Organizations and Clubs

New Organizations

Interested in starting a new organization?

If you have a special interest that you feel is not being represented by an existing organization on campus, you can apply to start your own club.

Consider the following:

How will you define your organization?
What will be your goals?
How would you accomplish these goals?
Do you have support from fellow students in this area of interest?
Do you believe these students would be interested in joining the newly formed organization?
Do you know of a University faculty or staff member that would be interested in serving as your advisor?
What is unique about this organization?
What benefits will this group offer to its members?
What type of commitment will members be required to make?
What will be the typical activities of the organization?

Organization Recognition Process

The purpose of the Recognized Student Organization (RSO) program is to connect, educate, support, partner, and protect Texas A&M at Qatar student organizations.

Each year all clubs and organizations are required to complete a recognition process in order to receive benefits given by the Department of Student Affairs.

1. If you have not done so already, create personal profile on OrgSync (This is mandatory for organization leaders as everything for organizations & submissions will be done through this website online) https://orgsync.com/register/communities/texas-am-university-at-qatar

2. For new organizations: click on the green “Register New Organization” button at the top of the page to begin the registration process. Returning organizations please go to SETTINGS on the left hand navigation bar to review the profile information.

3. Please fill out the required information and upload the appropriate documents. The links below will help you in this process.

RSO Benefits

Possible funding provided by Student Affairs
The ability to reserve large event spaces in the Engineering Building
Permission to publicize events and activities in the Engineering Building under university guidelines
Support services from Student Affairs
Ability to apply for organization office or storage space
Ability to post information about events to the University Web Calendar
Ability to archive organizational materials and equipment with Student Affairs

RSO Expectations

Follow financial guidelines and keep up-to-date financial reports
Inform Student Affairs of activities and events
Inform Student Affairs of elections, new officers, and changes to the organizational constitution
Submit travel paperwork to Student Affairs and the Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) before traveling outside of Qatar
Represent the organization and the university in a professional and courteous manner

If an organization consistently fails to do one or more of these items, the Department of Student Affairs will determine what, if any, action to take, up to and including termination of the group’s recognized status.

Student Organization Travel

Student Organization Travel: Student organizations have the ability to travel off campus, with the prior approval of the Department of Student Affairs. Any off campus trip that will be funded through one or more student organizations must be approved no later than two weeks before the proposed trip.

All participants must complete the Emergency Information and Release of Rights Form online at least two weeks before leaving on a trip. Failure to do so may prevent university funds from being released for the event.

The CIRT member on-call during your trip & the Director of Student Affairs will have a copy of this information.

Advisor Resources

Advisors of student organizations at Texas A&M at Qatar are partners in the educational and developmental process for students who are members of these organizations. As an advisor, we know that you put in extra time and effort to assist your student organization, particularly the student leaders within your organization. This information is provided for you as a resource to assist you in the advising process. This information is continually updated, and we are working to add new advising resources.

What is the Role of an Advisor?
Advisors are first and foremost educators. In this role you will provide information, present alternatives, encourage responsibility, support creativity, and challenge students to develop as leaders. An advisor walks a fine line between leading an organization and giving the organization the ability to lead itself. Advisors should not assume a leadership position with voting power within the student organization.

Officer and Advisor Expectations
These are outlined to give you an idea of what may be expected of you as advisor, and what you may expect from student officers. This is not an absolute or complete list; the needs of any particular group will determine what expectations apply. It is suggested that advisors and student officers meet and discuss their own expectations of each other. To help you in this task, all organizations are required to submit the Advisor Expectations Agreement. [attached document]

What a Student Officer May Expect of an Advisor

Assist the group in formulating goals, planning and initiating projects.
Assistance with University policies and procedures.
Assist in evaluating group projects, performance, and progress.
Make suggestions that will empower officers to improve their leadership skills.

What an Advisor May Expect of a Student Officer

Keep advisor informed of all organizational activities, meeting times, locations, and agendas.
Provide advisor with minutes of all meetings.
Meet regularly with the advisor and use him/her as a sounding board for discussing plans and problems.

List of Student Organizations

12th Man Club
American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
Anime Club
Best Buddies of Qatar
Engineers Without Borders
Help Our Planet Earth (HOPE)
Insight Club
Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineering (IEEE)
Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)
Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
South Asian Student Association (SASA)
Student Body Government (SBG)
Student Engineer’s Council (SEC)
The LOL Organization
The Social Outreach Club (SOC)
The Texas A&M Debating Society

Student Body Government

Founded in 2005, Student Body Government (SBG) is a student governance organization designed to be the bridge and the connection between the student body and the administration by representing the students’ feelings, opinions, and interests. SBG is the formal voice of the students with the administration and outside the university. In addition to these formal roles, SBG sponsors, coordinates and supports student activities at Texas A&M at Qatar. SBG is comprised of student representatives and one Student Body President and Vice President. Elections for freshmen representatives, as well as all other officers and representatives, occur in the fall semester. The term is from January until the following December. For further information regarding SBG please contact: sbg@qatar.tamu.edu

Your elected representatives for 2011-2012 are:

Student Body President
Mouhammed Hijab
mouhammad.hijab@qatar.tamu.edu

Student Body Vice President:
Kareem Hassaan
kareem.hassaan@qatar.tamu.edu

Class of 2015 Representatives