Starting a society?

Dave!

Hey folks,

just wondering what are the requirements and the processes for making an official society, maybe getting a grant, etc.? I'm not planning on doing it this year, but maybe in the future I might, I have a few ideas anywho..

Thankya!

Vorsprung

http://www.ucdsu.net/settingup.php

humbert

What have you got in mind?

Scraggs

ucdsu.net wrote:

sadly the Fr Ted Society is now defunct

aww... now that would have been a society worth joining

what kinda soc were ya thinkin of??

Red Alert

RSoc it's after QSoc

Dave!

Well they're not great

But I was thinking of:

Petsoc - For those of you with pets... Cats, dogs, iguanas, fish, birds... We could meet up and show them off basically! But also, for people with dogs who want to socialise them (get them used to other dogs) but haven't got a place to do it, then we could do that. If you need tips on training them, diet stuff, etc., then we could share that. Maybe if people want to have pups/kittens, then we could find a willing volunteer (among the animals!:eek: ) Things like that.

Astrosoc - It probably already exists, I would imagine it does... But for people into astronomy and the likes. I don't know anything about it myself, but I'd like to learn, so if there were people who knew about it, then they could share info... we could meet up at good places for looking at stars and sh!t like that. Experienced people could share their telescope and show people how to use it... point out constellations, etc.

Angling! - I didn't see anything to do with angling (fishing) in the sports expo, so I don't think it exists already -- but it should! Again I don't know much about angling -- but I'd like to! I'm sure there's experienced fishers in UCD, they could share their knowledge, show people how to cast, etc. Anyone who knows of good locations, lakes, and the likes, then they could share, and maybe we could organise a bit of a trip down to there for a day or a weekend.

That's all I can remember at the moment.. I'm sure I'll get more this year, though

What make ye of these ideas? Any of them been done already and I don't know about them?

EDIT:

Thanks for the link, btw -- I searched ucd.ie but couldn't find it, but I never thought to check the SU!

irlrobins

pet soc sucks! no offense, but really!

other two might struggle to get members. So unless a lot of effort was put in to organise good activities they could die a quick death.

Dave!

I think Petsoc is a good idea...! It'd probably be filled with girls and I'd be thought to be a bit on the homosexual side... but there's loads of people with pets and sh!t.

The other two probably wouldn't get many members, no, but I'm not looking to build LawsocII or anything. It'd just be cool for people with interests in those areas to be able to meet others.

irlrobins

yea but we're not 12 anymore Dave... it's not show and tell in school...

Just my opinion.....

Dave!

noted, thanks

LovelyHurling

Hey Dave, I think I heard rumours of an Angling Soc last September, I canno' be sure though and it's not listed on the sports club site but pretty sure there was one for a while, it might have folded.

Maybe you should combine petsoc and astrosoc, your patron could be Lolita, or whoever that Collie was to go into space:D Reckon you'd get loads of people for astrosoc what with the new astroscience course beginning next September

Mr.Nice Guy

PatSoc is where the fun's at.

John_C

Homebrew Soc?

Mr_Roger_Bongos

I tried setting up a society last year. Basically the process is, get your petition of 30 or so names (the more the better), outline what the society' role in student life will be, and what you would offer members. You can use the standard ucd consititution for society' to start. Then you present it to the committee for society' in august i think.

From a personal point of view, you need to convince the committee that your society will actually achieve a certain membership (beyond the people on your petition!) and be able to answer they're questions convincingly! They are reluctant to increase society numbers because it dilutes the funding available to each one, so you really have to convince them about student demand for your idea's. To be honest, im not sure they'd be convinced by Angling Soc, or Astro Soc. There's an angling forum here (Not that i've ever posted there ) and it doesn't have a big posting, not sure the student crowd would go for Angling Soc, but then again if you got it, you could have CRAZY ANGLING WEEKEND'S! to rival that of surf soc (iv never been, just heard the rumours).

LovelyHurling

Yeah Angling Soc could be the new Dutch soc... again, water and alcohol really smart combo!! Why not throw in fireworks and some petrol too! of course you dont technically have to get funding, look at aforementioned Dutch Soc and Crack Soc they arent funded afaik.

I deffo think you should go for it tho, I would join angling despite having graduated by that stage. Id be like a grown man at a playschool party trying to get comfie on a three inch chair.

zap

DaveMcG wrote:

Well they're not great

Angling! - I didn't see anything to do with angling (fishing) in the sports expo, so I don't think it exists already -- but it should! Again I don't know much about angling -- but I'd like to! I'm sure there's experienced fishers in UCD, they could share their knowledge, show people how to cast, etc. Anyone who knows of good locations, lakes, and the likes, then they could share, and maybe we could organise a bit of a trip down to there for a day or a weekend.

You can't have angling soc its a sport so therefore it's a club and isn't set up like a society.

The other two would be very small society's, finally you can't get any grant the first year.

Mr.Nice Guy

AstroSoc would be cool.

Students sitting under the stars, for example Scraggs and Panda100, then lowering their gaze to one another's eyes before...gettin' it ON!

Scraggs

Mr.Nice Guy wrote:

AstroSoc would be cool.

Students sitting under the stars, for example Scraggs and Panda100, then lowering their gaze to one another's eyes before...gettin' it ON!

:rolleyes:

Dave!

^
But... that was the only reason I wanted to set it up in the first place...



Thanks for the help everyone

Scraggs

I think animal soc would be way better than petsoc...
much broader and would be attract a bigger and better crowd.

there could be road trips to the zoo and fota wildlife place and that wetlands place where you know those birds live [slobs??].

plus there'd be interest from vets and all those doin zoology and ag subjects.

[hehe the catchphrase could be AnimalSoc... Its wild!!!]

panda100

i think its quite easy really to get a society set up-you just have to get a certain amount of signatures.Sure paul d and dan Hayden tried to set up conker soc 2 years ago and got like 300 signatures from merville alone!:eek: Bit too sesonal though that society so wouldnt really have worked out.

I think if there was a boards soc i should be president

Scraggs

I call Boards.soc PR officer

Scraggs

OMG just thought of TEH BEST SOC EVAAAR..

Cash Soc where we pay tribute to johnny cash! that would be fucuking awesome!

LovelyHurling

Scraggs wrote:

I think animal soc would be way better than petsoc...

plus there'd be interest from vets and all those doin zoology and ag subjects.

[hehe the catchphrase could be AnimalSoc... Its wild!!!]

That might attract the type of person who counts beastiality as good clean fun! (ie aforementioned vets, zoology and ag.) No no best just stick to petsoc, you could go on the major pull in petsoc, twould be as good as coppers of a thursday!!

Scraggs

but petsoc sounds soooo dull [no offence dave]

LovelyHurling

Wait a diddlytootin' second here folks, shouldnt we ask the animals what they want? And anyway I can see major problems ahead for petsoc... owners getting competitive *my lizard is longer than yours* *which bitch can take the biggest... bone* etc... It would all end in prison and we'd all rue the day this was ever mentioned

Mr.Nice Guy

Scraggs wrote:

:rolleyes:

:rolleyes:

LovelyHurling

Mr.Nice Guy wrote:

:rolleyes:

:rolleyes:

Mr.Nice Guy

LovelyHurling wrote:

:rolleyes:

LovelyHurling

Dunno

Mr.Nice Guy

LovelyHurling wrote:

Dunno

:rolleyes:

LovelyHurling

panda100 wrote:

I think if there was a boards soc i should be president

But you're a.. a... woman? Baah they get one woman pressie of the country and they start to feel all empowered. Da always said he rued the day he bought my ma that power cooker.... soon as the dinner was over she out the door joining the womens liberation movement or the bridge club or something like that. No no no Josephine you just sit down there now and knit me a scarf. Good girl. *Pat*

Heh heh. Joke. Go women... Ahem

Dave!

My most recent idea is an Airsoft/Paintball society/club!

Anyone have a clue as to why there's no paintball soc already, as there seems to be in other unis I would think there'd be a big demand for it. Safety reasons?

Waltons

The rifle club seemed to organise a few paintball trips last year, but the turnout looked quite low.

Scraggs

Way OT but wow, my posts back then are so toolish.

Edit/ yes the irony is delicious:rolleyes:


Do you reckon theres a demand for it Dave?

Dave!

Waltons wrote:

The rifle club seemed to organise a few paintball trips last year, but the turnout looked quite low.

Yeah that's surprising... I got in touch with them bout a trip and they didn't even have enough people to get it going. About 4 or 5 altogether... in a college with thousands! :eek:

As far as I remember though, they didn't advertise it very well... They sent around emails to all riflesoc members, but not alot of people are interested in shooting air-rifles(so didn't sign up at the start of the year), whereas paintball and airsoft are totally different. I'd say if it were set up and advertised properly that it'd get a fair few members.

I don't actually know any lads that don't love paintball! It's just so expensive for a one-off event (I spent over €100 including extra ammo, which they shaft you on) that students especially would struggle to afford it. Discounts and deals would make it easier.

I was thinking a good way of advertising airsoft as a proper sport (which requires some investment and commitment) would be to have someone put on the full paraphernalia with camo and masks and stuff, and come in with a(n airsoft) gun and explain the sport to a lecture-hall or whatever.

Sure, most people would think it's nuts and we're gimps , but I'd say the cowboys and indians in alot of lads would make them interested.

Anyways just throwin around ideas!

Scraggs wrote:

Way OT but wow, my posts back then are so toolish.

Edit/ yes the irony is delicious:rolleyes:


Do you reckon theres a demand for it Dave?

Yeah you're a tool

I do think there's demand for it, yeah! In my experience most blokes are interested in playing paintball in theory, but it's too much hastle to organise with mates, and it's too expensive anyway. So if it were organised by a society and discounts were gotten (as most colleges manage to get), then it'd get a good response.

Airsoft is only a new sport over here, but there's a growing interest since it was legalised recently. I don't imagine that alot of people would take the plunge and pay €300 for a gun, but (a) there will most likely be a handful of people already interested but having no group to "skirmish"(as we call it in the biznisss ) with, and (b) I'd say others could be won over if they witness a game or if people give them a loan of guns (which I don't think is outside the realms of possibility).

So yeah, I'd say there's an interest

Again anyone know why there's no UCD paintball club when there's a TCD, DCU, and Tallaght IT one(to name the few I'm aware of)? Surely there's a reason.

TheVan

Just to temper the general enthusiasm:

The college are cutting down on quite random societies getting recognised. You're going to have to be able to justify it

A society takes a lot of time, even just sending e-mails and stuff

In your first year you won't get a grant at all

Your best bet is to see if there ever was an "Astro-soc" which is inactive. Then you just talk to Butler and ask can you take over. Beauty is you'll get a grant then!

You need a senior treasurer (lecturer).

If you're dealing with something like paintball, insurance is going to be an issue and you'll have to put a good bit of work into that.

Angling wouldn't be a society, it would be a club, you wouldn't deal with Butler, you'd deal with someone else.

gubbie

You need a senior treasurer (lecturer)

I think a senior treasurer can be anyone who's been graduated for over 2 years ie it can also be a postgrad.

Oh and I'm pretty sure theres a paintballing club down in UCC-the skull logo that UCC clubs have goes very well with it

Brimmy

DaveMcG wrote:

I think Petsoc is a good idea...! It'd probably be filled with girls and I'd be thought to be a bit on the homosexual side... but there's loads of people with pets and sh!t.

And your real reason becomes exposed!

boneless

I tried to set up a nature watching society in first year but got nowhere. There were some people interested, including some lecturers, but Mr. Butler kept putting me off and placing obstacles in the path... I would be interested in Animalsoc... it could be a broad-church soc which could cater for my interests in the natural world.*


*NO SCRAGGS... not what I know you will be thinking...

panda100

DaveMcG wrote:

I was thinking a good way of advertising airsoft as a proper sport
.

Whats airsoft?Sounds like a new fabric conditioner or something?

Ive always been to scared to go paintballing ever since PJ got his eye blinded doing it in Byker grove.

Garret

paintballing is great


and if you pick your shot more carefully you won't go through €100 worth of ammo

Stabshauptmann

What would one typically spend on a days paintballing. Wheres a good place to go?

Stabshauptmann

I think a senior treasurer can be anyone who's been graduated for over 2 years ie it can also be a postgrad.

Quoted directly from the Code of practice for stude society finances
All societies must have a senior treasurer who is a full time member of staff

pretty*monster

I almost set up a society over the summer before realising that I absolutly didn't have the time for it, but this is what Butler told me was needed for recognition:


30 signatures of registered students supporting the establishment of the society must be submitted;
a mission statement must be submitted;
a constitution must be submitted;
a plan of activity for the first year of operation must be submitted;
the society must be open for membership to all students.


This information then goes before the Recognition Committee, at which time you will also be invited to appear to make a case for the establishment of the society.

Pain in the arse tbh.

singingstranger

Kaptain Redeye wrote:

Quoted directly from the Code of practice for stude society finances
All societies must have a senior treasurer who is a full time member of staff

...which, surely, can be a Masters or PhD student who works as a tutor or on full-time research stuff within the University?

gubbie

singingstranger wrote:

...which, surely, can be a Masters or PhD student who works as a tutor or on full-time research stuff within the University?

ZING!! I know cos my friend is a senior treasurer and he's in 3rd phD!!! yea baby

Dave!

panda100 wrote:

Whats airsoft?Sounds like a new fabric conditioner or something?

Have a look on the boards Airsoft forum for a bit of an explaination...
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=830

It's basically pellet guns (y'know the ones you buy in spain for the laugh), only they're fully automatic and fire @ around 320 feet per second. The sport is played the same way as paintball basically.

I'm only a newbie, but I've bought a gun and am just waiting for a site to open in the Republic (then there'll be games organised through boards for starters, then it should spread quite rapidly).

Garret wrote:

and if you pick your shot more carefully you won't go through €100 worth of ammo

I didn't say I spent €100 on ammo, re-read my post.

Kaptain Redeye wrote:

What would one typically spend on a days paintballing. Wheres a good place to go?

I only went the once, but there was around 30 of us and most spent around €100 altogether. €50 to play, 2 ammo packs "free", then €10 for each ammo refill, which you pay for at the end (so you don't know how much you've spent).

So many people (myself included) had to borrow money from others -- it was ridiculous!

I think it was Crossfire that we played in.

Sangre

Socksoc, a sure fire success.

Stabshauptmann

singingstranger wrote:

...which, surely, can be a Masters or PhD student who works as a tutor or on full-time research stuff within the University?

Presumably yeah, Im just pointing out to gubbie that the reason a phd student could be a senior treasurer isnt because they've graduated 2 years or more ago, its because they're currently a full time member of staff (which not all phd students are) or because they came to a special arrangement with Butler.

I will state again so we're clear, it is not the case that *anyone* who graduated 2 or more years ago can be your senior teasurer.

cast_iron

There was some sort of Painball Soc a few years back. Not sure how official they were, but they did organise a few events. It died though.

As for Senior Treasurers, there is different criteria for Clubs and Societies. I think that's where the confusion is arising.

UCD actually took part in the the first All Ireland Paintball Intervarsity last year (2004/2005 season). We came a respectable 2nd, behind Griffith College. All teams had Paintball Socs except ourselves.