What is Student Member Program?

During the 2007 International Convention in Chicago , Illinois , delegates approved the new Student Member Program to make membership more affordable for college-age students. This program is designed to encourage student participation in campus and traditional Lions clubs and ensure the dynamism of student and young adult involvement in Lions. The Student Member Program expands our recruiting efforts and gives more students and young adults the opportunity to join the association.

Who qualifies for the Student Member Program?

Students – The eligibility definition of “student” is as follows: A student is an individual enrolled in an educational institution and between the age of legal majority in the jurisdiction in which they reside and through the age of 30.

Students who join existing clubs must be invited and approved by the club's board of directors. Club secretaries complete the Student Member and Leo to Lion Certification Form to report qualifying members.

Student Member Program Components

Active Membership:  Students remain Active Members , entitled to all rights and privileges and subject to all obligations which membership in a Lions club confers or implies.

Student Member Dues Rate: Students receive a special dues concession, paying only half International Dues of US$19.50 and are exempt of any entrance fees. It is further recommended that districts and multiple districts consider exempting or lowering their dues for student members as deemed appropriate.

Extended Billing Adjustment Period for Campus Lions Clubs: Campus clubs receive an extended billing adjustment period for the semi-annual billing in order to accommodate the typical school schedule. Campus clubs now have through April 15 for the January per capita billing and through October 15 for the July per capita billing to amend the club roster. Lions Clubs International will give credits to campus clubs for roster adjustments submitted within this time period without penalty. 

Student Member Program Frequently Asked Questions
The Student Member Program began July 1, 2007. This is a permanent program that was ratified as part of the Lions Clubs International Constitution.

Who qualifies for the Student Member Dues Rate?
Students enrolled in an educational institution and between the age of legal majority in the jurisdiction in which they reside and through the age of 30. Student members are required to provide documentation verifying school enrollment and age.

Do current students in Campus Lions clubs qualify?
Yes. Campus club students qualify for both the reduced dues rate and the extended billing adjustment period. However, students not involved in a Campus Lions club do not receive the extended billing adjustment period.

Does the reduced dues rate apply to traditional clubs?
Yes. All students involved in traditional clubs are eligible to receive the Student Member Dues Rate.

Do students have to pay anything at the time of charter?
Yes. In the case of a newly chartered campus club, or a club with a majority of student members, each charter member who qualifies for the Student Member Program is required to prepay one year international dues at the Student Member Rate (US19.50). Such fees are submitted with the charter application.

Are students over the age of 30 still eligible to receive the $10 entrance/charter fee?
Yes. Students over the age of 30 invited to become a member of a college or university Lions club pay an entrance/charter fee of US$10 upon completion of the Special Entrance/Charter Fee Form.

How does the program benefit traditional clubs?
The Student Member Program gives every Lions club the opportunity to include and welcome these valuable young leaders. When students join Lions, they bring new energy, inspire fresh ideas for service and provide increased support for local and international projects. This program encourages clubs to expand their membership, recruit young leaders and involve them in relevant projects.

How To Certify Student Members:
Club secretaries certify students when using the Web Monthly Membership Report (WMMR) or by submitting the Student Member and Leo to Lion Certification Form along with the Monthly Membership Report (MMR). Once a student is certified, recertification is only necessary when there is a change of membership status. The certification of qualifying members corresponds with the semi-annual per capita billing cut-off dates of May 31 and November 30.

Filing by paper:
Club secretaries submit the printable Student Member and Leo to Lion Certification Form with the Monthly Membership Report (MMR) in which the qualifying member is being reported. Download the form for complete instructions.

Filing on-line WMMR:
Club secretaries select "Student Member" from the membership category on the WMMR and fill in the necessary fields to verify student information.

Existing Campus Club Lions:
To quickly implement the program, all existing campus club Lions received the Student Member Dues Rate for the July 2007 semi-annual per capita billing. Secretaries must submit the Student Member and Leo to Lion Certification Form or certify student members on the WMMR by November 30, 2007 to continue receiving the reduced International Dues rate for the January 1, 2008 semi-annual per capita billing.

Where could I obtain further information?

You could obtain further information from:

http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/programs_mem_student.shtml

THE MALAYSIAN LAW

Could a Malaysian registered club accept students as members?
There is nothing in the Societies Act 1966 that prohibits a student, who are above the age of 16, to become a member of a society, provided the rules of a registered society allows for such admission.

The relevant section of the Societies Act 1966 is section 22, which reads:

SOCIETIES ACT 1966 (REVISED 1987)

22.  Membership of minors.

(1) The rules of a registered society may provide for the admission of a person under twenty-one years of age as a member or subscriber.

(2) Any such member or subscriber may, if he is over sixteen years of age, by himself and if he is under that age by his parent or guardian, execute all instruments and give all acquittances necessary to be executed or given under the rules, but shall not be a member of the committee, or a trustee, secretary, manager or treasurer of the registered society.

What about University students?
However, it has been, for many years now, the practice of the ROS to insist that the Constitution and By-Laws of registered Societies must impose condition on admitting university students from becoming members of societies. It may read something like this:

UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
“No University or University College student shall be admitted as member of the club provided he/she has obtained a prior written approval from the Vice Chancellor concerned.”

Note that if your club's C&BL has such a condition, then the intended member must obtain a written approval from the Vice Chancellor concerned before he or she could be admitted into membership of your club.

What else should you do?
You must check your club's C&BL to see if such a provision exists. If not, there is nothing to prevent your club from accepting students above the age of majority (18 years old) into membership. However, before your club could do so, it must amend its C&BL to allow for differential in fees/dues of student members. Again, your C&BL may say that any amendment shall only take effect after approval by ROS, in which case, you could only admit student members after such approval is obtained.

What is the age of majority in Malaysia?
This is governed by the Age of Majority Act 1971. The relevant sections are, section 2 and section 3 and, reproduced below. They are self explanatory.

AGE OF MAJORITY ACT 1971

2.  Age of majority.

Subject to the provisions of section 4, the minority of all males and females shall cease and determine within Malaysia at the age of eighteen years and every such male and female attaining that age shall be of the age of majority.

3.  Interpretation.

(1) All computations of age under this Act shall be reckoned according to the Gregorian calendar.

(2) In computing the age of any person the day on which he was born shall be included as a whole day, and he shall be deemed to have attained the age of eighteen years at the beginning of the eighteenth anniversary of that day.

Compiled and presented by
Lion Albert Tang
DC for Constitutional and By-Laws (2008-2009)