Student Branches offer student members the opportunity to interact and 'network' with members of the local ASHRAE Chapter, to participate in technical tours, learn from guest speakers, present technical papers, and to interact with other students with the same career interests. If your educational institution does not have an ASHRAE Student Branch then you may be interested in forming one. Establishing a student branch is easy and the rewards are great. All you need is a minimum of 10 student members, a faculty member who is interested in being the Student Branch Advisor, and the support of your local ASHRAE chapter and Region.
New Student Branch requests are approved at ASHRAE’s Winter Meeting in January and at the Annual Meeting in June. If you are interested in forming a new student branch please follow the steps below and ensure all of the required paperwork is submitted ahead of the next meeting. You should also read through the Manual for Student Branch Operations (PDF) to ensure you fully understand what an ASHRAE Student Branch is all about.
Procedures to Establish an ASHRAE Student Branch
- The first step in establishing a student branch is identifying a Student Branch Advisor (SBA). Having an interested faculty member who is an ASHRAE member and is willing to be the SBA is one of the most important steps in forming a branch. If the interested faculty member is not already an ASHRAE member they can easily become one and pay the student rate of $30 (the normal membership rate is $285). If you need help identifying an SBA please contact the Assistant Manager of Student Activities who can put you in touch with your local Chapter and/or ASHRAE members in your area. If you’re proposed SBA is not affiliated with your college or university, you will need to check with your university about their policy regarding non-faculty members being involved.
ONLINE SBA APPLICATION FORM
- Obtain 10 Student Petitioners (the petitioners must be student members, have their membership application in progress, or attach their membership applications to the request form). Identify the Student Branch officers which includes: President, Vice-President, and Treasurer/Secretary.
- Complete the Student Branch Request Form and remember to provide the ASHRAE membership IDs for the Student Branch Advisor and all student members. The form should be submitted to the Assistant Manager of Student Activities by the Student Branch Advisor and will be forwarded to your local Chapter and Region for approval.
New Student Branch Request (PDF)
- Once approved by your local Chapter Student Activities Chair and Director and Regional Chair, the Constitution and Bylaws will be issued. These will need to be reviewed, signed (by the new Student Branch President) and returned to ASHRAE HQ before the next meeting.
- If the branch is approved by ASHRAE’s Members Council at the Winter or Annual meeting, the Student Branch Advisor will be notified and provided with a Student Branch pack which includes the charter, a list of Student Branches in your region, a copy of the signed Constitution and Bylaws, and the Manual for Student Branch Operations. The next step is for the new branch to create their logo in order to receive their free banner.
Web Policy for ASHRAE Groups (PDF)
- Arrange the branch’s inaugural meeting and follow ASHRAE Policies and Procedures for setting up your web page.
In rare cases, branches are in a locale with no ASHRAE local chapter to provide support. Under these circumstances, an advisory committee may sponsor the branch. An advisory committee is comprised of 3 individuals with at least 2 years’ experience in the HVAC&R field (industry or academia). If you do not have a local ASHRAE Chapter, contact the Assistant Manager of Student Activities for further information.
For questions, contact:
Katie Thomson
Assistant Manager of Student Activities
ASHRAE Headquarters
1791 Tullie Circle NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
404/636-8400
Fax: 404/321-5478
E-mail: kthomson@ashrae.org