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Student Groups
Establishing a student group is a great way to find peers with common interests. You can organize an event or activity sponsored through your organization, and become involved with the surrounding community. Wesleyan boasts one of the most active student bodies in the nation, with over two hundred recognized student groups on campus. Every year, student group leaders must register their group or club with the Community Outreach and External Affairs Committee (COEAC) by completing an electronic registration form. This process is commonly referred to as "recognition," and requires certain guidelines and criteria that need to be adhered to. If you are interested in forming a new group or re-establishing an old one, review the information below.
Benefits of Official Recognition
Student Group Liability Reminder
SBC and COEAC Mandatory Meeting
Benefits of Official Recognition
There are many benefits to being officially recognized by the Wesleyan Student Assembly's Community Outreach and External Affairs Committee (COEAC). The following is a list of resources student group leaders will have available to them after recognition. They are designed to increase each group's ability to stay organized, maintain records from previous years, and stay in touch with the broader Wesleyan community.
1. Student Activities Fee Allotment: Officially recognized student organizations can request money to support an event or activity from the Student Budget Committee (SBC), which oversees the Student Activities Fee (SAF).
2. New York Times Readership Program: Wesleyan's large subscription to The New York Times entitles student leaders to a speaker service from the Times. If you are interested in bringing in a speaker from the New York Times, please contact a COEAC member.
3. Office Space: The WSA is allowing student groups to apply for office space at 190 High Street. Student groups may temporarily store files in these spaces and make use of existing equipment and furniture. To apply, please fill out the online Student Group Room Application form.
4. Storage: All student groups are permitted to store objects related to their group's function in the attic space in the WSA Office building at 190 High Street. If you have any questions about storing capital items, please contact the Student Assembly Office (SAO) at wsaoffice@wesleyan.edu.
5. Facility Use: Recognized student organizations can reserve rooms and spaces that support their efforts to congregate.
NOTE: WSA RECOGNITION DOES NOT GUARANTEE ACCESS TO ATHLETIC FIELDS. REQUESTS FOR THE USE OF ATHLETIC FIELDS SHOULD BE MADE TO PHYSICAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
6. Online Tools: Student group leaders will have access to Lyris Lists, blogs and other online tools.
7. Fax: The Student Assembly Office has a fax machine for use by student group officers for group activities only. There is no charge to your group for this use. Student groups may receive faxes at (860) 685-2411.
a. If you are using the fax for personal reasons, it will cost $1 dollar per page for domestic transmissions and $2 dollars per page for international faxes. We only accept cash in exact change.
8. Xeroxing: For group business/publicity, a small-quantity (50 pages) of Xeroxing is FREE at the Student Assembly Office during office hours.
9. Wesleyan University Archives: Student organizations will have access to the University Archives to store data and other documentation.
1. The Community Outreach and External Affairs Committee will not recognize any group that violates the Wesleyan Student Assembly's non-discriminatory clause, which is as follows: "The Wesleyan Student Assembly shall not discriminate against anyone on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability, marital status, gender identity or gender expression in the execution of its responsibilities under this constitution or in the administration of its policies and programs."
* However, a group in seeming violation of the clause may be recognized if the exclusion of certain persons is central to the purpose and functioning of the organization.
2. The group must work toward enhancing the greater Wesleyan community by promoting discussion rather than exclusion and antagonism in its events and activities as determined by the Chair of the Community Outreach and External Affairs Committee and the President of the Wesleyan Student Assembly.
3. Failure to comply with the criteria throughout the year may result in a revocation of recognition status.
Student Group Liability Reminder
Registration of student organizations by Wesleyan University shall not imply support for any such organization's purpose, philosophy or activities. Additionally, organization leaders and participants are advised that all student organization activities are undertaken at the risk of the organization, its members and participants. Organization leaders or members are encouraged to require their participants to execute a waiver and release agreement as a condition to participating in organization activities, especially those that involve perceived risk. The University maintains a standard waiver that organizations may adapt to their needs. Organization members should be aware that participant execution of such a waiver does not guarantee insulation from liability and organizations may still have a duty to activity participants. Additionally, student organizations should consider procuring insurance for certain activities. Wesleyan will provide contacts for procuring insurance through its Auxiliaries Department.
If your group is sponsoring a trip or attending an off campus event, we require that each participant sign a Student Group Activity Waiver form. Please click on the following link to get a copy of the form.
Student Group
Activity Waiver Form
SBC and COEAC Mandatory Meeting
The SBC and COEAC Mandatory Meeting is a required informational meeting which will inform students on how the student group registration and fund allocation process works. It is run by the Community Outreach and External Affairs Committee (COEAC) and the Student Budget Committee (SBC) chairs. The meeting is normally held during the second or third week of classes. An announcement will be sent out to the student body announcing the date, time and location of the meeting.
Initials period is a selected period of time the WSA has chosen to allow students who would like to put on events or activities early in the fall semester to register their organization and apply for funding quickly. M It starts immediately after the SBC and COEAC Mandatory Meeting.
Note: If you do not need to register your student group right way or need funds from SBC immediately, you do not have to do anything during Initials. You can register your student group or request an SBC allocation during the Open period which usually starts the week after Initials.
If you are interested in starting a student organization or club you must be officially recognized by COEAC through the online Student Group Registration System. M Student leaders must provide a mission statement, a list of officers and the names, titles, email addresses, phone numbers, and Wesleyan box numbers of these individuals and/or advisor(s), along with meeting times and locations, a URL for the home page, a Lyris list, and an updated constitution, if applicable. Also, a Financial and Primary contact person must be listed. Please choose these individuals carefully because they will be accountable for the group's finances, technical support, and the relaying of any announcements, policies or event information that are sent to them by a staff or committee member of the WSA to the other group members.
Registration Process
All undergraduates can activate an old group by completing an online form through the Student Group Registration System. To access the online application they must go through their student portfolio and follow the instructions listed below.
1. Re-registering an "old" Club
All active student groups are deactivated at the end of each academic year. Consequently, at the beginning of each academic year, all student groups who plan to sponsor events and/or activities must re-register or re-activate the organization. The procedure allows new student group leaders the opportunity to update the group's officers and other pertinent information, so they are not dealing with antiquated data. Please follow instructions below to re-register a pre-existing group.
■ Sign into your e-portfolio
■ Select "My Student Portfolio"
■ Go to "Student Life at Wesleyan"
■ Select "WSA Tools and Applications"
■ Select the "Student Groups" tab in the upper-right corner
■ Search for your old student group by using the "Search Criteria" section of page
* Search by Name:
- Go to "Word in Name or Mission"
- Type in a word or title that relates to your student group in the numbered field(s)
(note: acronyms may not be registered)
- Select the "Search" button. A list of groups will pop up on the screen
- Select your student group
- Select the "Register" link
- Complete and/or update required information
* Search by Category:
- Go to "Group Category"
- Select drop down feature
- Select the category. A list of groups only in the selected category will appear on the screen
- Select your student group
- Select "Register" link
- Complete and/or update required information
2. Registering a "new" Club
Any undergraduate student can start a new club or student organization. The registration process is fairly easy and is online. Before you register a new group, please search for old student organizations that may be similar to your idea. There is a "Search Criteria" section on the WSA Tools and Application system which will allow you to search by name or category. Simply type in a word under the related field or select a category, then hit the "Search" button. A list of related groups will appear on the screen. Review the information on the student group by selecting the "Info" link. If the student group already exists, please follow instructions under "Registering an "old" Club".
To create a new club or student organization, please review the instructions below.
■ Sign onto your e-portfolio
■ Select "My Student Portfolio"
■ Go to "Student Life at Wesleyan"
■ Select "WSA Tools and Applications"
■ Select "Student Groups" tab
■ Scroll to bottom of page, then select "New Group" button
■ Complete the required information
A list of recognized student groups is available for your perusal. You may find a group that may interest you. Also, you will be able to obtain contact information for the student group leaders, a description of the group, their meeting times and so much more.