PROJECT SSA (Episode One)

I'm currently working on setting up a local "chapter" of the Secular Student Alliance (SSA) at my school (North Georgia College & State University (NGCSU)). As things with the SSA happen, I figure I'll post them here.

First, some background information:

Because I frequently read Hemant Mehta's blog (The Friendly Atheist), I had been introduced to other SSA's at other schools. They do a lot of great stuff, and, if you've got the time, I suggest heading over to their website and looking into them. In short (for those who might not have the time to check out their website), SSA is an international organization which helps local campus groups get started. They are devoted to furthering a humanistic, realistic worldview and to helping students (hence the "Student" in their name) promote rational thought at college campuses.

Before I entered college (last summer), I started looking into forming an SSA at my school. Having done some research, I knew that there was not currently a student group at my school. In fact, there are only three in my state! (This isn't too terribly surprising: Georgia is exceptionally conservative.) So, I began to look into the process I would need to follow in order to start a campus group. Turns out I'd need five members, a faculty adviser, some forms, a group constitution, and the approval of our Student Government. While it might seem like an easy check-off list to go through, this project was soon placed on the back burner due to my being a freshman in college who was learning how to juggle social life, responsibilities, academics, and a small job.

As my first semester became my second, the project was moved from the back burner to the side counter. Then it was scrapped altogether. There simply wasn't enough time to keep up the lifestyle I'd started to fall into as well as to form this group!

After my second semester ended and I moved back home for the summer, I started thinking about the project again. I took the idea to a nontheist friend of mine and we talked about it. She thought this was a good idea, so I started asking around. Soon I had three other students interested. At this point, I re-contacted the SSA to request materials to aid in the starting of this group. Soon after beginning this process (again), I found the fifth of our mandatory five members.

I made a Facebook Group Page (one of the requirements that the SSA puts on local "chapters"). It's called "North Georgia Skeptics," though that page is rather bare at the moment.

These four other students and myself are currently in the process of writing a group constitution (luckily, the SSA provides a sample to aid in this process!). Hopefully we'll be able to finish this and to find a group adviser before school starts again next month.

When we have made significant more ground, I'll be sure to update this to help reflect our progress.