Information for Current Student Groups

Quick jump to: Privileges - Responsibilities - COFO - Reserving Rooms - Contact Info

Transition meeting PPT found here

Privileges of a Senate-recognized Organization

• The ability to reserve rooms on campus
• Listing in the student organization directory online
• Automatic participation in the activities fair
• The ability to request tax exempt forms for events
• The ability to request special parking passes and mugs for speakers

Privileges of a Senate-funded Organization

• All privileges as listed above for a Senate-recognized Organization
• Funding from the Student Senate

Responsibilities

To retain its Senate recognition, an organization must continue to meet criteria (1-7) outlined in below. To retain its Senate funding an organization must continue to meet criteria (1-10) outlined below.

1. Mandatory attendance at January Orientation/Finance Meeting
2. Officers transitioned and reported by the deadline set by the Student Organizations committee
3. Participation in the Orientation Activities Fair
4. 2 events publicized and organized during both fall and spring terms, with post-event forms submitted
5. In addition to the 2 required events per semester, any events that use Senate funds must have post-event forms submitted.
6. Maintenance of the organization’s online calendar by submitting a calendar entry before every event.
   1. If the student group announces the event on med-all without putting it on the calendar, the student group leaders will receive a warning email.
   2. After the warning, if the event is not up within 24 hours, the group will be in violation of this criterion.
   3. A group can accrue a maximum of 3 warnings, after which it may be subject to loss of recognition.
7. Completes misc. requests from the Student Organizations Chair and Treasurer
8. COFO completed and/or updated
9. Annual budget submitted on time at the end of the spring term
10. There shall be no misuse of funds as determined by the Student Senate

COFO and Financial Responsibilities

All student organization accounts are with COFO.  Use COFO for all reimbursements and deposits.  (COFO Website)

• Update your contact details & group paperwork with COFO
• Get COFO trained
  • Two leaders (President and Treasurer) of each group must be COFO-trained
  • COFO will NOT allow new officers to be trained without emails from former officers notifying COFO of the transition
  • Three-step process:
    • Review the “COFO Treasurer Manual” online – goes through the entire process and how it all works: www.northwestern.edu/studentaffairs/cofo/
    • Take the online “Officer Quiz” and turn in the paper document to the COFO office.
    • Each president and treasurer must fill out a signature card with COFO. You must go to the COFO office to sign the card.
• Turn in receipts/utilize tax exempt status
  • Tax-exempt forms are available to all groups and should be utilized whenever possible – they can be obtained from COFO or Jennifer Langland
    • Sales tax will NOT be reimbursed!
  • Original itemized receipts for all expenses must be submitted along with a voucher for each transaction
    • Receipts older than 90 days are not accepted
    • Tobacco and Alcohol purchases will not be reimbursed
• Maintain an account ledger
  • Facilitates additional funding requests
  • Allows smooth transitions from year to year
• Submit spring funding requests by February 5th
  • Additional funding requests are typically reserved for new groups, although any group can apply
  • The budget request follows the same process as in the Fall, except:
    • Only ADDITIONAL events will be funded…and ONLY if you’ve already done everything you said you were going to do in your Fall request.
    • Far less money is available for Spring disbursement – only around $1,500
• Submit new academic year budget request by June 30th (budget request forms will be posted online later)
  • What is funded?
• Transition leadership to M1s by January

Reserving Rooms

• If you have any questions, please contact Lisa Wittig via e-mail at wittig@northwestern.edu
• Keys: For rooms and AV access must be signed out during business hours from the Dean's Office, Rubloff 12 Floor. Students are required to pre-arrange a time to pick up keys by emailing Shirley Scurlock; s-scurlock@northwestern.edu
• Clean up after yourselves or you will get fined!

Coordinators for Student Group Activities

• Coordinator for Student Activities, Student Programs & Professional Development: Jennifer Langland (j-langland)
• Senate Student Organizations Chair and Treasurer: see Senate Officers page

*email addresses are @fsm.northwestern.edu