Practices for SLA Student Groups

I. Practice

It is the practice of the Special Libraries Association to have guidelines for Student Groups. These guidelines are in the SLA Student Group Manual.

II. Purpose

To secure a foundation for the future of information professionals, the association supports student groups from recognized schools of library or information science.

III. Practice/Procedure

  1. Establishment of SLA Student Groups
    1. Five or more Student Members of the Association at a recognized library and/or information science program may petition the Association for establishment of an SLA Student Group. The petition should be addressed to the attention of the Executive Director.
    2. The petition must include (a) the name of the proposed Student Group (in the form: XYZ University/SLA Student Group), (b) a brief statement of the objectives of the proposed Student Group, (c) the name of the proposed Student Group’s faculty advisor, and (d) the names and titles of the proposed Student Group’s elected officers.
    3. All petition signers must be Student Members of the Association. (The Association will consider as valid the signatures of students whose applications are submitted with the petition or whose applications are being processed at the time the petition is received). The faculty advisor of the proposed Student Group should be a member of SLA.
    4. Petitions will be approved by the CEO, who is authorized to act on behalf of the Board of Directors. The CEO will notify the faculty advisor in writing of the acceptance of a petition. If information in the petition is incomplete, it will be returned to the faculty advisor with an explanation and request for the additional information.
    5. Questions or requests for additional information on the establishment of a Student Group should be addressed to  Brennan McCoy, Coordinator of Member Engagement.
    6. Student Groups are not organizationally part of SLA Chapters. However, each Student member is a member of the Chapter of his/her choice.
  2. Allotments 
    1. Shortly after its establishment, each new Student Group receives an initial allotment of an amount determined by the Board of Directors.
    2. In mid-February of each year, each Student Group receives an annual allotment of an amount determined by the Board of Directors (at present the allotment is $100.00 per year).
    3. All Student Group allotment checks are made payable to the Faculty Advisors, since Student Groups do not normally have bank accounts.
  3. Reporting Requirements
    1. November 30 is the deadline for the chief elected officer (typically the President) of each Student Group to report to SLA via the online report form, (a) a brief statement of the Group’s plans for programs and projects for the academic year (September-May), (b) the names and titles of other elected officers, and (c) the name of the faculty advisor. The faculty advisor should be an SLA member. Failure to comply with the reporting requirement in this Subsection will cause a Student Group to be declared as inactive.
    2. May 15 is the deadline for submission to SLA via the online report form of (a) a brief annual report on the Group’s programs and projects during the academic year (September -May), (b) a list of the SLA Student Members who are affiliated with the Group as of April 1st.
  4. Inactive Student Groups
    1. Circumstances causing a Student Group to be declared as inactive are presented in Subsection C. No.1 of these Guidelines. Inactive Student Groups do not receive the annual allotment. An inactive Student Group can be reactivated by complying with the reporting requirements of Subsection C No. 1.
    2. A Student Group that is inactive for more than 12 consecutive months will be dissolved, effective the first day of the 13th month of its inactivity. A dissolved Student Group can be reactivated by complying with the requirements in Section A of these Guidelines, “Establishment of SLA Student Groups”.

Stephanie Bossong, Coordinator of Member Engagement is responsible for the administration of these guidelines.

Updated July 10, 2018.

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