BEING A CLUB ADVISOR

BOARD POLICY MANUAL: 8.5.2 & 8.5.2P

Behind most successful student clubs is a committed advisor.  Advisors help students navigate the institutional structures, advisors should believe in the mission of the club, have a desire to help students succeed, and be willing to share expertise and spend time with the group. All student clubs and organizations are required to have a faculty or staff advisor in order to obtain official recognition at SRJC. The extent of the relationship varies from group to group, and depends upon the needs of the club/group. Some groups require a great deal of structure while other groups desire to remain autonomous.
 

The Roles of a Club Advisor

  • Take an active role in advising the student organization but let the students be the leaders.

  • Know the general purpose and mission of the club and assure it is in line with the the college's mission.

  • Know the officers and the current members, meet with the club president on a regular basis (We recommend at lease once per month).

  • Guide your club on event planning, and sign off on club events, attend club events and work with SLEE to find alternate advisors if you can't attend an official club event.

  • Establish with the student club president the manner and frequency in which you will participate in club activities. e.g. programs, travel, social events, and meetings.

  • Offer guidance on goal setting, club management, program planning, and problem solving.

  • Encourage and support students in their academic success, and balancing club responsibilities.  Facilitate teamwork and delegation.

  • Adhere to SRJC policies and procedures and inform the student club president of their responsibility to do the same.  Report to the ICC Advisor or Manager of Student Life any activities which may violate SRJC policies.

  • Approve requests for room, fundraising and special events while also assisting club members with the paperwork that is associated with these events.

 

Hosting an Event

  • All events (online & in person) require the completion of a Special Event Application.
  • All events both in person and online require advisor attendance.  If the advisor is unable to attend please notify ICC Advisor, Joshua Pinaula (jpinaula@santarosa.edu) and we will put a plan together.
  • Zoom events need to be held on the Advisors Zoom account or an SRJC affiliated Zoom account.

Food Policy

  • Having food at an event is a great way to attract students.  Fresh & Natural has first right of refusal.  Have your club leaders work directly with Fresh & Natural to order food for your event.
  • If you plan to have food delivered or served as part of your event you will need to a signature for approval of waiver from Jenny Chhay or Andy Chhay-email: guser67@santarosa.edu.
  • For outside catering/vendors that you pick up and self-serve, please make sure they have a county approved health permit, commercial certification, and include a W-9 along with your Club & Trust Funds Request Form.
  • Safe food handling is crucial.  Food must be prepared in a professional kitchen, or sold in store packaging. Please label food for allergies when possible.
  • Food sold as a fundraiser may have sales tax deducted when you make your club deposit.
  • Certificate of Insurance is required for any independent contractor or business operating on the SRJC campuses.

Fundraising

Student Life encourages clubs to fundraise to help support their club activities.  There are a variety of ways for clubs to fundraise these include-community sponsorships, Dine & Donate, Eteams and garage sales are a few ways in which clubs can fundraise.

  • Special Event App-The Special Event App needs to be completed for on and off campus events.
  • Fundraising approval will be granted by the Manager-Student Life.
  • All Club financial records, deposits, checks and financial activity should be managed through the Club Trust and ICC Finance Advisor-Melissa Cowan (clubaccounts@santarosa.edu).
  • All payments to vendors or suppliers for materials and services should go through the Club Trust.  Students should not be handing cash or checks to vendors.  A W-9 is required from vendors requesting payment for a service.
  • Sales tax @ 9.00% will be deducted from deposit for sales of all material good (See's, Food Sales, T-Shirts, etc.).
  • Alcohol purchases are not permitted and cannot be reimbursed.
  • Can reimburse for purchases of goods, etc: cannot reimburse for individual services, (training/performance/lecture) this must be done through SRJC Escape Requisition.

Travel 

  • Students who are providing their own transportation to events/games must not travel in vehicles driven/owned by Coaches and/ or Advisors: students may travel in college owned vehicles driven by Advisors or Coaches who have been cleared to drive through the district.  In order to drive and reserve a school vehicle advisors must fill out the Driver Clearance Form and complete the vehicle online training course.  Once the online driver training is completed and the advisor has been cleared by district police you can request the use of a district vehicle through facilities. Contact ICC Advisor Joshua Pinaula if interested in participating in the Van Training program.
  • To reserve a school vehicle please plan ahead and provide at least two weeks notice (the more the better).  Fill out a Vehicle Use Form for each request and submit via a Facilities ServiceDesk ticket.
  • If a student chooses to use their personal vehicle to travel to and from an event/activity, all liability and property risk falls on that student driver and their insurance company.  It is strongly discouraged for Advisors and/ or Coaches to ride in student vehicles to a college-sponsored activity.
  • If any disciplinary or legal issues arise during an off campus trip they will be regarded as a student conduct issue and will be referred to Dean of Students, Byron Reaves. 

Travel Forms to be Completed

Requesting Money

  • Clubs are allowed to request money from the ICC Trust in order to support club activities.  A maximum of $400 is allowed per request and clubs are allowed multiple requests per semester.  The ICC Grant Proposal needs to be turned in by Thursday  3:00 pm before the ICC Meeting.  The ICC Advisor and ICC Chair will review the request to ensure that everything is good as well as ask the club any questions that may come up.  The request will then be added to the ICC Agenda for the upcoming meeting where the other clubs in ICC will have the chance to review the request, ask questions and vote on approval of the request.  The clubs voting may vote to approve the request, not approve the request or they may vote to approve a lower amount than what the club had requested.  For these reasons it is recommended that clubs wait for the funding to be approved before they purchase anything.  If a club decides to purchase something in advance and then request to be reimbursed from the ICC Trust there is always the risk that they won't be fully reimbursed or be reimbursed at all.

    ICC Grant Proposal (complete this form to request money from the ICC Trust)

 

 ****Additional funding can be obtained by requesting money from Student Government-SGA Funds Request