Forming Organizations

Student Activities and Leadership Programs accepts applications for student organizations at any time through the year. New groups will be classified as forming and could be eligible for partial funding and student organization resources and benefits (e.g., tabling spaces, engagement fairs, etc). 

Student organizations who apply by the second week of spring term, will be considered for full student-organization recognition for the following academic year.

Steps for Starting/Restarting a SALP Registered Student Organization

1. Explore: Be sure to look through the list of student organizations at pdx.edu/connect to make sure the student organization doesn’t already exist. Find four other Portland State students that would like to start a student organization with you and discuss what your group will be, what you will do, and what your purpose will be.

2. Email SALP: send an email to salporgs@pdx.edu letting us know that you are interested in starting a group. We need to know what your group will be called and what you would like the purpose to be. From there, a student organization advisor will contact you. 

3. Get the group set up online: If the group had existed in the past but is no longer functioning, the advisor will give you access to the old organization portal so that you can update it with all the new information about your newly formed group. If the group has never existed, we will send you directions for getting started.

Requirements for all new groups:

• Five current Portland State students 

• Three of the students must be willing to be officers of the group and complete an online orientation

• Group constitution, you can find a template here

• List of possible projects, events, or initiatives

As a group is being created, it is important to discuss and decide what sort of structure, or lack thereof, the group will function within. 

Get Your Group Started

Questions to Consider

• 1. What are the specific leadership roles of the group? Examples: President, Vice President, Co-Presidents, Coordinators, Secretary, Treasurer, Event planner, Advertising/Social Media Manager, etc. 

  2. How will those roles be organized? Examples: Hierarchical, committee based/flat leadership model, consensus model, etc. 

  3. What specific tasks will be included within each role?

  4. How will you hold each other accountable for tasks within each role? Who is in charge of making sure tasks get completed? What is the best way to remind folks of deadlines, or tasks?

Once you begin to outline expectations, you may notice that your group has a lot of work to do.  No matter what kind of leadership structure you select for your group (e.g., presidents, committee chairs, coordinators, etc.), delegating tasks or responsibilities based on interests is a great way to foster group ownership and accountability.  As your membership grows, allow subgroups to recruit their own membership and develop their own method for decision making.

Organizational Leadership Models

Hierarchical Organization

• • More traditional leadership model

  • One person "in charge." Information and power at the top

  • Communication and action flows from the top to the bottom

  • Very distinct roles and titles

  • Can be hard to make decisions or get things done as all actions need "approval" or "permission from the top

Flatter Organization

• • More committee-based leadership

  • Removes layers within the organization, but still provides some form of hierarchy

  • Opens up more lines of communication and shared responsibility

  • Provides more opportunity for creativity, collaboration, and efficiency

Flat Organizations

• • The organization is completely flat, without any hierarchy. Everyone is seen as equal

  • May require consensus for decision making

  • Collaboration among all members is required in order to function

  • Creates challenges for accountability and reliability. Requires a consistent communication among all members in order to be successful 

Establishing Ground Rules, Community Rules and Standards

Set concise, clear, and realistic expectations so members know what to expect and feel they can achieve success.  It is important to engage members in the process of setting expectations.  People tend to adhere to expectations when they understand, are committed to , and help create what is expected of all members.

Purpose of Expectations

• • Develops trust within group

  • Ensures everyone has opportunity to have a say in the format of the organization

  • Helps group and individuals confront conflict

  • Helps meetings run more smoothly

  • Clear, concise expectations drive actions and decision-making

  • Provides an opportunity for holding group members accountable 

Questions to Consider When Creating Expectations

• • How often will our organization meet?

  • How will members make decisions?

  • What constitutes active membership in the group?

  • As an organization, what do we stand for, what are our values?

  • What does our organization aspire to become?

  • Who do we need to involve in achieving our organizational goals?

  • What kind of environment do we want to create at our meetings and events?

Common Group Expectations

• • Use respectful language

  • Recognize when you are talking too much and create space for others to talk

  • Attend at least two meetings per quarter

  • Help plan at least one event per quarter 

It can be helpful to have general group expectations and additional expectations for active members and the various leaders in your organization.  For example, the President, Coordinator, Treasurer, or other leadership roles might have more expectations for their position such as budget updates at the meetings, creating a monthly newsletter, etc.   Please see your advisor if you need more ideas for developing group expectations.

A New member survey is a great way to make sure you have contact information and can gauge the interest level of a new member.  Finding ways for new members to feel connected early and feel like they are contributing to the organization will help retain members. 

Name:_________________________________________________________________________

Phone/Email:__________________________________________________________________

1. How did you hear about this group?

______________________________________________________________________________________________

2.  Please describe your interest in this organization.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

3.  How would you like to be involved?  (Circle all that apply)

a. Receive updates/attend meetings

b. Co-facilitate one or two meetings a quarter

d. Volunteer at group activities and events

e. Help fundraise through bake sales or Other: ___________________

f. Help coordinate group activities and events

g. Lead planning of  group activities and events

h. Help recruit members through tabling or other outreach

i. Help prepare budgets and/or keep group records

j. Eventually become a coordinator

4. What is your general schedule like?  (Class, work, etc.)

A recruitment meeting can be a great way to let the campus know about your new student organization and get enough people to start your group.  Before you are officially registered you can’t reserve space on campus, below is a list of places that are open reservations or don’t require a reservation to use the space. You might consider you using them for your recruitment meeting. Another good option would be to host a Zoom meeting.

Smith 2nd floor lounge, SALP Clubhouse (Smith M113), PSU Library (rooms are reservable), Smith 1st floor cafeteria .

In addition, here are some things you may want to consider including in your recruitment meeting.  You can also speak with a SALP Advisor for more information and ideas.

• • Advertise! Make sure advertising includes name/description of organization, contact information, date/time/location of meeting, open to all.

  • Determine an agenda before the meeting.

  • Be sure to welcome everyone as they come in.

  • Have a sign-in sheet so that you can get everyone’s contact info.

  • Introduce yourself and explain why you’re starting this group.

  • Have everyone introduce themselves and say why they are interested in the organization.

  • Icebreaker!  See Student Activities and Leadership Programs for ideas if you need one.

  • Snacks or candy are always helpful.

  • Allow students to give feedback about how they would like the group to be structured, decision making process, and potential activities/events.  This can be an ongoing conversation over the course of multiple meetings.

  • Set up a permanent weekly (or however often you’d like to meet) meeting time that works for everyone. (Doodle.com is a great free scheduling tool).

  • Follow-up within a few days via email or with a phone call reminding everyone of the next meeting time.

OBC Forming Group Funding

The Organization Budget Council (OBC) offers limited funding for forming groups that meet the minimum requirements outlined below. 

Academic Terms

• • Complete the SALP registration process during the summer, fall, or winter terms. Groups who register as forming in Spring will not be eligible for OBC funding until Summer Term of the next academic year. 

Complete SALP Registration Process

• • Complete the online registration form on CONNECT

  • At least three leaders complete SALP Online Orientation (Please note: A link to the training module will be emailed to by a SALP advisor after reviewing your registration request)

  • At least three leaders complete in-person Leadership Meeting with SALP advisor 

Topics of Discussion During a Leadership Meeting

• • A plan for a recruitment event and discuss marketing/outreach plan (i.e.):

    • Tabling in Park Blocks or Between Smith/Cramer

    • Attend Party in the Park or Party in the Ballroom 

    • Hold an interest/recruitment meeting

    • Create a logo

After the Leadership Meeting, Complete the Following

• • Creation of @pdx email account

  • CONNECT page updated:

    • Officers listed

    • Profile photo and cover photo

    • PDX Email posted on CONNECT profile section

    • Meetings and events posted as they are planned

    • Finalized constitution uploaded

    • Welcome Message

  • Student group must host at least one tabling or public recruitment event; notify Advisor of date/time.

  • Student group must advertise and host at least one interest meeting; notify Advisor of date/time.

Budget Requests - All the above must be completed before forming groups can request OBC funding. 

• • Funding requests for forming organizations can be made to the Organization Budget Council once all the above steps are completed.

  • For more information on funding through the OBC for forming organizations, please refer to the OBC Guidelines and Constitution. (Article IV, Section 8.a.i.)

  • Forming organizations can request up to $300 per term from the Organization Budget Council. 

  • Event must be housed in SMSU unless space is unavailable, in which case event must be on campus. As long as campus events are restricted, groups can also host events on Zoom or other online platforms but they must be open to all PSU students. 

  • Internal account expenses only:

    • Campus Events and Student Union (CESU) - room reservations

    • PSU Eats - catering

    • Viking Gameroom - venue and snacks

    • Portland State Professional Sound (PSPS) - sound and lighting support

    • A/V Services - audio-visual services

    • 5th Avenue Cinema - venue

    • Transportation and Parking Services - parking passes for vendors, performers, speakers

    • PSU Box Office - ticketing services

    • PSU Facilities - reserving tables

Web Content That Works

Photos

If a picture is worth a 1000 words, that’s a whole lot of typing you don’t have to do.  Making sure that your blog or Facebook page is photo rich will allow you to show the world, or maybe just your membership, what’s going on, without having to take the time to write it out.  Photos are also a great way to quickly capture interest for somebody who may have just stumbled upon your site by accident.  Posting pictures mean someone has to be taking them, so make sure that is included as a task in leadership roles or event committees.

Ask Questions or Use Polls

Trying to figure out a good day to meet next quarter or which of the two speakers you should bring to campus?  Why not let folks weigh in on your webpage.  Questions and polls online give you access to folks who may be interested in your cause but can’t attend your meetings.  Questions can also be a great way to find out what folks are interested in, resources they love, or events they want to see happen. 

Relate to Current Events

No matter what your group is interested in, relevant things are happening all of the time.  Whether it’s a recently published article, event happening in town or on campus, or policy update, make your site a place where your members can stay up to day on what is happening.  More importantly-Let your members become content generators for current events.  Encourage them to post articles to your Facebook page or other social media option.

Reviews

Now that your big speaker has come and gone, draw attention to how awesome (or not awesome) their performance was.  Even advertising after the event can spark interest in your events to come.  If you sold out for an event, let folks know so that you can get them thinking about buying tickets early for the next one.  You can even blend a review and a poll by asking your Facebook followers what they thought of the event.  If you are a group that utilizes a lot of equipment, say board games, you may want to write some thoughtful product review of new games your membership is playing.

Comment on Comments

If someone writes something on your wall that is complementary, a question, or a suggestion, take the time to reply.  When you let folks know that you are listening, they have even more incentive to engage with your content and participate in your discussions.  If you encounter difficult or challenging remarks from someone, you can talk to your advisor about ways to handle that situation.

Establishing a Web Presence for Your Group

Keep this page as a reference for log-in information or add it to a jump drive for your group

You don’t need to have all these different sites for your organization, these are just ideas for creating a web presence.  

Group Blog info:

Blog address: _______________________________________________________________

Log In:  ______________________________________________________________________

Password:___________________________________________________________________

Group Facebook Info:

Display Name:________________________________________________________________

Page Address:________________________________________________________________

Login Email:__________________________________________________________________

Password:___________________________________________________________________

You may want to share admin privileges with group members who already have an account or create a separate generic login for managing a group Fan page. Check out the SALP Facebook page:  www.facebook.com/studentactivitiesandleadership

Group Twitter Info:

Display Name:_______________________________________________________________

Page Address:_______________________________________________________________

Login Email:_________________________________________________________________

Password:___________________________________________________________________

Check out the SALP Twitter page:  @SALPconnect

Group Instagram Info:

Display Name:_______________________________________________________________

Page Address:_______________________________________________________________

Login Email:_________________________________________________________________

Password:___________________________________________________________________

Connecting the Dots

There is no need to update all of your separate account individually!  Social media tools often have great connectivity options meaning you can write all of your weekly tweets Sunday, schedule them through TweetDeck or HootSuite (free programs) to automatically send throughout the week and have the tweets post to your Facebook, blog, tumblr, Instagram all at once.  Make sure to put all links in your group’s CONNECT Profile.  See your advisor for help.

Simple and Cheap Ways to Promote and Advertise Your Organization

• 1. Make a banner for the Smith Balcony which can be reserved through the SALP main office, SMSU M113 or at asksalp@pdx.edu

  2. Make handbills for your organization-With a little bit of money, you can create lots of small handbills to give out and inform people of your group’s existence. 

  3. Table regularly-Talk to passers-by about your organization, have a hand out, get their email address, let them know your group exists and what events you have coming up. Sign up through Conferences and Events for outdoor tabling spaces.

  4. CONNECT Events- Create an event on CONNECT that advertises to the entire PSU community on CONNECT and links to the campus calendar.  The CONNECT calendar also syncs with the new PSU phone app! 

     1. • Log into CONNECT at pdx.edu/connect 

        • Go to  your student group

        • Once on your group profile page, select Events in the top left navigation bar/menu

        • Click  “Create Event”  on the right hand side of the page

        • Fill out the form for your event and submit!

  5. Get your swag on! Make buttons-check out the button maker and button making supplies ($10/100) at the SALP Front Office (SMSU M113).  Make your own t-shirts or patches by having a working party at a meeting using fabric markers or iron on decals.

  6. Keep it fresh-host regular orientations or interest meetings. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the great events that your group is working on or the goals that your group has set.  However, creating a space for potential members to learn about your club without feeling overwhelmed or left out can make or break your group.  As you begin to lay out the schedule for your organization, you may want to plan for regular (monthly or quarterly) interest meetings that are specifically geared toward including new members.  These might be meetings where you do an ice breaker, review the group mission and activities, and have time to talk about member roles.  See the section on holding an interest meeting for tips on making this successful. 

  7. Expand your audience-use the radio station (KPSU) and student media (The Vanguard, The Spectrum, The Rearguard, etc) to write an article or do a quick announcement about your upcoming event or meeting.   Visit http://www.pdx.edu/student-media/ for more information.

  8. Advertise in housing!  Over 1,000 students live on campus.  Let them know all the great things your organization is doing so they can attend your events and meetings.  Drop off 50 fliers to BRD 210 (University Housing and Residence Life Office) and they will distribute them to RA’s for their bulletin boards.  It’s an easy way to get your fliers up!

  9. Facebook, twitter, Instagram-link them all and update one with your event.

  10. Have a free Public Service Announcement read on KPSU. Email manager@kpsu.org with your content.

  11. Partner with another student group to host an event or table at their event. 

  12. Get creative!  Below is space to list other ideas you have for advertising creatively on campus.