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CollegeCouncilsGuide
Leadershipbased on Charity,Unity and Fraternity
The College Councils Guide is a quick reference specifically designed for college councils.This book also serves as a resource for state deputies, district deputies and other fraternalleaders who interact with college councils.
The College Councils Guide does not replace existing leadership resources, but insteadshould be used as a supplement regarding issues specific to Knights of Columbus collegecouncils.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
College Councils Overview........................................................... 5
Financial Matters........................................................................... 9
Fraternal Matters......................................................................... 13
General Matters ........................................................................... 19
Development of College Councils .............................................. 23
College Councils Conference...................................................... 27
The Fraternal Year ...................................................................... 31
Definition of a College CouncilA college council is a Knights of Columbussubordinate unit formed at a college oruniversity to meet the needs of the stu-dents and their campus community. Atleast 50 percent of membership should beuniversity students, although faculty andcommunity members may join. Officerroles should be filled by students. At times,alumni or community members may serveas trustees.
Seminarian CouncilsCouncils at seminaries (“seminariancouncils”) are classified as college councilsand fall under the management of theCollege Councils Department. In additionto the college council program benefits,seminarian councils are currently exemptfrom all Supreme Council assessments.State councils are encouraged to consideradopting the same policy.
If a council is not located at a seminary, itis not considered a seminarian council,regardless of whether or not it hasseminarian members. Councils in thissituation should continue to recruitseminarians as they are the futurechaplains of our Order.
College Councils DepartmentThe Supreme Council’s College CouncilsDepartment oversees the Order’s collegecouncils program and annually organizesthe College Councils Conference. TheCollege Councils Department can becontacted by calling (203) 752–4671 oremailing [email protected].
The College Councils Department shouldbe contacted for any questions related to existing college councils or the de-velopment of new or inactive collegecouncils. In addition to answeringquestions and providing guidance, theCollege Councils staff annually visitsabout 50 college campuses to assist inleadership training and council devel-opment. Jurisdictions may request a staffmember visit by contacting the CollegeCouncils Department.
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College Councils Overview
State College Councils CoordinatorThe Supreme Council encourages eachstate deputy to appoint a college councilscoordinator for his jurisdiction, even if hisjurisdiction currently has no active collegecouncils. The state deputy should notifythe College Councils Department of hisappointment no later than July 31. Thestate college councils coordinator shouldnot be a current student, but ideallyshould have experience as a member of acollege council. The state college councilscoordinator should work to:
o Communicate regularly with the grand knights, financial secretaries and district deputiesof college councils within hisjurisdiction
o Provide assistance in the development of new and inactive college councils
o If possible, visit each collegecouncil once per fraternal yearfor a meeting or event
o Serve as a liaison between thestate council and SupremeCouncil staff regarding collegecouncils and developing collegecouncils within yourjurisdiction
o Consider hosting a weekend training session (State College Councils Conference) for college councils in your jurisdiction
District Deputies for CollegeCouncilsState deputies should assign collegecouncils to a nearby district containingtraditional councils, rather than collec-tively grouping them into a single “collegecouncils” district. This allows collegecouncils to join in district activities withintheir community. Additionally, it will givecollege students the chance to becomefamiliar with the parish council ex-perience, which they will be a part of aftergraduation.
College Councils HistoryThe college councils program began withthe establishment of Council 1477 at theUniversity of Notre Dame in 1910. NotreDame students, who were members of thelocal Santa Maria Council 553, exploredthe idea of a separate council on theschool’s campus that could directlyaddress the needs of the student members.Despite an initial concern about theconstant turnover of college students, theSupreme Council chartered the counciland thus began the long legacy of collegeKnights.
It took time for the newly approvedprogram to grow. Nine years passed beforethe second college council, Council 1965,formed at Mount Saint Mary College inMaryland. It took an additional 27 yearsfor the college councils program to expandto public schools, the first of which wasCouncil 2782 at the University of Illinois,Urbana-Champaign, in 1937.
This slow growth continued until the1960s. By the end of that decade, therewere over 60 college councils Orderwide.
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The 1960s also saw the expansion of theollege program to both Mexico and PuertoRico.
As the college program grew, BostonCollege Council 5278 recognized the needfor college Knights to meet and discuss the unique circumstances they faced on campus. This realization led BostonCollege to host the first College CouncilsConference in the spring of 1966. This firstconference brought together students from11 different campuses. The conference alsoestablished the first College CouncilCoordinating Committee to plan thesubsequent conference for March of 1967.
In the months leading up to the secondconference, the committee enlisted thesupport of the Supreme Council. SupremeKnight John McDevitt responded to thisrequest and named Deputy SupremeKnight Charles Ducey a delegate andconsultant to the conference and the collegeprogram. The Supreme Council continuedto support the conference for the next threeyears as it was hosted by councils at NiagaraUniversity, the University of Notre Dameand the University of Dallas. In 1970, theSupreme Council assumed a larger role in
organizing the conference and moved it toNew Haven, Conn., where it has beencontinuously held each year.
In the 1990s, the Supreme Council lookedfor ways to further involve college Knightswithin the global Church community. In1997, the Supreme Council invited agroup of college leaders to attend WorldYouth Day in Paris as pilgrims. Since then,the Supreme Council has organized pil-grimages for college Knights to attendWorld Youth Days in Rome (2000),Toronto (2002), Cologne (2005), Sydney(2008) and Madrid (2011). In both Sydneyand Madrid the Supreme Councilsponsored English-language catechesisand youth festival events, which were runin part by college Knights.
In recent years, the college councilsprogram has seen tremendous growthunder the leadership of Supreme KnightCarl Anderson. Since 2000 the collegecouncils program has doubled in sizethroughout the world. At present there areover 320 college councils at colleges anduniversities in the United States, Canada,Mexico, Puerto Rico, the DominicanRepublic and the Philippines.
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Supreme AssessmentsSupreme assessments are billed twice ayear, on Jan. 1 and July 1. Your council has100 days to submit payment in full. Yourcouncil should make checks payable to“Knights of Columbus Supreme Council”and mail them to:
Knights of Columbus – Council AccountsP.O. Box 1480New Haven, CT 06506-1480
Supreme assessments consist of a SupremeCouncil per capita assessment ($3.50 peryear, $1.75 each assessment), a CatholicAdvertising fee ($1.00 per year, 50 centsper assessment) and a Culture of Lifeassessment ($2.00 per year, $1.00 perassessment). Per Capita and CatholicAdvertising are assessed to each Associate,Insurance, and Inactive Insurance mem-ber except for Honorary Life andDisability members. The Culture of Lifeassessment is assessed to each Associateand Insurance member except Honorary,Honorary Life, and Disability members.Inactive insurance members are alsoexempt from the Culture of Lifeassessment.
Councils who do not make timely percapita payments (by April 10 and Oct. 10,respectively) will be suspended. How-ever, a council will not be suspended for nonpayment of its Culture of Lifeassessment.
Per Section 37, Article 2 of the Charter,Constitution and Laws of the Order, collegecouncils receive a 50 percent rebate on all per capita assessments received by the Supreme Council. This rebate is to be used toward Catholic or fraternalprogramming with the approval of yourcouncil’s chaplain. Your council shouldreport the use of these funds to theSupreme Council via an email [email protected] prior to the end of eachfraternal year. Rebate checks for theprevious fraternal year will be distributedin the following fall.
State Assessments College councils fall under the governanceof the state council in the jurisdiction thatthe school is established. As such, they aresubject to any assessments levied byindividual state councils (including percapita taxes, chapter fees, conference fees,etc.) and responsible for making any
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Financial Matters
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payments required. Some state councilshave adopted the Supreme Council'spractice of offering rebates. While theSupreme Council offers a return of 50percent, it is up to each state council todecide if it will rebate payments of collegecouncils.
Council Bank AccountYour council should establish a bankaccount for depositing dues and any other monies raised from events andfundraisers. In most cases, an EmployerIdentification Number (EIN) will berequired to open a bank account. Forquestions about this, see the Tax/EINCompliance section of this guide.
Some universities may require studentgroups to maintain a bank account throughthe university. This option may be moreappealing, as it can help your council avoid
banking fees. Please note, even if yourcouncil maintains a bank account throughyour college or university, it must stillobtain an EIN from, and annually file areturn with, the Internal Revenue Service(IRS).
TAX/EIN Compliance (U.S. Only)The Internal Revenue Service (IRS)requires the Supreme Council and each ofits subordinate units in the United Statesto file an annual informational tax return(IRS Form 990, 990EZ or 990N). Byannually filing this informational taxreturn, councils can retain their IRS statusas “fraternal lodges” under Section501(c)(8)1 of the Internal Revenue Code.This distinction means that revenuesreceived by a council for fraternal, recre-ational or charitable purposes are notsubject to federal income tax.
In order to be recognized as a tax exemptentity under Section 501(c)(8), yourcouncil must do three things to complywith the IRS filing requirement:
1)Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS
2)Register your council’s EIN with the Supreme Advocate’s office
3)File an annual return with the IRS
Your council needs its own EIN and can-not file under the EIN of your NewmanCenter or university.
If your council is unfamiliar with thisprocess or unsure of your tax ex-empt status, please contact the College Councils Department at (203) 752-4671 [email protected].
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1 Donations made to 501(c)(8) organizations are not tax deductible under IRS guidelines. Individuals may still donate to your council, however, they cannot write this donation off on their personal taxes. The council should not issue letters to council benefactors regarding tax write-offs.
Financial SecretariesThe financial secretary of a college council should be a faculty member or permanent member of the localcommunity; at no point should thefinancial secretary be an undergraduate.This practice provides continuity andoversight in maintaining your council’sroster. Additionally, as a staff or facultymember (or as a member of the com-munity), the financial secretary can serveas a liaison between your council and yourschool’s administration.
The Financial Secretary AppointmentDepartment reviews all financial secretarynominations for the Supreme Knight. It isrecommended that your council refrainfrom nominating graduate students orchaplains to serve in this role.
Election of OfficersAnnually, each council must hold anelection of officers, ideally in the springsemester, between March and May. Thisallows the new officers an opportunity toplan for the next fraternal year duringsummer break.
As soon as elections are held, your councilshould report new officers to the SupremeCouncil by submitting the Report ofOfficers Chosen for the Term (#185) or byhaving your financial secretary update therecords on the Member Managementapplication located in Officers Online.Additionally, once elections have beenmade, the newly elected grand knightshould make his chairman appointments.Your financial secretary should help himreport these appointments by submittingthe Service Program Personnel Report(#365) or by updating the records on theMember Management application locatedin Officers Online.
After elections are held, the previous year’sofficers should train the newly-electedofficers in their roles and responsibilities.Your council should also work with yourdistrict deputy to schedule an Installationof Officers ceremony prior to summerdismissal or at the start of the fall semester.An Installation of Officers ceremony is apublic event, and the council shouldschedule this when the Catholic campuscommunity can participate. Most councilshold the ceremony after an evening Massfollowed by a dinner.
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Fraternal Matters
Recruiting New MembersYour council should constantly andconsistently recruit new members in orderto sustain council growth and combatturnover due to graduation. Although thebeginning of each semester offers the bestopportunity to recruit new brotherKnights, your council should always beinviting new men to join.
All Knights of Columbus councils areassigned a yearly membership quota, butmost college councils cannot sufficientlyprepare for turnover by only meeting theirquota. In order to adequately prepare for the void left by graduating seniors,your council should, at minimum, recruit10 new Knights each fraternal year.Recruiting 10 new Knights can provideenough new members to fill officerpositions, but recruiting 20 or moremembers each year allows your council tobest serve the needs of your campuscommunity.
Supreme Knight Carl Anderson hasreminded us repeatedly that we have amoral obligation to offer membership to all qualified Catholic men. Councilofficers, together with your chaplain,should identify prospective Knights in the Catholic community and invite themto participate in your council’s charitableactivities and spiritual programs. Joiningyour council is an excellent way for menwho are not actively part of the Catholiccommunity to reengage with theirChristian faith.
Conducting a Membership DriveWeek-long membership drives are suc-cessful recruiting initiatives for mostcollege councils. These recruitment weeksuse a variety of events to high-light themission and purpose of the Knights ofColumbus. These drives can be heldanytime, but most prospective membersshow an interest in joining at thebeginning of the fall and spring semesters.
Membership drives usually begin with anannouncement after weekend studentMasses. Your council should request yourchaplain’s permission to make a briefannouncement describing your counciland mentioning the events of theupcoming recruiting week at the end ofMass. Throughout the week, host eventsto introduce prospective members to yourcouncil. Plan to hold at least one eventthat addresses the main facets of ourOrder: faith, service and fraternity. Theseevents can be simple, such as praying arosary or attending daily Mass for a faithactivity, or having a group dinner as ashow of fraternity. At the end of the week,your council should conduct a FirstDegree to officially bring these men intoyour council. Finally, a few days after the First Degree, your council should hold another event to build upon the momentum created during themembership drive.
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A) Transfer to a new council.Life after graduation is filled withmany opportunities — graduateschool, a career, service work, etc.Wherever life takes a graduate, theKnights of Columbus will be there.Graduates should consider trans-ferring their membership to a localcouncil in their new community.Graduates can find a new council byusing the Find A Council tool onkofc.org. Your college council shouldassist its graduating members inlocating these councils, by reachingout to the GK/FS of the potential new council, and transferring theirmembership.
B) Remain in your college council.For some graduates, their immediatepost graduate life is transient — theytravel often, rotate through differentlocations or spend time abroad. Forthese individuals, settling down in alocal parish is not possible. Thesebrothers may wish to retain theirmembership in your college council. Ifa brother wishes to do this, yourcouncil needs to obtain his updatedcontact information (address and per-manent non-school email address).Your council should also consideroffering him the opportunity to payadvanced dues.
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Graduating Seniors Unlike traditional college fraternities, membership in the Knights of Columbus is not limited to one’s undergraduate years — rather, the Knights of Columbus offers alifetime membership experience. Upon graduating from college, all Knights have acouple options:
1) Identify your council’s graduatingmembers, and send a list of their names tothe Supreme Council by March 1.
2) Meet with each graduating senior todiscuss options for his post-collegiatemembership experience. Assist in trans-ferring his membership, or update hiscontact information should he wish toremain in your college council.
3) Record a non-school email address foreach graduating member. By keeping trackof alumni, your council can keep themengaged in council activities, solicit themfor financial support, and invite them to alumni events associated with home-coming or council anniversaries.
4) Celebrate your graduating seniors byholding a council banquet in their honoror giving them a specialized gift, such as acustom council graduation stole.
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Each spring every council should take the following steps to help their graduatestransition.
Council Activity: The Path to Star CouncilThe Star Council Award recognizesthose councils that best exemplifyFather McGivney’s vision. Every collegecouncil should set its yearly goals onearning the Star Council Award. In orderto earn the award, your council must:
o Achieve 100 percent of yourassigned membership quota
o Achieve 100 percent of yourassigned insurance quota
o Complete the Service Program Personnel Report (#365)
o Complete the Annual Survey of Fraternal Activity (#1728) by Jan. 31
o Complete the Columbian AwardApplication (#SP-7) by June 30
o Be in good standing as of June 30
For additional information on earning theStar Council Award, refer to the Knights ofColumbus Leadership Resources booklet(#5093).
Councils can start the path to earning StarCouncil status by holding four events amonth: a monthly business meeting, aservice event, a faith formation event anda fraternal/social event. Once your councilbecomes accustomed to this structure itcan begin to hold events more frequently.
Most successful college councils hold twoevents per week. Some of these eventsinvolve little planning, such as attendingdaily Mass on Wednesdays or having acouncil dinner on Thursdays, while otherevents involve more planning such asspending a Saturday hiking or cooking ameal at a local soup kitchen. Regular andstructured activity creates an attractivefraternal experience that will bring moremen into your council and keep currentmembers engaged.
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Naming of College CouncilsNew college councils should name theircouncil after their college or university(e.g. Notre Dame Council 1477). Thisallows for easy identification and helpsmembers to identify with the legacy oftheir school’s council.
At times, a college or university maychange its name to better address itsmission and purpose. In this situation,college councils that wish to change theircouncil name to reflect their campus namechange may do so by submitting a requestto the College Councils Department.
Permanent Council MailboxThe College Councils Department sendsmaterials to college councils throughoutthe year, including copies of the CollegeCouncils Newsletter, recruiting materials,and information about upcoming eventsand programs. College councils shouldmaintain a permanent address, such as aP.O. Box at the campus post office or a boxat the Campus Ministry Office/NewmanCenter, where these materials can be sentand easily accessed by the councilleadership. If your council's permanentaddress is changed at any time, pleasereport its new address to the College
Councils Department by [email protected].
Supply OrdersCollege councils receive free fraternalsupplies. In order to take advantage of this benefit, your council must send a completed Requisition (#1) [email protected] to be reviewed by theCollege Council Coordinator. Collegecouncils who submit orders directly to theSupply Department or order online viaknightsgear.com will be charged as aregular council. Shipping charges stillapply to college councils.
College MaterialsIn order to aid your college council, theSupreme Council has prepared speciallydesigned materials for promotion of yourcouncil on campus. For a complete listingof college council promotional materials,please visit kofc.org/college. These itemscan be ordered by completing a Requisition(#1) and sending it to the College CouncilsDepartment at [email protected].
College Councils NewsletterThe College Councils Newsletter is abimonthly publication of the CollegeCouncils Department. Each issue includes
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General Matters
information on upcoming national andregional events for college Knights,practical information for grand knightsand other college fraternal leaders, andspotlights on the activities of collegecouncils across the continent.
The College Councils Department isconstantly looking for news articles andstudent writers for the College CouncilsNewsletter. If your council has a story thatit would like to share, or if any studentswish to be contributors, please contact the College Councils Department [email protected]. When submitting stories,be sure to include the who, what, whereand when of the event, as well as anyphotos.
Additionally, there may be opportuni-ties for the Supreme Council to sendphotographers and/or a video crew toyour school to cover a major program
conducted by your council. For consid-eration, send information regarding thefuture event to the College CouncilsDepartment.
College Councils Advisory BoardThe College Councils Advisory Board isappointed to represent the needs andinterests of college Knights, to adviseSupreme Council headquarters’ staff onnew strategic initiatives, and to assist inthe planning and organization of theannual College Councils Conference.
In order to represent the diversity of the college program, the Supreme Councildesires Advisory Board members fromboth public and private (Catholic andnon-Catholic) schools. Regionally diverserepresentation is also desired so thatAdvisory Board members can serve as aliaison between the Supreme Council andthe schools in their area.
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Members of the College Councils Ad-visory Board are exemplary Knights ofColumbus who have demonstrated leader-ship both in their college council and theircampus community. They are ambas-sadors of the Knights of Columbus collegecouncils program, and their conductshould model the high ideals and tra-ditions of the Order.
Applications for the College CouncilsAdvisory Board are available on theKnights of Columbus website, kofc.org/college, and are due annually on Nov. 30.Selected applicants are notified in Decem-ber, and their term lasts the length of thefollowing calendar year.
Members of the College Councils AdvisoryBoard are expected to:
o Offer recommendations andproposals for strategicinitiatives of the collegecouncils program
o Attend a weekend planning retreat in Connecticut during February or March
o Plan and present trainingworkshops during the CollegeCouncils Conference
o Serve as a regional liaison forcollege councils
o Serve as an ambassador for theKnights of Columbus SupremeCouncil
o Participate in periodic videoconferences
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Contacting the College CouncilsDepartmentThe development of new college councilsand the redevelopment of in-active collegecouncils is important for the continuedgrowth and success of the college councilsprogram. Students, chaplains and localKnights wishing to develop college coun-cils should first contact the CollegeCouncils Department for further details.Our college coordinators will be in touchto discuss next steps, review the formationprocess and answer questions. Followingan initial phone conference, the CollegeCouncils Department will send a de-velopment packet to aid in starting acollege council. This kit will includebrochures, posters and other supportmaterials that have proven successful inpast council developments.
Assigning a Council DevelopmentOrganizerThe state deputy should assign a districtdeputy or state college councils coordina-tor to continue planning and developmentfrom the local level. This appointedindividual will receive a New CouncilDevelopment Kit, which will containmaterials to continue the process ofdeveloping a college council. The College
Councils Department will continue tocoordinate with this individual through-out the council development process.
Establishing University ContactsWhen establishing a new council, youmust reach out to your campus ministryoffice and connect with your campuschaplain or ministers. The SupremeCouncil staff can send you materials toshare with them, and our coordinators areavailable by phone and email to answerany questions regarding how Knights of Columbus college councils operate.Students may also want to gather infor-mation from the university’s studentaffairs offices on how to become anofficially recognized campus organization.
Making a Pulpit AnnouncementThe best way to interest others in theformation of a council is to make anannouncement at weekend studentMasses. The chaplain’s permission shouldbe obtained for this. Also, if he is willing,ask him to encourage other men to join.Ideally, a student should make the an-nouncement, but if no students have yettaken the lead in council development, a local Knight or member of the statecouncil should speak. The announcement
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Development ofCollege Councils
should briefly explain the Knights ofColumbus as an international Catholicfraternity focused on charitable works, faithformation and support of the local campuscommunity. An organizational meetingshould be planned for the following week,and the time and place of their meetingshould be mentioned during the an-nouncement. The College CouncilsDepartment can provide materials to assistwith the pulpit announcement and infor-mational meeting.
Conducting an Informational andOrganizational MeetingFor the first informational meeting, amember of the College Councils Depart-ment or the state council leader-ship teamshould be in attendance. Additionally, thecampus chaplain and other campus min-isters should be present. All interested men(including members who are transferring)should fill out a Membership Document(#100) at this meeting, and a date for aFirst Degree Ceremonial should be set.
Growing Campus MembershipAll interested men should join the Orderas soon as possible. It is important tocontinue the momentum started by theinformational meeting and to furtherengage the prospective council leadershipand members. The council developmentorganizer assigned by the state deputyshould connect the students with anestablished local council to host a newmember initiation ceremony. Additionally,the local council can begin to mentor the new members who show interest inofficer positions.
Following the First Degree, interested menshould continue to meet and invite othersto join. Meetings should discuss how thecouncil will operate — who will constitutethe first group of officers; how the councilwill live out the principles of charity, unityand fraternity on campus; and when andwhere the council will meet. Continue toinclude the campus chaplain and stateleaders in these meetings.
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Checklist for Forming a CollegeCouncilIn order to be instituted as a new collegecouncil, you must:
o Complete a Notice of Institutionof New Council (#136)
o Have at least 20 men take their First Degree and complete their Membership Document (#100)
o Hold an Election of Officersand complete the Report ofOfficers Chosen for the Term(#185) and Service ProgramPersonnel Report (#365)
o Appoint a chaplain, ideally one associated with theuniversity/campus ministry
o Appoint a financial secretary by completing the Application for Appointment as Financial Secretary (#101) and Nomination for Appointment as Financial Secretary (#103)
Please note that the Financial Secretarycannot be a student but he should be afaculty or staff member of the campus or member of the community
All these materials should be scanned andsent to the College Councils Departmentat [email protected].
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College Councils ConferenceOverviewHeld annually since 1966, the CollegeCouncils Conference brings togethercollege Knights for a weekend of faith,fraternity and leadership development.The conference originally rotated betweencollege campuses, but eventually settled in New Haven, Conn., where it has beenheld since 1970. Attendees participate in adynamic program of inspiring speakers,networking opportunities, and breakoutsessions on membership and program-ming best practices. Every college councilis expected to send at least two studentrepresentatives to the conference.
College Conference Reimbursement RulesFor every active college council, theSupreme Council will provide travelstipends and waive the conference fee for:
o one student representative
o the council chaplain (or another priest representative)
o the financial secretary (in years when there is financial secretary training)
Earning Additional Student TravelStipends and Waiver of Conference FeeCollege councils have several oppor-tunities to earn a travel stipend and a waiver of the conference fee for a secondstudent representative. These will beawarded to councils that:
o Reach 200% NET of their membership quota
o Earn the Star Council Award
New or Reactivated Council BenefitsNewly formed or reactivated councils willautomatically be awarded travel stipendsand a waiver of the conference fees for twostudent representatives.
Roundtable BenefitsRoundtables at college campuses may beinvited to send two student representativesat the expense of the Supreme Council.This will be offered in those cases wherethere is an intent to form a new councilwithin the current fraternal year.
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College Councils Conference
Conference FeeCollege councils are billed a predeter-mined conference fee for each additionalrepresentative beyond those attendeeswaived by the Supreme Council. This feeincludes all lodging and meals and will bereflected in your council’s next billingstatement from the Supreme Office. Theamount of this fee will be announced eachyear with the opening of registration.
Conference Travel Stipends Each college council, based on distance to New Haven, Conn. (the conferencelocation), is quoted a stipend amount foreach attendee. This travel stipend shouldcover the majority of travel expensesincurred by your council’s attendees, in-cluding transportation fees, luggage fees,meals, etc. In many cases, booking travelin advance can reduce the total costsincurred by your attendees, and you may
be able to use the balance of your council’sstipend to cover additional students’ travel and/or conference fees. Informationregarding your council’s travel stipend willbe communicated to your grand knight in the late spring. Questions regarding a council’s travel stipend can be made by contacting the College CouncilsDepartment at (203) 752-4671 [email protected].
Following the conference, a reimburse-ment check will be sent to your collegecouncil via your financial secretary. Thetotal amount will reflect your council’sattendance at the conference. For example,if your council received a travel stipend of$600 and sent two students and yourfinancial secretary, your council wouldreceive a reimbursement check of $1800.College councils have the responsibility ofreimbursing their attendees as appropriate.
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Outstanding College Council AwardAnnually at the College Councils Conference, the Supreme Council recognizes theachievements of college councils over the previous fraternal year. Awards are given forthe most outstanding programs in each of the service categories (Church, Community,Council, Culture of Life, Family and Youth) and for the highest gains in membershipand insurance. The prestigious “Outstanding College Council Award” is awarded to thecollege council that best exemplifies the mission of the college program.
The Outstanding College Council Award application is your council’s opportunity toapply for these awards. Every college council is encouraged to apply. The application isavailable on the Knights of Columbus website, kofc.org/college, and is due by June 30.
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July – September
o Submit the Semi-Annual Council Audit (#1295) by Aug. 15o Conduct Installation of Officers
(if you have not already done so)o Conduct a membership recruiting driveo Conduct first officer meeting of the year
(should be held at least once a month)o Conduct first business meeting of the year
(should be held at least once a month)o Attend College Councils Conference (late September/early October)
October – December
o Submit Supreme Per Capita Assessment by Oct. 10o Advisory Board Applications due by Nov. 30 (see pages 20-21)o Submit the appropriate IRS Form 990 to IRS by Nov. 15
(if council uses fraternal year for finances)o Officers should finalize plans for spring semester
The Fraternal Year
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January – March
o Submit Annual Survey of Fraternal Activity (#1728) by Jan. 31o Conduct a membership recruiting driveo Participate in national or regional March for Life or related eventso Submit Semi-Annual Council Audit (#1295) by Feb. 15
April – June
o Submit Supreme Per Capita Assessment by April 10o Conduct Election of Officerso Submit the Report of Officers Chosen for the Term (#185) and the Service
Program Personnel Report (#365) o Conduct Installation of Officers for the next fraternal year
(either in spring or next fall)o Submit the appropriate IRS Form 990 to IRS by May 15
(if council uses calendar year for finances)o Submit Outstanding College Council Application by June 30o Submit Columbian Award Application (SP-7) by June 30o Officers should complete plans for fall semester
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Council Councils Department Contact Information
Mailing AddressCollege Councils Department1 Columbus Plaza, 18th FloorNew Haven, CT 06510-3326
Phone(203) 752–4671
Webwww.kofc.org/college
Social MediaEveryone who is involved in the work of college councilsis encouraged to follow our pages on social media. Theseare updated frequently to cover important informationon the college program and related events.
www.facebook.com/collegeknights
@collegekofc
@collegekofc
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