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Listed below are some general organization operations FAQ's - for Financial FAQ's, please click here.

 Where is the Student Activities Center (SAC) located?

 - SAC is located in 427 Marvin Center 800 21st NW, Washington DC.

 

Who is my advisor for my student organization and where are they located?

- Upon completion of all registration steps, your organization will be assigned to a SAT (Student Advising Team) Advisor. They are located in one of the following offices: the SAC office - Marvin Center 427, the Mount Vernon Campus Life office - Academic Building 115, The Office of Community Service - 2129 G Street, and CIHQ - Marvin Center 433. Once you have fully completed registration, your advisor will contact you. For those already registered, you can search here for your organization. Your advisor will be listed on your org's page.

 

What can an Advisor do for me?
-Every registered organization receives a SAT Advisor who may be from the Student Activities Center Staff, Office of Community Service, or Mount Vernon Campus Life Office.  It is up to your organization to determine how to utilize this resource.

Your advisor will...

  • Meet with you about your events and organization concerns
  • Process contracts on behalf of your organization
  • Assist your organization in adhering to GW policies and procedures
  • Help your organization be as successful as it can be

Your advisor can also:

  • Offer ideas and answer questions about all aspects of running an effective organization
    • Running effective meetings
    • Planning retreats
    • Event Planning
    • Motivating group members
    • Handling conflict among members
    • Elections
    • Transition
    • And more...

Faculty Advisor:
SAC encourages all student organizations to seek a full-time faculty member to serve as an additional advisor to the organization.  They may provide guidance surrounding the organization's interests specific to the mission, or other needs of the group (for example, if your organization specializes in forensic science, it may benefit the organization to connect itself with a faculty member with that specialty). Please note that your SAT Advisor should serve as your resource to University policies and regulations. 


How do I start a new organization?

Look at the current list of organizations to be sure there is not one that already exists at GW that will fit your needs! Once you have done that, find four friends who want to be in the organization with you and then follow the registration process noted on the studentorgs website. Click here for more information.

 

How do I contact a specific organization?

You can search for organizations here. Each organization has listed a contact under “e-mail”. You can also search by category if you are looking for types of organizations

 

 

How do I get Co-sponsorships?

Co-sponsorship funds may be requested from the following groups:  

 Just log into the page and fill out one application. Based on the criteria you select, the system will automatically notify you which funding sources you are eligible for!

 

What do I need to do if my org is taking a trip within the United States?

All student travel that fits the following criteria should meet with their SAT Advisor at least 6 weeks prior to the trip. There are specific forms that need to be filled out to register your trip with the Student Activities Center.

  • An event requires overnight stay
  • The activity or event involves a hazardous activity
  • The activity or event involves the chartering of transportation services (bus, van, limousine, watercraft, train)
  • The activity or event involves the rental of a licensed road vehicle (automobile, motorcycle or moped) or watercraft

 Also, please be sure to visit the travel section of the student org handbook as it details more policies for car rentals, bus rentals and international travel. Additionally, the forms needed for all trips can be found there as well.

 

What do I need to do if my org wants to take an international trip?
The second your organization is thinking about taking an international trip, you should meet with your advisor. Paperwork needs to be completed to document the trip, and for the safety of all your organization's members, the location of the trip needs to be approved by the Office of International Programs.  Your SAT advisor can help you get this done. Please visit the travel section of the student org handbook as it details more policies for international travel. Additionally, the forms needed for all trips can be found there as well.  Those forms should be brought with you to your meeting with your SAT Advisor.

What do I need to do if my org wants to make T-shirts?

You need to make sure that you follow all the steps that are listed in the student handbook. It is very important that each of these steps are followed, as if anyone is missing, your organization will not be reimbursed for the purchase of t-shirts. Click here for more detailed information

 

How do I get a student org e-mail?

Each group is required to set up a student organization email account. The Student Activities Center does not monitor or maintain student organizations email accounts or passwords. Be sure to keep and share records of all of this information with your organization members, especially when transitioning officers

To set up your organization's email account you must fill out the Student Club/Org GWEmail Account Request form.

 

How do I get a student organization website?

You need to visit the ISS website and complete the webform http://my.gwu.edu/acctmgt/create/ . Your SAT advisor will then approve this request and you will have access. This process usually takes up to 2 weeks.

 

How do I schedule space for meetings or an event?

Depending on the location of your event will determine the process for reserving space. Many of the most popular spaces are reserved through the Marvin Center including:

 

  • Hippodrome, Grand Ballroom
  • Third Floor Terrace
  • Continental Ballroom, Amphitheater
  • Columbian Square
  • Betts Theater
  • Great Hall
  • Kogan Plaza
  • Mid-Campus Quad
  • Quad-University Yard
  • 1957 E Street, all spaces

 

Visit room 204 in the MC to pick up/drop off room request forms. Please visit the student handbook for more detailed information on the event planning process through the Marvin Center.

 

Other spaces: Click here for a list of spaces that can be reserved and who to contact.

 

Are there any rules about having food at meetings?

This depends on where you are having your event/meeting. If your event/meeting is in the Marvin Center, you must order food from Sodexo. Please look at the catering menu and complete the catering request form.

 

If you want to have food from an outside vendor in the Marvin Center, please contact Sodexo at 202-994-7472.

 

All other spaces, including outdoor spaces, can have food from any vendor supply food. This is just one great reason to host your events on the Mount Vernon Campus! Please remember that all outdoor spaces require a rain site or rain date. If the rain site is in the Marvin Center, then any non-Sodexo food would not be allowed to be served indoors at this event without prior approval from Sodexo. 

 

What is the difference between a Revenue account and an SA Account?

Revenue Account

  • A Revenue Account is defined as any money not allocated by the Student Association (SA) deposited by a registered student group (money from fundraisers, dues, donations, etc.).  Revenue accounts are free of cost, and the money stays in the account from year to year.
  • To establish a Revenue Account, contact Joan Mitchell in the SAC office to set an appointment. A memo must also be sent to Joan Mitchell indicating who is authorized to initiate any spending from the group’s revenue account (Treasurer/President). This memo should include the title of their position, name, email and phone.
  • Deposits and withdrawals can be made through Joan Mitchell by a member of the student organization.  When deposits are made, be sure to receive a receipt at the same time.  Fill out a Revenue Account Expenditure Approval Form and attach all receipts to the form for withdrawals.

Student Association Account

  • An SA Account is defined as operational money allocated by the Student Association (SA) to student organizations. Money is not automatically guaranteed; groups must apply to receive funding annually. Money is allocated for operational costs (for items that are needed throughout the year for the group to exist, not costs for a particular event; equipment, banners, etc.) and must be used up prior to the end of the school year.  Whatever is not used by the org will be lost.
  • Organizations must appoint a Financial Officer to process paperwork to request funds from this account.
  • The Student Association conducts mid-year reviews of the funds allocated to be sure funds are being used properly. Failure to submit required forms to the SA could result in a deduction of available funds.

Things to keep in mind…

  • Money cannot be transferred from your SA allocated account to your revenue account.  However, money can be transferred from your revenue account to your SA account.  To do this, a memo must be sent to Joan Mitchell authorizing her to complete the transfer and should include the organization name, amount to be transferred and purpose.
  • There may be restrictions and deadlines for when you can use money from each account. Talk to your SAT Advisor or the SA for more information.
  • You can pay for one expense with monies from both accounts. Please complete one of each type of EAF with the amount of money to be used from each account. Turn this information into the appropriate locations

 

How do I fund my event?

You can fund your event through a number of ways:

-         Your semester Student Association Allocation (only orgs that received notification of receiving funds have this money

-         Money already in your revenue account (to start a revenue account send an e-mail to Joan Mitchell from the treasurer of your organization stating you would like to open an account

-         You can apply for co-sponsorships

-         Fundraising, click here for some great ideas

 

How do I pay for things?

Reimbursement

  • Make sure your organization initially has enough money to cover all the expenses before spending any money.
  • You will need to complete an Expenditure Authorization Form (Revenue account EAF and SA account EAF)
  • An EAF must be COMPLETELY filled out, and should be turned into the SA office if it is paid from the SA account and submit to your SAT advisor if money is being deducted from the Revenue Account.  EAFs submitted to the SA will be reviewed by the Vice President for Financial Affairs, and forwarded to the SAC office for final approval.  EAFs submitted to your SAT advisor  must first be signed by them and they will submit them to Joan Mitchell for payment.
  • Students CANNOT be reimbursed for money they spent out of their own pocket for services requiring contracts (DJs, outside speakers, performers, etc.); a contract must be filled out and approved, and payment will then occur using funds in the organization’s revenue or SA account (depending on which type of EAF is submitted; an SA or Revenue EAF).  Requests from students for reimbursement  to their personal account for contracted services will not be processed.
  • All original receipts must be attached to an EAF, with the following information of the individual who is being reimbursed: name, social security number, and mailing address.  Any food purchased at a restaurant/market where alcohol is present must be submitted with an itemized receipt.
  • The individual being reimbursed MUST be the same person who purchased the item.
  • Follow all guidelines on the EAF form; incomplete EAFs will delay the reimbursement time.
  • Documentation must include ORIGINAL receipts along with bank/credit card statements and a copy of the cancelled check or bank statement as proof of purchase.
  • While awaiting reimbursement, keep copies of EAFs and relevant documentation for your records.  Do NOT throw away any receipts.
  • For SA EAFs, you will be notified if the EAF has been approved or if there were any problems that need to be addressed.  The SA will then forward the reimbursement request to SAC; after this point, reimbursement will take 4-8 weeks to process.  Any questions should be directed to samoney@gwu.edu

 

Payment to Contracted Guests (performers, speakers, DJs, etc.)

 

Petty Cash

  • Petty cash is a small amount of cash that can be requested for emergency.  However, the limit is $150, and must be requested in writing two weeks ahead of your scheduled event.  Upon receipt of the petty cash, all receipts MUST be turned in within five (5) days after your event.  NOTE: If petty cash is not reconciled within this time period, your organization can be restricted from obtaining any further use of this system.  Talk to your SAT advisor to arrange for petty cash for your event.

 

What do I need to do if I am hiring someone to come to event (Performer, Speaker DJs, etc.)?

Essential Steps: 

(NOTE: ALL contracts must be submitted to the SAC Office at least 6-8 weeks in advance of the event date to allow time for all necessary processing.) 

  • Fill out a Contract Information Sheet (CIS), which is available outside the SAC Office (Marvin Center 427) or from your Student Advising Team (SAT) Advisor.  It is important to note that the Contract Information Sheet is NOT the actual contract, but will be used in the formation of a contract that will protect the student organization’s rights.
  • Next, fill out an Expenditure Approval Form (EAF), also available outside the SAC Office.  If you are using funds in your Student Association (SA) account, use the white SA EAF form, and once completed, submit to the SA Vice President of Financial Affairs for approval by dropping it off in the SA office at Marvin Center 424.  If you are using funds in your Revenue Account, use the yellow EAF.  Revenue Account EAFs must be signed by your SAT Advisor and then turned in to Joan Mitchell for approval in Marvin Center 427.  For more information on EAFs and types of student organization accounts, see SAC’s Student Organization Management Series “Student Organization Finances” Sheet.
  • Obtain a copy of the approved EAF.
  • Attach the signed/approved EAF to the CIS.
  • Submit all of these forms to your SAT Advisor who will get the contract signed by the Director of SAC and fax it to the vendor for their signature.  Be sure to check back with your advisor to request a copy of the contact signed by the vendor and the Executive Director of SAC  for your organization’s records

 

Is there anything I need to do if someone is coming to speak but not getting paid?

  • Student organizations may bring vendors/performers/speakers to campus with the understanding that they will not be paid (such as bringing a Senator to speak).  In such a case, an Agreement Form must be filled out 6-8 weeks before the event. Forms are available outside the SAC Office (Marvin Center 427) or from your Student Advising Team (SAT) Advisor.
Similar to the CIS, an Agreement Form should be filled out completely and brought to the student organization’s SAT advisor for approval. Due to the high volume of events on campus, SAT Advisors are not able to approve events where a vendor/performer/speaker will be present without a CIS or Agreement Form being processed.