How do you enforce participation in a student group?

Well, if its a volunteer group, you can’t. Why did these kids join in the first place? If it’s because their parents made them, there’s your problem.

If all forty putative members do nothing, expel them from the club. Having no members is no different than having no participating members. At some point, disappointing as it may be, you have to throw in the towel, or barbell.

It is a volunteer group, but the benefit they get from it is a boost for their resume, and I just don’t think its fair that they get that without doing any work. Around 5 of the members show up to each meeting. We’re all in college so I don’t think parents are the answer haha

What about surveying the members to find out why they don’t participate? Are the meetings disorganized? At an inconvenient time or location? Communications not regular or timely? Meetings viewed as dictatorial?

You can’t fix the problem before you know what the real problem is. Members not participating is a symptom of something else. Invite people to help you figure it out. You can go to zoomerang.com and create survey from members to take.

Also, keep in mind that organizing and staffing an event like a 5K requires a lot of volunteers. Part of being able a successful organization is to enlist the community to address the need, not just pulling from membership.

In case you think I have multiple personality disorder, I suggested to my daughter that she post this question.

You could send an email out to everyone and say the due to lack of participation the club is in danger of being dispelled.

Kick their lazy asses out.

Put in your bylaws that membership requires some percentage of attendance (three meetings per semester, five out of seven meetings, whatever).

@DD: If active membership drops to 0, can you disband the club? That would dispel any temptation inactive members might have to brag or list on CV.