Recognising Societies
The Societies Committee will review applications to create new societies at weekly meetings throughout term,
but you may not hear a decision until after the application deadline.
To check you fulfill the criteria to become a new society, please view it by clicking the criteria tab above.
The process and deadlines for applying to be new society (to be set up in time for Term 3 or the new academic
year) are as follows:
- Complete one online form (please see the tab above) - This will open at
12pm on Monday 7th November 2022 (Term 1 Week 6) and close at 12pm on Monday 28th
November (Term 1 Week 9).
- Collect 30 signatures and University ID numbers of people who are interested in
joining your society and email a scanned copy to societies@warwicksu.com
- Signatures can be done in person/handwritten or/and digitally. We are happy to accept "electronic
signatures" typed out on a word document (along with their University ID numbers).
- When collecting signatures, please ensure that you get consent to use their data. We
recommend platforms such as Microsoft Forms for collecting this data, as only the organiser can view
this data rather than an open Word/Google doc where it is available to anyone who clicks the
link. All students should have access to Forms through their University Office
account.
- The Society name you provide in the online form can not be significantly changed throughout the
new society process. Except for special circumstances, only minor changes will be
considered after the submission deadline. If you have submitted an online form and you wish to make
a major name change before the deadline, please resubmit the online form.
- The Societies Committee will then review all applications in line with the criteria and
identify a shortlist of potential new societies. If your society is shortlisted, you will
be invited to ‘pitch’ your society to the committee - the timing of this
will be dependent on when you submitted your application but it will be before the end of term
1. Due to the volume of new society applications received each year, not all applications
will reach this point.
- SU staff will complete an impact assessment for each new society
application. The Societies Committee will receive these impact assessments in writing along with
the application.
- The pitch meetings will last about 15 minutes - in this time you'll have around 5 minutes to
tell the Committee what your society is all about. The rest of the time will be used as a question and
answer session. There are a lot of applications so not all new societies are
approved.
- If you are recognised as a society, we will ask you to complete an official constitution and exec sheet.
You will also be required to attend mandatory Finance and Event Planning
training.
- Depending on when your society is approved, it will be set up either for Term 3 or for the beginning of
the next academic year.
If you have any questions or require assistance during the process, email societies@warwicksu.com
Any new society applications which are deemed to fall under at least one of the following criteria, will be
rejected by Societies Committee:
- If the activity cannot be covered under the Students’ Union’s public liability insurance.
- The nature of the activity is deemed to be of such a high risk that it would require a disproportionate
amount of funding and/or staff time to monitor to ensure compliance with minimum safety standards.
- A sport (this includes a sport recognised by BUCS, a martial art, and/or a sport recognised by Sport
England, with possible exceptions for a limited range of such sports for which there are no safety or
funding issues e.g. croquet).
- Has a primary purpose of volunteering overseas, or working with under-18s or vulnerable adults.
- Aims to provide counselling, advice or advocacy.
- Aims to provide information or guidance relating to examinations. Academic societies can do this by way
of revision sessions or guides where their respective academic department are in agreement.
- Is proposing activities which have the potential to bring the Students’ Union/University into
disrepute.
- Is in conflict with the Students’ Union’s values, ethos and/or student-mandated policy.
- Has a primary aim of charitable fundraising (for an organisation external to Warwick SU).
- If the group receives public liability insurance from an external body.
- If the group is constituted or governed by an external body.
- If a faith group proposes to represent a particularly narrow view of a faith and is not supported by
regional faith supporting organisations, on advice from the Chaplaincy.
Other criteria which will be taken into account by the Societies Committee includes:
- Whether the group duplicates the role of an existing society.
- Whether the group duplicates the purposes of a society which has been de-recognised in the last 18
months.
- How inclusive the group is whether it has the potential to benefit all students.
- Whether the group is being set up for a one-off event.
- Whether the group has a purely social purpose.
- Whether the group has the minimum number of Full Members required by Societies Committee Whether the
group’s proposed activities are, in the opinion of the Exec, not in accordance with the Memorandum
and Articles of Association Whether the group is sustainable as a society, including
financially*
*When new societies are formed, they are expected to be financially self sufficient.
Increasing your society balance can either be achieved through membership fees, or obtaining
sponsorship. The Student Union is only able to give a nominal £50 grant to brand new societies when
they’re first set up, so please bear this in mind when considering if your society is viable. Your
society must be able to function independently.
This form is no longer available as the deadline for submissions has passed