Current through all regulations passed and filed through September 16, 2024
(A) Policy statement and purpose
This policy outlines how students may register an organization;
the appeal process if a proposed organization is denied recognition; and
membership, financial responsibility, advisor and meeting requirements for all
organizations.
(B) Policy
Recognized student organizations are an important
element
of the co-curricular activities of Bowling Green state university. They
should contribute to the personal development and enjoyment of their members
within the context of the broader teaching, research and service missions of
Bowling Green state university. Any student group wishing to take advantage of
privileges granted by Bowling Green state university must register for
recognition with student engagement and residence
life. Students interested in registering a student organization should
contact student engagement for specific information on the registration
process. All groups which meet university requirements for student
organizations will be permitted to register. The division of student
engagement
and success is committed to providing support and assistance to all
recognized student organizations properly registered with the university. The
initial step in receiving this support is the completion of the annual
registration process. Registrations expire annually.
(C) Recognition of student organizations
Recognition is a means by which student organizations may
receive standard privileges granted when certain requirements are met; it does
not imply university approval of the student organization's speech, purpose,
function or activities.
(1) Standard
registration privileges
Standard privileges are granted to all recognized student
organizations that have been recognized upon completion of the registration
process. They include:
(a) Use of
university facilities, though select event spaces and gymnasiums may carry
additional fees;
(b) Opportunity to
apply for university funds in accordance with university rules and
regulations;
(c) Use of resources
provided by student engagement and residence
life, including online organization platforms;
(d) An opportunity for inclusion in
university publications, directories and distribution materials;
(e) Ten per cent discount on select catering
through BGSU dining;
(f) An
opportunity to participate in university organization fairs;
(g) Eligibility for on-campus fund-raising
activities;
(h) An opportunity to
obtain a student organization mailbox, office and/or storage space in the
Bowen-Thompson student union.
(2) Student organizations wishing to register
for recognition with the university must submit the following information to
student engagement and residence life:
(a)
Organizations
that are re-registered must complete the following:
(i)
Registration files,
including:
(a)
A
copy of the organization's most recent ratified constitution;
(b)
A list of the
organization's officers as listed in its constitution;
(c)
A member of the
faculty or staff indicating their willingness to serve as advisor to the
organization;
(d)
A full roster of the organization's membership;
(i)
If an
organization has fewer than ten university students as active members, they
must schedule a meeting with staff from student engagement and residence life
to create a recruitment plan
(ii)
Organizational
membership may be composed of BGSU faculty and staff but a minimum of
seventy-five per cent of the membership must be comprised of BGSU
students.
(b)
New
student organizations must complete:
(i)
The items listed in paragraph (C)(2)(a) of this
rule;
(ii)
A full roster of the organization's members. A new
organization must have ten university students as members to
register.
(c)
New student organizations may request
temporary organization privileges for thirty days to organize and meet the
requirements for registration. Student engagement and residence life will
provide advising support during this formation period.
(d)
New
student organizations may be required to meet with staff from student engagement
and residence life to jointly develop a one-page
written plan to assist the organization in its development. The plan may
include, but is not limited to, attendance at workshops, completion of a
recruitment action plan, and participation in leadership training. The written
plan must be on file with student engagement and
residence life in order for the organization to be in good
standing.
(D)
Denial of registration
If student engagement and residence
life determines that the materials submitted by the organization do not
meet the requirements of this policy or that recognition would be inconsistent
with viewpoint-neutral university policies, registration may be denied. If
registration is denied, student engagement and
residence life shall notify the president and advisor of the applying
organization of the decision in writing. The applying organization may appeal
in writing to the director of student engagement and
residence life (or designee) within five working days from the date of the denial
letter. The decision of the director of student engagement
and residence life (or designee) is final.
(E) Student organization
requirements
(1) Membership in registered
student organizations shall be open to all students of BGSU without regard to
race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, creed,
ethnicity, color, national origin, ancestry, genetic information, pregnancy,
religion, age, marital status, disability, status as a veteran, or any other
class protected by Ohio or federal anti-discrimination law. Any grievance
regarding alleged discrimination should be reported to the office of the dean
of students or the office of equal opportunity and compliance as appropriate. There
are two exceptions to this requirement. First, Title IX does not apply to the
membership practices of social fraternity and sorority organizations. Second,
religious qualifications may be required by an organization if its ratified
constitution expresses a religious aim or purpose.
(2) Selection criteria for members must be
relevant to the goals and objectives of the organization.
(3) Dual-enrolled students, students who are
earning college credit while attending high school, including college credit
plus, may participate in student organizations, with the exception of social
fraternities and sororities and club sports.
(4)
Per division
(E)(4) of section 3333.0417 of the Reivsed Code,
all organization members must complete anti-hazing training prior to
participating in organization activities.
(5)
Officers are defined as elected or appointed members
who carry official titles and responsibilities germane to the organization,
including but not limited to titles such as: president, vice president,
secretary, treasurer, chairperson, senator, etc. Appeals for exceptions to this
requirement may be made to the director of student engagement
and residence life (or designee). The decision of
the director of student engagement and residence life
(or designee) is final.
(6) Organizations may
have as many officer roles as required by their organization's constitution but
those roles must include a president, vice
president, and a treasurer (or titles which fulfill
those
duties ). The
president and treasurer may not be the same person.
(7)
Officers defined
as president, vice-president, and treasurer (or titles which fulfill these
roles) of student organizations must be full-time BGSU students, unless they
are in their graduating semester, in good conduct standing, and maintain a
minimum cumulative 2.25 GPA. The GPA required by their organization's local or
national constitution may be higher than the university's requirement, and the
officers and advisors are expected to enforce such requirement.
(F) Financial management and
accountability
(1) Recognized student
organizations interested in requesting university funding or accessing funds in
a university account are required to have their president and/or treasurer
attend annual trainings. The president and/or treasurer must comply with
university policies related to initiating contracts. Organizations may also
complete an alternative plan approved by student engagement
and residence life prior to submitting a request
for funding and/or accessing university funds. Expenses incurred on-campus
(e.g., Falcon outfitters or BGSU dining charges) must be directly billed to the
organization and submitted to student engagement and
residence life. All other expenses, including travel arrangements, must
be submitted to student engagement and residence
life, and the staff will coordinate the payment process.
All funds allocated to the organization from
university-controlled sources must be maintained in a university account and
spent in accordance with university policies and procedures.
(2) Pre-loaded debit cards
Recognized student organizations with non-university allocated
funds (i.e., agency or revenue dollars) in a university account may request one
pre-loaded debit card. The use of debit cards must comply with all university
policies and procedures. Each transaction must be reconciled with student
engagement and residence life. Failure to adhere
to these expectations will result in the student organization forfeiting its
right to have a debit card.
(3) Contracts
Authority to obligate the university by contract in all matters
relating to recognized student organizations lies solely with the division of
student engagement and success. All contracts involving
recognized student organizations' funds managed by the university must be
submitted to student engagement and residence
life no later than four weeks prior to the event or contracted date, for
signature by the
director of student engagement
and success (or designee) after approval from the university's general
counsel (if applicable). The director of
student engagement and success (or designee) is the only person who can
sign contracts for recognized student organizations. This review is established
for the protection of the organization, its officers and members, and the
university. Some service providers may not be eligible for use by student
organizations because of existing contractual relationships the university has
with other vendors.
To expedite the contract review and signature process, all
student organizations must submit a request for student engagement
and residence life to complete the appropriate
agreements. The director of
student engagement and residence life (or designee) must pre-approve the
use of any contract that differs from this template.
Students shall not participate in forming contracts with
entities in which the student or the student's immediate family has an
ownership interest.
University employees may not enter into an agreement with
student organizations for compensation.
To enter into any agreement, student engagement
and residence life requires that a recognized
student organization be able to financially cover the cost of any contract
without relying on projected revenue (e.g., ticket sales). A student
organization might consider co-sponsorship with another organization to secure
needed funds.
(4) Student
organizations may not use funds to contract with individuals/entities,
excluding currently enrolled Bowling Green state university students, in a way
that would create an employment relationship. Accordingly, all
individuals/entities must follow the university's purchasing policies and meet
criteria as an independent contractor. For more information, visit
https://www.bgsu.edu/purchasing/vendor-data-forms.html.
(5) Recognized student organizations must
maintain records of how their funds are generated and disbursed. This includes
an account of the amount of funds, the methods by which funds are generated and
expended, and an account of the amount and object of expenditures. Recognized
student organizations are to keep receipts for money collected.
(6) Student engagement
and residence life may request financial records
from any recognized student organization for the purpose of upholding the
student organization allocation board policies, university rules and
regulations, as well as state and federal laws.
(7) Recognized student organization members
shall have the right to know how their money is being spent. The treasurer must
keep detailed financial records and make them available to members, the
advisor(s), student engagement and residence
life, as well as local, state, and federal officials upon
request.
(8) All records associated
with university fund allocations and expenses are available for public
inspection as required by state law.
(G) Recognized student organization advisor
(1) All recognized student organizations are
required to have an advisor who is a full-time staff or faculty member at BGSU.
Graduate students may not serve as primary advisors to recognized student
organizations, except when it is outlined as part of
their job duties.
(2) Within
the context of the broader mission and policies of the university, advisors
shall share insights and directions that allow recognized student organizations
to further their objectives and enhance the meaningfulness of organization
membership.
(3) Specific
responsibilities of the advisor may include but are not limited to: regularly
attend general and executive board meetings; provide guidance to the officers;
oversee all financial transactions of the organization; ensure that officers
meet the minimum requirements for holding office as established by the
university and the organization's constitution and bylaws; provide consultation
concerning membership selection procedures and responsibilities; and review the
organizations registration.
(H) Meetings and activities
Each recognized student organization and its members and
officers are responsible for coordinating the activities of the group. This
includes:
(1) Planning all programs
and activities, including associated facilities and equipment
rentals.
(2) Managing and
accounting for all funds under the recognized student organization's
account.
(3) In the case of sport
clubs or groups that engage in physical activity, the group must make sure all
rules and safety procedures are followed and in accordance with university
policies. They must also obtain, maintain and inspect all necessary equipment,
make sure all required training related to equipment usage is completed, and
assure that prompt medical attention is available when necessary.
(4) No meetings or activities are permitted
from five p.m. the Friday before each week of final exams through the end of
the final exam period.
Equity impact statement: the policy has been assessed for
adverse differential impact on members of one or more protected groups.
