Student Clubs - New Club and Student-Led Initiative Process

Have questions about new club and student-led initiative process?

What is a Club? What is a Student-Led Initiative?

• Club: Offers a space for students who share the same career interests, hobbies, or identities to convene. Clubs are Contracted Independent Organizations (CIOs) at UVA. Full listing of Darden clubs here.
• Student-Led Initiative: Moves the needle on an important ongoing cause/issue pertaining to the Darden community. Please note that advocacy should be in the form of resources, events, etc. rather than fundraising. Full listing of Darden Student-Led Initiatives here.

Submission Deadlines for New Club and Student-Led Initiative Proposals

• Second Year Submission Deadline: TUESDAY, 5 SEPTEMBER 2023 - FRIDAY, 22 SEPTEMBER 2023 
• First Year Submission Deadline: MONDAY, 8 JANUARY 2024 – FRIDAY, 16 FEBRUARY 2024 

NOTE: Late applications will not be accepted, nor will requests to meet for approval be accepted after the posted deadline above. 

Eligibility

• First Year Student Submission Guidelines: First Year students are eligible to start new provisional clubs or student-led initiatives in the spring of their first year.
• Second Year Student Submission Guidelines: Second Year students are eligible to start new provisional clubs or student-led initiatives in the fall of their second year.

Process

• Review your eligibility. 

• Review and acknowledge the upcoming Top Items to Consider section and acknowledge that your proposed executive board believes your club would be a unique addition to the Darden community.  

• Review all current student organization policies and procedures outlined on the UVA Student Council website. 

• Schedule an initial meeting with Katie Manning or Eva Blau to discuss the feasibility of creating your club or restarting a club previously active at Darden. 

• Follow the Steps for Applying (Clubs or Student-Led Initiatives). 

• If Provisional Status is granted, further steps will be communicated.

Steps for Applying

Clubs

1. Meet with Katie Manning or Eva Blau to discuss the feasibility of creating your club or restarting a club previously active at Darden.

2. Develop the following materials:  

   1. mission statement 

   2. business plan  

   3. constitution  

   4. by-laws 

3. Hold an advertised planning meeting to gauge general interest in the new club and assemble a group of at least 15 people, including a faculty advisor, willing to commit to active membership.   

4. The interest group will submit a report to Katie Manning and Eva Blau and the DSA VP of Leadership that includes a club mission statement (distinct from existing clubs), business plan, constitution & by-laws, and roster of interested members delineated by year (i.e., First Year and Second Year) by the appropriate deadline. 

5. Upon review and approval by a Council of Presidents subcommittee, the interest group will be granted Provisional Status for one academic year. 

6. At the end of one academic year, the Provisional Club will be reviewed by the Council of Presidents subcommittee and evaluated based on the goals it set for itself. If the organization meets its goals, has at least 20 active members, sponsored at least one advertised event during the previous year, and has sound financial practices, official recognition may be granted by the Assistant Directors and Council of Presidents subcommittee. Special consideration may be given to Provisional Clubs with membership below 20 students if the organization has demonstrated consistent high-quality contributions to the Darden Community. A Provisional Club in disagreement with a denial of status may appeal to the Senior Assistant Dean of Student Engagement (Sarah Elliott). 

7. If denied provisional or full status, the club may reapply in one year. 

Student-Led Initiatives

1. Meet with Katie Manning or Eva Blau to discuss the feasibility of creating your initiative. 

2. Develop the following materials:  

   1. mission statement 

   2. explanation of your initiative’s goals  

   3. constitution 

   4. by-laws 

3. Submit your materials to the Student-Led Initiative committee (comprised of OSA/ODEI staff members) for review by the appropriate deadline. You may be requested to meet with the committee in person after submitting your materials. 

4. If selected by the staff committee to become a student-led initiative, the group will be granted Provisional Status for one academic year. 

5. At the end of one academic year, the Provisional Student-Led Initiative will be reviewed by the Student-Led Initiative committee and evaluated based on the goals the Provisional group set for itself. If the organization has met its goals and has sound financial practices, official recognition may be granted by the Student-Led Initiative committee. A provisional club in disagreement with the committee may appeal to the Senior Assistant Dean of Student Engagement (Sarah Elliott). 

6. If denied either provisional or full status, the student-led initiative may reapply in one year. 

Top Things to Consider Before Starting a Club or Student-Led Initiative

1. How is this organization unique? Does this organization duplicate organizations at Darden or at UVA (check Hoos Involved). 
2. Capacity: Is there a market/need for such a club/initiative? Do you have the resources? Do you have the infrastructure? 
3. Sustainability: Is the organization sustainable? Will you be able to easily recruit new members? 
4. Accountability: Would this organization meet all requirements set forth by DSA, OSA, and UVA to remain in good standing? 
5. Does your organization require space or a UVA Fund account? 
6. Does your organization advance Darden’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion? 

If Granted Provisional Status

Budget 

• Club: As a provisional club, you wouldn’t receive any guaranteed funding, but you could apply for OSA funding for specific event(s). Funding would not be guaranteed. You could also charge membership dues, and/or fees to get into your events. Once you become a full status club and complete your CIO application through central UVA, you may also apply for Student Council appropriations. 

• Student-Led Initiative: As a student-led initiative, OSA would provide you with a partial budget.    

Communication Policy with Other Students 

• Club: You’ll have a club d-list and go through the DSA Digest to advertise your events. In the fall, you’ll work with OSA to participate in the Darden-wide club fair and club kick-off meetings. 

• Student-Led Initiative: DSA can send out a maximum of one email and one calendar invitation a week to the student body on behalf of your student-led initiative. In the fall, you’ll work with OSA to participate in the Darden-wide club fair and club kick-off meetings. 

Advising 

• Club: You receive an OSA advisor and may choose a faculty advisor as well. Advising style is more hands off, and you can meet with your advisor as needed. If your club is a career organization, you are encouraged to have a Career Center advisor. 

• Student-Led Initiative: You receive an OSA and/or ODEI advisor and may choose a faculty advisor as well. Advising style is more hands on, and you will meet with your OSA and/or ODEI advisor regularly to share progress and updates. Depending on your initiative, meeting cadence may be weekly, biweekly, or monthly. You and your advisor will jointly determine the most appropriate meeting frequency. 

Electing Your Leadership Boards 

• Club: You would go through the regular election process/timeline with all other Darden clubs in Q3. 

• Student-Led Initiative: You determine the format of electing leaders for your group (interviews, panel interviews, voting, etc.). Work with your OSA advisor and the DSA VP of Leadership to run the timeline of your process concurrently with club elections.   

Benefits for Provisional Clubs and Student-Led Initiatives are the same as for Full Status Clubs and Student-Led Initiatives (review section below), but continuation of existence is dependent upon vote into Permanent/Full Status after one academic year.  

Benefits of Being a Recognized Club or Student-Led Initiative

• Appear in all Darden literature (including DSA Digest). 

• Appear on Darden Student Affairs internal portal and external websites.  

• Link to club homepage on Darden website.  

• Priority use of Darden facilities for meetings and events.  

• Ability to schedule meetings and/or events during the Darden non-academic, co- curricular time (1:30-2:30 PM) in addition to evenings, weekends, and Friday Program Days.  

• Ability to apply for money from the Office of Student Affairs.  

• Eligible to work with Corporate Relations to engage in corporate fundraising for events.  

• Eligible to work with the Alumni Services to reach out to Darden Alumni.  

• Eligible to set up an account with the Darden Foundation for the deposit of funds from corporate sponsors.  

• Ability to create a club website utilizing Darden server space.  

• Permission to promote events within the school community. Table at the annual club fair and a scheduled Club Kick-Off meeting during the first two weeks of class.  

• Table at the annual club fair and a scheduled Club Kick-Off meeting during the first two weeks of class.  

Requirements for Remaining in Good Standing

• Club: Submit an annual report to OSA and ensure your club’s leadership attends OSA’s leadership training in the spring. Apply for and renew CIO status yearly with central UVA. 
• Student-Led Initiative: Submit an annual report inclusive of your yearly budgetary spending to OSA and ensure your leadership team attends OSA’s leadership training in the spring. Meet regularly with your OSA advisor throughout the year at the cadence that you and your advisor jointly determined. 

Renewal of Recognition

To maintain recognition by the Darden School, the club’s annual report must indicate that it has at least 20 active members, sponsored at least one advertised event during the previous year, has sound financial practices, and is in official CIO status with the University. Special consideration may be given to clubs with membership below 20 students if the organization has demonstrated consistent high-quality contributions to the Darden Community. A club denied renewal by the OSA may appeal to the Senior Assistant Dean of Student Engagement and Academic Affairs. 

If your club is going to not renew: In the spring, the outgoing president is responsible for the following:  

• Drafting and sending a letter to their FY membership stating that the club will no longer be operational going forward, the president should provide reasoning for this cancellation (not enough members, no one interest in leadership, it has run its course, etc.)  

• All funds that are currently in all accounts should be used to settle all bills, and either a vote of the membership is called to determine where the money is donated (ex. To another club, to a community org with the same mission, …) or returned to paying members. It is a suggestion that if the latter is the decision, the money be split evenly amongst the FY members to avoid conflict. Money split any other way should be thoroughly explained in the letter drafted to members about the club being cancelled.