1 Alabama State University Student Organization Handbook Office of Student Activities Revised Fall 2010
2 TABLE OF CONTENTS How to Start a New Student Organization 2 How to Register a Student Organization 3 Privileges of Registered Student Organizations 3 Requirements for Membership and Officers 4 Adviser Information 4 Registered Student Organization Activities and Meetings 5 Calendar of Events (Planning and Promotions) Goals of Volunteer and Community Service Reactivation of Student Organization: Procedures 6 Use of University Facilities 7 University Policies and Procedures 7-8 The Pilot Financial Responsibilities GPA Requirements Probation Hazing Policy Publicity of Events (Posting Flyers/Banners on Campus) University Services Available to Registered Student Organizations 9 Office of Student Activities Audix Announcements Student Media National Pan-Hellenic Council 10-11 Constitution Policies and Procedures Membership Intake Adviser Responsibilities Request for Greek Weeks
3 How to Start a New Student Organization For the University to grant recognition as a chartered student organization, the purposes of the organization must be in agreement with the purposes of the University and established regulations and public laws. The organization shall submit a request for a permit to become a chartered organization to the Office of Student Activities. The request must include the following: 1. Petition for Recognition as a Student Organization Form downloaded from the ASU Web (type only). Completed and submitted to the assistant coordinator of the Office of Student Activities. 2. The signatures of at least six (6) Alabama State University students in good academic standing are needed to apply for recognition. Recognized organization membership is limited to currently enrolled Alabama State University students. 3. A letter of application stating the organization s purposes and objectives accompanied by letters of support from three (3) faculty members. 4. A copy of the proposed constitution and/or bylaws. 5. A list of proposed officers and members. This list must contain the names of not fewer than seven (7) individuals. The officers and members must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.50. Each student on the list must have a GPA of 2.50. 6. Organizations that will be an affiliate, chapter or branch of some regional, national or international organization must satisfy additional requirements. 7. See Appendix for Guidelines for Developing a Constitution. The Associate Provost for Student Affairs shall appoint a Student Organization Committee (SOC) comprised of faculty and staff members and representatives of the Student Government Association. The SOC will determine whether the proposed organization meets established standards and make the appropriate recommendation to the Associate Provost for Student Affairs. Upon the recommendation of the SOC, Associate Provost for Student Affairs will approve and grant charter to the organization.
4 Annual Registration for Student Organizations Each student organization must register each year with the Office of Student Activities and receive approval for operation. Student organizations will furnish semi-annual and annual reports of their operations and achievements to the vice president of Student Activities. Such reports shall include the following: 1. Student Organization Registration Form downloaded from the ASU web (type only) and submitted to the Office of the Assistant Coordinator of Student Activities. 2. A roster of its current officers, members, faculty advisers and prospective members. 3. A copy of current constitution and bylaws. 4. A compilation of the cumulative GPA of the organization, which must be a minimum of 2.50. Whenever the group GPA of a given semester falls below a 2.50, the vice president of Student Affairs shall place the organization on probation for one semester. At the end of each semester of the probation, if the organization has not regained the group average of 2.50, permission to function as an organization shall be withdrawn until such time as the group average of 2.50 has been regained. The Associate Provost for Student Affairs with the approval of the University president, may prescribe additional reasonable rules, regulations and procedures for recognition of student organizations. Privileges of Registered Student Organizations A registered student organization has the following privileges: 1. Registered student organizations are allowed to participate in University events (i.e. Homecoming and ASU Connection Day). 2. Use of ASU facilities and materials. 3. Permission to hold events and sponsor promotions, meetings and other activities on campus. 4. Ability to request funding from the Student Government Association and the Office of Student Affairs. 5. Listing in University publications (website, yearbook, The Hornet Tribune, etc.).
5 Requirements for Members and Officers in Registered Student Organizations 1. Members and officers in registered student organizations must maintain a GPA of 2.50 and be currently enrolled at Alabama State University. 2. If the member is not currently enrolled for the fall or spring semester, he or she cannot participate in the registered student organization during that term. 3. If an officer is not enrolled during the fall or spring semester, he or she may not hold the office, and the organization must select a replacement. 4. Each student must meet the established academic standards and must be free of disciplinary sanction and financial delinquency in order to qualify for and maintain active membership in a student organization. 5. Each student who applies for a position in the Student Government Association must meet the qualifications for the office as stated in the SGA Constitution. 6. Any changes in regards to officers or members must be reported to the assistant coordinator of Student Activities immediately. Adviser Information The following are six guiding principles for faculty/staff advisers: 1. Each registered student organization must have an on-campus adviser. This individual must ensure that the student organization s purposes are consistent with the aims of the University and the national organization. 2. Promote student learning and development, primarily by helping the students integrate classroom learning with co-curricular activities. The adviser(s) must be present at all of the organization s events and promotions. 3. Inform the student organization of its rights, privileges and obligations. 4. Ensure that the student organization adheres to University rules and regulations. In cases where the organization is affiliated with the national group, the adviser must ensure that all applicable rules and regulations are followed. 5. Act as a chaperone for all social events sponsored by the student organization. 6. Must attend all student organization meetings. Faculty and staff members who wish to sponsor new organizations or assume sponsorship of established organizations are advised to consult with the Office of Student Activities. Students may recommend to the president, through the vice president of Student Affairs, faculty or staff members they wish to be considered as advisers. Advisers of an organization shall be fulltime faculty or staff members and shall have been employed by the University for at least one academic year. The president will appoint all faculty and staff advisers to student organizations.
6 Registered Student Organization Activities and Meetings A facility request form is to be completed and approved by the facility director prior to the event or meeting. Have your adviser sign and keep a copy of the facility request for further followup prior to the function. The adviser will receive a returned copy from the facility director if the event/meeting has been approved or disapproved with a written reason. If the organization cancels an event/meeting, a written notice must be received by the facility director s office, the Office of Student Activities and the University Police 72 hours prior to the event/meeting. There is a fee for security assessed for major events (i.e. parties, talent shows, pageants, etc.). For events that require payment upon entering the event, funds have to be taken by the University Auxiliary Office. See Appendix for Student Organization Financial Guideline. For additional information, contact the Office of Student Activities. A calendar of events and promotions must be submitted fall and spring semesters to the assistant coordinator of Student Activities. Submit a list of completed or proposed volunteer and community services for each semester and any special recognition, locally or nationally, that the organization has received to the assistant coordinator of Student Activities.
7 Reactivation of Student Organization Procedures 1. A letter of interest to reactivate the student organization must be submitted to the assistant coordinator of Student Activities. 2. The organization s original constitution and previous information must be on file in the Office of Student Activities. The file must be reviewed by the student(s) requesting reactivation. If there are no changes made to the existing constitution, then reactivation is almost approved. If there are changes that need to be made to the existing constitution on file in the Office of Student Activities, then the reactivation process will be prolonged until the review of proposed changes. 3. A petition with the signature of at least six (6) members that are currently enrolled at Alabama State University, in good academic standing, must be submitted along with the letter of interest to the Office of Student Activities. 4. Upon completion of the reactivation process, the status will be reviewed by the Office of Student Affairs. 5. For approval of reactivation, the organization must submit a clearance form and adviser s letter of support to the Office of Student Activities.
8 Use of University Facilities All organizations must submit a Facility Request Form. This form is located in office #234 W in the Dunn-Oliver Acadome. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Facility Request Form must be submitted three weeks prior to the requested date. All forms must have adviser s name, signature, campus address and telephone number before the form will be accepted for processing. This form must be approved by the facility director prior to the use of any University facility. University Policies and Procedures Information regarding responsibilities can be found in The Pilot, the official student handbook of Alabama State University All registered student organizations are bound by information starting on page 13 of The Pilot. Attention should be paid to the responsibilities and prohibited practices for student organizations. Questions about the information in this section should be addressed to the Associate Provost for Student Affairs, McGhee Hall Room 108, (334) 229-5104. Financial Policy (See Office of Student Activities) GPA Requirements The cumulative GPA of each student organization s membership must be a least 2.50. Members must be in good academic standing and free of disciplinary sanction and financial delinquency in order to qualify for and maintain an active membership in a student organization. Probation Alabama State University recognizes that students bring their own traditions, customs and practices, many of which coincide with those of the University. Such traditions are welcomed and encouraged. The University prohibits and will not tolerate traditions, customs and practices that involve hazing of any kind, that interfere with the academic and personal development of students, that are antisocial or that compromise students morals and values. Hazing All organizations will ensure that prospective students are not subjected to hazing, cruel horseplay, harassment or punishment by imposition of excessively heavy or disagreeable tasks, beating, scolding, frightening activities or annoyance by playing abusive or
9 humiliating tricks. Hazing is defined as a Class C misdemeanor. For greater detail on hazing, refer to Alabama Law Prohibiting Hazing in The Pilot, page 98. Publicity of Events The following policies govern how events can be publicized on campus. Posting Information on Campus 1. All posters, flyers and advertisements must be approved and stamped by the Office of Student Activities, Room 1 (upstairs) Hardy Center, for events that will be held on campus. 2. The Office of Administrative Services, 2 nd Floor Council Hall, approves and stamps all off-campus publicity materials. 3. Signs that advertise events at club establishments may not be posted anywhere on campus. If a student organization is found guilty of posting these flyers, the organization will be sanctioned accordingly. 4. Signs may not be attached to painted surfaces. 5. Signs may not be placed on glass anywhere on campus. 6. Organizations are encouraged to demonstrate good judgment and avoid offensive or lewd comments or pictures on all publicity materials. Any materials found objectionable may be rejected for posting by approving departments. Signs posted without approval and those where forged approval is detected will be removed and the organization responsible for posting the signs will be restricted from further use of posting privileges on campus. 7. Banners see University Services Available to Registered Student Organizations (page 9). 8. Signs will be monitored on a weekly basis. All signs without approval or left posted after the event date will be removed.
10 Office of Student Activities University Services Available to Registered Student Organizations The University takes seriously its commitment to student learning and development. Recognizing that students learn in both the classroom and out-of-classroom environments, the Office of Student Activities seeks to provide opportunities that help to integrate curricular and extracurricular experiences. One such way is through student organizations. Students personal learning and development is often facilitated by a student organization s ability to engage in educationally purposeful activities and events and through meaningful faculty/staff involvement. Student Government Association The Student Government Association (SGA) provides a particularly rich array of student activities and events. The SGA, which is the overall representative for students, is open to all students upon enrollment to Alabama State University. The SGA takes precedence over all student organizations in matters related to the general welfare of the student body. As the representative for all students, the SGA is encouraged to make reports and recommendations to the vice president of Student Affairs on matters related to student life at ASU. Student Media The Hornet Tribune is Alabama State University s student newspaper. For more information, contact the Office of Student Media at 229-4273. The Pilot, the official student handbook of Alabama State University, is published by the Division of Student Affairs. This handbook can be picked up from the Office of Student Affairs, McGehee Hall Room 108, or (334) 229-4241. Physical Plant If a banner or other special need necessitates assistance prior to an event, arrangements may be made by contacting the physical plant department at (334) 229-4408. Announcements Audix services may be utilized by registered student organizations. This request must be accompanied by a memorandum and detailed information pertaining to the event being advertised by the adviser. For additional information, contact the Office of Student Activities at (334) 229-4888.
11 Alabama State University Chapter Constitution: www.nphchq.org The National Pan-Hellenic Council, Incorporated (NPHC) is currently composed of nine (9) International Greek letter sororities and fraternities: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. NPHC promotes interaction through forums, meetings and other mediums for the exchange of information and engages in cooperative programming and initiatives through various activities and functions. On May 10, 1930, on the campus of Howard University, in Washington D.C., the National Pan-Hellenic Council was formed as a permanent organization with the following charter members: Omega Psi Phi and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternities, and Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta and Zeta Phi Beta Sororities. In 1931, Alpha Phi Alpha and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternities joined the Council. Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority joined in 1937 and Iota Phi Theta Fraternity completed the list of member organizations in 1997. The stated purpose and mission of the organization in 1930 was Unanimity of thought and action as far as possible in the conduct of Greek letter collegiate fraternities and sororities, and to consider problems of mutual interest to its member organizations. Early in 1937, the organization was incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois and became known as The National Pan-Hellenic Council, Incorporated. Policies and Procedures All nine organizations are to annually register during the campus student organization registration period and provide a listing of current/active members to the Office of Student Activities. All facility requests must be approved and signed by the adviser of the organization and the assistant coordinator of Student Activities. Reference the information on posting information on page eight. Membership Intake 1. A letter of request must be submitted to the Office of Student Activities for approval for membership intake. 2. Upon approval from the Office of Student Activities and the Division of Student Affairs, the organization is allowed to proceed with the required process. 3. Each fraternity and sorority will be granted one membership intake process during the spring, unless there is an extenuating circumstance (i.e. membership is below the standard number required to continue as a functioning organization).
12 4. Each fraternity and sorority is required to submit to the Office of Student Activities the policies and regulations of the national organization that governs new member recruitment and initiation. 5. Each fraternity and sorority must submit a clearance form, data release form and hazing form from the Office of Student Activities and the Division of Student Affairs before the membership intake is granted. 6. Each prospective member is required to complete and sign all ASU forms related to membership intake. (The forms are available through the Office of Student Activities.) 7. Each prospective member must have been enrolled in the University for two consecutive semesters and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 in a least 32 semester hours before he or she can be recruited and inducted into a fraternity or sorority. No person shall be recruited or inducted until he or she is in good financial and citizenship status with the University. 8. Prospective members must be fulltime (12 hours or above) students currently enrolled at Alabama State University. 9. Membership intake is only allowed for currently-enrolled ASU students meeting the requirements mentioned above. 10. Fraternity and sorority membership intake activities must be adequately supervised by the approved faculty/staff adviser. No membership activities should take place in the absence of the adviser. 11. Each fraternity and sorority is prohibited from engaging in membership intake activities during mid-semester examinations. All membership intakes must be concluded no later than two weeks prior to the week of final examinations during the fall or spring semesters. Advisers (Reference The Pilot handbook page 12). For additional questions contact the Office of Student Activities or the Division of Student Affairs at (334) 229-4888 or (334) 229-4241. Greek Weeks Requests for Greek Weeks must be submitted to the executive branch of the Alabama State University National Pan Hellenic Council prior to the deadline established. Contact the assistant coordinator for deadline information at (334) 229-4888.
13 Appendix Student Organization Registration Form Clearance Form Data Release Form Student Organizational Financial Policies and Procedures