Club Resources & Guidelines

Existing clubs are required to re-register with the office of Student Life & Activities and the Student Life Board once a year in the Fall semester. The club re-registration form can be found by clicking here. 

The re-registration form includes a request for a list of club leaders, a club roster, an advisor agreement and a request for the most current club constitution (if not on file). Each Brookdale club must have at least 10 currently registered students as members (inclusive of both executive and general members) and a Brookdale employee who is willing to serve as an advisor in order to maintain its active status.

Re-registration forms are due by October 6, 2023.

If a club misses the Fall deadline, they can also re-register in the beginning of the spring semester.

The information on your roster is entered into an online database, and is used when you propose events and activities to check membership. Please make sure, as membership changes after initial registration, that you are updating the office of Student Life & Activities by submitting a Club Roster Add/Drop Form throughout the year as needed.

If you have any questions about this process please contact Student Life & Activities.

As a requirement to remain in good-standing, clubs are required to host at least one event per semester in the Fall and Spring.

All club events require the submission of a corresponding proposal to Student Life & Activities. Club proposals can be found on the Club Forms & Proposals website.

Proposals of all kinds must be submitted well in advance of your events so there is adequate time to process approvals and to facilitate any other additional steps as required/necessary.

While not a requirement to remain in good-standing, clubs are able to travel to represent the student organization in off-campus events.

If your club would like to be considered for travel, you must submit a corresponding Travel Proposal at least 6 weeks prior to the anticipated travel date.

Any club that plans to travel needs to coordinate their event with Student Life & Activities. You must fill out a Travel Proposal and obtain approval.

If you need additional funding for your trip, the proposal you submit will be sent to the Student Life Board’s Finance Committee for review. If approved, funding will be given following the guidelines just below.

Whether you are using your own funds and only need Student Life approval, or if you are requesting funds from the Student Life Board after approval, you need to schedule an appointment with Student Life & Activities in order to process payment and receive trip waiver forms.

If the travel is to occur out of state, or overnight, as per Brookdale policy, the office of the College President must approve the travel plan.

Since the approval process needs to go through the Vice President and College President, your club must adhere to the proposal deadlines given. No travel will be approved outside of the deadlines.

Work with Student Life & Activities to develop the best cost estimate for your trip. If your proposal is approved, the Student Life Board’s Finance Committee will fund the cost of one (1) advisor per every ten (10) student attendees at 100%.

Clubs who travel for regional events (Boston, Pittsburgh, Washington, DC) will be funded for ten (10) students.  National/International travel will be funded for five (5) students.

The same stipulations about funding and proposals also apply to any academic class/instructors who are seeking Student Life & Activities support of their travel.

The following table explains the amount of any trip that will be funded by the ASBCC, pending approval.

Brookdale Vans

To reserve a van for a trip please contact Student Life & Activities.

Any current Brookdale employee may drive a Brookdale van, but a copy of your driver’s license must be on record with the College. Your club or class must fill out a van reservation sheet that lists who is going to be on the trip as well as an emergency contact number. These forms are available from Student Life & Activities.

If your group is utilizing a college van, be sure the van is clean of all trash and that you leave gas (at least ½ tank) in the tank when you return to campus. Turn in any gas receipts for reimbursement. The office will work to ensure that all vans given out are at least 3/4 of a tank full before any trip.

Buses or other Mass Transit

The office of Student Life & Activities can work with your club or class to request a charter or school bus for trips. As charter bus companies’ schedule fill quickly, particularly in December and April, please work early to reserve a bus.

We can also get tickets for NJ Transit or the Sea-streak ferry. At all times a trip chaperone must accompany students, even when using mass transit, if Brookdale funds are being used for travel. After receiving approval for the trip, you will be required to meet with Student Life & Activities who will then assist you with the bus or mass transit ticket purchase process.

Driving Your Own Vehicle

If you drive your own car, the college may  reimburse for gas and tolls OR mileage (beginning/ending mileage must be written down) – not both. Only one person per car may be eligible for reimbursement. Mileage reimbursed will be at current IRS recommendation per mile. You may only drive your own personal vehicle for club or class travel if approved as part of your organization’s original travel proposal.

Student Life remains available to assist in all aspects of club functions & on-goings during normal business hours. Our virtual and in-person office hours continue to be Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5pm. If you would like to schedule a meeting with representatives from our office, contact information for Student Life & Activities is as follows:

• Lauren Brutsman, Director, lbrutsman@brookdalecc.edu
• ErinMarie Tierney, Assistant Director, etierney@brookdalecc.edu
• Ms Mary Jo Burkhard, Administrative Assistant, mjburkhard@brookdalecc.edu
• Greg Mahadeen, Associate, gmahadeen@brookdalecc.edu
• Student Life & Activities general email: studentlife@brookdalecc.edu

Recruiting New Members

New members are the life of any organization. They provide new ideas, enthusiasm and keep the team moving after graduation. Everyone wants new members. New organizations are starting all the time. As the number of student groups increases, the competition for new members intensifies. Keys to successful recruitment include participation in scheduled  Involvement Fairs and Open Houses, planning club programs, and submitting all appropriate club forms (such as your club registration form) on time so Student Life & Activities can direct interested students to the current club leadership.

Look objectively at your organization: What is our purpose? What are our future plans? Knowing the answers to these questions will help you define who you want to recruit and how you want to recruit them. Think of the things your organization has to offer to prospective members. Make sure you review your club web-page and Canvas shell so that it accurately reflects the message you want to send about your student organization.

Be sure to incorporate what you have to offer into your publicity. Your members (new and returning) will need to feel like they belong in the group. Get them involved in the workings of the organization. Get to know them. Help them get to know you. Let them know that their contributions are needed and appreciated. Following these steps will lead to a more enjoyable and rewarding experience for everyone!

Club Executive Board Members

A common executive board is made up of:

• President – typically presides over meetings, acts as the spokesperson for the group, calls meetings and acts as the overall official for the organization.

• Vice President – usually heads special committees and acts in the place of the President in their absence.

• Secretary – suggested to keep records of the meetings and formal business, as well as writes letters for the organization.

• Treasurer – keeps financial records of the organizations, keeps the officers’ roster up to date and prepares the budget.

There are other positions that could serve on an executive board (parliamentarian, public relations, etc.) If your group needs help determining club needs, don’t hesitate to contact Student Life & Activities for assistance.

Students who serve in these leadership positions must be currently enrolled for a minimum of six college credits (active – not audit status) and must be in good academic standing.

Fundamental Rights of Individuals Involved in Organizations

• The right to maintain close contact in relationships with friends and family members who are not involved in the organization.
• The right to disagree with group members without being belittled.
• The right to say “no” or “I need to think about this,” whether it is about expectations of members, dues, activities, or time requirements.
• The right to ask questions and to express opinions.
• The right to know the history of the organization.
• The right to be respected as an individual.
• The right to withdraw from the organization without fear or humiliation.

Responsibilities of Organizations

• Along with the benefits of becoming a registered student organization at Brookdale Community College, there are certain responsibilities that must be fulfilled. These responsibilities are outlined below:
• All clubs must have a Constitution on file in the Office of Student Life & Activities.
• All clubs must have an updated list of officers and advisors on file with the Office of Student Life & Activities.
• All officers must be currently enrolled in six or more Brookdale Community College credits (active – not audit status)
• All clubs must have an advisor who is employed by Brookdale Community College.
• Membership must be open to all full and part time students at all campuses.
• Club meetings must be held in a professional considerate manner as classes are likely taking place near your meeting space.
• Clubs will follow all Brookdale Community College policies and procedures, as well as local, state, and federal laws.
• Clubs and their members will comply with Brookdale Community College’s anti-discrimination and anti-hazing policies.
• The club’s money must be maintained in an account with Brookdale Community College. No outside bank accounts are permitted.
• Officers will accept responsibility for all program planning functions as well as any future programming, from room reservations to the supervision of events and activities.
• Officers will develop honest and open lines of communication with the club’s advisor and the office of Student Life & Activities, keeping them apprised of the group’s activities.

Advisor Roles

• Advisors, with rare exceptions, volunteer their time and efforts to student organizations without financial compensation. At all times they should be appreciated and valued for the work they do for students.
• Advisors should be knowledgeable in the nature of the club (i.e. how to assist the club in reaching goals/purpose)
• Advisors must be aware of any virtual programming the club proposed to host/participate in. Advisors must also sign off on all future requests. This includes future room reservations, food service requests and any application for funding.
• The advisors are not the club leader but a consultant that initiates ideas or information applicable to the club’s interest. All decisions must be student driven.
• Advisors should make every attempt to attend club meetings. Meeting minutes must be sent to advisor for any meeting that is missed.
• Advisors will serve as future event chaperones. In the event they are unable to attend a future event, it is necessary that another Brookdale employee is chosen.
• Advisors should assist students in ensuring the club maintains accurate records of club business.

Working With Your Advisor Effectively

Communicate! Make sure your advisor is informed of all activity of the club, including meeting times, programs, votes, upcoming discussions, and any other pertinent information.

Ensure your advisor is interested with respect to club activity, try to get them engaged and involved as you would any club member.

Provide them with copies of the minutes and agendas prior to start of meetings.

Allow space on the agenda for your advisor, in case they wish to address the club.

Allow your advisor to advise and not dictate the actions of the club – set ground rules with your advisor as to their specific role at the start of each academic year to avoid confusion and potential frustrations.

In some cases, the relationship that develops between Advisor and Advisee is not good or productive. A relationship where there has been no discussion of expectations, no clarification of roles—and everyone is doing a lot of guessing and even more assuming—is a strong indication that this relationship could be in trouble.

These expectations should be discussed and processed at the beginning of the year. After your groups’ expectations have been laid out, it would be helpful to distribute these to group members. It is also important to update them or reflect on whether or not the expectations are being met throughout the year.

For more information, check out the Advisor Checklist.

All previously active clubs will receive $400 in their allocated budget for the current fiscal year (Fiscal Year runs July 1 – June 30). Any funds that are collected (through fundraisers, membership dues, etc.) are considered income and will carry over year to year. New clubs will be allocated through Club Reserves (if available) until the end of Fiscal Year.

ASBCC Funding Guidelines can be found here

Allocations and income are not blank checks for programming – all events need to be proposed and approved by Student Life & Activities before funding is available.

Fundraising/Approaching Donors/Bake Sales

All club fundraisers must be pre-approved by Student Life & Activities through the Fundraising Proposal. Games of chance (50/50’s, raffles, etc.) are lawful activities in the State of New Jersey when, and only when, the sponsoring organization is registered with the state and licensed with the local township in which the drawing takes place and prizes are awarded. At this time student clubs and organizations are ineligible to hold games of chance. Contact Student Life for other fundraising ideas.

All requests for business donations must be approved by the Brookdale Foundation before you can approach any businesses. If your club wants to solicit any type of donation (monetary donations or the donation of food, supplies, etc.), please submit a list directly to Student Life & Activities for approval.

Clubs are able to host bake sales as an on-campus fundraiser. A proposal must be submitted ahead of time.

Making a Deposit

Any funds collected by the club must be deposited into the club’s account at the SLA ticket window immediately after the event during normal operating hours (Mon-Friday 8:30am-5pm).

Checks should be made payable to Brookdale Community College and reference your club, the student ID number and telephone number (if applicable) in the memo line. No starter checks will be accepted (all checks must have the address imprinted on the check).

Clubs must not hold on to any money collected, especially checks. Checks need to be deposited within three (3) weeks of date-stamp; if a check bounces, the fee assigned by the bank will be held against your club’s income account.

Clubs must not collect cash and then use it to directly pay for something. This is considered a slush fund and it is illegal! 

Finance Committee

The Finance Committee is a subcommittee of the Student Life Board chaired by the SLB Treasurer. They assist the Office of Student Life in the management and supervision of ASBCC funds. The Finance Committee is tasked with the distribution and allocation of funds to Clubs and Organizations for events and programs. They meet every other week to approve proposals. All proposals should be submitted through the appropriate online form before the Finance Committee meeting. After preliminary review, should the SLB feel they need more information from the club in order to make an informed vote, please plan to send a representative of your club to the next meeting. (The SLB Treasurer will notify you if this is the case.)

If you ever have questions or concerns, members of the Student Life Board, including their Treasurer, are available for consultation. The Student Life Board can be contacted directly at SLB@brookdalecc.edu. As always Student Life & Activities is also a great information resource.

Any decisions by the Finance Committee may be appealed directly to the Director of Student Life. All appeals must be in writing (e-mail) and sent to the Director within 72 hours of the Finance Committee’s decision.