The Washington Student Association is getting back to our historical roots, grassroots! This year we are re-establishing and starting up new campus chapters. Below you can find more information on how to set one up on your campus!

How to Start a Campus Chapter

1. Get members! Waste no time in launching your recruitment drive—the beginning of the term is prime time to gather interested students who haven’t committed all their time to other organizations yet. The involvement/club/organization fairs that usually occur within the first few weeks of classes are the perfect opportunity to target students seeking ways to get involved and reach other active students.

2. Get registered! Becoming a Registered Student Organization on campus usually requires a small minimum number of members, a designated leader with contact information, and some kind of constitution or governing document. Find out the guidelines on your campus by contacting student government officers, the student activities office, or the student life advisor; one of these sources should be equipped to provide you with all the relevant guidelines for registering your organization. Registering usually provides a group with access to subsidized or free room reservations, the ability to apply for a budget through the student fee allocation committee, and sometimes a university/college email and/or website.

3. Get together! While the registration process is getting started, hold your first activity! The easiest way to engage potential members is to meet early (try to set a time and place before your big recruitment push so you can pass out info to everyone right away) to explain the purpose, potential, and value of the group, and to assign people tasks right away—this increases the likelihood that people will feel accountable and connected immediately. Get everyone involved during this first session—being active together will build camaraderie and keep people interested. Don’t forget to set a regular meeting time and create an email list and a Facebook group to keep in touch.

4. Get focused! During the second and third meetings, or even starting with the email list or Facebook group, start discussing what issues members want to work on and what activities people would like to do as a group. Check out our Action Center for information on the latest statewide student campaigns, strategies, and tactics. Also, start writing your bylaws or Constitution—these documents should reflect the interests of members, the level of involvement your group would like to achieve, and the major goals of the chapter. Here you can see a sample documents:

5. Get connected! Reach out to other student orgs, community groups, and the student government association on your campus. Working with other groups can increase your group’s power, broaden your perspective, and strengthen your numbers. Attend Washington Student Association events as a group, working with the student government to coordinate a campus delegation. Meet other campus chapter members at meetings and exchange ideas with them. Interns, chapter leaders, and active members can participate in weekly conference call strategy sessions and briefings to learn about student issues and organizing tactics, and also to start networking with other chapters in the area and setting up coalitions and task forces.

f you are interested in starting a campus chapter, please contact:

WSA VP for Recruitment & Retention - Anne Jansen - vprecruitment@wastudents.org

or

Executive Director - Mike Bogatay - ed@wastudents.org

WSA would like thank the Wisconsin student association, United Council, for developing this chapter guide.