Starting a New RUSU Club

If you are interested in starting a new RUSU club please read the information below. Please note that new club affiliations for 2019 are closed. BUT, we open for new 2020 clubs in September so you can start preparing now and get your new club set up for 2020 before the end of 2019!!!.

Previously existing clubs which have not maintained their annual affiliation (lapsed clubs) may also have to follow the new club process to re-activate the club. Email us at rusu.clubs@rmit.edu.au to find out. 

The first steps to start a new RUSU Club are:

1. Check our Clubs list to make sure the Club (or a similar Club) doesn't already exist as part of RUSU or as part of RMIT Student Life (Sports and Creative clubs)- you can link to all three catgories of clubs through https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/life-and-work-opportunities/clubs-and-societies 
2. Have a read through the Clubs section of the RUSU Regulations (Section 4.10 starting on Page 20) - the "Basics" are outlined below but the full Section has greater detail   https://rusu.rmit.edu.au/regulations
3. If (after Step 1 and 2) you believe your idea sits with RUSU and would meet RUSU's requirements, please email the RUSU Clubs Department at rusu.clubs@rmit.edu.au with an outline of your new club idea - its' aims,  what it would actually do (its' activities) and how it would benefit RMIT students.  The Department will review your information and confirm whether or not RUSU can support your new club idea. If it can, the Department will then assist you through the formal stages of starting a new RUSU club. 

RUSU Clubs basics:

• All RUSU Clubs are democratic, Constitutionally bound, not-for-profit organisations with formal Aims & Objectives. 
• Every RUSU Club must "affiliate" and renew its' affiliation to RUSU every year (this is how RUSU clubs gain recognition from the University, get access to funding, insurance, training, support, equipment, room bookings etc.)
• Every RUSU Club must have at least 20 currently enrolled RMIT Student Members to gain & maintain their affiliation with RUSU
• Members must re-join their Club/s every year
• Academic Clubs are permitted to limit Full Membership to RMIT students enrolled in the academic area the Club is/was set up to support. Academic Clubs which chose to do this must have & maintain at least 20 Full Members. Only Full Members of RUSU Clubs may be elected to their Club Board of Management & vote at club General Meetings. 
• Academic Clubs which choose to restrict Full Membership to their academic cohort may choose to offer Social Membership to all other RMIT Students. For Academic Clubs which choose to do this, both their Full and Social Members are counted where the number of RMIT Student members determines RUSU Club Grants funding
• Full Membership of other RUSU Club categories (Social, Cultural, Political and Spiritual) is open to all currently enrolled RMIT students
• Non RMIT Students may join a RUSU Club as Associate Members but these Members must not total more than 25% of the total Club Membership and may not hold an Executive position on a Club Board of Management nor vote at any Club meeting
• Every Club must have an annual Board of Management of at least four (4) but no more than seven (7) Executive Members elected by and from the Club's Full Members. Clubs may have additional members on their Board (including Associate Members) but these members do not have voting rights at Board Meetings*
• Any decision by a Club Board may be overturned by vote at a General Meeting (a club meeting to which at least all Full Members are invited). 
• A RUSU Club's Board of Management* as a whole is responsible for the delivery of the Club's Annual Activity Plan, recruiting members and maintaining membership lists, club communications and promotions, succesion planning, training and supporting incoming Board Members and ensuring their Club operates according to all relevant rules, policies, laws etc. 
• A RUSU Club's elected Executive component of its' Board of Management is responsible for the day to day governance of their Club including contracts, club finances, club meetings, elections, etc. 
• Every Club Board of Management must meet at least six (6) times per year. 
• Every Club Board must present an Annual General Report and Financial Report to its' Club's Annual General Meeting
• RMIT students may not be Executive Members on the Board of more than two (2) Clubs at any one time
• Every RUSU Clubs must deliver at least four (4) activites/events evey year
• Every RUSU Club must have an Annual Activity Plan (an outline of what the events and activities the Club wants to do). The Plan is approved by vote by the Full Members at a new Club's Inaugural General Meeting (IGM) with each following year's Plan approved at the Club's Annual General Meeting (AGM). 
• Except for the minimum four (4) activities/events, a Club does not have to do everything on their Plan BUT anything the Club does do, MUST be on their Plan (i.e. a Club's Board may not add new events/activities to a Plan without getting approval at a General Meeting)
• There are a range of reasons why RUSU may not accept a new club application or re-affiliate a previously affiliated club. Please refer to Section 4.10.6 (page 26) of the RMIT Student Union Regulations for further detail - https://rusu.rmit.edu.au/regulations

* Academic "umbrella" clubs such as the RMIT Business Student Association (which provides a range of services/supports to all academic clubs in the College of Business) are permitted to negotiate a different club Governance structure in consultation with the RUSU Clubs Department.