Starting a Student Chapter

The Purpose of Student Chapters

The purpose of establishing an Student Chapter is to provide students with opportunities to develop relationships with fellow students, faculty and professionals. Each member is significant in achieving and maintaining a successful Student Chapter. The process for establishing and maintaining a Student Chapter is outlined in this section.

Step 1: Hold an Informational Meeting

To see if there is sufficient interest in forming a Student Chapter, a well planned organizational meeting should be held. Because it is often difficult for students to communicate, a strong initiative from a faculty member is often required. The faculty member, in conjunction with representatives from the local Chapter or Section should "call" this meeting. This can be in the form of announcements to classes with environmentally related subject matter, newspaper announcements, posting of flyers, and e-mail blasts to appropriate students. Both the faculty member and the local Chapter or Section must be sufficiently committed to agree to serve as the Faculty Advisor and Chapter/Section Liaison respectively.

At this meeting, the purpose of A&WMA, member benefits (See Appendix C), and the benefits of forming a Student Chapter should be presented. Some reasons for forming a Student Chapter are:

  • to increase member involvement by making it more convenient for members to participate in A&WMA activities
  • to allow the development of a local forum among A&WMA members and the public at large for the purpose of discussing air and waste issues
  • to give the A&WMA and members more exposure and recognition at the academic institution

The agenda should be well organized and the representatives of A&WMA should be well versed on the procedures, rules, timing, etc. of forming a Student Chapter (See Policy Notes below).

During this meeting a poll (preferably by signing a roll with addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses) should be taken to determine if there is general interest and desire to start a Student Chapter. Membership forms should be available and applications (along with appropriate payment of fees) should be taken at this meeting. If ten students indicate that they are willing to become Student Members of the Air & Waste Management Association and are willing to actively participate in the formation of a Student Chapter, then initiate Step 2.

Step 2: Notify A&WMA of Your Intent

If you find that there is enough interest, notify A&WMA Headquarters and advise them that you are pursuing the creation of a new Student Chapter. A&WMA Headquarters will provide assistance and guidance in identifying the required documents, routing for signatures (including contact names, addresses and phone numbers), and deadlines for Section Council meetings.

Step 3: Form an Ad Hoc Steering Committee

  1. If you have had a good response at your organizational meeting and you have a combination of 10 Students who are already A&WMA International Student members and/or have submitted application forms and fees, you are now ready to begin the formal process of starting a new Student Chapter. An Ad Hoc Steering Committee of two or three members is formed from those indicating interest in forming the Student Chapter. The Steering Committee has four tasks:
  2. The first task is to have ten members sign a petition to form a Student Chapter. A sample petition form may be found in Appendix D.
  3. The second task is to draft the bylaws. The bylaws are rules established for the government and regulation of the organizations affairs. They establish the fundamental purpose of the organization, the powers and duties of the officers and the rights and responsibilities of the members. The development of the bylaws will serve to clarify your purpose and delineate your basic operating structure. It will also allow members and potential members to have a better understanding of what the organization is all about. Model Bylaws may be found in Appendix E.
  4. The third task is to develop a slate of officers.
  5. The fourth task is develop a tentative plan of activities. The Student Activities Manual available from A&WMA Headquarters will be of assistance in this task.

Step 4: Hold an Organizational Meeting

Once the Steering Committee has completed its tasks, an organizational meeting should be held to complete the petition (if it is not already complete) and to vote on the draft bylaws and slate of officers.

Step 5: Submit Documents for Endorsements and Required Approvals

Before a charter is granted to a new Student Chapter, approval must be given by the Section, Sections & Chapters Council and the A&WMA International Board of Directors. Written endorsements are passed on from the Section to the Sections & Chapters Council, and then to the Board of Directors. The Chapter/Section Liaison representative should track this process and keep the Student Chapter members informed of the progress or lack of progress. All paperwork must be received at Headquarters at least 30 days in advance of the Sections & Chapters Council meeting at which the Student Chapter will be proposed. Required paperwork includes:

  1. A petition signed by 10 A&WMA Student Members who are registered as full-time students at the academic institution for which the Student Chapter is being proposed.
  2. A listing of Student Chapter Officers (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and other Board Members) who must all be Student members of the Association.
  3. The name of the Student Chapter Advisor who must be a member of the Association.
  4. The institution's name/address to be used for mailings.
  5. A copy of the Chapter Bylaws based on the model bylaws including the provision that the fiscal year of the Student Chapter runs from May 1 - April 30 th.

Send materials to:

Manager, Member Services
A&WMA
One Gateway Center, Third Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Questions?? Call: 1-800-270-3444

Policy Notes:

  1. A petition requesting that a new Student Chapter be formed must be signed by at least 10 active, full-time student members of A&WMA who attend the academic institution at which the Student Chapter will be located.
  2. The Section, under whose auspices the Student Chapter is to be chartered, is responsible for the Student Chapter's definition, activities, status and reporting of its annual activities.
  3. A Student Chapter can be recognized only after review by the Section, Sections & Chapters Council and the Board of Directors of the Association. The Board of Directors shall, in consultation with Sections & Chapters Council, approve the name of the new Student Chapter and any subsequent realignments. No petition will be approved if it adversely affects delivery of services in or around the geographical area in question, i.e., effectively gutting an existing Student Chapter.