Contents
Page 3 Introduction/Contacts
Page 4 Getting Started
Page 5 - 6 Job Descriptions
Page 7 - 8 Fresher’s Fair
Page 9 - 12 Code of Conduct / Student Activities Disciplinary Procedure
Page 13 - 18 Finance
Page 19 - 25 Risk Assessments and Health and Safety
Page 26 - 27 Equality Impact Assessment Forms
Page 28 Society and Society Forums
Page 29 How to hold an AGM
Page 30 - 31 Communication and Marketing
Page 32 - 38 Website Guide
Page 39 - 40 Defamation Guidelines
Page 41 RTC and Studio
Page 42 Kit and Equipment
Page 43 - 49 Minibuses / Minibus Policy / Disciplinary Procedure For Minibus Drivers
Page 50 Sponsorship
Page 51 Fundraising
Page 52 Community Engagement
Page 53 Room Booking Procedure
Page 54 Organising Competitions and Tournaments/Organising Guest Speakers
Page 55 Organising an Event/Organising Trips
Page 56 Volunteering
Page 57 Initiations Guidance
Page 58 Complaints Procedure
Introduction
This booklet is designed to give you, a society committee member, all the information you need to run your society successfully. There is a lot of information contained in this booklet and it is vital that you take the time to familiarise yourself with this booklet and specifically the information in it which is relevant to your role. The societies that are most successful are those that engage fully with the staff and officers in the Students’ Union who are there to support you and those who ask questions and seek information, please contact one of the Student Activities team whose details are below.
Contacts
Name / Position / Email Address / Phone NumberRichard Kemp / Experience Officer (Cambridge) / / 01223 460 008
(Cambridge)
Adam Crabb / Experience Officer (Chelmsford) / / 01245 258 178
(Chelmsford)
Jo Harbrow / Student Experience Manager (Activities) (Cross-Campus) / / 01223 460 008 (Cambridge) 01245 258 178 (Chelmsford)
Alexis Mannion / Student Activities Coordinator
(Cross-Campus) / / 01223 460 008 (Cambridge) 01245 258 178 (Chelmsford)
Alun Minifey / Student Activities Coordinator (Cambridge) / / 01223 460 008 (Cambridge)
Martyn Blackford / Gym and Sports Manager (Cambridge) / / 0845 196 2199
(Cambridge)
Kerry Bell / Volunteering Coordinator (Cambridge) / / 01223 460 008 (Cambridge)
Stephanie Lane / Volunteering Coordinator (Chelmsford) / / 01245 258 178 (Chelmsford)
Chrissie Smith / Democracy and Office Administrator (Cambridge) / / 01223 460 008
(Cambridge)
Linda Collett / Democracy and Office Administrator (Chelmsford) / / 01245 258 178
(Chelmsford)
Nikki Burton / Democracy and Office Administrator (Peterborough) / / 0845 196 5560
(Peterborough)
Katherine Lee / Democracy and Office Administrator (Fulbourn) / / 01223 695 365
(Fulbourn)
Getting Started
· Visit the “Resources” section (Can be found by clicking on societies and it’s on the menu on the left hand side of the page) of www.angliastudent.com and complete the following from the C&S Resources section;
o Clubs & Societies Start Up Pack
o Risk assessments
o Volunteer registration forms (Each committee member must fill one in).
o Grant application with letter of request attached
o Membership sign-up list
· Email the completed forms to your Experience Officer or Student Activities Coordinator.
· Collect a receipt book from the Students’ Union office / SU Gym.
· Register at least 15 (10 at the discretion of the Experience Officer if you are setting up a new society) Anglia Ruskin students to form the society.
· Form a committee of at least four members inc. President/Captain, Administrator, Treasurer, Kit and Equipment Officer.
· Collect at least £1 membership fee from each member (we recommend you set your fees at, at least £5) and give them a receipt. Please note; if a student pays a membership fee of £5 or over during the first two weeks of the term and later decides to withdraw their membership, they are entitled to re-imbursement.
· Hand in all membership money with matching receipts to the SU Office / SU Gym.
· Email an electronic membership list of all members, in excel format, to Alexis Mannion.
· Fill in all of the paperwork required to be a registered society online and email it to the SU.
THE DEADLINE FOR ALL PAPERWORK TO BE SUBMITTED IS MONDAY 1ST OCTOBER 2012 BY 5PM. FAILURE TO MEET THIS DEADLINE WILL RESULT IN THE CANCELLATION OF ANY BOOKINGS YOUR SOCIETY HAS.
Only when you have done all of the above will your society be affiliated to Anglia Ruskin Students' Union.
A sports society active during the previous academic year shall be allowed to operate as an existing society without 15 paid up members for a period of 4 weeks after the beginning of the academic year. If, after this period, the society doesn’t have 15 paid up members it will be deemed inactive until sufficient members have joined and their membership money has been paid in.
Your society will be refused recognition if:
· Forms have not been fully completed or insufficient membership funds have been paid into your account.
· There is already a society in existence which has the same aims and objectives as your own. (Check with the Union first to see if a similar society already exists).
· The aims or objectives of your society are unlawful.
· The aims and objectives of the society contravene any part of the Anglia Ruskin Students' Union Constitution or Equal Opportunities policy. If a society is found to be discriminating they will become subject to the Student Activities Disciplinary Procedure/Students’ Union Disciplinary Procedure.
Non-student Participation
· Societies registered with the Students’ Union exist to enhance the student experience therefore they should always aim to recruit students registered with Anglia Ruskin University.
· Students who are studying at CRIC (Cambridge Ruskin International College) are allowed to join your society
· Non-students may only join a Students’ Union society when all of the following criteria are met;
o The society committee approve of non-student participation
o This does not result in disadvantage to student members of the society
o Non-students observe and adhere to the Constitution and Rules specified by the Students’ Union.
Job Descriptions
Title: President
Responsible to: Experience Officer
Job Description
· Take overall responsibility for your committee and your society.
· Coordinate your stall at the Freshers’ Fair.
· Maintain an open and regular dialog with the Student Activities Team.
· Check your angliastudent.com e-mail on a regular basis.
· Act as chairperson at committee meetings in a fair and democratic manor.
· Ensure at least one member of the committee attends the Society and Society forums, and reports back.
· Work with the administrator to ensure all the start up pack is completed.
· Ensure at least two drivers are Midas qualified to be able to drive the minibus.
· Comply with Health & Safety policies laid out by the Students’ Union, and your National Governing Body.
· Ensure up to date Risk Assessments and Equality Impact Assessments are in place to reduce any risks relating to your activity.
· Ensure a qualified First Aider is available for your activities, with appropriate equipment; free courses are available.
· Seek revenue streams via sponsorship.
· Work with the Student Activities Team to purchase any social kit.
· Report to the Student Activities Team if you discover any Health and Safety concerns.
· Adhere to the Code of Conduct at all times.
· Work with all committee members to ensure the society operates within the rules/regulations of the Students’ Union Constitution.
· Ensure that your committee meet with a member of the student activities team once a semester to review your societies progress.
· Ensure your members conduct themselves appropriately both on and off the area of play.
Title: Administrator
Responsible to: President
Job Description:
· Work with the President to complete the start up pack.
· Make sure your membership list is up to date.
· Organise room bookings for meetings or activities.
· Publicise all activities, events and meetings (date, time, place, etc.) using the Union’s website.
· Coordinate all marketing i.e. flyers and posters.
· Promote/publicise via the APEX/SUByte.
· Keep your webpage on angliastudent.com up to date.
· Compile agendas for meetings.
· Take and distribute minutes at meetings.
· Organise the AGM.
· Report to the Student Activities team if you have any Health and Safety concerns.
· Adhere to the Code of Conduct at all times.
· Work with all committee members to ensure the society operates within the rules/regulations of the Students’ Union Constitution.
· To be the equality and diversity champion for the society. This involves ensuring that international students are encouraged to join and participate in your society.
Title: Treasurer
Responsible to: President
Job Description:
· Abide by the rules and regulations pertaining to society finances.
· Be aware of the legal implications of financial mismanagement.
· Monitor expenditure throughout the year to ensure it does not exceed income and to make sure accounts are correct.
· Ensure that all expenditure is for the society benefit as a whole and not the individual.
· Collect all membership money and issue receipts.
· Sign for any transactions in or out of accounts.
· Pay membership money into the society account at the SU Office / SU Gym.
· Submit all grant requests and accompanying letters.
· Ensure all income is declared and paid into the Membership Account.
· Be responsible for all petty cash and BACS requests.
· Report any potential financial shortfalls.
· Report to the Student Activities team if you have any health and safety concerns.
· Adhere to the Code of Conduct at all times.
· Work with all committee members to ensure the society operates within the rules/regulations of the Students’ Union constitution.
· Work with the Kit and Equipment Officer to submit any grant requests for kit and equipment.
· Meet with a member of the student activities team once a month (Chelmsford) or once a semester (Cambridge) to discuss the finances of your society.
Freshers’ Fair
At the beginning of semester one the Students’ Union holds a Freshers’ Fair. This is your main opportunity to showcase your activities and recruit new members. Contact a member of the Student Activities team to find out more about Freshers’ Fair.
Hints & Tips for a successful Stall at Freshers Fair
· It is a long day so think about timetabling in and rotating several existing society members to man the stall throughout the day. This will stop you becoming too weary of repeating yourself; it gives you a break for food and ensures the stall will be constantly manned.
· Make sure you have plenty of copies of the sign-up sheet from your start-up pack if you are not registering members online. Encourage students to write as clearly as possible. You might want to invest in a couple of clipboards so they have somewhere to write as there will be lots of people crowded around your table. Have lots of pens handy as well!
· Remember that some students will be reluctant to pay there and then, allow them to sign up to a ‘mailing list’ and you can follow up Freshers Fair with an email inviting them to come along to your first training session or meeting with their membership money.
· On the other hand, lots of students WILL want to pay so semi-complete a large number of receipts in the receipt book so you can fill them in with ease on the day by just completing the student’s name.
· There are a limited number of stalls that have an electricity supply, however if you are lucky enough to have one you may want to sign up members directly on the SU website. This means you don’t have to spend ages deciphering handwriting!
· Decorate your stall! Make it look interesting and inviting but remember you will have limited space so be inventive.
· Introduce yourself and get friendly with those on stalls near you. You will be surprised how helpful this can be; they might be able to cover your stall for you in an emergency and will probably encourage students to visit your stall too.
· Lots of societies offer sweets to entice people to their stall. Again be inventive; perhaps you could put stickers on them with the society email address on? You won’t be forgotten.
· Arrive in good time. You will be set-up, calm and ready to sell your society to new students and won’t miss out on signing up potential members. New students will not bother returning to a stall later in the day if you are not there when they are.
· Hand in receipts and money to the Student Activities Centres immediately at the end of the day.
Follow up Freshers fair with an email to new members ASAP. It will keep them keen and looks really good!
Terms and Conditions for Fresher’s Fair 2012
1. The Students’ Union will offer tables on first come first served basis. Bookings will not be guaranteed until a booking form has been received.
2. Only tables that are allocated by the Students’ Union may be used.
3. Any society or society who books and does not attend without prior notification will not be entitled to a table in the following year and will be charged £300 + VAT.
4. All areas of the fair shall remain alcohol free and non-smoking at all times.
5. No music may be played, or amplified sound permitted, at the fair without prior permission.
6. Any society or societies own electrical equipment that is brought into the fair must be fully P.A.T. tested and marked in accordance with the electrical testing regulations. Any equipment that requires an exceptionally high power supply will not be allowed. The Students’ Union reserves the right to check any electrical equipment and to refuse its use if deemed unsuitable or unsafe.
7. Clubs & societies may only use their table to exhibit their own products or services and not those of any third party. The Students’ Union reserves the right to remove from display any exhibitor's material as seen as unsuitable.
8. Distribution of marketing or promotional material is restricted to the area around your allocated table.