How to Affiliate a Club
Reasons to start a club are vast and varied; it may be as simple as contributing to the University community, meeting like-minded people or receiving funding from UMSU for events. Some of the benefits of affiliation to UMSU include:
- representation and support from the UMSU C&S department
- financial grants
- free or discounted use of UMSU and University facilities and resources
- participation in the UMSU C&S promotional expos
- discounted training in Safe Food Handling and Responsible Service of Alcohol
- public liability insurance cover
If you are intending to affiliate to the GSA and UMSU, or if your club is already affiliated to the GSA please read our UMSU and GSA Requirements for joint affiliation.
The club affiliation process is straightforward and you can always contact the Clubs & Societies Office for help. Application dates can be found in the Application Form.
Here’s a summary of the process:
Step 1: Application and initial approval
“How to Affiliate a Club” form is due by 4:30 pm Friday Week 3
Download the application form and complete all sections, including finding 50 students to complete the Expressions of Interest.
- Expressions of Interest are only accepted if they are complete records. The C&S Committee will not accept Expressions of Interest that are not genuinely completed and signed by the individuals.
- Submit it to the C&S Office by the deadline.
- In Weeks 4 & 5 the C&S Committee considers all new club applications and you will be advised of the outcome.
- Grounds for rejecting the application can be found in Regulation 4.1.b: CS Regulations (amended 07.04.21)
Step 2: Writing the club constitution
Constitution draft must be approved by C&S staff by 4.30 pm Friday Week 7
- You will be invited to meet with C&S staff to draft the constitution in Week 6 or 7.
- You will use the Standard Constitution (C&S Regulation Appendix 1) and the club Name and Aims that were previously approved by the C&S Committee.
- In exceptional circumstances, the C&S Officer may allow a non-standard constitution that is consistent with the provisions of the Standard Constitution and C&S Regulation 5.1.a.
Step 3: Inaugural General Meeting (IGM)
Compulsory IGM information session on Tuesday Week 8
IGM must be held by 7 pm Friday Week 12
- One or more of the Contacts must attend the information session.
- After attending the session you will sign up members and organise the IGM.
- The IGM must be called with consultation with the C&S Office as a representative of C&S must attend the IGM to conduct the elections.
- Meeting Papers must be submitted to C&S within 2 weeks of the IGM date using a checklist and templates provided by C&S.
Step 4: Affiliation
- The C&S Coordinator will review the papers and make a recommendation to the C&S Committee at their next meeting.
- The C&S Committee will formally affiliate or deny affiliation to your club and you will be advised of the outcome.
- If affiliated you will be invited to collect an information pack from the C&S Office and all the rights and responsibilities of affiliation apply immediately. You will be required to open a club bank account and establish a club email account within 2 weeks of Affiliation.
- If you are denied affiliation you will be advised of the reason. If there is time to reconvene the IGM in the academic year the group may try again.