Forming a Radical Students Union

[Tolstoy]

At first I was planning on forming a branch of Socialist Alternative at my community college but I realized just how specific that would be for a small school and im trying to get an RSU together as a means of uniting the Commies, Socialists and Anarchists at RVC together in a place to discuss radicalism and perhaps plan some actions.

What do RSU's usually do and how are they usually structured? I have no experience with this

[The Garbage Disposal Unit]

A lot depends on local laws, etc.
In Quebec, for example, students' unions enjoy similar legal status to workers' unions. In Illinois? Fuck if I know.
That said, you could probably approach it much like a workers' union drive, with the advantage that you probably don't face the risk of being sacked for it.
Two thoughts though:

1. Start organizing on a departmental basis (or whatever your college's equivalent is). It means there's more room for direct engagement, more common experience, and it's less intense than taking on the whole school by yourself.

2. What would your students' union do? Assuming that it will either collect dues, or, as in most of Canada, be funded by student fees, students are going to want to know what there money is going to be accomplishing. That's not to say that you've got to put politics to the side and promise weekly keggers, but the fact is that you probably won't get much traction on "Yo, have you seen footage from the Quebec Student Strike?"

[Tolstoy]

A lot depends on local laws, etc.
In Quebec, for example, students' unions enjoy similar legal status to workers' unions. In Illinois? Fuck if I know.
That said, you could probably approach it much like a workers' union drive, with the advantage that you probably don't face the risk of being sacked for it.
Two thoughts though:

1. Start organizing on a departmental basis (or whatever your college's equivalent is). It means there's more room for direct engagement, more common experience, and it's less intense than taking on the whole school by yourself.

2. What would your students' union do? Assuming that it will either collect dues, or, as in most of Canada, be funded by student fees, students are going to want to know what there money is going to be accomplishing. That's not to say that you've got to put politics to the side and promise weekly keggers, but the fact is that you probably won't get much traction on "Yo, have you seen footage from the Quebec Student Strike?"
Im not using "union" is the terms of a labor union at all, I simply mean forming a group of radical students unified, much like any other club at the school

[BIXX]

At first I was planning on forming a branch of Socialist Alternative at my community college but I realized just how specific that would be for a small school and im trying to get an RSU together as a means of uniting the Commies, Socialists and Anarchists at RVC together in a place to discuss radicalism and perhaps plan some actions.

What do RSU's usually do and how are they usually structured? I have no experience with this

We formed one at my school. I would try to come up with an idea of a project rather than say "let's start a group". Get people interested in the project then when the project reaches it's conclusion, put forward the idea of forming a permanent group or club or whatever. I mean, that's not how we did it, but the way we did it fell apart after I left that union, so I figure trying a different approach won't be a problem.

[Skyhilist]

Here's the webpage of the radical student union for the UC Santa Barbara's page. Personally, I think that the way they run it is pretty reasonable. They also have a UCSB RSU constitution, which you might find helpful (scroll down on the page I've attached).

RSU webpage: https://orgsync.com/58875/chapter

[The Garbage Disposal Unit]

Im not using "union" is the terms of a labor union at all, I simply mean forming a group of radical students unified, much like any other club at the school

Oh.

That's disappointing. Why not?

I wanna see Quebec 2012 everywhere.