Starting a Club

In order for your club to be considered for a charter, it must:

• Admit all students regardless of race, religion, age, ethnic or national origin, gender, physical ability, or sexual orientation

• Abide by the Bowdoin Social and Academic Honor Code

• Have a mission distinct from all other clubs on campus

• Provide a leadership structure that will ensure the continuity of the club from year to year

• Benefit the Student Body

Develop a roster of interested students and include their email aliases and class years. This is best done via advertising on Campus Groups or at the Student Activities Fair that occurs each semester.

Membership: If a club has not attained sufficient membership, is experiencing funding difficulties, etc., the SOOC reserves the right to examine the benefits of rechartering a club. This may be due, among a variety of reasons, to the following:

• No advertisements may be placed on glass or painted surfaces that may be damaged by the removal of the advertisement.
• Official Bowdoin logos and wordmarks (i.e. the Bowdoin seal) may not be placed on any advertisements without the express permission of the Communications Office.
• Club posters and advertisements must have the full name of your organization easily visible. Online conduct by all organizations through social media must still abide by the College’s Social and Academic Honor Code.
• Banners, decorations or signs not permitted on the outside of buildings or in any of the campus quads. Exceptions require the approval of the Office of Student Activities.
• All campus buildings may have their own rules regarding the placement of advertisements.
• The cost of a club, especially if the cost is high and student membership low.
• The existence of another club that has greater membership and fulfills the same or a similar mission statement as the club in question. The SOOC reserves the right to make exceptions if and only if the student body will benefit from the existence of multiple clubs with similar mission statements.
• Lack of interest in a club from the student body. Because “sufficient membership” and “funding difficulties” are subjective, clubs are assured that the BSG and SOOC understand that each club is different. Majority vote from the SOOC and the opinion of the SAFC Chair will be taken into account when making final decisions.

Select a potential faculty/staff advisor for your organization who truly cares about the goals and aims of the group. An advisor may be excused by the SOOC on a case-by-case basis, but is often necessary to ensure leadership continuity from year to year.

Once you’ve gone through all of the above, your application will be sent to the Student Organizations Oversight committee, and they’ll deliberate on your charter at their next meeting. 

If you have any questions about the SOOC, please don’t hesitate to email SOOC Chair, Brian Ou '23 (bou@bowdoin.edu).

While clubs will be chartered at various times throughout the year, new clubs are required to attend a Club Leader Training with the Student Activities Office and the chair of the Student Activities Funding Committee. These trainings will take place monthly* and your club must attend the meeting immediately after being chartered. At the Club Leader Training you will learn about the resources that are available to you as a club leader and you will receive the project number for your organization at this time.

Please note that your club does not have funding immediately after receiving a charter, but must attend the Club Leader Training to learn how to gain access to funding through the Student Activities Funding Committee (SAFC). Only after the club has placed a request for funding with the SAFC, attended an SAFC meeting and received a funding allocation will the club be able to spend the money allocated.

*Dates of training vary each year and will be communicated to new club leaders via e-mail.

This handbook as put down by Bowdoin College will remain as the parameters and framework of each and every club at Bowdoin College. Click to access The Code of Community Standards. 

No group, if part of a greater local, regional, national, or international organization, will allow said group’s guidelines to supersede College and BSG policy.

As precaution and reminder, the SOOC reminds students of the Bowdoin Student Handbook Discrimination Policy: Respect for the rights of all and for the differences among us is essential for the Bowdoin community. Discrimination or harassment of others on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, age, marital status, place of birth, veteran status or against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability has no place in our intellectual community. If members of the Bowdoin community experience or witness any apparent incident of harassment or discrimination by students, faculty, or staff, they may discuss their concerns or request advice from deans, academic advisors, proctors, or resident advisors. Such incidents violate both the ideals of the College and its Social Code and may be subject to appropriate disciplinary sanctions. When such incidents violate the statutes of the State of Maine or Federal Law, criminal prosecution may be pursued. This policy is all encompassing and will be enforced by the BSG and the SOOC Chair without apology. Any reason for concern will result in a meeting with the Chair of the SOOC to resolve the issue in conjunction with the Assembly and action the College administration deems necessary and appropriate.

Meetings should be held at least once during the following months: September, October, November, February, March, and April. Inability to accomplish this will result in a serious consideration of not rechartering a club. No events, meetings, or programming of any kind by SOOC-chartered clubs may take place after the first two days of Reading Period each semester.

• No advertisements may be placed on glass or painted surfaces that may be damaged by the removal of the advertisement.
• Official Bowdoin logos and wordmarks (i.e. the Bowdoin seal) may not be placed on any advertisements without the express permission of the Communications Office.
• Club posters and advertisements must have the full name of your organization easily visible. Online conduct by all organizations through social media must still abide by the College’s Social and Academic Honor Code.
• Banners, decorations or signs not permitted on the outside of buildings or in any of the campus quads. Exceptions require the approval of the Office of Student Activities.
• All campus buildings may have their own rules regarding the placement of advertisements.