Section Four: Chapter Basics
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- Introduction
- The most important time in the history of your chapter will be its earliest days. If you succeed during this time, you will be well on your way to creating a permanent organization at your host institution. In the first few months, you and the other
charter members of your chapter will need to create the support structure required for your chapter to build upon in the future. SEDS-USA will advise and intervene only if consulted or if a chapter is moving away from the spirit and goals of SEDS. SEDS
-USA will strive, in any way possible, to assist chapters in communicating with each other, creating new programs, or finding resources.
- Other Institutions
- Each chapter operates according to the rules and regulations, not only of SEDS-USA, but of their host institutions and the wishes of its members. It is important to remember all of the organizations that you will be interfacing with as a chapter. Fo
r example, SEDS-USA requires three chapter designates, of which the chapter representative may or may not be one. Your chapter rep will probably also represent your chapter to any regional organizations and other SEDS-USA chapters as a member of the Coun
cil of Chapters.
- Student Group Problems
- You, as a chapter leader, should be very aware of a problem common to all student groups, not just SEDS. Our membership is primarily students, and students are notoriously lacking in two major resources: time and money. Unfortunately, these are ofte
n prime ingredients for any successful group. Possibilities for funding are covered in Section VIII. Also, SEDS members should always remember that they are students first and foremost and that their academic careers must hav
e priority over SEDS activities.
- Chapter Affiliations
- SEDS-USA chapters can exist either independently or as chapters of other organizations. Affiliations may not change the fundamental relationship with SEDS-USA, however. For example, some SEDS-USA chapters are also chapters of the National Space Soci
ety. A pre-existing club or society, such as an astronomy, engineering or physics club may join SEDS-USA as a chapter. SEDS-USA must always be informed of any affiliations with other organizations.
- Chapter Responsibilities
- The chapter responsibilities that SEDS-USA set forth are as follows:
- When your chapter begins, a signed letter of intent by the chapter to commit itself to the responsibilities below:
- Twice-yearly reports from each SEDS-USA chapter informing the national leadership of what your chapter is doing. Note: very active chapters tend to submit reports more often than that.
- Someone who will actively participate in national business, (i.e. the chapter representative) and three chapter designates.
- Each chapter should also be able to volunteer its address as a contact point for SEDS-USA.
- Pay annual chapter dues to SEDS-USA.
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