to the SAFC. The bid form is the first step before inviting a guest. 

3. Reserve a Space for the Speaker.  

4. Submit SAFC Proposal.  

5. Start the contract process with the Student Activities Office.  

After contracting a Performer/Lecturer... 

Paying a Performer or Lecturer  

To begin the payment process, you must fill out an Accounts Payable Voucher. You can do this with the help of a Member of the Student Activities Office. You will need the following information:  

• Signed Performance Contract or Guest Performance Agreement. 
• Performer’s W-9 tax form
• SAFC funding approval  
• An Accounts Payable Voucher must be submitted to the Student Activities Office by 5 p.m. on Thursday the week prior to be processed for check pick-up the following Thursday after 3 p.m. The check will need to be picked up in person at the Controller’s Office. The Student Activities Office can help you figure out the best way to pay the performer or lecturer for their appearance on campus. It’s always best to plan ahead to ensure you will be able to have the check-in time. The office recommends a two-week lead time on processing checks.  

Accommodations for Performers or Lecturers  

The Student Activities Office can get special rates at many of the local hotels. If you are bringing a performer or lecturer and your group is providing a hotel for them, please meet with or e-mail Karla Nerdahl (knerdahl@bowdoin.edu), Administrative Assistant in Student Activities, to book the room. Please email Karla with the name of the performer who will stay in the room as well as the number of nights they will be staying to hold the reservation.  

Six Tips for Writing a Successful Email:

     1. Decide if this email is one that should be written from your handheld device. In today’s world it’s incredibly easy to fire off a brief email from your iphone. When reaching out to Professionals you need to decide if you can write a professional looking email with just your thumbs.  More often than not, first contact emails need to be planned and well thought out.

     2. Begin with a greeting:

Start your email with a proper salutation with consideration for your relationship to the person and his/her level of experience. Never use “Hey.”

• For most emails to faculty, staff, alumni or speakers, we recommend “Dear Mr./Mrs./Professor, XXXX,” as the salutation.
• For a close personal contact you are emailing or for a recent Bowdoin graduate (1-3 years out), we recommend “Dear John” as the salutation.  Doing so maintains a professional yet familiar tone.

3. Share your connection to the contact and purpose for writing in the opening sentence or two:

• “I am currently a sophomore at Bowdoin and have recently started a new club at Bowdoin that parallels your field of study. I was wondering if you would be interested and available to talk with me about potentially being an advisor to our club.”
• “I recently met with Nate Hintze of Bowdoin Student Activities and he recommended I reach out to you to discuss the possibility of you coming to Bowdoin College to give speak on your experience in the NAME OF FIELD. I am currently a sophomore majoring in MAJOR NAME with an interest in YOUR FIELD or YOUR COMPANY.”
• “I am currently a student at Bowdoin College and President of Club and I’m writing to enquire about your availably to speak at Bowdoin College.”
• “I found your name listed in the Bowdoin Career Advisory Network on LinkedIn as a Bowdoin alumnus working at FIRM NAME.   I am currently a sophomore at Bowdoin exploring a career in the FIELD NAME.” 

4. Tell them a little bit more about your interest in the, subject, field, firm or industry: 

Create a personal connection. Make your purpose clear early on in the email. Remember, people want to read emails quickly, so keep your sentences short and clear. You’ll also need to pay careful attention to grammar, spelling and punctuation so that you present a professional image of yourself and your organization.

5. Add your closing remarks:

Before you end your email, it’s polite to thank your reader one more time and add some polite closing remarks.

• “Thank you for your patience and cooperation”
• “Thank you for your consideration”

and then follow up with, “If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to let me know” and “I look forward to hearing from you”. 

6. End with a closing:

The last step is to include an appropriate closing with your name.

• “Best regards”
• “Sincerely”
• “Thank you”

Avoid closings such as “Best wishes” or “Cheers” unless you are good friends with the reader.

Finally, before you hit the send button, review and spell check your email one more time to make sure it’s truly perfect!

Students are not allowed to enter into contract negotiation or agreements on behalf of Bowdoin College. Before engaging in discussions with any potential Coach or Instructor, Club Leaders need to reach out to the Student Activities Office to discuss proper hiring procedures. Club Leaders are required to follow the Bowdoin Contract. 

You will need:

• Contract Negotiation Form, which can be obtained from the Student Activities Office. This process must be started no later than four weeks before your anticipated start date.  

Coaches/Instructors are not allowed to work with teams outside of their allotted hours stipulated in their hiring agreement. Once an instructor/coach becomes a paid employee they are no longer allowed to be a volunteer on campus. All Coaches/Instructors must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.  

Volunteers, Alumni, and Community Members

Any club that is interested in working with a volunteer needs to work with the Student Activities Office to make sure the potential volunteer fills out the proper paperwork and is fully vetted by the College. All volunteers are prohibited from working with the club in advance of completing all required paperwork and receiving a clear background check.  

Bowdoin alumni community members that are not considered Advisors or Volunteers and have not been vetted by the College are not allowed to participate in club activities. All Volunteers must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.  

To send a newsletter to alumni or plan a Homecoming event on behalf of your student organization, please keep these logistical deadlines in mind:

First Step: Schedule a meeting with Student Activities to discuss event logistics.

• Homecoming Events: Plan well in advance. Meet with Student Activities before April for an event in the following Homecoming. (e.g., Homecoming in September 2025 → Meeting by April 2025)

• Newsletter: Please connect with either Dominique O’Neil, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations (dlozzi@bowdoin.edu) or Dan Olds, Vice President of Alumni Relations (d.olds@bowdoin.edu) for next steps.

After Approval: Once approved by Student Activities, you will begin to work with the Alumni Relations Office to finalize logistics and plan the event / newsletter.

BOWDOIN COLLEGE CERTIFICATION FOR ELIGIBILITY FOR CLUB SPORTS 

1. Captains from the team will obtain the certification form from the applicable team association such as IHSA.
2. Captains will review the form to see what needs to be obtained for eligibility (ie, student ID, enrollment verification, signatures, etc).
3. Captains will obtain all personal information from team members such as ID, DOB, etc that is not releasable by the Office of the Registrar.
4. Captains will be sure to confirm with the Registrar’s Office that all team members have given consent to release information on their enrollment form. If someone has not given the Registrar’s Office permission to release information, they will need to email the Registrar at registrar@bowdoin.edu to provide that.
5. If a student intends to participate in sports during their time at Bowdoin, they only need to indicate this during their first enrollment period prior to participation in said sport.
6. Have a member of Student Activities sign the Club Sports Eligibility or Award Nomination Certification Form.
7. The Registrar’s Office can confirm the enrollment, grade level, academic standing, and gpa only if the release has been provided.
8. The Registrar will sign the form and return it to the team coach/representative for submission.

Link to form: student-organizations/bowdoin-college-certification-for-eligibility-for-club-sports-form.pdf

For more information contact: 

The Registrar at registrar@bowdoin.edu

Before your season starts please submit the following information to the Student Activities Office:

• Competition/game schedule (please include start and estimated end times) on Campus Groups. 
• A rough draft of a roster under your organization’s site on Campus Groups. insert link 
• A practice schedule (this can be “practice M-F 4-6.” If you always have a particular day off that would be good information to know as well) - provide in person to the Student Activities Office and on Campus Groups.
• Names of Team Captains/Coaches with contact information.
• Changes to competition/game schedule 

*Schedule shall be set 2 weeks prior to a competition/game Adjustments to the schedule due to WEATHER/ENVIRONMENT ONLY will be accommodated within the 2 weeks prior to the competition/game.

Injuries During Practice or Games

Students participating in club sports may sustain injuries that require medical or orthopedic follow up. If that should happen, their campus resources include the Athletic Trainer Staff and the Bowdoin College Health Service staff. Athletic Trainers may already be on site and are a great first resource. They can help to determine proper follow up care including coordination of care with Health Services or Sports Medicine and Orthopedics. Athletic Trainers, Health Services staff or other Sports Medicine staff will determine an athlete’s status for return to play from an injury or illness. 

For more information contact: 

Gretchen Henderson, Assistant Athletic Trainer 

Email: ghenders@bowdoin.edu 

Concussions

Concussion Education 

The following teams will need to complete a mandatory concussion educational session before your first practice. This training will take about 15-20 minutes. Captains of each respective team will need to speak with an athletic trainer to set this up. Please contact Gretchen Henderson, x4280 (ghenders@bowdoin.edu) 

ImPACT Concussion Test: 

Any NEW members to the teams listed below will need to take the computer concussion test ImPACT. (If you have taken the exam last year, you do not need to retake the test). 

• Men’s and Women’s Water Polo 
• Ultimate Frisbee 
• Equestrian 
• Men’s Rugby* (first year and junior year) 
• Men's and Women's Soccer 
• Volleyball 

How to Take ImPACT Baseline Tests: 

Please make sure your room is quiet and you have a mouse. It is imperative that you have a mouse and a quiet working environment. 

The test takes between 30-40 minutes. 

1. Log in using windows NOT iOS!
2. Open internet (must be internet explorer) – go to www.impacttestonline.com/colleges
3. Select organization- “Maine”
4. Enter customer code - 81C177320A
5. Click “launch test”
6. Follow all instructions
7. Give a solid effort on the test or you will have to take it again
8. You do not need to print anything at the end

Computer requirements to take the test: 

1. Make sure you are using Internet Explorer 7.0 and above or Firefox 9.0 or above. Chrome and Safari are not recommended or supported.
2. You must have Macromedia FLASH PLAYER 11.0 or newer installed. You can download FLASH PLAYER at www.adobe.com
3. If you have a pop up blocker installed you must turn it off for the duration of the test.
4. Test cannot be run on Chromebooks.
5. Close all other programs on your computer before taking the test.
6. You need a broadband internet connection.
7. The computer you use must have an external mouse.
8. The screen must be 12 inches or larger.
9. Java Script must be enabled.
10. If you are running Windows 7, make sure power management is set to High Performance; otherwise performance will be slowed negating test scoring.
11. HL downstairs computer lab stations will support using the ImPACT test.

HIT App Bowdoin Informed Consent 

Bowdoin College is currently implementing an innovative program for tracking mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI), more commonly known as concussions. In order to better manage concussions sustained by our student athletes, Bowdoin College has partnered with the Maine Concussion Management Initiative (MCMI) to record and track concussion data through a project called the Head Injury Tracker (HIT). This project will track all Men’s and Women's Ultimate, Men’s and Women’s Water Polo, and Equestrian athletes in participating NESCAC schools. The waiver can be found by going to:  

Forms and Waivers

Bowdoin College Athletic Training Department Medical Examination & Authorization Waiver for Club and JV Sports Participants: [insert link] 

All Club teams need to go to CampusGroups and fill out this waiver each year.  

*INSERT LINK TO WAIVER FORM

Any student that participates in a club sport and injures themselves during a practice or game is entitled to coverage under the Bowdoin Excess Sports Plan.

The Excess Athletic Insurance plan, provided by Bowdoin College, is offered on an “excess” basis to a student-athlete’s primary (secondary and tertiary, when applicable) health insurance, such as Bowdoin’s Student Health Insurance plan, Bowdoin’s Injury Only plan or a parent’s plan. Therefore, the Excess Athletic policy will always pay secondary (or tertiary, when applicable) to other valid and collectable health insurance plans. 

Bowdoin College maintains a sports accident insurance policy for all covered athletic injuries. This policy is excess to any other valid and collectible insurance – it is a secondary policy (or tertiary, when applicable) and all claims must be submitted to the athlete’s primary insurance first. 

A student needs to take the following are the steps to ensure coverage: 

1. Be seen at the Bowdoin Health Center as soon as possible. During this visit the student will want to discuss with the provider having a sports claim form completed making sure the correct injury date is documented.

*without a completed claim form, coverage cannot be extended 

1. Should services be required off campus, the student will want to advise the provider that they have additional coverage for the injury, which is secondary to the coverage they have under their primary insurance plan. This ensures a smoother claims process.
2. Submit medical charges to any other insurance policy the patient is covered under first (regardless if the patient is the primary member or a dependent). 
   1. *In order to ensure the smooth payment of medical claims, we recommend student-athletes always provide each medical provider the plan information prior to each visit. To assist with this, we have provided all pertinent policy and claim submission information (ID card is also included for your convenience). 
3. Once a response is received, submit a valid HCFA-1500 or UB92/04, along with a copy of primary insurance Explanation of Benefits, directly to our claims administrator at: 

Sue Santos 

NAHGA Claim Services 

PO Box 189 

Bridgton, Maine 04009-0189 

Phone: (800) 952-4320 

Group Name: Bowdoin Athletics 

Policy Number: SRG0009155072 

ID Number: BOW201920 

**Electronic Claims Submissions can be sent to NAHGA using Payer ID 67788** 

1. Payment will be made directly to the medical provider, unless otherwise requested. For bills that have been paid out of pocket, please forward all receipts and/or proof of payment to NAHGA Claim Services along with the same documentation previously outlined.
2. Contact NAHGA Claim Services (800) 952-4320 with any questions.
3. Feel free to sign up for online claims viewing at: https://claims.nahga.com

Disclaimer: Claims submitted under the Bowdoin College coverage are subject to all policy limitations and exclusions. This instruction sheet is not a guarantee of payment, it is intended only to facilitate submission of claims. NAHGA maintains appropriate standards and procedures to prevent unauthorized access to Protected Health Information in compliance with HIPAA. Please contact them at (800) 952-4320 if you wish to view a complete copy of our Privacy Policy. 

For more information contact: 

Cathy Hayes, Student Health Insurance Coordinator 

Email: chayes@bowdoin.edu 

CERTIFICATES OF INSURANCE 

Bowdoin College requires all teams coming to compete at Bowdoin College to be officially recognized by their College or University. Each team must send a copy of their Certificate of Insurance prior to the event to Kevin Loney. The required limit is $1 Million of liability insurance evidenced on a certificate of insurance. The certificate of insurance should name Bowdoin College as additional insured and the certificate holder should be listed as: Bowdoin College, 5600 College Station, Brunswick, ME 04011. 

When requesting a certificate you will be asked for the following information:

• Name
• Email
• Team
• Date
• Location of Game 

For more information contact: 

Jim Kelly, Procurement and Risk Manager 

Email: jkelly@bowdoin.edu 

Jennifer S. Harvey '04 Leadership Award for Junior Varsity and Club Sports Leadership

Every year during the Athletics Award Ceremony this annual award is presented in support of and to acknowledge non-varsity athletics at Bowdoin. The award is presented at the Sports Night ceremony held each spring. 

Submit nominations to: 

Silvia Lorrain, Associate Director of Student Activities 

Email: slorrain@bowdoin.edu 

In the absence of a Bowdoin provided athletic trainer, Clubs may substitute student who are trained as EMT, Wilderness First Responder or First Aid. Student trainers must remain onsite for the duration of the contest or tournament. Student Activities will provide you with a first aid kit to use. 

To make a reservation request, please fill out the event submission form on CampusGroups two weeks prior to your event. In order to reserve a room on campus, you must be a chartered student group with a project code or affiliated with a department here on campus. If you don’t know your group’s cost center, please ask the Student Activities Office.  

Booking meeting/event space for your club (part 1)

Booking meering/event space for your club (part 2)

If you need to change/alter your event after it has been booked, please e-mail scheduling@bowdoin.edu. Be sure to request all set up details (i.e. chairs, tables, podium, buffet tables, etc) to scheduling@bowdoin.edu at least two weeks before your event is scheduled to take place.  

Campus Scheduling works to accommodate all requests. There are times in which your event may be bumped. Academically driven functions, catered meals, and College events do take precedence. If this happens, Campus Scheduling will work with your student group to find an alternate space for your event. At the end of each semester, student groups may only program during the first two days of Reading Period. After this period of time, programming is prohibited. Programming is prohibited from taking place over the summer. 

For more information on scheduling contact: scheduling@bowdoin.edu  

Reserving Private Dining Rooms

In order to accommodate all groups who would like a private meeting, private dining rooms at Thorne or Moulton can only be submitted for one of the two slots: 5pm - 6:15pm or 6:30pm - 7:45pm. To reserve a private dining room, please go through the event submission form on Campus Groups. All spaces are linked with Campus Groups. 

Other Spaces  

Rooms are reserved through your organization page in CampusGroups. Some spaces require clearance before the Campus Scheduler can book it for you. Others require that you book your space directly with the department coordinator. Please refer to the list below before submitting your event submission form in CampusGroups.  

List of Clearance Spaces

The purpose of this policy is to clearly define expectations for service and food safety for events being held in Bowdoin College Dining Services licensed catering facilities. This policy applies to all organizations, including faculty, staff, student, and external organizations.  

Bowdoin College Dining Services licensed catering facilities (hereinafter “the licensed facilities”) are as follows:  

• Thorne Hall Dining Room
• Moulton Union Dining Room
• Smith Union Dining Facilities (Jack Magee's Pub, Lamarche Gallery)
• Main Lounge
• Lancaster Lounge
• Daggett Lounge
• Mills Hall Event Space

All events to be held in the licensed facilities must first reserve the space through the Office of Events and Summer Programs. All requests for food and/or beverage service should be communicated to Bowdoin Dining Services as soon as possible but with a minimum notice of two weeks.

Generally, all food and beverage provided or served in the licensed facilities must be provided by Dining Services. On rare occasions, permission for food and beverage services to be provided by an external caterer in a licensed facility may be granted. These exceptions will be made at the sole discretion of the Executive Director of Dining Services, and additional requirements will be communicated upon approval.  

Bowdoin College catering-related inquiries should be directed to the following individuals: 

• Rob Fente- Catering Manager- rfente@bowdoin.edu
• Adeena Fisher- Associate Director of Dining Services- afisher@bowdoin.edu
• Ryan Miller- Executive Director of Dining Services- miller@bowdoin.edu

Requirements for External Caterers in Bowdoin Dining Licensed Facilities:

The following requirements apply to all external caterers and organizing groups serving food in Bowdoin College Dining Services licensed facilities: 

• All external catering must be prepared and served by an entity licensed and in good standing with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. Proof of licensing must be provided to Dining Services within two weeks of the event. 
• For catered events where hot or cold foods are being served, the licensed caterer will be required to:
  • Have at least one ServSafe Manager certified employee on site for the duration of the event. This employee must know the foods and ingredients being served and take responsibility for maintaining service throughout the event.
  • Maintain appropriate temperatures for hot and cold foods (below 41 degrees and above 135 degrees) for the duration of the event. Temperatures must be documented. Bowdoin Dining Services will not provide food storage, holding, and cooking equipment. 
  • Communicate all dishes, ingredients, and allergens to Bowdoin Dining Services within two weeks of the event. Allergens are soy, wheat, fish, shellfish, eggs, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, and sesame. 
  • Provide all service ware, chafing dishes, linens, and supplies needed to execute their menus. If the caterer does not provide these items, service ware can be rented by the event organizer from Bowdoin Dining Services. 
  • It will be the event organizer’s responsibility, not the external caterer, to facilitate the menu, ingredient, and allergen conversation between the external caterer and Bowdoin Dining Services. Communication should be directed to Rob Fente (rfente@bowdoin.edu) and Adeena Fisher (afisher@bowdoin.edu). 
• A signed catering contract between Bowdoin and the external caterer will need to be completed before the commencement of catering services.
• A certificate of insurance will need to be provided by the caterer to Bowdoin.  The certificate holder shall be listed as Bowdoin College, 5600 College Station, Brunswick, ME 04011.  Bowdoin College must be listed as “additional insured” on a primary and non-contributory basis to any insurance maintained by the College. 
• The Caterer shall procure and maintain for the duration of the contract the following minimum insurance:  
  • Workers Compensation with statutory limits in accordance with the Workers Compensation Laws of the State of Maine and employers’ liability insurance in an amount not less than $500,000 each accident for bodily injury or disease.  
  • General Liability insurance for claims for bodily injury, property damage, and advertising injury in an amount not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence
  • Liquor Liability (if the caterer or caterer’s agent will serve liquor) in an amount not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence
  • Auto Liability covering owned, hired, non-owned, and borrowed vehicles, with limits of $500,000 combined single limit each accident.  
• Any exceptions to insurance requirements will be approved by the College’s Procurement and Risk Manager or the College’s Legal Officer.
• Bowdoin Dining Services will provide menu signage and allergen labeling for the dishes served by the external caterer in a licensed facility. Menu signage will reflect the external caterer’s business name and allergens. It will be the responsibility of the external caterer to guide Bowdoin Dining Services staff with the placement of menu signage. 

Bowdoin Dining Board Transfers

At no cost, student groups may transfer board to receive a meal subsidy from Dining Services while traveling. Board transfers can occur up to twice per year unless Dining gives a club special permission. Board Transfers will be organized through the SAFC, and will be supplemented to make a total allocation of $8 per person per meal. After meeting with the SAFC, all participating students’ names & ID numbers will be required at least one week before the event. When requesting a meal subsidy, please note Dining’s rates are the following: $2.60 breakfast, $3.50 lunch/brunch, and $3.95 dinner. Send the completed list and request or questions to Stephanie LeMieux (slemieux@bowdoin.edu).  

External Vendor Catering 

When a student group places a catering order (i.e. catering from a restaurant, food truck, etc), a sales tax exemption certificate must be presented. Please work with Student Activities staff to get a tax exempt certificate for your order.

As you plan your event, please refer to the College's Accessibility Guidelines:

https://www.bowdoin.edu/accessibility/student-accessibility-office/event-planning-accessibility-guidelines.html

Facilities setups requests must be made when you are reserving your venue with the campus scheduler via CampusGroups at least two weeks ahead of time. Requests can include extra chairs, tables, trash cans, etc. If you have any special requests, you can always check with a member of the Student Activities staff to see if Facilities has the means to accommodate your event. When an event requires a specific setup, a diagram should be provided to Facilities. Be sure to request any and all changes and additional set up details by emailing scheduling@bowdoin.edu two weeks before your event is scheduled to take place. There is a fee associated with all Facilities requests and your project code will be billed.  

If there are any maintenance issues with your venue, you can place a work order. 

If you need Audio Visual services for your event, please fill out the request as part of your event submission form on CampusGroups. All requests must be submitted a minimum of 2 weeks in advance of an event in order to schedule the appropriate resources. Events requests received less than 2 weeks before the event may not be able to be serviced. You will be notified if an event is accepted or not.  Please note that Audio Visual Services do not provide equipment for bands. Your club should be as specific as possible in the request to AV services. There is no fee associated with booking Audio Visual Services for your event. However, assistance is only available on a first-come, first-serve basis with classes taking priority. All cancellations must be done 24 hours before the start of the event. If the event is cancelled within the 24-hour window or if no one shows up to host the event, there may be a $100 departmental charge to the hosting department to cover the costs of staffing, setup and teardown.  

For complex audio needs (including events in Pickard Theater), please work with the Student Activities Office to book AV Technik, a local contracted production company.  

The BOC is connect and work with any student groups interested in the BOC. Please refer to the following guidelines to see what we offer: 

collaborative-programming-with-the-bowdoin-outing-club.pdf

There are various facets to advertise your event on campus. They include but are not limited to: 

Poster Designs

If you would like to have a poster designed by the BSG’s Poster Designer, please email your request to stuactintern@bowdoin.edu with the details of what information you need on the poster, any sort of dimensions, and any design ideas you’d like to see used. This service is free for all chartered clubs, but keep in mind that you do need to request funds from the SAFC to print the design.    

Poster Copies

The copy center can print posters usually within 24 hours of their submission. To have copies printed by the Copy Center, please submit an online work order. Please ensure that you have funding to print posted from the SAFC. The typical request from the SAFC is $5 which allows you to print 25 posters. Once you have received your $5 allocation for posters, you can request 25 posters from the Copy Center.  

Hanging Posters

• Official Bowdoin logos and wordmarks (i.e. the Bowdoin seal) may not be placed on any advertisements without the expressed permission of the Communications Office.
• Club posters and advertisements must have the full name of your organization or department clearly visible. Annoymous posters will be promptly removed.

Each building on campus may have its own poster policies. Please check with building administrors prior to hanging posters.

Smith Union

• All posters will be allowed to be up for two weeks, posters will be removed after this time.
• Do not to place posters on glass surfaces or doors.
• Do not cover accessible door buttons.
• Please place posters on the white walls or any of the corkboards. Any posters placed on the tan, green or purple walls will be taken down immediately by Housekeeping, and any damage done to surfaces will be charged to your club or department.
• Do not use duct tape to hang your poster.

Outside Posters, Flags, Banners or Chalk

Bowdoin prohibits the use of its property, including buildings, facilities, and grounds to display flags, signage, banners, or objects without permission. Using chalk, paint, or other permanent or semi-permanent medium on College buildings and/or other structures is strictly prohibited to prevent damage to the structure and injury to anyone stopping at entrances or exits. The prior approval of Bowdoin’s Facilities Management is required to mark or use trees or any College structures to support or display signs, messages, materials, or equipment.

Table Tents

The Copy Center will cut and fold table tents if you include that information under special instructions when you order. Please note that you must clear your table tents with Dining if you want them to stay for longer than one meal.  Table Tent and Poster Policy 

Website for your Student Organization

Our Student Engagement Portal, CampusGroups can serve as your organization’s main website. You can load pictures, documents, have discussions, and more on CampusGroups and create a web presence for your club.  

Booking an Info Table in Smith Union  

If your organization would like to setup a table in Smith Union (across from the C-Store or the Mail Center), please contact Karla Nerdahl. In your request, you must provide your project code, dates and times you would like to setup the table. If you will be selling anything during the time you will be at the table, please meet with Karla Nerdahl in Student Activities to discuss the details of your sale.  

Tickets for your Events  

If your organization plans to distribute tickets for an event, there are a few different ways to print the tickets. Your organization could use the BSG Poster Designers to create a ticket design and template and print the tickets using the Bowdoin Copy Center. For larger or high profile events, tickets should be ordered from an outside company who will create, print and number all tickets. When in doubt, consult the Student Activities Office staff. You must secure SAFC funding for the printing of tickets.  

Tickets for events can easily be distributed from the Smith Union Information Desk. This allows students, faculty, staff and the Brunswick Community to pay for the tickets using cash, One Card or debit and credit cards.  

Guidelines for Mailings to Students 

It is important that you contact the Mail Center as part of the planning for your mailing.  

Basic Information  

• Use size discretion for large volume of mailings to students (max 50 students per mailing).
• Club leaders of clubs that would like to send out items to club members must provide a list of names to the Mail Center and notify recipients of the mailing. Prompt pick-up is appreciated.
• Box numbers must be put on all items
• For special occasions where candy or food might be distributed, please discuss in advance with the Mail Center staff. Candy or food items must be wrapped and cannot require refrigeration.
• For unaddressed mass mailings, discuss options with Mail Center staff. Absolutely no external mass mailings.

In an effort to rein in the amount of Class Standing List emails, we are limiting the amount of emails sent through these lists. The policy for emails sent to the Class Standing Lists is:

• Any email sent by the Bowdoin Student Government (exec team, Multicultural rep, Mckeen center rep, etc), Class Councils and departments will be approved. Emails that are directed at a specific class need to be more than just changing Dear XXX Class at the top of the email.
• The email needs to be written specifically as to why that class should attend the event or be involved.  Student Activities will allow groups to send one email advertising an event or deadline.
• Emails sent after 5:00pm or over the weekend will be approved the next business day. If you have an urgent reminder please use the CampusGroups Feed.

Transportation Policies, Reservations and Accident Procedures.

Bowdoin Vehicles 

The steps for certification for ALL students (who have had their license unrestricted for one full year) are:  

1. Complete the driver application to obtain an MVR. 
2. Using Firefox, log in to Blackboard, click on Bowdoin College Compliance Training (under Organizations), which will take you to the Driver Safety training module. Print the certificate of completion. 
3. Complete Traveler’s large passenger van training on-line and print the certificate of completion. The training takes about 30 minutes to complete. 
4. Review Bowdoin’s Vehicle Reservation Video. The video is about 5 minutes. 
5. Sign up for a 20 minute commentary drive within 30 days of completing the required on-line training(s). 
6. Bring proof of completion of all required items to the commentary drive, i.e. certifications of completion for on-line training. 

If a Bowdoin van is not available, you can set up a direct rental with USAVE (Larry Stewart’s). The Student Activities Office can assist you with contacting the company. The cost is around $90.00 per day plus the cost of gas. You will need to pick up and drop off your rental vans at their location in Lisbon, ME there is no delivery to campus.  

Larry Stewart's Auto Sales & Rentals  

Address: 53 Lisbon St, Lisbon, ME 04250  

Phone: (207) 353-4133  

Student Activities Vehicle Use Policies:  

The use of College vehicles for your organization’s travel is limited to a 500-‐mile radius from campus. For travel over 500 miles, your organization must submit a travel plan to the Student Activities Office at least one month in advance. The travel plan should include the following:

• Purpose of travel  
• Dates  
• Destination  
• Primary contact (name, email and cell phone number)  
• List of certified drivers who will be traveling  

Mode of transportation:  

• Individual drivers must limit their driving time to a maximum of 4 hours per day. 
• Drivers must drive within posted speed limits at all times. Failure to do so may result in the revocation of college van licenses and in additional consequences for the student organization involved. 
• Trips shall not depart from any location nor should driving take place between the hours of 1:00AM and 5:00AM. 
• "Caravanning" (travel in convoy) is not permitted. When multiple vehicles are involved, departure times should be staggered (30 or more minutes between departure times) to avoid such travel. 
• Plan all travel to minimize driving in darkness. 
• Drivers may not use cell phones when driving. 
• The College reserves the right to cancel trips when driving conditions are deemed unsafe. Every effort will be made to work with your organization’s leadership as these decisions are being made. 
• Drivers are required to use the Bowdoin gas card provided with the vehicle. Bowdoin will not reimburse if you fail to use the assigned gas card. The staff member checking the driver’s license will write the student PIN on the form. This is the pin to be used with the assigned gas card. 

Accidents involving Bowdoin Vehicles  

Driving a Bowdoin vehicle is a privilege and not a right. The safety of all passengers is of utmost importance. We recognize that accidents do happen. When damage does occur to a Bowdoin vehicle, the cost to repair the vehicle will be charged to the student organization’s account and paid for by the SAFC. If a Bowdoin vehicle is in an accident that involves a parked automobile, the Club will lose access to Bowdoin vehicles for the next semester. Drivers are strongly encouraged to find parking away from other vehicles and use spotters.  

Student Vehicles  

Students may receive mileage compensation at a rate of $0.21 per mile. Note that this is not an automatic reimbursement and that funding requests and approval must be received prior to trips. The rate for student vehicles is subject to gas market prices and will be adjusted accordingly by the Facilities Office and the SAFC. The SAFC and Bowdoin College will not pay for damages to personal vehicles.  

Parking Tickets  

All parking tickets will need to be paid by the driver who was authorized to drive the vehicle. Failure to do so will result in a charge to the student’s tuition bill in the amount of the ticket.  

Please refer to the following link for all Bowdoin Dining Catering policies: https://www.bowdoin.edu/dining/catering/student-catering/index.html

If your organization wishes to screen a film, you may need to obtain public performance rights for the event. Please consult the leaders of the Bowdoin Film Society or the Student Activities Office to learn more about how to secure the rights. The fee to obtain the rights must be included in an SAFC request prior to the movie screening.  

If you believe you may need extra help at your event, come meet with a member of the Student Activities Staff. They may be able to assign students to work your event (ushers, box office staff, etc).  

Approved and Recommended Vendors (Apparel) 

The Student Activities Office has a list of approved vendors for Apparel purchases that can shared with you to assist in your planning. There is also a list of recommended and frequently used vendors, including photo booths, inflatables, entertainment, agencies, rental equipment, other professional services etc. These are vendors we have worked with in the past and can ensure quality services and products. You can see any member of the Student Activities Office for suggested vendors to assist you in your event planning.  

Student Activities Student Organization Policies 

Student Activities holds students accountable for their actions on and off-campus and has the discretion to address minor violations of College policy, including violating rules outlined in the Club Leader Manual which includes (but not limited to the following below), without referring the student group to the SOOC or the processses outlined in Code of Community Standards. 

The Code of Community Standards

This CCS will remain as the parameters and framework for each and every club at Bowdoin College. 

Student Activities Student Organization Policies and Disciplinary Process

Bowdoin Student Activities encourages student participation in clubs and organizations. These programs can enrich a student’s college experience and contribute to a student’s development. The College and Student Activities expects that student leaders and members will uphold all aspects of the Code of Community Standards (CCS) and other Student Activities policies when they are acting in their capacity as a member or leader of a student group.

Group membership and the benefits it confers on participants is a privilege, not a right. All students are expected to respect this privilege and abide by College principles and community values. 

Student Activities will work with the Student Organization Oversight Committee when deemed necessary to review the conduct of a student organization. Nothing in this policy shall prevent the College from referring individual members of a student group to the Student Disciplinary Process for parallel individual disciplinary action.

Scope

Student Activities holds students accountable for their actions on and off-campus and has the discretion to address minor violations of College policy, without referring the student group to the Student Group Disciplinary Process. Including violating rules outlined in the Club Leader Manual which includes (but not limited to the following below):

Overspending SAFC Accounts 

Intentionally overspending or spending SAFC funds without submitting an SAFC request may result in the loss of future access to SAFC funds.

Reimbursements 

Failure to properly log purchases and submitting receipts including cash advances in a timely manner may result in the loss of future access to SAFC funds.

Off Campus Bank Accounts  

Organizations are not allowed to have off campus bank accounts. Any organization that is found to have an account will be asked to close the account and transfer all funds into their Bowdoin Student Activities account immediately.

Alcohol and Other Drugs Policy for Student Organizations and Club Sport Teams while Traveling  

Regardless of age, members of Student Organizations and Club Sports are not allowed to drink alcoholic beverages or use illegal drugs at any time while traveling on behalf of the College.

Accidents involving Bowdoin Vehicles  

When damage does occur to a Bowdoin vehicle, the cost to repair the vehicle will be charged to the student organization’s account and paid for by the SAFC. If a Bowdoin vehicle is in an accident that involves a parked automobile. Drivers are strongly encouraged to find parking away from other vehicles and use spotters.  

Parking Tickets  

All parking tickets will need to be paid by the driver who was authorized to drive the vehicle. 

Costume Shop Policy

Items will be returned in their original condition.

You are responsible for cleaning all borrowed items before their return, and for checking with the Costume Shop Manager upon checkout about the items' care - i.e. machine wash vs. dry clean etc.

When you check out the items, you will provide a cleaning plan and set up a return and restock appointment.

Your club is responsible for any costs in the event items are lost or damaged.

• A $50 late fee will be charged to the borrowing entity per late day.
• If the costumes are over a week late, your group will not be permitted to borrow for the rest of the current school year and all of the next school year.
• The SAFC can elect to not pay these fees, if that happens the costs will be transferred to the student that checked out the equipment.

Contracts 

Students are not allowed to enter into contract negotiation or agreements on behalf of Bowdoin College. To be valid, all contracts need to be signed by a Bowdoin Administrator.

Student Conduct 

Violations can include but are not limited to: disregarding a directive from a College official or group advisor; hosting, assisting, facilitating, or participating in the planning or concealing of acts that violate Bowdoin policies,  failure to be forthcoming and truthful to any College official on matters related to the activities of the organization or its members, actions that result in damage to or destruction of private or public property, disrupting College events or programs. 

Process

All students are individually responsible for adhering to the CCS and other College policies during their time at Bowdoin. Student groups may be held collectively accountable for violating any College policies as a result of the conduct or actions of individual members who act in concert with or as representing the group, even if not all members participated.

Individual members can be held accountable for their specific behavior as part of a group if it is in violation of College Policy.

Students participating in groups that have been banned or previously removed from campus (e.g., fraternities, organizations that have lost a charter, etc.) will be referred to the Student Disciplinary Process.

Sanctions and Outcomes

If the Director of Student Activities, or designee, finds the student group responsible for violation(s) of College policy, or if the student group takes responsibility, the Director will determine an appropriate sanction.

In determining sanctions, consideration will be given to the context and seriousness of the violations, the willing to be forthright and truthful, and acceptance of responsibility. Sanctions specific to group or organizational misconduct may include one or more of the following:

• Official Reprimand: Written notice that continuation or repetition of the behavior found to be in violation of College policy will lead to more severe consequences.
• Loss of Privileges: This may include one or more of the following:
  • Loss of College and SAFC funding;
  • Loss of season(s) or contest(s);
  • Membership restrictions for a specified period of time;
  • Loss of leadership positions and/or from participation in specified organizational programs and activities for a designated period of time to represent the College in any capacity;
  • Exclusion from specific areas of campus or from official College functions;
  • Loss of privileges and exclusion from activities; or
  • Inability to host events for a specified period of time.
• Restorative and Rehabilitative Outcomes:
  • Referral to the Program for Nonviolence and Conflict Resolution (PNVCR);
  • Community Service;
  • Restitution;
  • Participation in designated educational programs, services, or activities;
  • Letter of Apology;
  • Defined plan to allow the student group to take steps to rehabilitate its standing.
• Temporary Loss of College Recognition: This may include suspension of a group’s charter or recognition. The sanction letter will specify the amount of time, which can range from one semester to 10 (ten) years.
• Permanent Revocation of College Recognition: This will result in a permanent ban of the student group from the College.

Failure to comply with any conditions imposed may subject the student group to additional disciplinary action.

Because action is taken against a student group, and not an individual student, Bowdoin does not consider disciplinary action against a student group to be reportable.

Appeals

Student Organizations can appeal to the Dean of Students and participate in the Student Group Disciplinary Process.

Bowdoin College Student Entrepreneur Policy

Bowdoin College encourages thoughtful and creative enterprise among students. As an educational institution, the College has certain tax exemptions, which can be jeopardized when individuals in the campus community operate a business enterprise or engage in business activities on-campus or on premises owned or operated by the College. For purposes of this policy, “business activity” is defined as any activity carried on by a student that is intended to or does generate revenue or trade, whether or not for profit. 

 Any student entrepreneur (SE) wishing to run, operate, or conduct business activities on College property must comply with the following policy:

• A student must request permission in writing from the Director of Student Activities & The David Saul Smith Union (Director) prior to conducting any business activities.
• If approved, the student shall be designated as an SE and will be required to sign and comply with an SE Agreement (Agreement).
• Agreements must be requested by the SE and reviewed annually. The fact that an SE received an Agreement a previous year does not guarantee that an SE will receive an Agreement in subsequent years. The Director is responsible for reviewing, administering, and approving all Agreements.
• The Agreement establishes the terms and conditions under which the SE may do business on campus. The Agreement is limited to the specific business operation proposed by the SE in their initial request. It must be signed by the SE and returned to the Director before the SE is permitted to conduct business.
• An Agreement for an enterprise involving more than one SE must be signed by all involved SEs.  
• Business activities must not jeopardize Bowdoin’s tax-exempt status.
• SEs may not use the Bowdoin College name (or any variations of the name), mark, seal, or insignia.
• An SE must comply with all College policies, including but not limited to the policy regarding Publicity, Outside Organizations, Use of College Property (includes, email, phone, servers, printers, listservs, etc.), Solicitation on Campus Fundraising and Student Group Funding policies. 
• SE may not use any Bowdoin social media or LinkedIn Groups to advertise business or reach to alumni, parents, or students.
• The business enterprise may not be a multi-level marketing (MLM) business.  

The ability to operate or conduct business on campus is a privilege, not a right. The College, in its sole discretion, may refuse, revoke, or decline to renew an SE Agreement at any time, including, but not limited to failure to comply with the terms of the Agreement or failure to comply with College policy. 

A student in violation of the SE Agreement or conducting business on-campus without proper authorization may be referred to the disciplinary process.

This policy does not apply to students who performs work on behalf of the College or a student who engages in remote work for a business owned by a non-Bowdoin student.  

Please note that nothing in this policy is intended to restrict the freedom of speech or political activity of any individual, and College employees and students are entitled to freely participate in the election process, but there are a few limitations as to what we can do on campus or from off campus using College resources. Students are encouraged to vote and get involved in the election process – for ways to get involved please check the Bowdoin Votes website. Voter registration activities must be nonpartisan, and may not be conducted by partisan groups.

Below is a list of some do’s and don’ts to hopefully clear up any confusion. If an activity isn’t on this list or ruled out by other Bowdoin policies, chances are that it’s ok. But always feel free to ask!

Established Student Groups such as the College Democrats and Republicans

• Can use Bowdoin resources for partisan political purposes, reserve rooms (or tents), tables, online platforms (CampusGroups), Bowdoin Zoom accounts and access SAFC funding.
• Can endorse candidates or an issue.
• Can invite candidates to hold rallies or speaking events.  These can be done over Zoom or in person.
• Partisan groups cannot conduct voter registration activities. 
• Cannot accept funding or donations from outside organizations or campaigns.
• Cannot fundraise for outside organizations or campaigns.
• All posters or event postings must clearly state the sponsoring student organization. Placement of posters must be in accordance to the poster display policy in each building. Must contain the following statement:  

“The views or support stated are of those of the (Student Organization) and do not express the position or view of Bowdoin College.”

Individual Students

• Can work for a political campaign and accept payment.
• Cannot use Bowdoin resources to endorse a candidate, political party, or political action committee including e-mail, computers, online platforms (CampusGroups), telephones, tape, photocopying equipment or OneCards. 
• Partisan groups cannot conduct voter registration activities. 
• Cannot fundraise for outside organizations or campaigns.
• Students supporting a candidate must work with a recognized student organization (example: the Bowdoin Democrats or Bowdoin Republicans) to reserve tables, rooms (or tents) or host Zoom events.
• Can place posters on campus for a candidate or issue – all posters not affiliated with a student organization must have a student’s name and email. Posters cannot be anonymous. Placement of posters must be in accordance to the poster display policy in each building. Must contain the following statement:

“The views or support stated are of those of the (individual students name) and do not express the position or view of Bowdoin College.” 

When Working with an Outside Political Organization 

• Student organizations can reserve rooms (or tents) and Smith Union Info tables to support these causes and organizations. Members of the public are allowed to be at these tables. 
• A member of the sponsoring student organization must be present the entire time while the outside organization is on campus.   
• Outside organizations are not allowed to petition on campus.

 College Houses

• Can host political activity; debate viewing parties, gatherings of students supporting a candidate, candidate forums and meet and greets of candidates. These can be done over Zoom or in person.  
• Cannot endorse candidates or an issue.
• Cannot use College House funds in hosting of political activity expect for non-partisan initiatives.  Need to work through a registered student organization and the SAFC.
• Cannot accept outside donations from outside organizations or campaigns.
• Cannot fundraise for outside organizations or campaigns.
• Cannot use Bowdoin resources to endorse a candidate, political party, or political action committee including e-mail, online platforms (CampusGroups), computers, telephones, tape, photocopying equipment or OneCards. 
• Cannot place campaign yard signs outside of College Houses.
• All posters not affiliated with a student organization must have a student’s name and email. Posters cannot be anonymous. Placement of posters must be in accordance to poster display policy in each building. Must contain the following statement:

“The views or support stated are of those of the (individual students name) and do not express the position or view of Bowdoin College.”

If you have questions about these guidelines generally or about a specific activity or campus visitor, please contact Nate Hintze, Director of Student Activities at nhintze@bowdoin.edu.

Our corner of Maine is linked to the rest of the country and world in a multitude of ways. Any given year, Bowdoin students choose to engage on issues near and far, from politics to global conflict. College policies on events, gatherings, demonstrations, and rallies can be found sprinkled across various parts of the Club Leader Manual and the Code of Community Standards. Rather than serving as the end-all be-all, the following FAQs exist to provide an overview of relevant policies and to offer initial guidance for students contemplating and planning to engage in this type of programming.

Q. Where do I find information on voting and registration in the United States?

A. Bowdoin Votes offers a wealth of information on voting and registration practices. Voter registration activities on campus must be nonpartisan and may not be conducted by partisan groups.

Q. Can students or organizations hold rallies or demonstrations on campus?

A. It depends. The College policy on Use of College Property contains detailed guidance on how students and organizations may utilize the campus for events. This includes:

• The use of College facilities and grounds must be approved in advance by the relevant College office. If you are not sure where to begin, the student activities office is a good place starting point.
• College policy prohibits displaying of banners, signage, flags, or objects from College buildings, trees, or structures. Chalking is permitted on College pathways and sidewalks, provided it does not violate policies on Student Freedom from Discrimination and Harassment.

Q. What other policies on postings or flyers should I be aware of?

A. The Club Leader Manual contains a wealth of information for anyone looking to organize an event on campus, including suggestions on how to promote your event. Just navigate to the “Advertising on Campus” section.

Q. Do state, federal, and local policies apply on campus?

A. Yes. The Academic Honor Code and Social Code specifically states that students must abide by relevant state, federal, and local policies.

Q. What about guests or activities that take place off campus?

A. The Academic Honor Code and Social Code and the Guest Policy also state that Bowdoin students are responsible for the behavior of any guests hosted on campus, as well as for their own individual behavior on and off campus.

Q. What’s my responsibility if my group organizes a demonstration or I participate in one?

A. The biggest thing to keep in mind is that activities may not obstruct teaching, research, administration, athletic activities, or other College programs. The Academic Honor Code and Social Code contains helpful examples of actions that constitute disruption of the orderly processes of the College. If you still have questions, you can always reach out to staff in the student activities or office of the dean of students.

Q. What about noise levels? Are there policies to consider there?

A. Yes. The On-Campus Noise Policy prohibits excessive noise that disturbs the ability of community members to engage in academic pursuits, obstructs classes, College business and faculty offices, the neighboring Brunswick community, and other campus activities. The impact of noise is an important consideration of planning or managing any event. Student activities and the office of safety and security are important resources to consult. 

Q. Where do I find information on reserving spaces?

A. You can find detailed information about reserving spaces in in the Club Leader Manualunder Venue Reservations. It is also always a good idea to contact whatever college department oversees the space you are hoping to reserve. Any student-organized activity or event that takes place in College facilities or on College grounds must go through our space reservation process This is a standard we maintain to ensure appropriate staff, support, and services for all events.

Q. Are there specific guidelines for College Houses or Residential Spaces?

A. Any events or gatherings hosted in a College Houses must be approved collectively by members of the House and are subject to Bowdoin policies and Maine laws. Individuals interested in using a College House should communicate directly with that House’s campus community and academic liaison. 

Any events or gatherings occurring in common indoor or outdoor spaces of a Residence Hall must be approved by the Proctors or Resident Assistants overseeing the building and are subject to all Bowdoin policies and Maine laws. Individuals hoping to use a residential common space should contact the Office of Residential Life.

Q. What expectations are there for student organizations engaging in political campaign activity? What about individual students?

A. The Club Leader Manual has a detailed section on the “dos and don’ts” of campaigning on campus (see Student Political Campaign Policy). Make sure you review it carefully and reach out to the student activities office with any questions.

Q. Can an outside organization operate on campus?

A. Again, per the Club Leader Manual’s Student Political Campaign Policy, student organizations can reserve rooms and Smith Union info tables to support these outside organizations and causes. Members of the public are allowed to be at these tables. A member of the sponsoring student organization must be present the entire time while the outside organization is on campus. Outside organizations are not allowed to petition on campus.

Key contacts:

Office of the Dean of Students

Office of Residential Life

Office of Safety and Security

Office of Student Activities

Student-run media organizations, which include newspapers, magazines, radio, and other programming, are editorially independent of the College and its administration.

More information can be found in the Code of Community Standards:

https://www.bowdoin.edu/dean-of-students/ccs/campus-life/student-run-media.html

More information can be found in the Code of Community Standards:

https://www.bowdoin.edu/dean-of-students/ccs/campus-life/solicitation-on-campus.html

The Office of Communications and Public Affairs is excited to help your club or organization tell your story, get new gear, and promote your activities and events.

The easiest way to ensure that your club or organization looks great and adheres to these standards is to get our office involved early.

https://www.bowdoin.edu/communications/guidelines/student-clubs-and-organizations.html

Note: this policy applies to student groups seeking to fundraise. Individual students with questions about fundraising should reach out directly to Tim Ryan (Director of Athletics) and/or Nate Hintze (Director of Student Activities and the David Saul Smith Union).

The College recognizes student groups may occasionally seek to organize fundraising efforts, either to benefit charitable causes not associated with the College, or to benefit groups themselves. Students must request and receive formal approval to organize such efforts, either from the Director of Athletics (or their designee) or the Director of Student Activities (or their designee, including the Director of the McKeen Center for the Common Good).

https://www.bowdoin.edu/dean-of-students/ccs/campus-life/fundraising-policy.html

This training is for any clubs that would wish to cook their own meals and serve to students.  Clubs must have two active members that have completed this training. Groups must have completed this training before they can serve any food.

ServSafe 6th Edition Food Handler® Online Course and Assessment is a comprehensive solution that delivers consistent food safety training to employees. This ensures the same food safety principles are delivered each and every time.

Exam Type: Three attempts at the online assessment are Included
Certificate: The ServSafe Food Handler Certificate is valid for three years

Sections can be completed in approximately 10 minutes.

Color photographs from the learners point of view helps reinforce food safety concepts.

Covers five key areas:

• Basic Food Safety
• Personal Hygiene
• Cross-Contamination & Allergens
• Time and Temperature
• Cleaning and Sanitation