Starting a Student Group

Any student at the Bloomberg School may organize a group of students and apply to the Student Assembly to gain official recognition of the group.  

Student organizers fill out an application for new student group recognition. Applications may be submitted when school is in session between the first and fourth terms of the academic year and will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

There are many benefits to being recognized, including:

1. The ability to reserve classrooms, conference rooms or other space within the school for group meetings or events.
2. The ability to request funding for events from the Student Assembly and/or the Alumni Association and to have a budget account with the School administration.
3. The ability to advertise group meetings and events on the Hopkins Groups, on the Student Assembly bulletin board, and on the Hopkins Groups Student Events Calendar.
4. The use of a group email account and a group web page.

Guidelines for starting a new student group

Only groups whose mission statement and proposed activities are deemed to be of interest and value to students at the Bloomberg School and whose goals are not already being adequately addressed by existing student groups will be granted official status.

Your application will be voted on by the Student Assembly at the next general meeting. These meetings occur monthly. One representative from your group must be present at the meeting to provide a 2-minute presentation of the student group and answer questions. New group applications are at or near the top of the agenda, so please plan to arrive at the beginning of the meeting time shared.

Once your application is reviewed, members of the Student Assembly will vote on whether or not to officially recognize the new group. If the vote is to not officially recognize the new group, you may resubmit a new application, with appropriate changes, at a later date. If the vote is in favor of recognizing your group, you will be contacted within three days by the VP of Student Groups with an email containing instructions on setting up your group’s new email address, website information, Hopkins Groups access, and other pertinent information.

Once recognized, you do not need to resubmit an application from year to year. You must, however, continue to meet the requirements for recognized student groups and take part in the annual re-registration process via Hopkins Groups.

Rights and responsibilities of student groups

Officially recognized student groups at the Bloomberg School have the following rights under the Student Assembly.

1.  To have access to resources designated for the use of recognized student groups including:
   • Ability to reserve rooms within the Wolfe St. Building and Hampton House building for group meetings or events;
   • A group e-mail account with an @jhu.edu domain;
   • A group webpage via Hopkins Groups
   • Use of the Student Events Calendar in Hopkins Groups;
   • Use of the student group resource room;
   • Inclusion in all general Student Group fairs;
   • To organize and execute activities to take place in the Wolfe Street Building and Hampton House building involving persons not associated with the group and/or the School following approval of such activities by the Office of Student Affairs;
   • To advertise group meetings and/or approved activities in accordance with rules set forth by the School.
2. To organize and execute activities to take place in the Wolfe Street Building and Hampton House building involving persons not associated with the group and/or the School following approval of such activities by the Office of Student Affairs.
3. To advertise group meetings and/or approved activities in accordance with rules set forth by the School.
4. To apply for funding from the Student Assembly and/or the Johns Hopkins Alumni Association for approved group activities. 

Officially recognized student groups must continue to meet the following requirements to remain in good standing (not be placed on suspended status or have their recognition revoked).

1. Officially recognized student groups must continue to meet the following requirements to remain in good standing (not be placed on suspended status or have their recognition revoked).
2. Membership and leadership in the group must be open to all members of the School of Public Health, and at least one officer position must be filled by a member of the School of Public Health at all times.
3. The majority of the activities of the Group should be held at the East Baltimore Campus unless there are justifiable reasons why most activities must be held elsewhere.
4. The group must abide by all University and Student Assembly regulations concerning activity approvals, fund-raising, solicitation, and advertising.
5. Group membership and activities shall not exclude or dissuade participation based on gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, nationality, disability, or political or other opinion, nor shall group activities be of a nature considered inappropriately discriminatory, hate-based, or incendiary.
6. The Group must have a constitution on file within Hopkins Groups that provides at minimum a statement of purpose, procedures for the election of new leadership, and provisions for officer positions consisting of at least a President or Coordinator and a Treasurer.
7. The group must not make claims to represent the JHSPH or the Student Assembly.
8. The Group must maintain communications with the Student Assembly Vice President for Student Groups, including at a minimum:
   • Submission of an updated list of officers after each Group election or by the end of the calendar year – whichever comes earlier;
   •  A reasonably updated webpage within Hopkins Groups, including at minimum the Group Statement of Purpose or Mission Statement and contact information;
   • Reasonably prompt response to communication from the Student Assembly or Administration of the School;
   • Attendance by at least one group officer at any mandatory group leader sessions
9. Take part in the annual re-registration process via Hopkins Groups.