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Clubs Policy

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Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This policy sets out the:

  1. purpose and expectations of student clubs and community clubs
  2. requirements for establishing, affiliating and disaffiliating student clubs and community clubs
  3. governance of student clubs and community clubs.

Scope

(2) This policy applies to all: 

  1. University student clubs
  2. University community clubs
  3. club members and associate members, including when:  
    1. attending or organising a University event, function or activity, whether or not on University premises
    2. participating in any activity or event, wherever held, as a representative of the University
    3. performing duties or functions on the University's behalf as a student club executive, member or student club associate member.
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Section 2 - Policy

Part A - Student clubs

Purpose and expectations of student clubs

(3) Students who are interested in a particular activity or course may seek to establish a student club affiliated with Charles Sturt University (the University).

(4) Student clubs aim to:

  1. encourage the University’s students to have a rich university life through providing programs and activities that support student engagement, study skills, sports, social wellbeing and other activities that provide benefits to students
  2. provide leadership opportunities and relevant experience to students in club executive roles, student representative roles, and through building experience in management of activities and events
  3. build personal and professional networks.

(5) Student clubs and their members will:

  1. align with the University values and adhere to its rules, policies and procedures
  2. provide equal opportunity in all programs, activities and events
  3. not conduct any business, programs, activities or events without the prior consent and knowledge of the University
  4. ensure prior approval is received from the University for all activities and events proposed to be organised by the student club
  5. attend all training as requested by the University.

(6) Student Representative Committees (SRC) are responsible for providing support to clubs seeking affiliation or reaffiliation, and for supporting such bodies once affiliated, in accordance with the University’s Governance (Student Representation) Rule 2023.

Establishment and affiliation of student clubs

(7) Student clubs must be affiliated with the University as set out in the Clubs Procedure - Affiliation and Operations in order to use or access:

  1. the University name and/or logo
  2. University land and assets
  3. University resources including funding and staff support.

(8) All student clubs must be reaffiliated annually, as outlined in the Clubs Procedure - Affiliation and Operations.

(9) Student club affiliations, reaffiliations and disaffiliations must be approved by the delegated officer as stated in Delegation Schedule A - Governance and Legal.

(10) The delegated officer will consider recommendations of the relevant SRC and Division of Student Experience.

(11) Typically, a request for affiliation would be declined where a club:

  1. does not, or no longer fits the description of a student club
  2. has not followed the University’s values, policies, procedures and guidelines
  3. has not received a recommendation for affiliation from the relevant SRC.

(12) The delegated officer may issue procedures, guidelines and other forms of guidance governing the affiliation of student clubs and their members, including but not limited to the steps which need to be undertaken by such clubs to be considered for formal affiliation, any conditions of affiliation, specifying different types or levels of affiliation, and dealing with disaffiliation of such bodies and/or their members.

(13) Nothing in this policy or otherwise shall give rise to an affiliation or the continuance of an affiliation unless expressly stated in writing by the University to the club president.

Disaffiliation of a student club

(14) Student clubs can choose to disestablish and/or terminate affiliation. A decision to terminate affiliation must be recorded in the minutes of the club executive committee and the decision submitted to clubs@csu.edu.au within seven days.

(15) A student club may be disaffiliated if:

  1. the term of affiliation has ended and the club has not been reaffiliated
  2. the club fails to comply with this policy and its supporting procedures and guidelines
  3. the club fails to meet conditional affiliation requirements (if any).

(16) In addition to clause 15, the delegated officer may, taking into account any recommendations of the relevant SRC and Division of Student Experience, disaffiliate a student club and/or any of its member(s) if the student club, its executives and/or its members:

  1. do not meet the standards of behaviour expected of students under the Student Charter or any other University policies, procedures or guidelines and such behaviour occurs at a club activity
  2. commit general misconduct within the meaning of the Student Misconduct Rule 2020 in respect of behaviour occurring at a club activity. In the case of a member who is not a student, any behaviour occurring at a club activity that would constitute general misconduct if that member was a student shall also be considered grounds for disaffiliation.

(17) Any student member who engages in such behaviour may also be referred for investigation under the Student Misconduct Rule 2020.

(18) If a club does not reaffiliate within three years all assets and any remaining funds are allocated to the relevant SRC.

Conditional affiliation

(19) Conditional affiliation requirements may be imposed where a club or its members (where such behaviour of its members occurs at a club activity) have been found to breach University policies, procedures or guidelines. Such behaviour may also be referred for investigation under the Student Misconduct Rule 2020.

(20) The club president will be notified of any conditional affiliation requirements and the club executive committee is responsible for ensuring all conditional affiliation requirements are adhered to.

(21) Student clubs will remain conditionally affiliated until the next annual application for affiliation at which time the conditions will be reviewed by the delegated officer, taking into account any recommendations of the SRC and Division of Student Experience.

Membership

(22) From the point of initial affiliation, a student club must maintain a membership of at least eight student members and:

  1. current students of the University (student members) must constitute a minimum of 60% of student club members
  2. no more than 40% of members can be associate members without the prior approval of the delegated officer.

(23) Non-students, or students enrolled at other institutions, may join a student club as an associate member.

(24) Student clubs may set their own membership fees. The University reserves the right to charge additional fees for associate members.

Student club governance

(25) Each student club is governed by an executive committee made up of club members elected to the roles outlined in the Clubs Procedure - Affiliation and Operations.

(26) The club may choose to nominate additional roles on its executive committee.

(27) Executive committee roles can be held by current students only.

(28) Associate members may participate in the club executive committee as mentors but cannot hold an executive role.

(29) All student clubs, including their associate members, must adhere to governance and operational requirements that are set out in this policy and its supporting procedures and guidelines.

(30) Affiliated student clubs may apply for funding from the relevant SRC.

(31) All student club finances must be held within the University finance system. Affiliated clubs must not maintain a separate bank account.

(32) All clubs must ensure adequate financial accounting and records are provided to the University to allow reconciliation of income and payment of accounts in accordance with the University’s Clubs Procedure - Affiliation and Operations.

(33) If the student club becomes aware of any matter which may negatively affect its financial standing it must be reported to clubs@csu.edu.au within seven days of the student club becoming aware of such a matter.

(34) Funding received from external sources, including sponsorship agreements, must be approved by and declared to the University by the club prior to accepting any such funding, in accordance with the University’s Student Clubs Sponsorship Procedure.

Training

(35) The University will provide an annual training program for club executive members that includes, but is not limited to, training in student club governance, event risk and safety management, safety and wellbeing, financial management and systems, and leadership skills.

(36) All club executives must complete mandatory training as directed by the University.

(37) Clubs will not be able to organise events, access funds or receive support from University staff until all executive members complete the mandatory training to the satisfaction of the University.

Events and activities

(38) Student clubs must seek prior approval, via the designated University system, for all activities and events organised by the club. Events and activities cannot be held without the University’s prior written approval.

(39) Requests for event approvals must include a properly completed risk assessment and venue self-assessment form (where required) for review and approval by the University.

Part B - Community clubs

Establishment and affiliation of community clubs

(40) To apply for community club status, a club must:

  1. have previously been an affiliated club of the University
  2. normally be affiliated with an external governing body, e.g. a sporting association, and adhere to that body’s code of conduct
  3. manage its own finances and processes
  4. maintain relevant insurance policies such as personal accident insurance and general and public liability insurance.

(41) Community clubs must apply for affiliation annually as outlined in the Clubs Procedure – Affiliation and Operations (Part B).

(42) Community clubs and their members will:

  1. be respectful and align to the University’s values
  2. not do anything that harms the identity or reputation of the University
  3. ensure events and activities on a University campus are registered via the appropriate university system
  4. report any incidents, or anti-social behaviour of its members, to the University as soon as any member of the club executive becomes aware of the issue.

(43) Use of the University brand must be approved in accordance with the Communications and Marketing Procedure - Brand Governance.

(44) All sponsorship arrangements must be approved in writing by the delegated officer.

(45) The delegated officer may revoke a community club’s status:

  1. if any of its members do not act in accordance with the University’s values or any relevant University policies and procedures
  2. if any of its members are involved in anti-social behaviour, hazing, or initiation activities and rituals
  3. for any other reason not listed above, including activities that impact the reputation of the University, the safety and wellbeing of the community, or activities that pose a risk to the University.

(46) The delegated officer may decline a request for affiliation.

(47) The delegated officer may determine general conditions under which community clubs are created and affiliated outside of procedures associated with this policy.  

(48) Nothing in this policy or otherwise shall give rise to a community club affiliation or the continuance of an affiliation unless expressly stated in writing by the University to the club president.

Membership

(49) From the point of affiliation, a community club is a club where the membership does not meet the criteria of a student club and does not otherwise have the approval of the delegated officer to be a student club.

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Section 3 - Procedures

(50) The following procedures support this policy:

  1. Clubs Procedure - Affiliation and Operations
  2. Student Clubs Sponsorship Procedure
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Section 4 - Guidelines

(51) Student Clubs Handbook

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Section 5 - Glossary

(52) For the purpose of this policy, the following terms are defined:

  1. Associate member – means any member of a student club who is not a current Charles Sturt University student and has for the time being paid to the club all monies owed (if any) including membership fees required to be paid and is as such bound by the University’s Code of Conduct, policies and processes through their membership of the student club.
  2. Club affiliation – means the state for a student club of being affiliated with the University following the University’s Clubs Procedure - Affiliation and Operations.
  3. Club executive – means club members who are part of an executive committee responsible for the governance and general running of a club.
  4. Community club – a club that originated as a University student club and has exceeded the criteria for a student club yet wishes to retain a formal relationship with the University. A community club has a code of conduct, normally governed by an external body such as a sporting association. The community club is responsible for its own finances, insurances and operational procedures and is expected to maintain behavioural standards that protect the University’s reputation. 
  5. Conditional affiliation – means additional terms placed upon a club in order to maintain its affiliation with the University. Such conditions are usually put in place to support the club to redress problematic behaviour or cultures that do not provide a safe environment for our students.
  6. Delegated officer – means the position conferred with the relevant authorities under Delegation Schedule A - Governance and Legal.
  7. Disaffiliation – means the termination of an affiliation.
  8. Member – means any student holding any category of membership of the student club who has for the time being paid to the club all monies owed (if any) including membership fees required to be paid. Community club members are bound by the external governing body’s code of conduct and the club’s own policies and procedures.
  9. Misconduct – as defined in the Student Misconduct Rule 2020, and includes but is not limited to any hazing, bullying, harassment, initiation activities and rituals that can degrade, humiliate or erode personal boundaries or safety.
  10. Student – means any current Charles Sturt University student with an active enrolment in accordance with the Enrolment and Fees Procedure
  11. Student club – means an association of students and associate members interested in a particular activity or course who meet on a regular basis and seek to be affiliated with the University.
  12. Student Representative Committee (SRC) – means the SRCs established under the Governance (Student Representation) Rule 2023