The Student Group Information Form is how the SSMU determines if your group is active. All SSMU Clubs, Services, and Independent Student Groups must fill out the form every year at the beginning of the fall semester, or when any change occurs in their executive structure or contact information. If the form is not submitted, access to SSMU services will be suspended until it is completed.It is important to note that details in the Executive Contact Information section must match your Club’s constitution. For example, you cannot have executive members in positions that are not outlined in your constitution; the SSMU would not recognize those positions or those executive members.
The form is also used to update your Club’s information in the Club Listing, so make sure to complete the form all the way to the very end!
Two executives from each Club must attend a number of SSMU-run workshops every semester in order to maintain their Club status. For the Gendered and Sexual Violence Worshop, 5 or 50% of executives must attend. These workshops provide information about requirements, finances, resources, contacts, accessibility, and other matters related to the operation of Clubs. Clubs will receive information about workshop dates via the Clubs Listserv sent to their ssmu.ca email addresses. The workshops are:
If you missed a Club workshop, please contact the Club Administrator (clubadmin@ssmu.ca) for make-up dates.
Keep an eye on all the dates and registration procedures announced in the Clubs Listserv.
The Club audit is a self-reported evaluation of your Club’s financial status, which serves to ensure that Clubs are accountable and transparent in their handling of Club money. This requires the completion of the Club Audit Form twice a year as well as the online submission of your original receipts and other documentation. All Clubs, whether Interim or Full Status, must complete the audit.Details on an upcoming audit will be sent to your SSMU Club email address at least 2 weeks before the submission deadline.
For more details on the auditing process, please head to the Finance and Funding section.
Your constitution must be in line with the Club Constitution templates (Executive Structure Template or Collective Structure Template) and all constitutions must reference and defer to the SSMU Constitution and Internal Regulations. Your Club executive positions must all be recognized in your Club Constitution. Any constitution or action of the Club that violates the SSMU Constitution and Internal Regulations, McGill policies, or legal statute will result in sanctions and/or status revocation.
To update a Club Constitution, you first need to make sure your new constitution contains all of the mandatory clauses a SSMU Constitution must contain. You must then ratify the new constitution with your Club membership and send it, along with a list of changes you are making, to the Club Administrative Coordinator at clubadmin@ssmu.ca. The Coordinator will take your constitution to the Club Committee and to the SSMU Legislative Council for approval and the Board of Directors for ratification. It is important to note that any amendments made to your constitution cannot be acted upon until the new constitution has completed the approval and ratification process.
There are several important SSMU policies that you need to consider when running your Club. Below you’ll find a list of the most relevant documents that must be read by your Club executives:
For a complete collection of the Society’s policies, visit the Constitution, Internal Regulations, and Policies page.
All SSMU Clubs may be eligible for insurance coverage, but the SSMU needs up-to-date information to ensure that each activity is covered under our insurance policy. Any Club event or activity must be declared via the Declaration of Event & Insurance Request Form prior to its commencement and promotion. For details about how many days in advance an event needs to be declared, please consult the Student Groups Event Preparation Checklist.
For more information, please head to Insurance and Liability.
All SSMU Clubs are part of the Society and have no independent legal status. As such, they cannot enter into legally binding contracts or engage in activities that would pose a risk or liability to the SSMU. This includes, but is not limited to, contracts and/or agreements (including verbal agreements) with venues, sponsors, or caterer services.
Should you wish to enter into contractual agreements with a third party, it is compulsory to submit these agreements (as an attachment) by filling out the Declaration of Event & Insurance Request Form or contacting the Operations Department (operations@ssmu.ca) for processing.
Also, make sure to consider all the information on the Contracts & Agreements Checklist.
To reflect the SSMU’s Memorandum of Agreement with McGill, all SSMU Clubs must use the word “Students” when using “McGill” in their name. If you choose to have “McGill” in your group name, please email the Vice-President (Student Life) at studentlife@ssmu.ca so they can coordinate with the DPSLL office to receive official approval from McGill.
If your name does not include “Students”, please fill out the McGill Club registration form (Office of Student Life and Learning) to request the use of “McGill” in the name of your student group.
Please ensure that you include the note below in all Club communications. These include, but are not limited to, your Club website, social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), and printing materials (banners, posters, flyers): “A Student Group of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU)”
If you would like to change the name of your Club, you will need to fill out the Student Group Name Change Request Form. Once you submit this form with an updated constitution, it will go to the Clubs Committee for initial approval. Once it has been approved there, it will be confirmed at the SSMU Legislative Council and made official in all of the SSMU’s documentation. If you have any questions do not hesitate to reach out to the Club Admin at clubadmin@ssmu.ca.
If you would like to request that a change be made to your group’s information on the SSMU website, please contact communications@ssmu.ca. If you would like to change the name of your @ssmu.ca email address, please email jcampbell@ssmu.ca.
At the end of every academic year, it is necessary for all Club executives to fulfill certain requirements to ensure a smooth turnover for the following year. These requirements include organizing and keeping records of certain documents as well as making sure that new executives are able to access your Club’s finances. Below are outlines of the necessary steps outgoing and incoming executives must carry out each year:
Incoming Executives:
Outgoing Executives:
Note: In order to keep all executive records and important documentation/information for future years, it is recommended that you archive all of your files in your Club’s Google Drive.
The following regulations describe what Clubs can and cannot do with respect to organizing events that include alcohol and alcohol purchasing:
If you wish to purchase alcohol, you may do so one of the following two ways:
Only SSMU student groups that receive the approval from the SSMU via the Event Declaration and Insurance Form are allowed to proceed with events that include alcohol and alcohol purchasing.
If you have any questions, please contact the SSMU Events Coordinator at eventscoord@ssmu.ca.
Only SSMU student groups that receive authorization from the SSMU Operations Department may sell or serve food on/off campus at designated locations.
SSMU student groups who wish to host bake sales, samosa sales, and other food-related events on/off campus will need to complete an Application for the Sale and Service of Food on Campus at least fifteen business (15) days prior to the event.
Note: This procedure is not required for hot or cold beverages (such as coffee, tea, packaged juices or soft drinks) and/or pre-individually packaged food items by the manufacturer that remain un-manipulated (such as granola bars, candies, chocolate bars, etc.).
All procedures are outlined in the SSMU Sale and Service of Food Policy and the MAPAQ regulations to protect the health and safety of all students, employees, and campus visitors.
There is a $25 administrative and processing fee in order to extend the legally required food permit to student groups. Groups will be able to rent food equipment required for the food they will be selling as specified in the SSMU Sale and Service of Food Policy from the SSMU. Groups will need to submit their request by filling out the Sale and Service of Food Equipment Rental and paying the applicable fees for the rental of the equipment and supplies.
If you have any questions regarding food procedures, please contact the Operations Department at operations@ssmu.ca.
Club funds may not be used for cannabis purchases under any circumstances.
If your Club has received a sanction, you may wish to appeal the decision. An appeal may be helpful for your Club if you have additional information that may change the context of the original sanction. You can submit an appeal here:
We do our best to ensure the site is as up to date as possible, but new developments in Club processes may take time to go live. Please take note that the information listed above may not reflect the most recent changes.