Registration Guidelines

Starting and Registering Organizations / Equal Opportunity and Disability Policies / Requirements for Registration / The Student Organization Adviser

Starting and Registering Organizations

How To Register

The Office of Student Organizations holds the authority to grant registration to student organizations and has established the following procedures for registering new and existing organizations:

Any student member of the Vanderbilt University community can begin a new student organization. The process is relatively simple, provided that the proper guidelines are followed.

• The first step is to contact the Director of Student Governance and Organizations to make sure there is not another organization on campus similar to the one you are proposing.
• Secondly, you will need to determine whether there is enough interest in your idea for an organization, by having an informational meeting.
• Once you have determined interest, the third step is to meet with those members who will form the executive board and write a constitution (see p. 25 for an outline for writing a constitution).
• You will then need to choose an adviser who is a full time faculty or staff member (see “Requirements” p. 4).
  The fifth step is to register your student organization at http://www.vanderbilt.edu/studentorganizations.
• Finally, you will submit the Constitution, Room Charge Authorization Form, and Signature Page of the online registration form to the Office of Student Organizations in Sarratt 207. After review and approval, your organization will be notified and may begin to conduct student organization business. Once approved you must fill out the Center Number Request Form (see pages 33 and 34) in order to use the Vanderbilt Accounting System. New Greek, Community Service, and Religious organizations must obtain approval from the directors of Greek Life, Office of Active Citizenship and Service, and University Chaplain respectively. New Sports Clubs must contact the Student Recreation Center prior to registering their organization.

Existing Organizations
Existing student organizations are required to re-register annually to maintain their official status. The deadline for renewing your organization's registration occurs in the Spring semester prior to the academic year in which you will be registered and is April 15. The process is accessible on-line at http://www.vanderbilt.edu/studentorganizations. The registration is reviewed and approved by the Office of Student Organizations, provided the organization meets all requirements. Groups failing to register by the deadline will have their facility privileges withdrawn until registration is complete.

Constitutions
Every student organization should have an up-to-date Constitution on file in the Office of Student Organizations. Your organization should submit a current Constitution with your re-registration. A Constitution is a living document which serves as an organization’s blueprint for success; it should be reviewed at least annually and used in an organization’s day-to-day operations. An outline for a typical Constitution is in the Forms section.

Why Should We Register?
All registered student organizations are entitled to the following privileges:

• Use of the Vanderbilt University name to identify institutional affiliation
• Use of University meeting rooms and facilities
• The opportunity to use office space and equipment in the Sarratt Student Center
• Free organizational consulting and training by University administrators
• Membership on VULEADER, the student leader list-serve, maintained by Student Activities
• Eligibility to apply for funding from various sources on campus
• Use of the Vanderbilt accounting system, with financial planning consultation available
• Access to organizational mailbox in the Station B Post Office
• Access to free publicity in publications such as the Vanderbilt Register, Mortar Board Calendar, The Book, InnerVU, the student organization Web pages (www.vanderbilt.edu/studentorganizations). Also submit events to the online University Calendar (http://calendar.vanderbilt.edu).
• Disk space for creating custom Web pages for student organizations
• Use of campus bulletin boards and kiosks to promote organizational activities
• Access to a digital camera for your major events (see page 6)
  

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Equal Opportunity and Disability Policies

Organizations must abide by the following nondiscrimination policies in order to be registered.

Equal Opportunity
In compliance with federal law, including the provisions of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Vanderbilt University does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, or military service in its administration of educational policies, programs, or activities; its admissions policies; scholarship and loan programs; athletic or other University-administered programs; or employment. In addition, the University does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation consistent with University nondiscrimination policy.

Equal Access
(From the Student Handbook)

“Vanderbilt University is committed to providing equal access to people with disabilities. In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), Vanderbilt does not exclude otherwise qualified persons with disabilities, solely by reason of the disability, from participating in University programs and activities, nor are persons with disabilities denied the benefits of these programs or subjected to discrimination.

“The Opportunity Development Center is the office responsible for coordinating services for students with disabilities.”

Students with disabilities who choose to participate in student organizations and programs on Vanderbilt’s campus have the right to nondiscrimination and confidentiality. Students with disabilities have the responsibility to request reasonable accommodations from student organizations, if necessary, in a timely manner.

Student organizations and programs must be located in facilities which are accessible to all students and participants.

Inquiries or complaints regarding discrimination should be directed to the Opportunity Development Officer, Baker Building, VU Station B #351809, Nashville, TN 37235-1809. Telephone: (615) 322-4705 (V/TDD); fax (615) 343-4969.

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Requirements for Registering Student Organizations

For an organization to be registered by the Office of Student Organizations, the following requirements must be met.

An organization’s officers must:

• at a minimum, not be on academic or disciplinary probation. In the case of undergraduates, students must maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average;
• be full-time registered students as defined by their school or college; or, if faculty or staff, be a full-time permanent staff or faculty member of the University or a graduate assistant supervised by a full-time permanent staff or faculty member;
• assume responsibility for their respective positions within the organization’s Constitution and agree to abide by all University regulations, policies, and procedures of an academic, nonacademic, legal, or financial nature;
• refrain from participating in or encouraging any unlawful activity;
• refrain from discriminating in membership selection, officer or adviser appointments, or practices of organizational activities on the basis of race, sex, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, military service, or sexual orientation, in compliance with Federal law, including the provisions of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990;
• assure that their organization, including all members, officers, and advisers, abide by all Vanderbilt University regulations, policies, and procedures of an academic, nonacademic, legal, or financial nature;
• assure that neither the organization nor its members allow hazing in any form. Hazing is defined as: “intimidation by physical punishment; harassment by exacting unnecessary, disagreeable, or difficult work; or harassment by means of embarrassment by banter, ridicule, or criticism.”

An organization must:

• have Vanderbilt students as part of its membership;
• have only Vanderbilt students, faculty, or staff members serve as officers;
• use Vanderbilt faculty or staff members as advisers (all groups are required to have advisers, full-time members of the faculty or staff);
• receive funding primarily from its members or the University;
• maintain all funds on deposit in an account of good standing through the Accounting Office and follow appropriate accounting procedures;
• limit its voting membership to Vanderbilt students, faculty, or staff members (a limited number of other persons may be elected to honorary or associate membership without voting privileges);
• have purposes which do not overlap significantly with any other registered organization
  register all co-curricular programs and special events (including parties, concerts, lectures, etc., but excluding regular meetings) with the Events Registration Committee, at least two weeks prior to the event;
• make clear that organization members speak only for their organization, not for the entire institution, all students, all faculty members, or all staff members.

A faculty/staff adviser must:

• be a full-time member of the Vanderbilt faculty or staff;
• work actively with the organization to determine the style and nature of advisement required in order to help the group achieve its stated purpose;
• review monthly accounting reports (ledger sheets or electronic access to accounts) and oversee or delegate their reconciliation to a secondary adviser;
• obtain and exercise signature authority (see Forms section) for financial transactions by the organization, or designate signature authority to an appropriate secondary adviser;
• work with members to ensure that the organization is conducting its activities in accordance with University policies, legal requirements, and appropriate financial practices;
• work to uphold the University policies regarding discrimination in membership selection, officer elections or appointments, or practices of organizational activities on the basis of race, sex, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, military service, or sexual orientation, in compliance with Federal law, including the provisions of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990;
• work to uphold the University policy against hazing in any form. Hazing is defined as: “intimidation by physical punishment; harassment by exacting unnecessary, disagreeable, or difficult work; or harassment by means of embarrassment by banter, ridicule, or criticism”;
• be familiar with the composition of the organization’s membership and work actively with the organization to ensure that it is striving to be inclusive.

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The Student Organization Adviser

At Vanderbilt, an organization must have a faculty or staff adviser in order to be a registered organization. By accepting the position of adviser to a student organization, a faculty or staff member chooses to become involved with campus life. An adviser serves as a consultant to an organization and assists in the growth and development of the group by providing direction through advice, understanding, and clarification. Advisers do many things for organizations including:

• clarify adviser roles to group members. If advisers and student leaders have a shared understanding of each other’s responsibilities, there should be few problems;
  act as an interpreter of University policies that govern registered student organizations;
• provide guidance in planning programs and events, and approve event registration forms;
  authorize spending by signing 1180s, purchase orders, and check requests, or delegate signature authority to a secondary adviser (often another staff member or department secretary);
• obtain signature authority by filling out accounting paperwork (see Forms section);
• receive and reconcile monthly accounting reports (ledger sheets or electronic access to accounts) or delegate to student members or secondary adviser;
• encourage and assist the group in setting annual organizational goals;
• encourage groups to review and update their Constitution annually;
  inform officers about leadership development opportunities such as conferences, workshops, and scholarships;
• make themselves available to group officers for consultation about their roles and programs
• encourage officers to maintain accurate records;
• attend meetings occasionally or frequently, depending on agreed-upon responsibilities;
• provide constructive feedback where appropriate and facilitate creativity and innovation for the organization;
• provide continuity from year to year in the face of frequent officer turnover;
• NOT let personal goals interfere with or influence group decisions, activities, or goals;
• facilitate a learning experience for student leaders and members by enabling their success, or, when necessary, by illustrating that failure often teaches as much as success;
• act in a conscientious and caring manner to promote student growth;
• consult the Office of Student Organizations at 322-2471 for advice, guidance, and more information.

Liability Concerns
When a faculty or staff member accepts the position of adviser to a student organization, he or she also accepts responsibility for the actions and activities of the organization. An adviser acts on behalf of the University and is expected to exercise that responsibility reasonably, diligently, and in good faith. The type of liability or risk varies greatly depending on the type of organization being advised and the type of activities planned by that organization. Some suggestions to guide advisers follow.

1. Advisers should anticipate risks which may arise out of any decision or situation. Regardless of what organization or activity is involved, there will always be an opportunity for something to happen that might create a liability for the University. However, if decisions are made in good faith and reasonable precautions are taken, the risk involved can be minimized.

2. It is important to be aware of University policies and regulations as they affect student organizations. The Student Handbook is the student information manual and a source for many University rules and regulations. Advisers should be familiar with the Handbook, particularly those sections that apply to community life, student organizations, and guidelines for organizational activities. The Division of Student Life and the staff of the Office of Student Organizations can also serve as resources for advisers and their student organizations.

3. Advisers should act only within the scope of their authority. Advisers may make certain decisions or take certain actions within their stated responsibilities as advisers. For example, an adviser may approve purchases necessary for the day-to-day operation of an organization. However, advisers do not have the authority to contract on behalf of or to bind the University. Dean of Students is authorized to sign contracts.
For more information about liability and risk management, advisers may contact the General Counsel’s office at 322-8331 or the Office of Risk Management at 936-0660.

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