The Chapter Kit
Start here.
You don't need to know how any of this works yet. Every school has its own rules, but starting a club usually comes down to four steps.
Learn your school's rules
The student activities office (sometimes called student life or student involvement) registers new clubs. Search your school's website for "register a student organization," or stop by and ask three questions: How many members does a new club need? When does registration open? Which forms do you need? Write down what they tell you.
Grow your team
Your school will likely ask for a few founding members, often including officers like a president and a treasurer. Start with friends, classmates and anyone who likes a good argument. People who disagree with you are welcome too: that's the point.
Find a faculty advisor
A faculty advisor is a professor or staff member who agrees to be your club's official contact at the school. For most advisors it's a small commitment: signing your registration and being someone the school can reach. Think of a professor whose class you liked, especially in political science, philosophy, law, history or communication, and ask after class or by email. If they say no, ask who they'd suggest, and try the next one.
Subject: Faculty advisor for a new student debate club Hi Professor {last name}, I'm starting a chapter of Open Speech Society at {school}. It's a nonpartisan campus debate club: a speaker makes a case, and anyone in the room can take the mic and argue back. Our school needs a faculty advisor to register the club. Would you be open to being our advisor? I'd be glad to explain what it involves. Thank you, {your name}
Register
When your team and advisor are ready, fill out your school's registration. Many schools ask for a club constitution and a letter from the national organization. We send both: the national constitution and a headquarters letter.
Once your advisor is set, Armando Ruano, our Director of Chapters, sets up a call to walk you through your school's steps to register and to plan your first event. Stuck on any step? Reply to your confirmation email. Haven't applied yet?
Questions
Does it cost anything?
No. Starting and running a chapter is free.
Who can start a chapter?
Any student at a US college or university, including community colleges and graduate schools. High schools aren't eligible.
I don't have a team or an advisor yet.
That's normal. Apply anyway: your step-by-step guide shows you how to find both.
What do you need from us, and what do you do?
You set up the chapter: your team, a faculty advisor and your school's paperwork. We help with every step, including finding members. For events, we do most of the work, from booking speakers to planning and running the day with you.
Someone from my school already applied.
Apply anyway. There's one chapter per school (per campus at colleges that register clubs campus by campus), so we'll introduce you and you'll build it together.
My school has its own constitution template.
That's common. Use your school's template and we'll help you fill it in. We still send the headquarters letter.
Is it political?
Open Speech Society is nonpartisan. A speaker makes the case, and anyone in the room can argue back, from any side.
Be first to know.
We'll email you when we announce a new event or a new chapter.