ConversationTo Start a Club: Narrator: Listen to a conversation between a student and an employee in the student activity office. Student: I was on your student activities website this morning looking for an environmental club to join, but I didn't see anything. Employee: Um, we used to have something like that on campus, but not anymore. We do have a community service club. They might do some environmental activities. Student: Yeah. Look, their activity seems more related to education, like keeping children and stuff like that. And I ... like the club belong to in high school did things like recycling and raising money for local nature preserve. I mean I'm not saying keeping isn't important, is just that ... Employee: You know, you could start your own environmental club. Sounds like you've got experience. Student: But I'm only a first year student. Employee: It's not like yet to wait till your second year to be the founder of a club. And if you don't feel like you know enough people to join your club, there's lots of ways to advertise. This is the campus newspaper, you can make flyers, put up on the bulletin board. Student: Um, I guess I could start looking into the process of starting a club even if I didn't do it right away, maybe down the line. Employee: I think you'll find the process to be fairly straightforward, but there are several steps involved. The starter, the founder needs to find at least four other students who will commit to join the group to form its core membership. Student: Okay. With the bulletin boards in all it shouldn't be too hard to recruit people and I'm taking an environmental studies class so I could probably ask some of my friends from there. Employee: Sure. So once you have your core group of five you need to draft a constitution, you know, a document stating your mission and basic goals, telling why the club worthwhile. Then if the constitution approved by my office, we'll make the club official. Student: Okay. Does it cost anything? I mean is there a fee for starting a club? Employee: Actually, the university funds you. You could prove club get start up funding of four hundred dollars. It can be used for recruiting members, printing flyers, buying office supplies and for your first meeting, maybe some refreshment, that kind of thing. But you're not given the money automatically. You have to get a faculty member to sign up with your advisor first. And you have to submit a budget specifying what you like to spend your four hundred dollars on. This is where your faculty advisor will be most helpful. Student: It seems like a lot of work. That needs to be worthwhile for me I think. I mean I really hope to make a career out of environmental studies one day, so really be giving some hands on work. Employee: Great, let me give you a handbook. It has all the steps and requirements for getting started.