Department of Student Engagement

The Student Organization Handbook is the guiding document for all recognized undergraduate student organizations. In this document you can find information about the following topics:

• Overview of the types of clubs at Brandeis and the club structure
• "Who to contact for what" Quick Guide
• Campus Groups training videos
• Event-planning guide and timeline
• General policies and procedures
• Expectations and accountability for club members
• Links to other documents such as the ICC Handbook, Club Finance Handbook, Club Sports Handbook, and the Van Policy and Manual

Student Organizations at Brandeis receive money from the Student Activity Fee (SAF) through a process called Annual Marathon. This process happens every spring for the following academic year. Additionally, student organizations may request Supplementary Funding throughout the year, on an "as needed" basis. Check out the information below to learn more about the two branches of Student Union that manage money for student organizations.

• Allocations Board
• Treasury

All Club Leaders should join the Club Leader Google Group in order to receive necessary information and updates from both the Department of Student Engagement and Student Union. To join or leave the Google Group, follow the instructions below: 

How to Join the Google Group

1. Once logged into your Brandeis email account, open a new tab and click on the Google Apps icon in the top right corner of the screen (it looks like 9 dots in a square)
2. Scroll down and click on Groups
3. On the left side of the screen, click on All Groups. This will show all Google Groups that are associated with Brandeis University.
4. In the search bar, type in “clubleaders”, all lowercase letters with no spaces.
5. Select the group called “clubleaders-group”.
6. At the top of the page, next to the name of the group, click on the button that says “Join Group”.
7. You will begin to receive the weekly Club Leader Newsletter and any other emails directed to all club leaders!

How to Leave the Google Group

1. Once you are no longer a club officer or you graduate, you can remove yourself from the Club Leaders Google Group.
2. First, follow steps 1 and 2 above. 
3. On the left side of the screen, click on My Groups. This will show all of the Google Groups that you are a part of.
4. In the search bar, type in “clubleaders”, or scroll down to “clubleaders-group”.
5. Once in the group, on the left side of the screen, click on My Membership Settings.
6. At the top of the page, next to the name of the group, click on the button that says “Leave Group”. 
7. You will no longer receive the Club Leader Newsletter or any other emails for club leaders.

Training is necessary for club leaders to understand the policies and procedures that will help them efficiently run their organizations. Club Leader Training takes place in two formats: 

1. Club Leader Training Modules: These video training modules are housed on Campus Groups and must be completed by all club leaders in their first semester as a club leader. They only need to be completed once during their time at Brandeis. These training modules cover all the basics including event planning, student org. elections and structure, risk management, and how to use Campus Groups.
2. In-person Club Leader Training: This training happens each semester and focuses on leadership, personal, and professional development for club leaders. Topics covered may include PARC training, DEI training, social media and marketing for your organization, collaboration amongst organizations, aligning personal and professional values, building community in your organization, and more. 

Additional training is required for club treasurers and may be required for certain organizations depending on their status and/or affiliation with other campus departments.

Creative Ideas for Recruiting Members and Marketing Your Events

• Social Media
  • If your club does not have its own social media pages, consider creating one! 
  • Utilize a variety of social media platforms, as well as different types of posting - stories, reels, videos, pictures, posts, etc. 
  • Tag DSE @brandeis_dse to have your event reposted
  • Consider tagging other departments and other groups as well
• Tabling/the Blue Booths 
  • Tabling is a way of being physically present in spaces where there are a lot of students constantly passing through
  • You can table in the SCC or the Blue Booths for free - see the section above titled Tabling in the Shapiro Campus Center 
  • Have music, candy/giveaways, bright and inviting flyers and information for students, games, or anything else to make your table more inviting 
• Flyers/Posters
  • To hang flyers around campus, see the section above entitled Flyer, Poster, and Chalking Policies
  • Make sure you get your flyers approved by DSE 
  • Make your flyers interesting, colorful, and visually appealing
  • Make sure you include all the details for your event or group on the flyer
  • Consider having a QR code on your poster for the event/group’s Campus Groups page
• Campus Groups 
  • All events should be posted to Campus Groups! 
  • More and more students are knowing to check Campus Groups for events, so make sure you post your events far in advance, make them visually appealing, and have all the necessary information on them
  • We encourage you to require registration for your event so you can have a sense of attendance numbers
  • Consider creating a feedback form or survey you can attack to your event so that attendees can share feedback after the event 
• Collaborate with other organizations
  • With limited resources, space, and time for events on campus, consider partnering with another club or organization to host an event! 
  • This will give you double to audience and allow you to combine resources as well
  • Working with other organizations will hopefully give you a new perspective and new ideas for programming