Student Organizations

1. All Student Groups should hold at least two events/meetings (includes joint events) per year, have at least one fundraising activity per year, and hold one faculty mentor meeting per semester.

2. All Student Groups must have a faculty advisor who is a UMSOM faculty member with a significant enough presence on campus to meet the requirements outlined in the Faculty Advisor Agreement.

3. Faculty Advisor Agreements are valid only for one academic year.

4. Student Organization leadership must add all student officers, active members, and student organization events to MedScope; which serves as the group’s annual report. Group leaders are responsible for editing and maintaining all information on MedScope. MedScope will only provide technical assistance. MedScope can be reached at medscope@som.umaryland.edu.

5. Student organizations are encouraged to review E-board positions annually. Each position should have a defined role and set of responsibilities. Positions that no longer serve a distinct role should be eliminated and will be reviewed in the audit process.

6. Membership requirements: (MS1/MS2): students should attend a minimum of 30% of all events held per year. (MS3/MS4): complete one of the following: Assist in a fundraiser; Participate on a panel; Attend an event hosted by the student organization; Serve on the executive board as a medical student mentor.

7. Student Organization Leaders are responsible for electing new student officers in the spring. Information is to be transitioned (email lists, PowerPoints, budget information, calendars, MedScope ownership, etc.) by the old leaders to the new leaders.

8. There should be no more than two Co-Presidents of any group.

9. First-year students may not serve in a leadership role for any Student Organization during their first semester.

10. To allow the MS1's time to adjust to medical school, interest groups are not allowed to host events until after the first MS1 exam. Any exceptions would need to be approved by Student Council/OSA; please reach out if you would like to request an exception. If you are interested in hosting a welcome event before the first exam, it would have to be hosted before the start of Introduction to Medical School week.

11. Student Organization Leaders must list external affiliations on MedScope.

12. All student organizations should use ‘UMB’ not ‘UMD’. UMD should not appear in your student organization email or on your websites under any circumstances.

13. Failure to comply with student organization rules or supply information requested will result in the withholding of future funding for the group and the inability of the officers to be recognized for their work with the group by the school.

1. Students applying for interest group status will first meet with OSA and a representative member of Student Council before going through the petition process. During this meeting the group will be asked to identify: a clear need for their new organization and how their organization is different than existing groups on campus.

2. After initial clearance is granted, groups will submit their full student group idea for OSA's review.

3. After steps one and two have been completed, organizations seeking recognition as a University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Student Group or Student Organization will then fill out the New Student Group Request form that includes the name of the group, the group’s acronym, the group’s mission, the name of the proposed faculty advisor, and an upload of the New Student Group Signature Page signed by 20% of the current medical student body.

4. Student Council will review and verify petition signatures.

5. The Office of Student Affairs and the Office of Medical Education Deans must give final approval of the new group’s formation and reserves the right to limit the number of new groups formed.

6. New groups must follow all the student organization policies and procedures.

7. New groups will remain on probation for one year. Breaking the rules will result in an immediate deactivation of the group, and the group shall receive no further funding or recognition.

8. Only student organizations with OSA’s approval will appear in MedScope.

9. New groups must review How to Run a Successful Student Group 2024-2025

1. Presentation Video - How to Run a Successful Student Group

2. PowerPoint - How to Run a Successful Student Group 2025-2026

3. PowerPoint - Student Interest Group Policy Changes

To be added to MedScope as a student organization’s faculty advisor, faculty advisor’s must complete the on-line Faculty Advisor Agreement. In the agreement, faculty advisors agree to:

1. Attend at least one student organization meeting.

2. Provide guidance in planning meetings and events.

3. Review the group’s budget (may take place in fall or spring, depending on when the group was formed).

4. Oversee the election of new student organization leaders, which includes overseeing the transfer of budget information and other materials depending on the organization.

5. Encourage accountability among group officers and members.

6. Report any infractions to the Office of Student Affairs and must understand his or her duties as an organization faculty advisor and agree to comply.

7. Be a UMSOM faculty member with a significant enough presence on campus to meet the minimum requirements outlined in the Faculty Advisor Agreement. If you are unsure if you meet the requirements to be a faculty advisor, please reach out to studentaffairs@som.umaryland.edu.

1. Each student group should review and reference - How to Run a Successful Student Group 2024-2025 and Student Interest Group Policy Changes

2. UMSOM follows and obeys the University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB) Policy on the Use of Alcoholic Beverages at the University System Institutions and Facilities.

3. If a student group event is being held on campus grounds/property and alcohol is being served, the OSA Alcohol Permit Form must be filled out and approved by an Office of Student Affairs Dean and the designated person from the School of Medicine’s Dean’s Office Administration. Please complete the student organization’s portion of the form and submit it to the Office of Student Affairs, either in person to HSF-I Room 152 or by email to studentaffairs@som.umaryland.edu, for coordination of the additional approvals.

If a student group event is being held off campus, the Alcohol Permit form does not need to be filled out. However, it is the responsibility and duties of all students involved to obey general law and the rules and regulations of the place of the event.

4. All student groups and student events should be inclusive of everyone. Discrimination will not be tolerated. Please see the campus policy on discrimination.

5. If the student group produces a deliverable (e.g., publication, journal, article, merchandise), procedures and guidelines must be written and followed to ensure that the deliverable adheres to university standards and does not violate existing policies and procedures. For example, if the student group publishes a journal or creates/distributes merchandise, an executive board must ensure that nothing deemed as pornographic, of a highly polarizing nature, violent or otherwise deemed unacceptable should be considered. Furthermore, a disclaimer should be included such as “This is a student publication, and anything contained herein is not an official statement or endorsement from the University.” 

6. Students may hold a maximum of three positions on student-run executive boards.

7. All student groups requesting student council funding, must fundraise themselves as well.

8. The deactivation of a group is at the discretion of Student Council and the Office of Student Affairs.

9. To be a student organization leader or member, the student must not be on probation and must be in good standing.

1. Student Organization leaders gain approval from the Office of Student Affairs prior to having their members participate in any activity where they are: giving out health-related information or advice, conducting any type of health-related tests (i.e., glaucoma screenings, blood pressure readings, etc.) or entering patient rooms for any reason.

Approval may be requested by completing the OSA Approval for Health Fairs and Other Patient Interaction Activities Form to provide details of the activity(s).

2. A faculty member, who is credentialed to perform the activity(s) being supervised, must be present at the activity once approved.

3. Student Organizations should not promote or advertise any product, company or entity without the Office of Student Affairs or the/Office of Medical Education Dean's approval.

1. To reserve rooms, email rooms@som.umaryland.edu. Outdoor areas may be reserved 2 weeks in advance and may require a fee. To reserve outdoor areas, contact the Pine Street Police Station (410-706-6882). University police reserve the right to reject any request.

2. To reserve a room at the SMC Campus Center, visit their website at http://www.umaryland.edu/campuscenter/host-an-event/.

3. To request AV service or multimedia equipment, email css@som.umaryland.edu.

4. Tables and chairs may be requested from UMB facilities. Please reach out to Adam Esselman (aesselman@som.umaryland.edu) in OSA to help you submit a "Submit Work Request" form for your group. This must be done two weeks in advance of the planned event in order to be processed in time.

5. The University Student Government Association can be reached at 410-706-7117.

1. Student Group Leaders must complete a Request for Funding Form at the beginning of the semester, which should include invoices for anticipated purchases.

2. Student Group Leaders must go through the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) to make purchases if they are buying or selling items on behalf of the group. Credit card payments will not be processed until a student accounting form is completed and submitted to OSA.

3. Student Group Leaders should complete a Student Organization Accounting Form to cover unforeseen out of pocket expenses (up to the group's balance amount). No payments above the group's balance amount will be reimbursed.

4. Student Group Leaders shall detail their activities for the entire year. A strict accounting of any expenses and deposits are required. Student groups may not open their own bank accounts under any circumstances.

5. Student Group Leaders are encouraged to fundraise for additional funding to avoid out-of-pocket expenses by group members.

6. You must obtain approval to apply for funding from grants or contracted funds.

7. Student Group funds may not be used as donations to other organizations or individuals.

8. Student Group funds (non-fundraised) may not be used for recreational or dangerous activities (skiing, hiking, rock climbing, surfing, etc.). Using funds for transportation to and from recreational or dangerous activities is not allowed.

9. Student Group funds (non-fundraised) may not be used to purchase alcoholic beverages. The funding is intended to cover general expense for the group with the exception of dangerous activities and alcoholic beverage. If the group has fundraised for an activity, they can use those funds to go towards the purchase or alcoholic beverages and tips. (OSA Alcohol Permit Form)

10. If Class Council funds are not used by the end of their graduation year, the funds will return to the general student council account.

11. Defunct Student Group funds will automatically be returned to the general student council account.

12. Student Group funds (non-fundraised) may not be used for tips. If a group has fundraised for an activity, they can use those funds to pay for tips provided it is no more than 20% of the total cost.

13. To get reimbursement for tips, student would need to provide the original receipt showing the total cost and the amount that was provided as a tip.

14. Student Group Leaders may not solicit, accept, or transmit any contributions from any regulated lobbyist of Maryland.

15. Student Group Leaders shall not represent to contributors that their donations are tax-deductible.

1. The Office of Student Affairs has the ability create a fundraising website for student group fundraisers.

2. UMB Marketing and the Office of Student Affairs must approve all logos.

3. When the Student Group is ready to start fundraising, it is the group’s responsibility to contact a vendor for a price quote.

4. When the student group is ready to create a fundraising website, the group must fill out this form in order to provide item, price, sizing, image, and any other relevant information to OSA. Please reach out to Adam Esselman once the form has been completed or if you have any questions.

5. The Office of Student Affairs will provide transaction reports, but it is up to the Student Group to ensure that all the orders and credit card transactions are correct before placing the order with the vendor.

6. The Office of Student Affairs does not take responsibility for order errors.

1. Students of the University of Maryland School of Medicine are not authorized to sign contracts or enter into any legally binding agreement on behalf of the University or the School.

2. If a student signs any legal agreement or contract, the student does so as an individual student or a representative of a student organization, and at the student’s own risk. The University is not a party to, nor legally responsible for, any such contract.

3. A representative of a student club or organization may not act as an agent of the University or School when the student signs a contract and must not represent themselves as such an agent.

4. The University and School will not be responsible for any contract signed or for any debt incurred by any individual student or student organization.

1.Funding Request Form
     • Questions Contact: Student Council

2. Student Accounting Form

3. How to Run a Successful Student Group 2024-2025 

4. Upcoming Student Events

5. New Student Group Request

6. Faculty Advisor Agreement

7. OSA Alcohol Permit Form (Must be signed by an OSA Dean)

8. UMB Campus Organizations

9. Room Reservations