Kaupapa, purpose

The club must clearly state and uphold its purpose and kaupapa, demonstrating alignment with the values and expectations of the University of Auckland Student Groups framework.  

Constitution 

A constitution is the foundation of a group, outlining its purpose, membership structure, executive roles and responsibilities, financial management, and processes for handling disputes and complaints. Maintaining a clear, relevant, and well-written constitution is essential, as it helps prevent misunderstandings, protects members and assets, and ensures continuity if an executive member leaves unexpectedly. A robust constitution is a requirement for annual registration, and groups should use the provided template to ensure all necessary sections are included. Poorly drafted constitutions may result in a groups annual registration being declined. 

Membership

To maintain official recognition, groups must meet the following membership and executive criteria:

• Maintain a minimum of 45 members.
• Ensure that at least 80% of all groups members are actively enrolled University of Auckland students. 
• Keep an up-to-date and securely maintained membership list that complies with University policy.
• Submit an Excel spreadsheet containing members' student ID numbers and/or UPI details as part of the annual registration process. 

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee must be student-led and is responsible for the governance, strategic direction, and operational oversight of the group. The Executive Committee must be democratically elected and consist of at least the following roles:   

• President (or Co-Presidents)  
• Secretary (or Co-Secretaries)  
• Treasurer (or Co-Treasurers)  

The positions of President, Secretary, and Treasurer must be held by different individuals. All executive positions, including co-positions, must be held by students who are actively enrolled at the University of Auckland.  Elections must be conducted annually in accordance with the group's constitution and must be fair, democratic, and open to the membership. Any group member who meets the eligibility requirements set out in the constitution may stand for an executive position. Voting must be open to all members attending the Annual General Meeting (AGM). Executive members must not appoint, recruit, select, or elect their successors amongst themselves, and the election process must remain transparent and member-led. 

Training compliance

The group must ensure that the minimum number of representatives have completed all required training modules as mandated by Student Groups. 

Executives completing training must be actively enrolled students at the University of Auckland and intend to study during the 2027 academic year. Executives may only represent one group for training purposes and cannot be counted towards another group's training requirements. The Addressing Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination online module must be completed for training requirements to be considered complete. 
 
Groups that are faculty associations, have more than 200 members, or host camps, balls, or steins must attend Creating Cultures of Consent training in alignment with the University of Auckland's sexual harm prevention strategy. 

Financial details (if applicable)

Student groups wishing to receive funding or financial assistance from the University must supply required documentation. Groups may choose not to provide bank account information or operate without a bank account; however, they will not be eligible for University funding.   

Student groups wishing to receive University funding must:

• Nominate two financial signatories.
• Ensure both signatories are currently enrolled University of Auckland students.
• Ensure one signatory is the Treasurer.
• Provide the group’s bank account details. Submit proof of bank account ownership as part of registration.
• Ensure signatories oversee expenditure and manage group funds in accordance with University requirements.
• Ensure there are no conflicts of interest between financial signatories. Signatories must be independent of one another and must not have a familial, romantic, or other close personal relationship that could create a real or perceived conflict of interest. 

If a student group's registration is successful, it will be assigned a Grant Track, which outlines its eligibility for University funding and provides guidance on available funding opportunities. 

If a group does not meet the requirements, the group may be considered non-compliant and may be subject to review. 

Receipting (if applicable)

If the student group is awarded funding through university grants, all receipts must be submitted for review and approval. This ensures transparency and compliance with university financial policies. Failure to submit receipts may result in funding restrictions or future ineligibility. 

Annual General Meeting (AGM) Minutes

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) is a mandatory annual meeting where members receive updates on the group's activities and finances and elect the Executive Committee for the following year. To be valid for annual registration, the AGM must: 

• Be held once each academic year. 
• Take place between 1 August and 31 October of the year preceding registration. 
• Include reports on the group’s activities and finances. 
• Include the election of the Executive Committee for the upcoming year. 
• Have minutes recorded and submitted as part of the annual registration process. 
• Submit AGM minutes using the Student Groups AGM Minutes Template.
• Failure to hold an AGM within the required timeframe or provide sufficient minutes may affect a group's annual registration. 

Asset registry (if applicable)

The club must maintain an asset registry detailing all relevant physical assets owned by the club, including equipment, merchandise, and other resources. The University of Auckland is not responsible for the safety, storage, or maintenance of club assets.

Legal status

All registered groups operate independently from the University of Auckland and are considered separate entities. As part of the annual registration process, groups must declare their legal status, which may include an Unincorporated Group, Incorporated Society, Incorporated Charitable Society, Charitable Trust, or Company. 

If a group chooses to adopt a formal legal structure, it is solely responsible for complying with all associated legal, regulatory, and tax obligations. The University of Auckland does not assume responsibility for ensuring compliance with these requirements. 

Disclosure of external relationships

As part of annual registration, groups must disclose any formal external relationships with organisations that support, govern, fund, sponsor, or work closely with the group. This helps ensure transparency and identify any external influences or obligations.

Disclosure of external funding and financial support

To ensure transparency and compliance, groups are requested to disclose any external funding or financial support received from sources outside the Student Groups team, including other University of Auckland departments, external organisations, sponsors, donors, or grant providers.

Disclosure of international travel

Any planned international travel involving group members must be reported to Student Groups in advance and comply with relevant university policies. 

As part of the registration process, the group must sign the agreement and submit it within the registration application. 

Registered group

A registered student group is a group that has successfully completed the annual registration process and continues to uphold the University's Official Recognition Principles. Registration demonstrates that the club is operating in accordance with University requirements and recognised standards of governance, compliance, and accountability. 

Maintaining registered status with the University enables groups to access a range of benefits, resources, and support services available to registered student groups, including:   

• Applying for Student Group grants and funding opportunities. 
• Booking University rooms, spaces, and equipment. 
• Using the University of Auckland's name in an official capacity, where approved. 
• Participating in Clubs Expo and other University-sponsored engagement opportunities. 
• Accessing support, resources, and other benefits available to registered groups. 

Inactive or abandoned group

If a group does not successfully complete annual registration for the following year, it will be assigned a Not Registered - Inactive status. This means, the group will no longer be recognised by the University of Auckland and loses access to all associated privileges. 

If the group does not meet the registration requirements by the deadline in the following year for a second consecutive year, it will be deemed Abandoned. 

Once a group has been designated abandoned, it is no longer eligible for annual registration. Should the group wish to re-establish, it must apply through a New Club expression of interest round. Submission of an application does not guarantee approval or registration. 

Groups that are not registered with the University won’t be able to:  

• Apply for Student Group grants and funding opportunities. Book University rooms, spaces, and equipment. 
• Use the University of Auckland's name in an official capacity.
• Participate in Clubs Expo.
• Access support, resources, and other benefits available to registered groups.