Application Process

Submitting a new club proposal to the Bates College Student Government (BCSG) Funding & Activities Board (FAB) is simple. Here is a basic outline of how to start a new club at Bates College:

  1. Any group that wishes to be an officially recognized club must first submit a New Club Application. In order for the process to run smoothly, constitutions included in the application must be well-formatted. Please refer to the Constitution Format Example for correct constitution format. Clubs that have carefully considered each of the constitution articles and have clearly put time into the document are more likely to be approved. Similarly, FAB looks favorably upon clubs that have clearly demonstrated an effort to bolster the sustainability of the club by including several first or second year students in their list of members.
  2. FAB will meet with at least one leader of the proposed club to discuss the application and ask clarifying questions.
  3. A Campus Life Equity & Inclusion Peer Advisor will review the proposed club’s constitution for fidelity to the Constitution Template.
  4. FAB members will thoroughly examine and discuss the submitted documents and ensure that each document meets the standards for a BCSG-recognized club. FAB operates as transparently as possible; standards and considerations are laid out in the Criteria For Approval.
  5. FAB will vote to approve the club. This decision will be made on majority vote.
    1. If the club is not approved by FAB, the organization can choose to enter the appeals process. Appeals must be made in writing within 7 days of receipt of the decision from FAB.
  6. If the club is approved by FAB, it will receive a congratulatory email, and directions to complete club orientation(s).