Whether you are new this fall or a returning student at California Baptist University, one of the ways many students get involved by joining a club. The annual club fair will be held on Oct. 20 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30pm.
There are a variety of clubs open to all the students. This year in particular students are being encouraged to join groups, especially since the university made many changes in terms of joining and creating clubs.
Karina Lay, junior nutrition and food sciences major and nutrition club president, explains that even though the nutrition club was an official club last year, that is not the case this semester. Now, there is an entire process of pre-approval that each club must go through beforehand.
Filling out an application is one thing, but being accepted is another. Some of the requirements include abstaining from engaging in or promoting partisan political activity, maintaining accurate records and being required to promote a minimum of two events per semester, according to the 2022 Student Handbook.
In addition, there are changes once a club is official. Lay clarifies the updated, yet still simple, way to join a club.
“We used to just add the person’s ID number into InsideCBU, but now they have to confirm it,” Lay said.
“So there’s a two-step verification.”
She said that since the additional step has been added, some students have forgotten to confirm they are a part of the club, making it difficult to include everyone. It is necessary to do the two-step verification in order to be included.
It is important that once students are a part of their club, they actively interact within it.
“Academic student clubs and organizations must demonstrate that a minimum of 50 CBU students or 50% of the declared majors and/or minors in the respective academic program (whichever is less) have a participatory-level of interest in the proposed club or organization,” according to the handbook.
“For the purpose of this policy, ‘participatory-level of interest’ is defined as an active commitment to and support of the student club or organization’s purpose as well as attendance of associated meetings and events. In order to maintain official university recognition, student clubs and organizations, through their collective membership, must demonstrate a minimum of 65% of the members attend meetings and events.”
Participation is even more critical considering it now dictates the status of whether or not a club is official. Nonetheless, all the clubs are welcoming more members into their circle.
Audrey Smith, junior creative writing major and creative writing club president, said joining a club is beneficial overall, and joining a club unrelated to your major can create a trusted community based on common interest.
“(For) a lot of people especially in their first year, if they’re a commuter or a transfer student, there can be a lot of barriers in making friends and having a community,” Smith said. “Just having that community is so important to enjoying the college experience. It’s essential.”
