The Student Organization Manual (also known as the Hot Topics manual) is available online only. The printed manual covers what you can find online in Manual and Policies. Online there is additional information for advisors as well as leadership resources for student organization leaders and members to utilize throughout the academic year.

Constitution Review

This should be an annual process for all student organizations and should include both the leadership (officers) as well as the general membership. Constitutions are required for every registered organization at UNCW and should be kept as a living document from year to year.

Tips:

- Fall Start-up: Include a constitution review on both the agendas of your first executive board meeting as well as your first membership meeting. Provide electronic copies of your current constitution for members to review and bring questions forward. If changes need to be made, follow the appropriate amendment process outlined in your document and submit an updated copy (with both the president's signature and that day's date at the top of the front page) to the Campus Activities & Involvement Center (CAIC) - FSC 2029. This is required at the beginning of every year but encouraged throughout the year, as needed.

- Utilize the Constitution Template to see what is recommended to be included by university standards.

- Review membership requirements - How many meetings can someone miss before losing their voting privileges? What categories of membership do you have and are they relevant to your organization? Who has voting privileges? (Note: Only registered UNCW students should have voting privileges in UNCW student organizations.)

- Review the process for membership/officer/advisor removal - Are the processes fair? Are they transparent? If not, ammend them now while you are not in the midst of a conflict. Ultimately, you will be responsible for carrying them out properly.

- Review officer roles and responsibilities - Are they accurate? Are they balanced? Is one person a work horse while another just fills in as needed?

If you need assistance with this process, schedule a meeting with a CAIC professional to do a full constitution review. From experience, we can share additional "best practices" and find the right wording for any organization. To schedule a constitution review meeting call the CAIC office manager at 910-962-4250 or stop by FSC 2029.