INTRODUCTION

Congratulations! If you are reading this handbook it means that you are in some way becoming involved with a College of the Siskiyous student club. You may be a student organizer, an interested student, or a faculty/staff advisor. This handbook is for each of you.

Campus clubs cater to a wide variety of student interests and range from academic to social, political, and service groups--all contributing to the activities program of the college. Although the college encourages student participation in extracurricular organizations, it does not plan or develop them; rather, it authorizes clubs to develop as a result of student interest.

This handbook is designed to help you work with your club more effectively. It includes College of the Siskiyous policies which affect your club's operation directly and provides copies of essential forms you may use to organize club activities. Each club is responsible for knowing this material. The policies, forms, and procedures in this handbook are subject to revision. Contact the ASB Advisor, by phone 938-5353 or email greene@siskiyous.edu , or visit the Associated Student Board office in the Student Center, with any questions.

DIVERSITY & BECOMING A CULTURALLY PROFICIENT STUDENT

Diversity is more than a racial classification, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation. It surrounds and includes a whole range of human experiences. Diversity includes personal beliefs, values, cultural experiences, and backgrounds of individuals and groups. Understanding cultral diversity requires accepting and valuing both similarities and differences between cultures. "Cultural proficiency is the policies and practices of an organization or the values and behaviors of an individual that enables that agency or person to inteact effectively in a cultually diverse environment. Cultural proficiency is reflected in the way an organization treats its employees, its clients ("students"), and its community." (Lindsey, R.B. et al, Cultural Proficiency: A Manual for School Leaders, Thousand Oaks, CA 1999)

College of the Siskiyous is a community college that is composed of individuals from diverse cultures. At COS, you will have an opportunity to interact with and learn about the experiences and perspectives of individuals from many different backgrounds and countries. Many of the problems experienced by culturally different goups and individuals are based on cross-cultural miscommunication and misinformation. Communication is necessary for reducing misinformation about race, ethnicicity, gender, age, status, classs, disabilities, sexual orientation, and religion. As a club member, or club officer, you have the opportunity to help COS develop those policies and procedures that allow all students and employees to interact effectively in a culturally diverse environment.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This handbook was adapted from Southern Oregon University's Student Activities Handbook, The Foothill College Handbook for Campus Clubs and Advisors, and Ohlone College's Club Handbook.

GETTING STARTED!

Forming a new club at College of the Siskiyous is easy and requires relatively little paperwork:
STEP 1: Pick up a Petition to Organize a New Club (see appendix) in the Associated Student Board office and review the Outline for Club Constitutions sheet in this packet and complete the petition.

STEP 2: Find a faculty or staff member willing to act as your club's advisor. Make sure you and your advisor have read the section of this packet on advisor's responsibilities so you both know what to expect from the relationship. Have your advisor sign the petition.

STEP 3: Submit the completed petition to the ASB Advisor (office in Counseling Services) for signature. She will be able to provide information and answer questions you may have.

STEP 4: Take the signed petition to the Associated Student Board office in the Student Center. The petition will be reviewed at an upcoming ASB meeting, and serves to inform the board that a new club is in process.

STEP 5: Write a constitution to govern your club. Your constitution will probably follow the Outline for Club Constitutions (see appendix) quite closely. You will need to contact the ASB to get the constitution listed as an agenda item for an upcoming meeting (within four weeks).

STEP 6: Present your constitution to the ASB at the meeting. The ASB votes to give official recognition to campus clubs, thus offering them access to the campus services and privileges listed below. This recognition also requires certain responsibilities, as listed on the following page:

PRIVILEGES OF A RECOGNIZED CLUB:

1. Use of the College of the Siskiyous name when appropriate.
2. Scheduled use of available rooms and/or equipment.
3. Club account with the COS Business Office.
4. Limited use of ASB office and supplies (with prior approval).
5. Ability to conduct fund raisers on campus.
6. Participation in College activities, contests, and events as a club.
7. Faculty/staff advisor.
8. Representation on the Club Council, the coordinating body for campus clubs.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF A RECOGNIZED CLUB:

Each club must:
1. Make certain that all club members have purchased Associated Student Body cards each semester of club participation.
2. Have a College of the Siskiyous faculty or staff advisor.
3. Have and follow a club constitution (bylaws are optional).
4. Be non-discriminatory in membership (see appendix for District non-discrimination policy).
5. Assign a club representative to attend Club Council meetings, held monthly.
6. Deposit all money into the College of the Siskiyous club account, and make all financial transactions through the club account.
7. Notify the ASB Advisor if the club is no longer active.

ADVISOR'S ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

College of the Siskiyous requires that to be a recognized student club, the club must have a COS faculty or staff advisor. This is a valuable and unique opportunity for faculty/staff-student interaction as well as an opportunity to enrich campus life.

The advisor's job is to ensure that the college fulfills its obligations to its students and that the activities of the club conform to both the California Education Code and the policies of the District. (For example, district policy prohibits alcoholic beverages at any club meeting or activity.) Advisors help student club members learn from activities outside the classroom and develop useful organizational and human relations skills.

The duties of the advisor are:
1. To serve as the official representative of the college to the club.
2. To work closely with the club to ensure a cooperative relationship between the advisor and the club members.
3. To help the officers of the organization understand their duties.
4. To see that the continuity of the organization is preserved through its constitution, minutes, and traditions, and that succeeding officers and members adequately understand its past activities.
5. To give particular attention to the financial activities of the group. Specifically, to prevent the club from incurring debts that it is unable to pay.
6. To help students understand and apply democratic principles within their own organizations and in working with others.
7. To be present for all official club activities, both business and social, and to advise students of the policies and procedures that they must follow. In the event that an advisor must be absent for a meeting or activity, another faculty or staff member may be appointed by him/her as a substitute. The advisor must notify club executive members of the switch so that students are aware of it as soon as possible.
8. To insure that all reasonable steps are taken to protect the safety and welfare of club members.
9. To insure that college policies are upheld.
10. To sign all club payment forms, facilities requests, work orders, and fundraising requests as initiated by club members.
11. Along with the club treasurer, to see that all expenditures are correct and permitted. This includes insuring that major events have an approved budget prior to their scheduled date.

CLUB MEMBERS' RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE ADVISOR

Club members also have certain responsibilities to their advisor. These include:
1. Discuss your expectations of the advisor's role with your advisor--from the beginning.
2. Notify the advisor of all meetings. Do not hold meetings in the absence of an advisor.
3. Send the advisor a copy of all minutes.
4. Consult the advisor before any changes in the structure of policies of the club are made, and before major projects are undertaken.
5. Understand that although the advisor has no vote, he/she should have speaking privileges.
6. Remember that the responsibility for the success or failure of a group project rests ultimately with the group, not the advisor.
7. When situations arise where there are disagreements with the advisor, meet with the advisor outside of club meetings to discuss your concerns and offer suggestions on how to resolve the situation.

CHANGING ADVISORS

In the event that club members wish to change advisors, they must first discuss the issues directly with the advisor (see #7, above). The next step is to involve the ASB Advisor to work out a process in which the concerns can be addressed.

In the event that an advisor wishes to step down from his/her duties, it is the responsibility of club members to find another faculty or staff member willing to serve in this capacity. See "Step 2" of the "Getting Started" section at the beginning of this handbook.

GENERAL CLUB INFORMATION

A. Publicity and Posting
1. Club must have its name clearly visible on all flyers and promotional materials.
2. Post flyers on designated bulletin boards only. For example, there are boards in the student center designated for student activity posting, but others are for the use of campus services only. There is no posting permitted on glass or walls in the student center.
3. The Associated Student Board has an electronic message board for use in publicizing campus activities. Please write out your message and deliver it to the ASB Office in the student center at least one week prior to your event.
4. The Public Relations and Student Services Offices each have campus events calendars. Information on upcoming events is shared at the monthly Club Council meetings.

B. Use of College Facilities
A facility request form (see appendix) must be completed by the advisor prior to any on-campus event. Depending on the scope and type of activity, there may be a need for security at the event (i.e., Weed Police Department). These forms are available in the Business Office, and are returned there once complete. It is recommended that these forms are completed as soon as the date is set for the event, to ensure that the facility is available. Also, if the request involves special services by the Maintenance department, it may be helpful for the advisor to email the Director of Maintenance to describe those needs more specifically.

C. Alcoholic Beverages
According to California law, the consumption, possession and/or sale of all alcoholic beverages is prohibited on any college property or at any college sponsored event on or off campus. In addition, any appearance on campus or at any College-sponsored event while under the influence of alcohol violates the Student Code of Conduct.

D. Financial Forms and Procedures
Club accounts are not housed in the same bank as regular College funds. For this reason, the procedure for accessing club moneys are somewhat different. Please use the attached forms and copy as needed for your club business. Be sure that either the treasurer, advisor, or both people keep copies of all forms for reference.

1. When making a reimbursement to a club member or advisor, or when paying directly for something, use the Check Request Form (see appendix). The advisor can get the appropriate account number(s) from the Business Office. Be sure to attach receipts or invoices to the form, and be sure that the appropriate signatures are complete. The "Reference Number" in the top right-hand corner is for club use only. An easy system for numbering would be to use the fiscal year, followed by the form number (example, 99-001).

2. When ordering something in advance, so that a purchase order is needed, use the Order Form (see appendix). When a purchase order (or "P.O.") number is necessary, the reference number may be given.

3. A Travel Request Form (see appendix) is used for club members and advisors' travel to meetings and conferences where the fees are coming from club funds. Follow the directions on the form and be sure to attach documentation. If a college vehicle is to be used for the travel, another type of travel request form is necessary. This form is not in the handbook but may be obtained by the advisor through the Business Office.

4. Some events may require the club to have a change box. The College of the Siskiyous Change Box Request form (see appendix) is to be completed and returned to the Cashier's Office at least one week prior to the scheduled event. Be extremely cautious when handling the cash box, and never leave it unattended. Two club members (or a member and the advisor) should be with the cash box at all times. Return the box to the Cashier as soon as possible. If checks are received, have the payer make them out to "COS". The Cashier will know how and where to deposit these funds.

5. All campus fundraising activities are coordinated through the Public Relations Office. Prior to beginning a fund-raiser, clubs must complete a Request to Conduct Fundraising Activities form (see appendix) and return it to the Public Relations Office. In addition, all food or drinks sold on campus must be approved through the Food Service Director, since the cafeteria has exclusive rights to food sales at COS.

6. All receipts and expenditures must be processed through the college Business Office. This means that proceeds collected at an event cannot be used directly to pay expenses at the event. Cash from the cash box must first be deposited into the club account so that checks can be requested from the club's balance.

7. Always have the club approve a budget for large club events before the event takes place.

With a little planning and preparation, your club meetings can be productive and fun. Meetings are held for members to discuss goals and objectives, keep updated on current plans, and deal with other club business. Here are some tips to assist with your next meeting:

Before the meeting:

1. Define the purpose of the meeting. If there doesn't appear to be a purpose, don't have the meeting.

2. Develop an agenda with the officers and advisors. An example might include:

a. Call to Order
b. Approval of Agenda
c. Correction and Approval of Minutes from the last meeting
d. Officer's Reports
e. Committee Reports
f. Unfinished Business
g. New Business
h. Adjournment

3. Distribute the agenda and circulate background material, such as lengthy documents or articles, prior to the meeting so members will be prepared and feel involved.

4. Choose an appropriate meeting time. Set a time limit and stick to it. Remember that members have other commitments.

5. If possible, arrange members so they face each other. For larger groups, try U-shaped rows. A leader has better control when she/he is centrally located.

6. Choose a location suitable to group size. Small rooms with too many people get stuffy and create tension. A larger room is more comfortable and encourages individual expression.

7. Vary meeting places if possible, to accommodate different members.

During the Meeting:

1. Greet members and visitors and make them feel welcome, even the late- comers.

2. If possible, serve light refreshments, they are good ice breakers.

3. Start on time. End on time.

4. Review the agenda and set priorities for the meeting.

5. Stick to the agenda.

6. Encourage group discussion to get all viewpoints and ideas. You will have better quality decisions as well as highly motivated members.

7. Encourage feedback. Ideas, activities and commitment to the organization improve when members see their impact in the decision-making process.

8. Keep conversation on topic toward an eventual decision. Feel free to ask for only constructive comments.

9. Delegate responsibilities and establish due dates. Give members a voice in decision-making.

10. Keep minutes of the meeting for future reference in case a question or problem arises.

11. The leader of the meeting should be a model by listening, showing interest, appreciation and confidence in members. Admit mistakes.

12. Summarize agreements reached and end the meeting on a unifying or positive note. For example, have members volunteer thoughts of things they feel are good or successful, or a good of the order.

13. Set a date and time for the next meeting.

After the Meeting:

1. Propose and distribute minutes promptly. Quick action reinforces the importance of meeting and reduces error of memory.

2. Discuss any problems during the meeting with officers, so improvements can be made.

3. Follow up on delegation decisions. See that all members understand and carry out their responsibilities.
4. Give recognition and appreciation to excellent and timely progress.

5. Put unfinished business on the agenda for the next meeting.

6. Conduct periodic evaluations of the meetings. Weak areas can be analyzed and improved for more productive meetings.

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE

Parliamentary procedure is a set of rules developed over many years to help meetings run smoothly and efficiently and to protect the rights of the people who participate in those meetings. Robert's Rules of Order has been the generally accepted guide to parliamentary procedure in the United States for well over 100 years. Although parliamentary procedure is in no way required by clubs to conduct their meetings, it provides one possible method. You may want to consider using to get you started. Here are a few basic terms from Robert's rules:

chair
The person who presides over a meeting is called the chair.

quorum
A quorum is the minimum number of members required to be present for an organization to conduct business; generally two-thirds.

floor
When the chair acknowledges and offers a member an opportunity to speak, that person "has the floor." Whatever topic the group should be discussing is "on the floor."

motion
A motion is a proposal, made by a member, for the organization to take action. "I move to form a committee," or, "I move to approve the budget."

second
Most motions require a second. After a motion is made, another member says, "I second," the motion is before the group, and the group votes on it. If there is no second, the motion is not before the group, no vote occurs, and no action can be taken.

table
To "table" is to postpone for consideration at a later time.

general consent
To expedite routine business, the chair may use a procedure called general consent. The chair proposes an action and asks if there is any objection. If there is none, the action is adopted. If there is objection, then a motion, second, and vote are required.

adjourn
To adjourn is to end the meeting. The chair can adjourn by general consent or a member can move to adjourn.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF CLUB OFFICERS

Being a club officer provides an opportunity for personal growth and achievement, and it may also leave you frustrated. Frustrations are minor in comparison to achieving your club goals with active club members.

As a club officer you are responsible for knowing the club's purpose and constitution. It is not necessary to recite it to everyone all the time; however, you do need to keep the club focused on its purpose.

Perform your own duties and responsibilities. As an officer, you are responsible for completing your job. Furthermore, don't blame or accuse others who are not doing their job; ask if they need help. If that doesn't work, suggest they let someone else do the job and hold the office. Give people opportunities to complete their duties; help them succeed at their job.

While taking your job seriously, don't take yourself seriously. Relax. Being in a club is supposed to be fun. Organize the club so that you and everyone has fun. Try to strike a balance between work and play.

The following is a general outline of the duties for the most common officer positions in clubs. It is intended as a guide for your club's own adaptation.

President/Chair
1. To preside over the club and club meetings; he/she is often the "official spokesperson" for the club.
2. To understand and follow the club's constitution and by-laws. Know campus policies and regulations. The President/Chair does not vote, except to break ties. Check club constitution for specifics on President's voting privileges.
3. Keep your advisor informed of all club meetings and activities.
4. Appoint committees and Chairs to assist in completing the work; spread the burden of work among all club members, and give others an opportunity to participate.
5. Sign all financial paperwork.
6. Be an effective presiding officer...
a. Decide which procedures you will use for conducting meetings. Learn basic parliamentary procedure.
b. Be impartial, fair, courteous. Carry out the group's decisions and wishes.
c. With the other officers, members, and advisor, prepare an agenda for each meeting.
d. Do not try to do all the work by yourself. Assign responsibilities to others. Total participation by all members makes for a strong organization.

Vice President/Vice Chair
1. Assume the President's responsibilities when the President is unable to carry out his/her duties.
2. Be ready to assist the President in any possible.
3. Carry out special duties that may be assigned to you by the constitution/by-laws, the President, executive committee, or members.
4. Attend all executive committee meetings and meetings of the organization.
5. Know and understand your organization's constitution and by-laws.

Secretary
1. To record and keep accurate permanent records of meetings' minutes, documents, etc.
2. To record club minutes and prepare follow-up correspondence as needed.
3. Keep an accurate, up-to-date list of members' addresses and telephone numbers.
4. Keep in the secretary's book a copy of the constitution and by-laws for easy reference during meetings.
5. Record motions accurately and be prepared to read them back in a meeting.
6. Suggested outline for the writing of minutes:
a. Give the hour, day, month, place of the meeting, and the name of the presiding officer.
b. State whether the minutes of the last meeting were:
1. Approved as read.
2. Approved as corrected. (If there were corrections, list them).
c. Give a statement concerning all reports read and the action taken on them.
d. Record items discussed under old business.
e. Record items discussed under new business.
f. Every motion, lost or carried, should be included under the appropriate item of business.
g. State the time of adjournment of the meeting.
h. Sign the minutes.

Treasurer
1. The Treasurer is responsible, with the advisor, for all funds of the organization.
a. Sign all financial paperwork and forms.
b. Review account printouts with the advisor, to insure that no overspending occurs.
c. Inform the advisor when a cashbox is needed for upcoming events.

2. Prepare a budget and have it approved by the executive committee and membership. Make certain that large events have a budget approved by the club in advance.

3. Make certain the club expends money in keeping with the approved budget and within school policies and regulations.

4. Make a treasurer's report at each business meeting of the organization listing receipts, expenditures, and the balance on hand.

5. See that all bills are paid promptly.

6. Keep a record of all money handled, both incoming and outgoing, and indicate purpose for which money was disbursed.

7. Have records available and in a condition for examination at any time.

8. See that all receipts and expenditures are processed through the Business Office.

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