RMU Student Leadership Handbook

STUDENT LEADERSHIP HANDBOOK

WELCOME

Congratulations on being elected to your class leadership! Representing your cohort as a leadership group is both an honor and a privilege. As class leaders, you will set the tone for your cohort and influence the experience of your classmates throughout their time at RMU. Specifically, you will have the opportunity to plan activities and other initiatives for your cohort as well as communicate cohort needs, concerns, and suggestions on behalf of your cohort to the Office of Student Services within the Department of Student Affairs and to your designated Faculty Liaison.

This handbook will guide your efforts to serve your classmates. Please use it as a point of reference for your leadership group, and reach out to your Student Services team (sss@rm.edu) with any questions.

PURPOSE & FUNCTION

Your purpose as a residential student class leadership group is to represent students from your cohort on all matters pertaining to their general welfare as graduate students at Rocky Mountain University.

As a student leadership group, you are to accomplish the following:

• Create a mission statement that will guide your efforts as a leadership group (see “New Leadership Orientation”)

• Address and represent the needs of your cohort pertaining to their general welfare as a graduate student at the University

• Act as a liaison between the cohort, faculty, the Office of Student Services (SS) within the Department of Student Affairs, and the University’s Administration

• Provide and promote extracurricular activities, professional development opportunities, service opportunities, social events, wellness events, and networking (internal and external to the University) for your cohort

• Obtain an annual budget from a Student Services representative for

activities and events and maintain detailed tracking of monthly spending in the shared Google Drive folder for the class leadership (see “Funds”)

• During the didactic phase of your program, conduct monthly recurring meetings to address the needs, concerns, and suggestions of your cohort (see “Meetings - Didactic Phase”)

• During the clinical phase of your program, conduct meetings no less than once a semester to address the needs, concerns, and suggestions of your cohort (see “MeetingsClinical Phase”)

• Create an accessible archive for class leadership meeting minutes and communicate important meeting items to the entire cohort (see “Meetings - Meeting Minutes”)

• Plan your cohort’s extracurricular activities, professional development opportunities, service opportunities, social events, and networking based on the overall consensus of the cohort and obtaining approval from the program and the SS Office

• Ensure that your cohort adheres to the University Style Guide and the

University Student Fundraising Policy #5013, in collaboration with the SS Office and the University Marketing and Communication department (see “Google Drive” and “FundsFundraising”)

• Ensure that all class leadership activities and initiatives are aligned with the University’s Mission Statement and Core Values (found in University Handbook, see “Google Drive”)

• Assist future student class leadership groups with cross-training and support, including attending leadership launches and orientation meetings for new leadership groups

MPAS class leaders should refer to the MPAS Class Leadership and SAAAPA bylaws for a description of their SAAAPA purpose as well as a description of the dues and fees of SAAAPA membership.

MEMBERSHIP

Number of Members

All student class leaderships will have a minimum of the following leadership positions:

• President (DPT, MPAS) or CoPresidents (MS MedSLP)

• Vice President (DPT, MPAS)

• Secretary

• Historian

• Treasurer

• Service Chair

• Social Chair

• Diversity Chair

• Professional Development Chair (DPT) or Professional Development/ Outreach Chair (MPAS and MS MedSLP)

• Student Senate Representative (if applicable)

◦ *Student Senate Representatives are selected by the Program Director. There is only one Student Senate Representative per program except for DPT.

• Representatives for national/state organizations

◦ DPT: Utah Physical Therapy Association (UPTA) Representative

◦ MPAS: Assembly of Representatives (AOR) Representative; State Chapter Student Representative (Utah Academy of Physician Assistant [UAPA] Representative)

◦ MS MedSLP: National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) Representative

Any essential positions that are not filled will be combined with another position.

The following leadership positions are optional, depending on interest and cohort needs:

• Public Relations Representative (DPT and MS MedSLP only)

• Wellness Chair (required for MPAS)

• Academic Chair

Co-leadership positions will no longer be in effect for DPT and MPAS programs. For the MS MedSLP programs, there will be two co-presidents instead of a president and vice president. There will be no other co-leadership positions unless specified in the bylaws; however, the creation of

committees is highly encouraged (see “Committee Formation’’).

Eligibility Requirements

As a class leader, you must remain in good academic and professionalism standing with your program and the University. If you are ever placed on academic or professionalism probation, your program director and the Associate Director of Student Services will meet and determine whether you will remain serving in the class leadership.

Length of Service

You will serve in your class leadership throughout the entirety of your program, unless other circumstances arise. Representatives for professional national/ state organizations and the Student Senate have term limits, but all other positions will last for the entirety of your program. During clinical rotations, your leadership will remain intact, but your responsibilities will be reduced (see “Meetings - Clinical Phase”). Once your term limit has arrived or you have graduated, you will be relieved of leadership responsibilities.

General Responsibilities

Regardless of your position, each member of the class leadership is responsible for the following:

• Attend monthly leadership meetings to collaborate on initiatives and work towards SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely) goals

• Support the leadership team in planning cohort activities and working with Student Services

• Adhere to your program’s class leadership bylaws

• Work as a liaison with future leaderships

Position-Specific Responsibilities

Required Positions

President (DPT, MPAS) or Co-Presidents (MS MedSLP)

Presides over monthly class officer meetings. Sets meeting agendas and submits them to the secretary for copies and distribution. Informs the cohort of the activities of the various clubs/committees, and communicates information to the program and University via the Faculty Liaison and the Student Services Specialists. Primary duties of the President or Co-Presidents include working with individual students and

the cohort to resolve problems while informing the Faculty Liaison and the Student Services Specialists of ideas or issues emanating from the class. Attends faculty, staff, and RMU Senate meetings as deemed appropriate.

Vice President (DPT, MPAS)

Has the primary responsibility of assisting the President in planning and implementing meetings, programs, committees, and activities. Responsible for ensuring the Student Services Specialists and Faculty Liaison are invited to all meetings. May be required to run Leadership meetings, write class letters, and facilitate communication among the cohort and Leadership. Assumes the duties of the President in the absence or at the request of the class President. In the event of a vacancy in the position of President, the Vice President shall succeed to the President position for the unexpired portion of the term, and the Leadership position of Vice President shall remain vacant.

MPAS only: (in addition to duties listed above) The Vice President is responsible for maintaining the snack cart and works with the Treasurer to maintain the finances associated. It is also the duty of the Vice President to form student mentor/mentee groups for incoming

cohorts to have as a resource as they begin matriculation.

Secretary

Facilitates communication among the cohort, Leadership, Faculty Liaison, and the Student Services Specialists. Creates meeting agendas, takes meeting minutes, obtains meeting minutes approval from Leadership, and distributes meeting minutes to the cohort, Faculty Liaison, and Student Services Specialists. Charged with maintaining the Bylaws for the specific program leadership. Contributes ideas for cohort activities, service projects, professional development forums, cohort initiatives, and other cohort functions. Creates an accessible archive for Leadership minutes and manages the dissemination of important meeting items to the cohort.

Historian

Creates an archive of photos in preparation for commencement presentation and any other special events decided upon by the program and/or University. Attends cohort events with the responsibility of taking pictures for archival purposes. Aids all other class leadership positions by coordinating class activities and communication with the University for social media marketing, publications, and blog postings. Documents important events and

changes in the program’s history. Assists in monthly social/service activities and professional development reporting.

Treasurer

Responsible for requesting funds for activities, service projects, professional development forums, and other cohort activities through the Student Services Specialists. Obtains annual budget allocations from the SS team and maintains a record of monthly cohort expenditures in the “Student Affairs Budget Allocations” sheet in the leadership Google Drive.

Service Chair

Manages and plans service opportunities with cohort, Leadership, Faculty Liaison, and Student Services Specialists. Compiles and reports monthly data to the SS Specialists on the number of service projects held and student attendance. Collaborates with the University’s Marketing & Communications Department to ensure adherence to the approved Style Guide and usage of the University logo. Manages service projects in alignment with the University’s Core Values and Mission Statement. Manages communication and marketing of service events, along with photos provided by the Historian.

Social Chair

Works in conjunction with the University’s student-led Student Social Committee. Manages and plans cohort activities with the Leadership, Faculty Liaison, Associate Director of SS, and Student Services Specialists. Collects monthly data on activities and student attendance to report data to the SS Specialists. Collaborates with the University’s Marketing & Communications Department to ensure adherence to the approved style guide and usage of the University logo. Manages cohort activities in alignment with the University’s Core Values and Mission Statement. Manages communication and marketing of social events, along with photos provided by the Historian and in coordination with the University’s Marketing & Communications Department. Attends all Student Social Committee meetings.

Diversity Chair

Works in conjunction with the University’s student-led Diversity Committee. Encourages and ensures an institutional climate that is not only aware, appreciative, and respectful of all commonalities and differences but actively embraces the subject of diversity. Sponsors events that foster diversity throughout the academic year such as guest speakers, discussions, and

activities. Establishes and maintains relationships with external organizations that support diversity initiatives. Makes recommendations to faculty/staff on curricula, student welfare/morale, and policies/regulations related to the subject of diversity and inclusion.

Collaborates with the University’s Director of Institutional Equity within the Department of Student Affairs. Actively seeks ways to reduce barriers that bar minorities from equal access to healthcare and healthcare professions education. Attends all Student Diversity Committee Meetings.

Professional Development Chair (DPT, MS MedSLP) or Professional Development & Outreach Chair (MPAS)

Manages and plans monthly Professional Development Forums for the cohort in collaboration with the other cohort Professional Development Representatives, Leadership, Faculty Liaison, and the Student Services Specialists. Collects monthly data on Professional Development Forums and student attendance to report to the Student Services Specialists. Collaborates with the University’s Marketing & Communication Department to ensure adherence to the approved Style Guide and usage of the University logo. Manages communication and marketing of Professional Development

Forums, along with photos provided by the Historian, in coordination with the University’s Director of Institutional Marketing & Communication and the University’s Marketing & Communication Department.

MPAS Only: (in addition to duties listed above) Coordinates activities and public relations efforts between the student society and external groups, which can include but are not limited to: other medical professionals (MD, DO, PT, OT, nurses, speech, etc.), city/county organizations, state organizations, national organizations, and other community-related organizations. This individual promotes the PA profession and seeks out ways to work with other organizations in their community. Assists the Service Chair (or associated committee) when needed regarding coordinating service activities and public relations with external groups as defined above.

Student Senate Representative (if in the cohort)

The Student Senate representatives shall be part of the University’s Student Senate and be recommended by the respective Program Director. This is not a class leadership elected position. To serve for a one year term with no more than two consecutive one-year terms

(maximum of 3 years). The Student Senate Representative works with the Student Senate within the University’s shared governance model by developing and supporting systems of open communication amongst the following; President’s Executive Council (PEC), President’s Cabinet (PC), Academic Leadership Council (ALC), Faculty Senate, Employee Senate, and Class Leaderships. Student Senate meetings are to occur on a monthly basis. Meetings shall be held via teleconference at a time convenient for the members of the Student Senate. Attendance is required for all Student Senate representatives. This position requires the officer to attend both the monthly Leadership and Student Senate meetings. Reports appropriate information from the Student Senate meetings to the Class Leadership.

Recommendations: email all cohorts from your program once a semester to see if there are any concerns to bring to the Student Senate. Concerns should be brought to the Student Senate meetings. All questions about the Student Senate should be brought to Jeanine Revillo, Associate Director of Student Services.

National/State Organization Representatives

DPT: Utah Physical Therapy Association (UPTA) Representative

Attends the UPTA Board of Directors meetings (usually held every other month). Attends the UPTA Fall and Spring Conference as able. Represents student physical therapists of the state of Utah. Provides a student’s perspective and input to the UPTA.

MPAS: Assembly of Representatives (AOR) Representative

The Student Academy Assembly of Representatives (AOR) Representative of each respective cohort shall be responsible for the distribution of all Student Academy and AAPA information to their program. The AOR Representative will serve as point of contact for the Student Academy Board of Directors and committees. Once a new AOR is elected, the previous cohort AOR will serve as the AOR Alternate. If possible, the AOR Representative shall attend the annual AOR meetings at the AAPA Annual Conference to elect new officers of the Student Academy, to establish and amend policy of the Student Academy, and to conduct business as necessary. If the AOR Representative cannot attend the conference the AOR alternate will attend the national conference. In the event that the AOR representative and AOR Alternate are unable to attend the conference, another member of the Board should be designated to attend the national conference.

MPAS: State Chapter Student

Representative (Utah Academy of Physician Assistant [UAPA] Representative)

The UAPA Student Representative from each cohort shall be the liaison between the SAAAPA and the state constituent chapter, UAPA. At least one UAPA Student Representative shall attend quarterly UAPA meetings to represent the University PA Program and will then report back to the SAAAPA. At UAPA meetings, all University UAPA Student Representatives in attendance will collectively provide one vote on behalf of the program.

MS MedSLP: National Student Speech Language Hearing

Association (NSSLHA)

Representative

Attends the NSSLHA Board of Directors meetings (usually held every other month). Attends the NSSLHA Fall and Spring Conference, as able. Represent student speech-language pathologists for the state of Utah. Provides a student’s perspective and input to NSSLHA . Distributes information and opportunities from the ASHA and NSSLHA to all local members and files annual paperwork with ASHA to keep our local chapter in good standing nationally.

Optional Positions

Public Relations Representative (DPT and MS MedSLP Only)

Manages the cohort social media presence and ensures adherence to the approved Style Guide and usage of the University logo in collaboration with the University Marketing and Communications Department. Assists the Historian and works as a liaison with future classes.

As Public Relations Representative, you may be asked to act as a student representative of RMUoHP and participate in University Marketing initiatives, events, etc.

Wellness Chair (required for MPAS, optional for DPT and MS MedSLP)

Listens to, talks with, and advocates for fellow cohort students by assisting them and directing them to specific resources for their holistic health/wellness (physical, psychological, sociological), worklife balance, family, and relationships. Supports the leadership team in planning cohort activities and working with Student Services. Works closely with the Office of Student Services in providing support to fellow students in their non-academic concerns and struggles. Connects with the faculty liaison for any academic concerns students may have. Is familiar with different resources in

order to efficiently and effectively help students. Provides reminders to students of their resources and any encouragement and events coming up that are geared towards their wellness.

Academic Chair

Responsible for providing general academic support to the cohort, such as hosting academic-related events, sending out study tips to the cohort, and organizing cohort study guides and quizlets. Supports the leadership team in planning cohort activities and working with Student Services.

Role of Student Services

Your cohort leadership will work closely with Student Services Specialists from the Office of Student Services within the Department of Student Affairs. The Student Support Specialist and the Student Services Specialist will attend all cohort leadership meetings and provide general University updates and support to all leadership groups by connecting you to any and all relevant University or community resources. During leadership meetings, the Student Services Specialists will also ask if there are any concerns about students in your cohort or general cohort concerns that need to be brought forward and discussed. Student Services must approve all leadership activities or initiatives that involve using cohort funds

FACULTY LIAISON

CONTACT INFO

(see “Funds”). They are also responsible for communicating with the Associate Director of Student Services regarding non-academic concerns, needs, and feedback from the student leadership and cohort.

Role of Faculty Liaison

Your cohort leadership will work closely with the Faculty Liaison designated by your program. The Faculty Liaison will support the leadership in communicating academic concerns and needs of your

leadership and cohort to your Program Director and other program leadership. The Faculty Liaison must be invited to and attend all cohort leadership meetings and provide guidance and support for concerns and initiatives regarding academics and professional development.

Dr. Steve Wilkinson DPT Liaison steve.wilkinson@rm.edu

Dr. Lauren Stanford MPAS Liaison lauren.stanford@rm.edu

Dr. Tim Stockdale MS MedSLP Liaison tim.stockdale@rm.edu

ELECTIONS

Class Leadership Launch

The Student Services (SS) Office will schedule a time to meet with each new cohort during a lunch period. They will present information on available class leadership positions, the role of Student Services, and a tentative timeline for the election process.

The SS Office will also create and share a Google Drive folder with the cohort that contains the leadership bylaws, a slide template, examples of previous election slides, an organizational chart, and current class leadership directories.

Current or past class leaders will attend the class leadership launch and present to the cohort about their respective positions. Students in the new cohort will have the opportunity to ask questions to Student Services and current class leaders.

Nominations Process

The SS Office will create an anonymous form using a third-party software that students can use to nominate themselves or their fellow classmates for a position in their cohort class leadership. This form

will be sent to the cohort after the Class Leadership Launch and will be open to receive nominations until a specified deadline. Students can make multiple nominations if they would like.

Once the SS Office receives a nomination, Student Services Specialists will send an email to each student who has been nominated asking them to accept or decline their nomination(s) by a specified deadline. Students may only accept a nomination to run for one position. If there are any vacant positions, SS Specialists will notify the class and possibly re-open nominations for the vacant position(s).

If a student accepts a nomination, they must use the slide template provided in the shared Google Drive folder to create a slide that includes their name, position they’re running for, position statement, and applicable bio/past experience. The slides must be submitted to sss@ rm.edu by the specified deadline. The SS Specialists will compile all of the completed slides into a slide presentation of all leadership candidates. The SS Specialists will also create an anonymous form using a third-party software for students to use to vote in the election.

The Program Director and other faculty will be given time to review and approve the nominees before elections are open.

Elections Process

Once the nominees have been approved by the program, SS Specialists will send an email to the cohort to open elections and distribute the leadership candidate presentation. Elections will remain open until everyone in the cohort has voted. SS Specialists will monitor how many students have voted and will send email reminder(s) until all of the votes are received. All votes will be kept anonymous.

In the event of a tie, a tiebreaker election will occur.

Once all of the votes are received, the results will be sent to the Program Director for final approval. If the results are approved, SS Specialists will announce the new class leadership to the cohort, current class leaderships for the program, the Registrar’s office, and University Administration via email. SS Specialists will also manage the creation of a new class leadership directory and a new email group for the leadership.

NEW LEADERSHIP ORIENTATION

Once the new leadership has been created, SS Specialists will contact the new leadership and set up a time for a new leadership orientation. During orientation, SS will go over the shared Google Drive for the leadership, bylaws,

funds, student-led savings account, and individual roles of each leadership member. SS will also share this handbook with the new leadership. New class leaders will also have the opportunity to ask questions and are recommended to

start creating a mission statement for their leadership.

All new leaders must review and sign the bylaws.

GOOGLE DRIVE

A Google Drive will be created for each new class leadership and shared with all members and Student Services Specialists. The Drive will include the following folders and files:

Funds

• List of Fundraising Restaurants (Google Doc)

• Fundraising Request Form (PDF)

• Student Fundraising Policy 5013 (PDF)

• Student Services Budget Allocations (Google Sheet)

• Student Funds Request Form Links (Google Doc)

Meeting Minutes

• Meeting Minutes - Agenda Template (Google Doc)

◦ Make a copy of this agenda for each leadership meeting

Class Leadership Directories, Policies, Handbooks, Bylaws, Style Guide

• Updated Bylaws (PDF)

• 5058 Student Conduct and Behavior (PDF)

• RMU Style Guide (PDF)

• 2021-2022 University Handbook (PDF)

• 5210 Official Online Communication Policy (PDF)

◦ Please refer to this policy for the social media policy.

• Other policies and handbooks as assigned by the program

This Google Drive was created for your specific leadership group. You are welcome to upload and rearrange the files in your drive as you see fit.

BYLAWS

The bylaws for class leaderships outline the rules and regulations adopted by each program for cohort leadership groups.

Bylaws must be signed upon formation of a new class leadership and after each annual review. Bylaws will be sent to all current class leaderships each year for revisions and new signatures. Each current class leadership member must sign the updated bylaws each year.

Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds favorable vote by all class leaderships in the program, with final approval from the Faculty Liaison and the Student Services Office. Any member of the class leadership may present suggested revisions or amendments to their class leadership during leadership meetings. An updated copy of the bylaws will be kept in all class leadership Google Drives for reference.

MEETINGS

Didactic Phase

During the didactic phase of your program, your leadership group is required to meet at least once per month. Attendance is required by all class leaders, the Student Services Specialists, and the Faculty Liaison. You can reserve conference rooms for meetings on campus by request through your Program Coordinators, the Faculty Liaison, or Student Services Specialists. Your leadership can schedule additional meetings as needed. Meetings can be held in person or online at a time convenient for the leadership.

Clinical Phase

During the clinical phase of your program, your leadership group is required to meet at least once a semester. Attendance is required by all class leaders, and meeting minutes must be shared with your Faculty Liaison, the Student Services Specialists, and your cohort. Your leadership can schedule additional meetings as needed. Meetings can be held online at a time convenient for the leadership.

The purpose of meeting semesterly during the clinical phase of your program is to

keep your pulse on the cohort and bring any concerns or referrals to the Student Services office and your Faculty Liaison. After each meeting during your clinical phase, your Secretary will be responsible for sending a report of the meeting to the Student Services office and your Faculty Liaison as well as sharing the meeting minutes with the rest of your cohort (see “Meeting Minutes”). If there are questions and concerns that come up during the meeting, the class president will be responsible for setting an appointment with the Student Services Specialist to discuss them.

Meeting Minutes

The Secretary will take minutes at each class leadership meeting. Your class leadership will vote to approve the minutes of each meeting. All meeting minutes must be located in an accessible archive that is shared with the cohort, class leadership members, Faculty Liaison, the Associate Director of Student Services, and the Student Support Specialists. Meeting minutes can be shared with the rest of your cohort through one of the following channels:

• Create an additional shared Google Folder (shared with the entire cohort, Faculty Liaison, and the SS Office) in your Drive where you can upload a copy of completed meeting minutes

• Send the meeting minutes in an email to the entire cohort, Faculty Liaison, and SS Office

• Send a cohort newsletter that includes the meeting minutes to the entire cohort, Faculty Liaison, and SS Office

Leadership members are required to attend all scheduled leadership meetings and engage in active communication flow as cohort representatives. If a meeting absence is necessary, the leadership member must notify the class President.

COMMITTEE FORMATION

Your leadership can create committees to fulfill additional needs for support with leadership initiatives (i.e. PA week committee, cohort newsletter committee, Blood drive committee etc). Once the need/initiative has been met, the committee can be dissolved.

Any leadership member may submit a request to form a new committee. The committee’s formation must be approved by a two-thirds majority of the leadership. All committees must have at least three members, with one of the members acting as the committee chair. There is no limit to how many members the committee may have.

FUNDS

Through Student Affairs, your cohort leadership is allocated a specific amount of funds per semester for Social, Service, Professional Development, and Wellness activities during the didactic phase of your program. These activities must benefit the entire cohort, meaning that all students in the cohort must be invited to participate.” As part of the Student Services internal approval process, funds must be used for the intended purpose of allotment (i.e. professional development funds may not be used for social/service activities and vice versa) and must benefit the entire cohort and not specific individuals. Any intended use of funds outside of their designated purpose needs prior approval by Student Services and a unanimous vote by the cohort through a third-party form created by Student Services Specialists. Your cohort should connect with Student Services Specialists to verify proper usage of social/service and professional development funds.

Student funds are allocated for the current year only. Funds may roll over each month but do not roll over into the following year (i.e. unused 2022 funds will not roll over to 2023). At the start of each new year during the didactic phase of your program, the class leadership treasurer

should obtain a new budget from the Student Services Office.

Funds are not budgeted, allocated, or accrued when a cohort is out on clinical rotations.

MPAS Only: For information on the RMUoHP PA Foundation funds, please refer to Article VI in the PA Student Society Policy/Procedures document for additional information, as it pertains to Finances. Contact Lauren Stanford or Vic Morris, the Senior Director of the RMU Foundation, at victor.morris@rm.edu with any questions.

Funds Request Process

Usage of Student Affairs funds for cohort activities, initiatives, or professional development requires prior approval via Student Services personnel. Notification of approval must be received prior to the event or initiative.

Pre-Approval

The cohort treasurer or another member of the leadership must complete this form while your leadership is planning an activity or initiative and before any purchases have been made. You will

receive an email from a Student Services representative letting you know if the use of funds is approved or if additional information is needed. Once the activity or initiative has been approved, the leadership may move forward with the event and make approved purchases.

Direct Deposit Reimbursement

The member of the leadership who made approved purchases must complete this form so that Student Services can request a reimbursement from the Finance Office. Make sure to save your receipts from all purchases and attach them as you are filling out the form. Student Services will request a reimbursement from the Finance Office and contact the student once the Finance Office has completed the reimbursement.

Fundraising

The funds available through Student Affairs may not cover expenses for all events and activities planned for each cohort. Therefore, student leaderships are welcome to participate in fundraisers to raise additional funds for their cohort.

If you would like to have a fundraiser for your class leadership, please refer

to the Student Fundraising Policy 5013 in your leadership Google Drive. This policy explains all procedures you must follow for your fundraiser. There is also a list of Fundraising Restaurants in your leadership Google Drive that you can use for ideas.

Once you have reviewed the Fundraising Policy, please fill out the Fundraising Request Form that is also in your leadership Google Drive. This form must be completed by a member of the class leadership and signed by two student class leaders, your Faculty Liaison, your

Program Director, and the Associate Director of Student Services.

Budget Sheet & Activity Recording

After the use of Student Affairs funds for a leadership activity or initiative, please work with your class leadership’s treasurer to update the budget sheet that is in your Class Leadership Drive. Make sure to indicate the amount used, the type of funds used (social, service, or professional development), and the number of people from your cohort who

attended or participated. This will help your leadership keep track of how many funds you have left for the year, and it will help the Student Services team evaluate how effectively your cohort funds are being used.

PLANNING COHORT ACTIVITIES

Your cohort leadership has the opportunity to plan cohort activities and initiatives surrounding the following topics, which relate to specific leadership positions:

• Social

• Service

• Professional Development

• Wellness

• Diversity

Every time your cohort wants to plan an activity or initiative, please connect with Student Services and your faculty liaison to make sure that the activity correlates with your leadership purpose and to make sure that you go through all of the proper channels to plan and organize the activity.

University Contacts

In addition to Student Services and your faculty liaison, you may need to contact different departments to get approval and support for your activity. Anytime you need to contact anyone in a university department, please make sure to contact the SS team first to make sure that your request will go to the right person. In addition, when using email, please cc sss@rm.edu so that the department is

aware that you have been in touch with the SS team and so that the SS team can follow up with the department if you do not hear back from them.

As a best practice, please remember to be professional and detailed in your communication with university staff to ensure that any support or resources you need for your activity are available when you need them. Also, make sure to give university departments ample time to meet your request for an activity. Please see the sections below for specific instructions and timelines for each department.

Student Services

Remember to contact the SS team first when you are planning an activity, either during your leadership meeting or via email or in-person meeting. If you need to use funds for your activity, please fill out our event pre-approval form (see “Funds Request Process”) so that your activity can be approved before you make any purchases. SS will also help you coordinate who else in the university needs to be contacted about your event.

Reserving a Classroom

To reserve a classroom for your activity, please make sure to coordinate with your program coordinator if you will be using a classroom that is regularly used by your program. If you need to reserve a room on campus that is not used by your program, email registrar@rm.edu to make a reservation.

Operations

To request any university equipment, such as tables or opening a divider between classrooms, you will need to contact the Operations department. The best way to contact them is to email opshelp@rm.edu, which will create a ticket for Operations in the university ticketing system.

IT

For any technology needs, if you will be holding your activity in a room on campus, please contact the IT department by emailing ithelp@rm.edu, which will create a ticket for IT in the university ticketing system.

University Marketing & Communications

Planning University Events

Events that only include your cohort or program will need to be approved by Student Services.

Events that include students and university personnel outside of your program and/or external guests need to be approved by Student Services and University Events 90 days in advance. To request university events approval, email events@rm.edu.

University Events reserves the right to deny requests not submitted within 90 days or those that do not abide by RMU values. University Events also has the right to suggest edits or make changes to better align your event with RMU values.

University Event Request

To submit a university event request, email events@rm.edu. Please use the subject line: University Event Request; [your event name]. The request should include the following:

• Your Name

• Your Cohort

• Your Contact Information

• General Event Description

• Event Date

• Time

• Location

• Audience

• Budget

• Purpose of Event

• Desired Outcome of Event

• Any additional information that you feel needs to be included

University Event Materials

Once an event is approved, you may submit a request to borrow University branded materials if needed.

To do so, please go the UMC Help Desk and click on the Branded Materials Request form. When submitting a request please indicate which items you would like to borrow and the date range that you will be in possession of it. If items are available during your requested dates, you will recieve confirmation with steps on how to pickup and return your items.

Please note, any items found damaged or broken upon return will be replaced at the expense of the borrowing program or department’s expense. If you borrow tablecloths, they must be dry-cleaned before being returned.

UMC reserves the right to reject requests if materials are returned broken or if the

date range conflicts with other University events.

University Event Marketing

All events should be marketed for a minimum of two weeks prior to an event. Larger events must be marketed four weeks prior to an event.

Cohort Only Event Marketing Materials

Marketing materials for events that include only your cohort may be selfmade. However, these materials will still need to follow the RMU Style Guide and be approved by UMC.

To request approval of self-made materials, please submit a branding request through the UMC Help Desk. Upon submission, it may be requested to re-design or edit the artwork before approval is given. For flyers, once the design is approved, the UMC department will put the appropriate RMU logo on the flyer. The design may then be used and printed if applicable.

The review process typically takes two business days. Please submit designs ahead of time to account for any adjustments or revisions that may need to be made in order to meet branding quality standards.

External Event Marketing Materials

Marketing materials for events that include RMU students and employees outside of your program and/or external guests must be designed by UMC.

Once an event is approved, submit a Graphic Design Request to have marketing materials made to help market your event. Graphic design requests take 10 business days for a project to be completed. It may take longer depending on the scope of your project and the number of revisions that need to be made.

News on Loos

Events that include RMU students and faculty outside of your cohort may be marketed through the bathroom newsletter News on Loos.

If you would like your event marketed through this channel, please indicate this on your graphic design request.

Please note, News on Loos publications are printed bi-weekly. Materials must be completed prior to our print deadline in order to be included. Allotted space for News on Loos is on a first-come first-serve basis. However, UMC reserves the right to select the final content for News on Loos.

Digital Signage

Events that include RMU students, employees, and/or external guests may be

marketed through the University digital signage.

If you would like your event marketed through this channel, please indicate this on your graphic design request. Digital signage is updated every week.

Apparel or Swag Requests

With approval from SS, cohorts may request and purchase cohort specific or general RMU branded apparel or swag.

RMU Branded Swag & Apparel

When ordering materials that require ONLY the RMU logo please follow the instructions below.

Once, approval has been granted from SS, cohort leadership will reach out to an approved RMU vendor. All swag items must be purchased through an approved vendor only. A list of approved vendors and their specialities can be found in the RMU Style Guide. If you have questions regarding vendors, please email mckinsey.kaanapu@rm.edu.

When working with a vendor, please determine which item you would like the RMU logo printed on. Please keep in mind that different items may require different logos based on the print size. RMU logos can be printed in full color and one color variations. One-color variations are often

more affordable but your vendor will be able to give you pricing information on the number of colors printed.

Once an item has been decided upon, please send an email that includes both mckinsey.kaanapu@rm.edu and the vendor asking for brand approval. The vendor will then send a mockup to UMC for approval. Once approval has been given, your item will be printed and delivered as arranged with your vendor.

Please note that ordering items may take several weeks and many vendors are still experiencing supply chain issues. Please plan accordingly.

Specialized Cohort Branded Materials

When ordering materials that require a specialized design or anything more than the RMU logo, please follow the steps below.

Once approval has been granted from SS, cohort leadership will reach out to an approved RMU vendor. A list of approved vendors and their specialities can be found in the RMU Style Guide. All swag Items must be purchased through an approved vendor only. If you have questions regarding vendors please email mckinsey.kaanapu@rm.edu.

When working with a vendor, please determine which item you would like to

order. For specialized items, the logo must still be present on the item in addition to the custom design. For instance, a custom shirt would include a customized design on the front of the shirt and the RMU logo on the sleeve. Please keep in mind that the cost often increases based on the number of print areas on an item. The cost also increases based on the number of colors being printed. RMU logos can be printed in full color and one color variations. Onecolor variations are often more affordable but your vendor will be able to give you pricing information on the number of colors printed.

Once an item has been determined, please submit a Graphic Design Request to begin your custom design. In the request, please include the vendor you are working with, a screenshot of the product, a description of the product, and the sizing restrictions from the vendor.

A graphic design request typically takes 10 business days but may take longer depending on the scope of the design, number of revisions, and your level of responsiveness.

Once a design has been approved, UMC will send the design to the vendor and request a mock-up of the item. Approval will need to be given by UMC before the item is printed. Once approval has been

given, your item will be printed and delivered as arranged with your vendor.

Please note that ordering items may take several weeks and many vendors are still experiencing supply chain issues. Please plan accordingly.

Swag Fundraisers

Cohorts may purchase swag or apparel for fundraisers. This process happens on a case-by-case basis and must be planned a minimum of 4 months in advance. If you would like to do so, please send an email to store@rm.edu.