New Club Application Timeline

September to November

• Brainstorm new Club ideas
  • How will your idea help enhance student life on campus?
  • What makes your idea unique from other MSU Clubs and non-Club groups on campus?
  • Review the MSU Clubs Directory to ensure that your idea does not have significant overlap with another MSU Club
• Meet with the MSU Clubs Administrator to discuss your idea and receive feedback
• Finalize your application
  • Draft your cover letter
  • Draft your year-plan
  • Draft your constitution

November 1st to December 1st

• New Club Application documents must be compiled into a single PDF and be submitted to the Clubs Administrator via email at clubsadmin@msu.mcmaster.ca
• Along with the application PDF, ensure you have completed the “Administrative Information” MS Form that will be published on this webpage
• Submit your application as early as possible – Late applications will not be accepted

January to April

• All New Club Applications will be reviewed by the Clubs Advisory Council (CAC) in detail
• The CAC may request interviews with applicants to request further information
• The CAC will make a formal recommendation to the Student Representative Assembly (SRA) for ratification in the upcoming academic year
• The MSU Clubs Administrator will notify applicants of the CAC’s decision by the end of April

Step 1 – Cover Letter

This is your opportunity to explain what your Club is about and why you want to become a ratified MSU Club. How is your club unique to the McMaster community? What is the potential for significant impact within the McMaster community that is not already satisfied by an existing Club or non-Club organization? This is your chance to tell us anything you want us to know about your Club.

Step 2 – Constitution

Your Club’s Constitution is the governing document of your Club. It should outline the responsibilities and duties of each executive team position, election rules, and guidelines for all other Club activities. A standard constitution template is provided, and you are required to amend it to suit the needs of your Club. Please ensure that your Club’s Constitution does not contradict MSU Operating Policies.

Step 3 – Year Plan

Your Year Plan should provide a detailed overview of your Club’s goals, your proposed events and projects, your network, and an overview of membership fees. The Clubs Department does not expect you to have your programming completely finalized for the upcoming academic year – we understand that plans are tentative and subject to change. However, it is important to have a general idea of programming that you want to implement. This will help guide your Club’s activities, and give the CAC a better understanding of the contributions that you will be making to the McMaster community.

Step 4 – Administrative Information Form

During the application window, a link to the Administrative Form will be posted to this webpage. The Administrative Form will request basic information about your Club, including:

• Your Club’s name
• Your Club’s division
• Your Club’s mission statement
• Your Club’s requested e-mail address
• Your Club’s primary contact person
• Your Club’s executive team
• Your Club’s general membership list (a minimum of 20 people)

The Cover Letter, Constitution, Year Plan, and Administrative Form are all mandatory. If one of these steps is missed, your application will be considered incomplete and will be automatically rejected.

The MSU Clubs Department has drafted templates to help guide your application. Please download these templates and edit them as needed to suit your application.

• MSU Clubs Department – Cover Letter Template
• MSU Clubs Department – Constitution Template
• MSU Clubs Department – Year Plan Template