/Institutions/Western-Piedmont-Community-College/json/2023-2024/Catalog-local.json

/Institutions/Western-Piedmont-Community-College/json/2023-2024/Catalog.json

Campus Clubs & Organizations

Student Government Association

• The Student Government Association (“SGA”) is designed to promote the general welfare of the College and student body in a democratic fashion and to facilitate communication between students, faculty and staff, and the administration. The SGA provides the official means whereby members of the student body may effectively express themselves regarding College issues which directly affect their social, economic, physical, intellectual and spiritual welfare.
• The SGA is comprised of an Executive Council and Student Senate.
• The SGA Executive council is comprised of five (5) elected student officials from the general student body.The President of the SGA serves as a non-voting, Ex Officio member of the College’s Board of Trustees. The President, under the direction of the College’s Coordinator of Student Affairs (“Coordinator”)[1], is responsible for appointing student members to Standing Committees of the College, if applicable.
• The Student Senate is the legislative body of the SGA and contains the Executive Council, a Senator from each SGA sanctioned club and organization, a Senator from Burke Middle College, and any N4CSGA representatives (ex-officio capacity, non-voting).
• The College encourages student participation in institutional decision-making through Student Senate meetings and by the appointment of students to the Standing Committees of the College. Through the Executive Council of the SGA and the Student Senate, activity funds are budgeted for social and cultural events, special interest clubs, and organizations that have been officially recognized by the College.
• The Student Senate is to hold regular meetings open to all WPCC students. To become a voting member of the Senate, a student must be a member of a recognized student organization and appointed by its membership. Notices of Senate meetings are to be distributed through club advisors, student emails, and posted in the College e-newsletter.
• Elections are held each spring for the Executive Council of the SGA. Interested students should contact the Coordinator.
• All curriculum students who are regularly enrolled at Western Piedmont Community College and who have paid the student activities fee shall be entitled to vote in SGA elections and to participate in all activities and events of the SGA
• The SGA’s organizational documents shall be updated and filed with the Coordinator. Any revisions to the SGA’s organizational documents, including the SGA Constitution and Bylaws, shall be reviewed and approved by the Student Senate and proper administrative channels of the College.

Under the direction of the Director of Enrollment Management, the Coordinator is responsible for supervising the SGA and student activities, including Student Clubs and Organizations.

State funds cannot be used for athletics or other extracurricular activities; therefore, almost all student activities are established and maintained by SGA funds.  SGA funds are derived from a portion of student activity fees.  The SGA budget will be approved by the SGA and Coordinator and submitted for approval by the President and Board of Trustees as early in the school year as possible.  Once approved, no further approvals for expenditure of funds will be required by the SGA unless changes to the budget are adopted.  All expenditures of funds must still be approved by the Coordinator.

Other Student Clubs and Organizations

Students are encouraged to participate in all phases of the student activities program as long as such participation is consistent with sound educational practices.

The following guidelines apply for the sponsorship and subsequent funding of all clubs and organizations by the SGA:

• The organization must serve an area of student activity need;
• Membership must be open to all students regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin, age, disability or sexual orientation.
• The organization must agree to abide by the College’s policies and administrative procedures;
• The organization’s purpose must be compatible with the College’s philosophy and educational objectives;
• The organization must submit a Petition for SGA sponsorship and funding yearly to the SGA Secretary and Coordinator. Petitions are to include a current Constitution, officer information, a list at least ten (10) currently enrolled active members, and the name of the organization’s advisor/sponsor; and such other reasonable rules and regulations required by the President.
• Each club will nominate one member as a representative to the Student Senate. Representation is mandatory to maintain SGA sponsorship and funding.
• All clubs and organizations are required to have at least one (1) full-time staff or faculty sponsor to advise on the exercise of responsibility and provide guidance to the club officers. A sponsor is essential to official recognition by the College and SGA. The sponsor has no authority to control the policy of a student organization.
• A line item for funding of clubs and organizations will be included in the annual budget of the SGA. Each organization will be allotted funds according to their membership activities, needs, and participation in the SGA. The SGA Budget may specify a maximum amount available to each club or association per academic year. Fund requests will be considered after the Executive Council has approved an organization’s petition for sponsorship.
• Clubs and organizations should submit a request for funds to the SGA Treasurer at least two (2) working weeks prior to their anticipated need.
• Recognized Student Clubs and Organizations. In order to achieve recognition, the applying club or organization must complete an official Petition, on file with the SGA Secretary and Coordinator, and receive approval by the SGA Executive Council.

Fundraising

The President, in consultation with the Vice President for Student Success & Support Services and the Coordinator, shall establish rules and regulations regarding student clubs and organizations’ fundraising activities.  In addition to such rules and regulations, student clubs and organizations are limited as follows:

 

1. Raffles - The North Carolina General Statutes consider raffles as a form of gambling and are generally unlawful in the state of North Carolina. However, there is an exception that allows two (2) raffles per year for each tax exempt non-profit organization. The total cash prizes offered or paid by any exempt non-profit organization may not exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000) in any calendar year.

   Student clubs and organizations are encouraged to use alternative methods of fundraising aside from raffles.

   Requests to hold raffles must be approved through appropriate channels. Raffles sponsored by student clubs must be approved by the club advisor, Coordinator, and the Dean of Student Services, and the Vice President for Student Success & Support Services.

   Requests to hold raffles should include the following information:

   1. Beginning and ending dates of the raffle;
   2. Person(s) responsible for coordinating the raffle;
   3. Prize(s) to be awarded to the winner(s);
   4. How the prize(s) will be obtained (i.e. purchased or donated). Donated prizes must be coordinated through the Office of Student Development;
   5. Cost of a raffle ticket;
   6. Minimum and maximum number of tickets to be sold;
   7. Outline of the process to select raffle winners; and
   8. How the proceeds from the raffle will be used.

   Each student organization is limited to one (1) raffle per semester and a maximum of two (2) raffles per academic year. When the total number of raffles to be held in a semester and/or year is deemed excessive, fewer raffles will be approved.

   Raffle prizes may not be in the form of cash.

   Proceeds from raffles must be handled in accordance with Section 1 of the North Carolina Community College System Accounting Procedures Manual and deposited in the appropriate College account.

2. Food – Unless clubs and organizations have prior, written permission from the Coordinator and Vice President for Student Success & Support Services, clubs and organizations may only sell pre-packaged food items, professionally prepared food items prepared by a permitted entity, pre-wrapped items and beverages in sealed containers and must comply with all local Health Department regulations. Examples of these items include bottled/canned soft drinks, pre-wrapped sub sandwiches, wrapped/packaged desserts, etc. Muffins or cookies must be pre-packaged. The sale of food prepared or assembled at point of sale, such items as tacos, hot dogs, chili, sandwiches, etc. is prohibited unless prior authorization by the Coordinator and Vice President for Student Success & Support Services. The sale of potentially hazardous foods as described in 15A NCAC 18A .2635(9) shall not be allowed.

Pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 130A-250(7), the College, as a tax-exempt entity, is exempted from temporary food establishment permitting requirements for preparing or serving food or drink, for pay, no more frequently than once a month for a period not to exceed two consecutive days.