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How to Start an Org

Organizations at Wellesley may exist in two capacities: officially college government-constituted organizations, or unofficial organizations.

Constituted Organizations

Constituted Organizations receive the following rights:

  • Application for funding from the Student Organizations Funding Committee (SOFC)

  • Official recognition in any College Government publications

  • Use of College programming meeting facilities through Special Events Office and the Schneider Board of Governors

  • Participation in College Government’s Student Activities and Organizations Night (Fall Fling)

  • Google Group privileges i.e. organization email

Unconstituted Organizations

Unconstituted organizations may carry out regular organization activities (meetings, fund raisers, lectures, events)--however, they must do so without the rights described above.

How to Constitute an Organization

If you wish to become a fully constituted organization, you must apply to the Student Organizations and Appointments Committee (SOAC). The application process includes the following:

Step 1

Before starting a new organization, please consider these questions:

  • Does Your organization's purpose serve a unique, unfulfilled need for students?

  • Are there existing organizations that serve similar needs? If so, could your potential organization fulfill its purpose as an entity within the existing organization?

Step 2

Your organization is free to hold regular meetings and fulfill its purpose on campus; in fact, we encourage organizations to do so as it will strengthen your application when you apply to be constituted.

Step 3

Reach out to the SOAC Organizations Coordinator to notify her of your interest. She will guide you through the application process, and inform you of application deadlines to become a constituted org. Application deadlines occur only once per semester--no exceptions.

Step 4

After meeting with the SOAC Organizations Coordinator, please complete these three documents and submit them as attachments to soacorgs@wellesley.edu:

Step 5

After submitting your application, SOAC will require you to give a short (5-8 minute) presentation to the committee. 

Trial Period

After reviewing your application and presentation, we will notify you of whether your organization has been approved to enter the trial period before becoming constituted. When new organizations' applications are approved by SOAC, they enter a 2 semester trial period before becoming fully constituted. During this trial period, new organizations receive all benefits of a fully constituted organization except for SOFC funding.

SOAC requirements for orgs to successfully pass the trial process:
 

  • Mid-year review

  • Spring reactivation

  • Presentation to Senate

If your organization has not been approved, then we advise you to meet with the SOAC Orgs Coordinator to review potential further steps.