New Clubs help SOM remain vibrant and competitive as the business environment changes. To ensure adequate student participation in all Clubs and efficient allocation of resources, students are equally and strongly encouraged to pursue their goals within the framework of existing clubs.
To be recognized as an official Club, a new Club proposal must be reviewed and approved by AASL and voted upon by the Clubs & Finance Committee.
Proposals will only be approved for Special Interest Groups that present a well-researched, thoughtful argument about how their mission and vision distinctly separates them from existing clubs at Yale SOM. It is also important that student interest in the club will sustain year to year.
Note: Only Special Interest Groups that cannot fit within existing clubs will be approved.
Living as a Special Interest Group under a Club is an essential step for the Special Interest Group Leads to become familiar with the process and procedures that frame club-life. Special Interest Group Leads should have a close relationship with, and frequently shadow their Club leaders to better understand aspects of managing a club, such as:
It's a common misconception that establishing more Clubs is a good thing. By keeping the community focused on the right amount of clubs and directing resources in a healthy balance, we are ensuring the delivery of thoughtful programming, and engaging content.
New Clubs must have a mission and goal that is totally separate and unique from that of an existing Club. There's always opportunity to make an existing Club's programming more robust.
Many Special Interest Groups have been at SOM for several years and love the way the Special Interest Group structure works for them. For many, the less administrative tasks they have to work with suits the purposes of the programming, or because so specialized, a smaller framework works best.
Successful clubs are rarely successful just because they have "Club" status - they're successful because the passion, drive, and novelty of the Club, Group, or Committee's goal is strong.
Submit a SIG Interest Form to AASL and receive approval from an existing SOM club to be housed under the already established club. To be eligible for Club status in the future, you must start as a Special Interest Group.
Special Interest Groups must discuss their intent for wanting to become their own, separate active club at SOM, and to then discuss next steps. Leads are advised to reach out to Christine Jolly.
The Clubs & Finance Committee will review and approve a Special Interest Group from Forming. Once approved, a Special Interest Group's trial semester will begin.
Even if the Special Interest Group has been around for many semesters, a trial semester for evaluating the group's success will begin the semester the Special Interest Group leads have first discussed their intent with AASL.
This is an opportunity to showcase their programs, success within the student body, and gauge level of interest from the community.
Previous work the Special Interest Group has done in semesters prior to their intent to form a new club will be considered in the application process, if applicable.
After the trial semester, Special Interest Groups are invited to fill out C&F's application for forming a new club. Applications are reviewed twice per year and are due every October 7th and February 7th.
In September and February (depending on when application was submitted), Special Interest Groups will be invited to present to the C&F committee who then votes on your request.
There is a formal grading rubric that each SIG will be evaluated against.
Pending their decision, the group will either become an established club, or remain a Special Interest Group under their Parent Club. Should a SIG be denied club status, the SIG will have the option to re-apply for recognition status the following year following the same process.
If a Special Interest Group is approved to become a Club, they will not receive their $1000 pre-approved funding until the following Fall semester. They can, however, immediately begin operating as an established club by receiving their own CampusGroups page, website, e-mail account, and can request C&F funds on their own.
