How can I start a club, and how can I get it recognized by the Office of Student Activities and the AAS? These questions are all easily answered below. Be sure to follow all deadlines set forth by the Office of Student Activities and the AAS regarding club recognition!

Starting a Club

Anyone can start a club or organization and get funding for it through the Discretionary Fund, regardless if it is recognized by the AAS or the Office of Student Activities. Simply get together a group of students, publicize your club to the campus community, and begin operations.

Club Recognition

In order to begin on the path of getting a club budget, a new organization must first apply to be a Registered Student Organization ("RSO") with the Office of Student Activities. To do so, complete this form. The Office of Student Activities will read through these applications to ensure that a comparable club does not already exist on campus.

Once an organization becomes an RSO, it should continue to remain active on campus and request funds from the Discretionary Fund to put on events. 

After three continuous semesters of activity as an RSO, the clubs can petition to get a club budget for the next semester by emailing budgetary@amherst.edu. Then, the BC will make a recommendation to the Judiciary Council regarding the status of the clubs and if it should receive a club budget, criteria for which is based upon:

  • Activity - Is the organization active? Does the organization request funds from BC to put on events that are open to the student body? Are these events well attended?
  • "Credit Rating" - Does the organization use its requested funds? Does the organization adhere to BC funding guidelines and policies, including all deadlines and procedures?

The Judiciary Council will then make a decision to award a club with a club budget. A club becomes AAS recognized when it is awarded a club budget. 

Club Budgets

Once a club is awarded a club budget, it can submit a club budget proposal to its BC Representative to be included in deliberations during the Club Budgets Meeting, during which the BC sets the club budgets for the next semester. Be sure to follow all deadlines for this! Remember: clubs that have a club budget can still request funding through the Discretionary Fund.

Re-registering Your RSO

All clubs must re-register as an RSO with the Office of Student Activities in order to be recognized as an RSO for the following academic school year; to do so, fill out this form. If a club fails to re-register as an RSO, it stands the risk of losing its club budget, and must begin the club recognition process again.