Campus Chapter Application - … · 9/7/2015 · Campus Chapter Application ... United Nations’ Development Programme Report which ... school and college students who travel to

Campus Chapter Application

Building Sustainable Solutions to Human Security Issues

© 2015, 7 Elements www.7elements.global 7e ChapterApp V2.4 Page 2 of 12

7e Chapter Application Overview and Directions

About 7e

7 Elements-DR (7e) is a registered Foundation in the Dominican Republic operating from 7e’s Indalo Lodge, Las Canas, DR. The organization conducts sustainable development projects carried out by high school students, college students and adult volunteers enrolled in 7e’s service-learning curriculum. 7e wishes to establish Chapters on college campuses, in high schools and among cadres of adults as its primary strategy for increasing the number of program participants and financial contributions for humanitarian projects.

Our name is derived from the 1994 United Nations’ Development Programme Report which sets out the 7 elements of human security: Economic, Environmental, Food, Health, Political, Personal and Community. Our belief is that these elements of security are interconnected; in order to successfully address one element, you must look at all causal factors of human vulnerability to successfully address the systemic problems of poverty. 7e has been successful in the Dominican communities we have served because of our strategy of integrating sustainable development interventions.

7e is actively seeking chapters and partner non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to help us help the disenfranchised poor of the world. We need chapters to provide volunteers and fundraising for our field development projects. We seek partnerships with other NGOs and institutions to bring expertise in specific areas to our multi-disciplined interventions.

We hope you will join us and form a chapter today. Let us show you how can help reduce the suffering of the world’s most disadvantaged citizens.

Volunteer

The majority of 7e’s volunteers are high school and college students who travel to our project sites for 10, 14 or 21-day service-learning programs. Student-volunteers work on a variety of projects, such as: reforestation, public health, school construction, water purification, fuel-efficient stoves, medical missions, organic food production, and more. 7e’s service-learning curriculum will train students in sustainability both in the field and short, daily class sessions. 7e’s dual-development process of community engagement places students and local residents side-by-side on projects supporting one another in the development of skills, knowledge and capacity.

Chapter Projects

7e college chapters may choose specific projects within one of the elements of human security, such as food security, health security, economic security, community security, etc., or choose to assist on projects of acute need. After completion of the application process 7e will submit a list of yearly projects we operate in underserved communities throughout Dominican Republic, Peru and Ecuador.

7e chapters commit to sending member teams at least once per year to work on project(s) at one of 7e’s communities. Members’ room and board is provided at 7e facilities. Typical 7e Campus Chapters are independent student-run, school-sanctioned campus organizations but, in special circumstances, may be organized semi-autonomously within larger organizations. However, 7e


requires that all Campus Chapters be recognized by their institution as a “7e Chapter.”

Building a Successful Chapter

✓ Colleagues with a shared interest – Strong chapters have a broad base of members sharing an interest in sustainable development. At least ten Charter Members are required to launch a 7e Chapter. Choose your Charter Members based on their leadership abilities and ability to recruit additional members with a diversity of backgrounds.

✓ Chapter ‘Sustainability’ – Your Chapter’s Charter Members can be your board of directors or a subset. Draft a simple set of by-laws, elect officers, and establish regular meeting dates for the board and the general membership. Your by-laws should comply with your school’s requirements for campus clubs and student organizations. The by-laws should outline a succession plan for election of the board and officers as students graduate. A recruiting strategy that attracts a mix of representation from each class is a key ingredient for Chapter sustainability. Recruiting underclassmen is a good way to ensure continuity of the chapter’s mission and future knowledge transfer while upper-classmen and graduate students are critical for providing mentoring and leadership as well as organizing service trips.

✓ Faculty Sponsors & School Recognition – Most schools require a faculty member to sponsor student groups in order to obtain official status as a chartered campus student organization. Contact your student services representative to learn your school’s requirements. Most schools provide their chartered student groups with important benefits such as: meeting rooms, a checking account, assistance with drafting by-laws and even office space. Charter Members should interview faculty members known to have an interest in international development and/or social programs as potential sponsors. Your faculty sponsor should be elected by a vote of the full board of directors from a final list of faculty nominees

✓ Fundraising and the 7e service-learning trip – 7e assumes that members join their Chapter to be active participants on a 7e service-learning trip; therefore, fundraising for the trip must be a Chapter priority in order to minimize members’ personal expenses.

The Chapter's minimum annual fundraising goal should be the total cost of the project based service-learning trip, excluding airfare. In addition to the fundraising goal, 7e will charge chapter members a per person per day (pppd) fee to cover the participants expenses while staying in the 7e facility (including lodging, meals, in-country transportation, and activities). The 7e Chapter Treasurers Manual includes a detailed explanation on how fundraising affects your service-learning project costs.

A Chapter’s fundraising program should use a variety of techniques: student events, 5k run, community events, crowdfunding, soliciting family & friends, recruiting corporate sponsors, etc. Use only approved 7e marketing materials and communications in your fundraising to ensure message integrity. Create fun events and incentives that recognize your members’ fundraising success. Be creative, talk to other campus organizations about their fundraising successes and failures and seek advice from your faculty sponsors.


7e Chapter Application Instructions

Applicants for recognition as a 7e College Chapter must be officially recognized as a student organization within 3 months of application date and provide 7e evidence of this endorsement and/or a copy of its endorsement application.

Applications must include the personal information and signatures of 10 Charter Members and at least 1 faculty sponsor.

Questions about this application and the completed application can be directed to: [email protected]

A. Applicant Information 1. Name of academic institution:

_

2. Permanent address of academic institution’s student services or foreign travel office:

Student services administrator:

Address

Primary Phone

Administrator email

City, State, Zip

Website

mailto:[email protected]


3. Student leader contact information 7e requires full endorsement and personal contact information from a minimum of two (2) student leaders to start a chapter. At least 8 additional Charter student members are required to endorse the application as well. Please provide contact information for the two principle student leaders as well as their leadership title, if decided. Student Leader 1 Name and Title Primary Phone

Address Email

City, State, Zip

Year in school Major Returning 7e Participant Y/N (year)?

Student Leader 2 Name and Title Primary Phone

Address Email

City, State, Zip


Student Leader 3 Name and Title Primary Phone

Address Email

City, State, Zip



B. Tell us about your Chapter Briefly answer the following questions: 1. Why are you interested in starting a 7e college chapter? Attach additional sheets if needed.

2. If your Chapter is interested in a specific discipline of development, such as: food, water,

engineering/construction, micro-finance/economic, health, etc. or has special capabilities that could help 7e match your Chapter with a specific project type, please provide a brief explanation.

3. Please list 2016 college break dates indicating a number in the margin your preferred priority

dates for the service trip(s).

Break Start date End date

Spring Break 2016

Summer 2016

Fall 2016

Winter recess 2016/17

Other 1 -

Other 2 -


4. Please provide the following. You may attach these items as an addendum—please write “see attached” below if you have attached additional documents.

❑ A schedule for planned regular and special meetings and/or events

❑ A preliminary budget showing fundraising goals and expected financial support of 7e projects

❑ A membership recruitment plan

❑ A copy of application documents filed with your institution for recognition as an official student organization on campus

List of documents to be submitted within 15 days of being approved as a 7e Chapter:

A list of all meetings held to date (among leaders and/or interested students) and schedule of upcoming meetings

❑ A copy of your bylaws. (You may draft your own or 7e can provide a sample set as a reference)

❑ Final budget as directed by 7e’s Chapter Treasurer’s Manual

C. Faculty Advisor Information 7e requires that a college chapter operate with the guidance of a Faculty Advisor, who must work at the same Institution, whenever required by university administration. The Faculty Advisor can be any professor, counselor or administrator selected by the students. He/she is considered a non-voting member of the chapter. The Faculty Advisor should be readily available to guide and help oversee the 7e Chapter.

If your university does not require a faculty advisor, please simply write N/A on the lines below. However, gaining the commitment of a faculty advisor is strongly encouraged for purposes of networking and support on campus.

Please complete the following for your Faculty Advisor(s).

Advisor 1 Advisor 2

Advisor Name

Title/Dept.

Email

Phone

Please have your chosen faculty advisor submit a letter of support outlining their intention to advise your 7e chapter (see Appendix A).

***The Faculty Advisor must conference with the 7e Chapter Liaison prior to the chapter receiving certification.***


D. Institutional Recognition

All 7e college chapters must register and receive recognition as an autonomous student organization through the appropriate student services office at their institution.

Recognition is not a prerequisite to apply for Chapter status with 7e; however, proof that the registration and approval process has begun is a requirement. Upon registering with the institution, the Chapter must open a Chapter-named checking account through the student services finance office or other financial organization approved by the school’s administration. The 7e Treasurer Handbook provides more information on handling Chapter finances.

If your Chapter is a sub-group or committee of a larger campus or national organization, please attach an additional page with information about the parent organization and describe the Chapter’s ability to operate autonomously for 7e within the larger organization.

Attach documentation showing your application and approval, if approved, as an officially recognized campus student organization.

© 2015, 7 Elements www.7elementsdr.org Page 9 of 12

E. Students Endorsements

7e requires full endorsement and contact information from 8 additional students in order to establish a chapter. Once the Chapter has been established, these students will grow and promote the chapter. Prior participation in the program is not required to endorse the chapter.

First Name Last Name Email address Year/Class Signature

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

© 2015, 7 Elements www.7elementsdr.org Page 10 of 12

F. Final Checklist

Please check that the following requirements have been completed. Completed student leader information section

Additional student sponsors, if applicable

General interest essay 1

Specific interest essay 2

Potential season for service learning trip, and school breaks, identified.

Attach documentation for application as an official student organization on campus.

A faculty advisor has been identified and has signed below.

Appropriate steps have been taken to register the college chapter as an official student organization through the university’s student organization office. Proof of initial registration is attached.

Charter member signatures

Student leader and faculty sponsor signatures (next page)

G. Application Approval and Chapter Agreement If your chapter application is approved, a Chapter Agreement will be sent to your chapter. The Chapter Agreement must be signed and returned to 7e before your chapter can be recognized as official.


Signatures I hereby acknowledge that I fully understand that the work of a 7e Chapter includes an international service trip, and requires a commitment to 7e advocacy and fundraising activities. I acknowledge as a student leader that I am responsible for maintaining regular communication with 7e staff, my Chapter’s Faculty Advisor and my campus’ student foreign travel authority within the policies and procedure of my university, as well as all local, state, and federal laws. I certify that the information I have provided in this application is truthful and accurate.


Appendix A: Faculty Advisor Acknowledgement

7e student chapters require dedicated faculty advisors that offer the below support:

● Provide Chapter Leadership to the students by acting as an advocate, recruiter, editor, and general supporter of chapter activities,

● Provide leadership to secure and protect funding and travel expenses, ● Facilitate the collaboration with students and community partners to design sustainable

projects, ● Be readily available to students to answer questions and provide guidance, ● Remain in regular communication with 7e, ● Remain informed of 7e policy and procedures, and ● Serve as a liaison between the chapter and the university administration

In 7e’s experience the most successful student chapters have faculty advisors that offer clear guidance but allow the students to provide the main leadership to the chapter. With this in mind, briefly describe the role you expect to play in the chapter.

As the proposed faculty advisor of a new student chapter, I acknowledge that the above is not an all-inclusive list and recognize the time commitment and effort required to be a successful faculty advisor.

______________________________________________________________________________Printed Name Title Department

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Campus Chapter Application - … · 9/7/2015 · Campus Chapter Application ... United Nations’ Development Programme Report which ... school and college students who travel to