SGA - Student Government Association

How do I start a club?

We encourage all students with new and popular ideas to broaden the under-graduate experience at Hofstra. Forming a club is an excellent way to do this and is actually quite easy. To start a club, please follow these directions:

1. Fill out a Club Constitution (sample template here) which can be found in the SGA office.
2. Collect at least 10 signatures, 700 numbers, and contact information of club members.
3. Please fill out this form and submit it to OSLA by the 3^rdWednesday of each month at the latest. You will need to go before the Registration Committee with the completed paperwork in order to Register your Club with Hofstra University. The Registration Committee meetings are the 3rd Friday of every month. Once registered with Hofstra, you may go before SGA’s rules committee to become an SGA club.
4. Attend a Rules Committee meeting (which meets weekly) with all of the necessary documents.
   Once passed by the Rules Committee, a representative from your club will be asked to attend the weekly SGA meeting, at which point your club will be voted on by the full Senate. If passed by full Senate, congratulations! You are now an official club at Hofstra University.

How does my club maintain active status?

To receive funding and put on events, all clubs must have an active status, determined by the Rules Committee. "Active" status is easy to obtain and requires the following:

1. A constitution approved by the Rules Committee and Full Senate.
2. A copy of the constitution on file in the SGA office. (Clubs should also keep a copy for themselves.)
3. An active roster that includes 700 numbers for all members

Once the club is created, an election will need to be held in order to remain active. Clubs will need to hold elections as often as stated in the club constitution, and will need to turn in a roster packet on a yearly basis.

How do clubs become inactive or defunct?

If a club does not have any of the above-mentioned requirements, it is considered an inactive club and will be deactivated, meaning the club may not receive any funding or hold events. (However, reactivat-ing your club is simple if you just follow the correct steps.) If a club is deactivated twice in one semes-ter, or remains inactive for more than three weeks, it is considered defunct.

How does my club hold proper elections?

A common problem clubs have is holding proper elections. In order to be valid, all club elections must have an SGA representative present. This allows SGA to ensure proper conduct during all elections, and aids clubs in providing an active Executive Board in order to be considered active. In order to hold proper elections, be sure that you submit the proper election form (to be obtained from the SGA office) at least 7 days in advance. While these steps may seem cumbersome, SGA employs them in the interest of fairness. Unfortunately, if not followed properly, elections will have to be held again. New elections may be held at any time pending SGA approval.

What happens if we must impeach an officer?

If members of a club wish to impeach an officer, the Student Government Association Rules Committee Chairperson must be notified 48 hours before the impeachment process begins. Additionally, in order to be valid, a representative of the Rules Committee must be present at all impeachment meetings.