Unofficial societies?

re.mark.able

Hey,
Looking at setting up a new society next year but I was wondering if anyone knows of any unofficial ones floating around?
Just to see what their experience is

mickstupp

A "Society for the Prevention of Eating Lunch Alone", could be useful.

Ms. Koi

Why would you choose to have an unofficial society, can I ask?

re.mark.able

mickstupp wrote: »

A "Society for the Prevention of Eating Lunch Alone", could be useful.

There'd definitely that sense of community in what I intend

kellief wrote: »

Why would you choose to have an unofficial society, can I ask?

Well I don't intend to need any funding from the SU and the formality they ask for in return for that funding doesn't appeal to me either - defining the society (can't necessarily broaden and branch it out), having a set committee and constitution and (after the first 6 months) having paid membership.
So, with those feelings, i see the only disadvantage of not being officially recognised is not getting to advertise at clubs and socs day.

Ms. Koi

re.mark.able wrote: »

There'd definitely that sense of community in what I intend



Well I don't intend to need any funding from the SU and the formality they ask for in return for that funding doesn't appeal to me either - defining the society (can't necessarily broaden and branch it out), having a set committee and constitution and (after the first 6 months) having paid membership.
So, with those feelings, i see the only disadvantage of not being officially recognised is not getting to advertise at clubs and socs day.

I can understand that, but there is a lot of other disadvantages. If anyone is ever injured at any event, you have nothing to protect yourself or the members. You would be liable to pay for any damage and you could be sued (extreme circumstance I know but it could happen). You can always broaden and branch out, having a committee and a constitution is there to make sure you aren't mucking people about and you get funding to run the society.

mickstupp

Unsanctioned. Plausible deniability. Should you or any of your unofficial lunch eating society force be caught or killed, the Secretary [of the college] will disavow any knowledge of your actions. Think of the missionimpossibilities. Flash Lunch Eating Mobs terrorising dieters. Bananas. Sambwitches. Ninja lunchers.

re.mark.able

kellief wrote: »

I can understand that, but there is a lot of other disadvantages. If anyone is ever injured at any event, you have nothing to protect yourself or the members. You would be liable to pay for any damage and you could be sued (extreme circumstance I know but it could happen). You can always broaden and branch out, having a committee and a constitution is there to make sure you aren't mucking people about and you get funding to run the society.

Well i just reiterate - i don't want funding, and i don't want to to charge membership so people are free to come and go as they please so they can leave if it's not what they are looking for.
The closest things to events I intend is booking lecturing rooms to meet up in after hours so we could just be held accountable as students rather than a society - the 'society' will more or less just be a network for communication. So any meet ups - in lecture halls, for lunch or something - won't be an official society event or whatever, just members of a society acting independently to get together - membership of the society is almost like a coincidence, it's just intended to bring people together over certain matters and facilitate communication; I hope I'm explaining well

Ms. Koi

re.mark.able wrote: »

Well i just reiterate - i don't want funding, and i don't want to to charge membership so people are free to come and go as they please so they can leave if it's not what they are looking for.
The closest things to events I intend is booking lecturing rooms to meet up in after hours so we could just be held accountable as students rather than a society - the 'society' will more or less just be a network for communication. So any meet ups - in lecture halls, for lunch or something - won't be an official society event or whatever, just members of a society acting independently to get together - membership of the society is almost like a coincidence, it's just intended to bring people together over certain matters and facilitate communication; I hope I'm explaining well

Fair enough. Hope it goes well for you.

Seren_

I think you could probably set up a stall at Fairs Day - FEE* always had a stand and they were never a society. They may have just turned up and used a table though, but I definitely know nothing was ever said to them about it.

*The Maynooth branch of Free Education for Everyone. I feel old/weird typing this out but seeing as they're not active this year, people might not know what I'm on about.

re.mark.able

Oh brilliant, thatnks so much for that info - there's hope!
I'm know next year's vpscud well already so she may be able to help me out.