FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Please see below for some commonly asked questions regarding clubs and groups. If you have additional questions, you can drop by the TCSA office during our Clubs & Groups Hours, which take place every Wednesday between 12:00pm and 4:00pm with TCSA Community Coordinator, Aditi Sharma. Feel free to book an appointment during this time, or drop-in!
Application/Renewal Process
How do I become a club?
Do you think you have a fantastic idea for a club or group on campus? That’s great! Clubs and groups are an amazing opportunity to network, build a sense of community with like-minded individuals on campus, as well as develop important skills that looks great on a resume. All you need to do is:
Get five (5) people together who will run the club/group (Executive Team) and ten (10) people to endorse the club
Create a budget and constitution. Sample budgets and constitutions can be found on the TCSA website at www.trentcentral.ca/clubs. Feel free to email community@trentcentral.ca for any more help you might need.
Complete the Clubs/Groups Registration Package found online at the TCSA website, checking off “New Club”
Have a minimum of two members attend the mandatory “Leadership Assembly” training days
We were registered last year. Do we need to re-register?
To ensure that the club/group is active, appropriate, and would like to remain registered, we ask that each club or group re-registers each year. These packages can be found online at the TCSA website. Please check off “Returning Club” in the registration package.
Please also note that returning clubs must also have a minimum of two members attending the Leadership Assembly clubs training day.
Funding Information
How do I apply for funding?
Funding applications can be found online at the TCSA website. Please fill the package out and include all pertinent documents outlined within the package. Each club/group can apply for funding once a semester. The last day to apply for club funding is two weeks before the semester ends.
If you are registered with a bank account, you are eligible to apply for funding without a predetermined maximum. If you are registered without a bank account, you are eligible to apply for funding up to a maximum of $500 per school year.
You can also apply for funding from each college. College funding generally happens once per semester. Contact each individual college office for more information on the application process and deadlines.
We were approved for funding. Where do we go to receive our funding?
You can pick up your club funding cheque from the TCSA office on the second floor of the Student Centre.
How can we get set up with a bank account?
Contact the bank to set up an appointment; both your signing authorities will need to attend the meeting. Also contact community@trentcentral.ca to request a bank letter approving the creation of your bank account. Include in your email to the TCSA the names of the new signing authorities and the name of your club as you would like it to appear on your bank account. Be sure to bring this letter to your appointment at the bank, as well as two pieces of ID for each signing authority.
We changed signing authorities since last year. Is there anything we need to do?
There certainly is! Please email us at community@trentcentral.ca with the two (2) names of the old signing authorities and the two (2) names of the new signing authorities so that we can provide you with a letter for the bank.
Are there any special considerations that I should keep in mind when creating our club’s budget?
Not too many! The only things to consider are that the TCSA clubs funding does not cover wages for paid instructors, any type of pub crawl, or club apparel. We would still like to support your group but this may mean that your club may have to charge membership fees or fundraise for these things in another creative way!
Can we use last year’s budget for this year’s funding application if our events will be the exact same?
Yes of course! However, be sure to carefully review the budget to ensure that there are no discrepancies in the purchases or events that your club will be hosting in this year. Additionally, please ensure that all of your dates are current. Including a 1-2 year history of your club’s budget is not necessary but very helpful for the funding committee.
Services for Clubs/Groups
What are the benefits of being a Registered Clubs or Groups?
Being a part of a Club or Group is great, but being Registered is even better! There are a variety of reasons why you should consider being registered, including the following:
Ability to book rooms for your organization
Apply for funding from TCSA and college cabinets
Have permission to use Trent name and logo in unaltered form
Free access to Green Dishes program
Free table bookings at Otonabee Foyer and outside Wenjack Theatre
Free use of the events space in the Student Centre
Free use of the CriCut and other arts & crafts supplies
And much more! (See Clubs/Groups Handbook available online)
How do I book rooms for meetings?
To book classrooms for meetings and events, go to MyTrent and select Services. Under Campus Events, select Room Bookings. Check the Calendar on the page to make sure no one else has rooms booked for the time and location that you are requesting.
To book TCSA spaces on campus, including our tables at Wenjack, OC Foyer, Student Centre Atrium spaces, and the Student Centre Event Space, follow the procedure outlined below:
All internal groups (i.e. Career Centre, Health Services, TCSA clubs or groups, or anyone with an @trentu email address) can now book spaces by doing the following:
Log-in to MyTrent
Under "Services", look for "Room Bookings"
Log-in to the room bookings portal
Click on "Request a specific room"
Click "Request Type" drop down menu: Student Centre Space
Select the space desired.
Highlight the space you wish to book and choose the date in the calendar
All external groups (i.e. local businesses and services and corporations) must email info@trentcentral.ca
We set up a Mailbox with the TCSA. Where do we go to access the mail for our Clubs/Groups?
To pick up your mail, please come see us at the office and pick it up from the receptionist. Any mail you have sent to our office will be kept for you automatically in the clubs folders. You will be contacted at the email you’ve given us for the website once the mail has arrived. Mail will be shredded at the end of each month unless you have reached out to community@trentcentral.ca to arrange an alternate pickup date.
Our club asked for storage space in the Student Center, where can I find that?
Club storage lockers are located on the second floor of the Student Centre in the Clubs & Groups Storage, near the TCSA office, and can be accessed during office hours with a member of the TCSA to unlock the door for you. No appointment necessary.
I heard that there is a TCSA app for clubs and groups. How do I become a part of the TCSA App?
Email communications@trentcentral.ca and request that they help you set up a profile for your club on the app.
How does my club get a hold of one an email with @trentu.ca domains?
This is such a great idea to make your club more noticeable and easier to access for its members. Simply contact it@trentu.ca and they can help you get that set up!
What is a risk assessment form and when do I fill it out?
Risk assessment forms are liability forms that you fill out to be eligible to use Trent’s insurance for events that your club hosts. They are required for any event. To fill one of these our, please go into your myTrent portal and search “risk assessment”. Once you’re going through this, if you have any questions they should be directed to community@trentcentral.ca.
When is the best time for my club to host events?
You can email TCSA Community Coordinator at community@trentcentral.ca or check out the clubs calendar on the TCSA smartphone app to view an optimal time for planning your event.