What is the role of the administration in regards to students?
The goal of the administration is to provide excellent academic opportunities for all students as well as encourage students to participate in extracurricular activities that enhance the high school experience for the students. The administration is there to make sure your classes teach you what you're supposed to learn while challenging you (they make sure an AP class is rigorous enough to get students to pass the AP test, etc.) and that the clubs are allowing opportunities for you to give back to the community and/or be a part of something larger. Universities like to see students who are active in their school, so it is the administration's goal to promote what colleges like to see.
What does the administration have to do with clubs?
The administration ensures that clubs start with and continue fulfilling two jobs:
1. The club must fill in a nice, or role. This means that the club's purpose is something that can provide more diversity for the students (more club variety=more students getting involved in their personal interests).
2. The club must have a constitution and bylaws. This tells the administration that the club is organized and knows what it's own purpose is and how to implement its purpose to better serve the students in your school.
The administration, at least in my school, likes to see teachers who are willingly helping students out of their own time to ensure the students' lives are being enriched. There was once an excellent teacher at my school, who devoted all his time to the students. If anyone ever wanted to start a club, or needed help with their club, he was the teacher to ask. He always made time for students who wanted to be more active in their school. This also provides the teacher some respect among the student population in the school. Teachers, be active in your students' success! Students, choose to be active and the opportunity will arise for you to do so. Teacher enthusiasm towards the student population also makes it easier for you to get your club approved.
What should a new club do to catch the attention of the administration?
If you're club has been approved by administration, you probably already have their attention. Approval means that the administration believes your club can fulfill a niche in your school and that you can help students who may or may not be in other clubs become more active in their school/community. Approval is simply a green light for starting the club and working on projects that fulfill the club's purpose. If your club does not fulfill its purpose, the administration may be less kind towards your club, especially if it becomes entirely inactive. Catch the administration's attention by doing large projects or by being active in your community through the club.
How does a new club that is similar to an older club make sure it gets its projects approved?
Say your club is a service club, but there's already a service club at your school. There are so many community service opportunities, that your new club can work on providing community service relating to one area of service (Students In The Environment, S.I.T.E., for example is focused on community service regarding fixing the environment and educating the public on environmental concerns). If you do not wish to specialize, look into other community service activities. Relay for Life and Souper Bowl of Caring are popular. Look for other organizations that need student help and devote the club's time for that. One club can't take care of all the possible community service possibilities. The more of the same types of clubs there are, the more coverage for the different opportunities involving the purpose of these clubs to be fulfilled. Get your projects approved by coming up with new projects that will get your club and school involved and active.
If a club, new or old, feels like the administration is deliberately acting against it, what steps should be taken?
This is usually a result of miscommunication. To avoid extensive miscommunication, the following precautions should be taken:
• Keep duplicates of all the paperwork you submit to administration, such as project approval forms, etc.
• Keep duplicates of the approved paperwork and the rejected paperwork.
• Make sure if the project is approved that both your club calendar and the administration calendar reflect the time and date of your project. The greatest miscommunication is the one where one side misses the date of a project.
• If all else fails and your club feels the administration is truly acting against you, set up a meeting with the administration. Ask them why there seems to be tension between the club and administration and how this tension can be relieved.
What are the causes tension between administration and a club?
The main cause is miscommunication, which acts as an umbrella for actions as follows:
1. Insubordination: the administration becomes sour when a club acts against the administration's will. Don't go ahead with a project that was rejected by administration. If you really want to run the project, ask to meet with the administration to find out what the reason for not approving the project was. These reasons are usually-
• Time: many clubs want the same date and time to run their projects. Reserving your spot early helps prevent this problem.
• Safety: some projects may be unsafe, therefore for these projects you must seek approval from the safety departments of the city. At that point, your school administrators will still be hard to budge, but it will increase your chances of getting the project approved.
• Location: time is one thing, but if every club wants to meet in the auditorium, no one will.
• Proper Conduct: This involves inter-school projects mostly. Big things like a Battle of the Bands competition or others may involve people from other high schools or people over the smoking age or drinking age. The administration cannot allow a project to be passed that does not include a clause about conduct. The smoker and drinkers cannot drink at the event, and the other high schoolers need a form signed by their principle indicating acceptable behavior to participate at the event. Such projects are tricky, so tread carefully and prepare answers to every possibility to get this kind of project approved.
2. Not following up: you must make sure the approved projects are in the administration's club calendar so that when you run the project, the administration doesn't scold you for being insubordinate. For projects that involve money, you must file a financial report so the the administration can see a summary of the financial situation of your club to avoid auditing.
These are all reasons why administration may disapprove a project. Not all of them mean that the administration is lashing out against your club. The role of the administration is to benefit you while enforcing the code of conduct and ensuring no rules are broken. Make sure you have an answer to every possibility of rule breaking. Safety concerns can be taken care of by getting city approval and conduct problems can be prevented through paperwork. No guarantee that providing answers to these concerns will get your project approved though.
What advice can I get for starting a new club?
Have a niche and have a purpose. Present your purpose in the form of a constitution and bylaws. As for the rest of my advice, look into the club leading page for more detailed information. Remember that the administration wants to see clubs being active and promoting student success.
Communicate with your administration! There is no substitute for proper communication. Not only is it good for getting your projects approved, but the administration will see that your club truly cares about what it's doing and wants to ensure the students are getting their lives enriched.
What if I have further questions?
Feel free to post your questions on our forums or ask me personally on the contact us page.
