Current through all regulations passed and filed through March 18, 2024
(A) Policy statement
The university of Toledo "UT" is committed to creating avenues
for students to establish organizations on campus through the office of student
involvement and leadership for main campus and the office of student affairs,
college of medicine and life sciences for health science campus, hereafter
referred to as "affiliated campus offices." Registered student organizations
are required to abide by the expectations/guidelines within this policy.
(B) Purpose of policy
The policy is to outline the university's
expectations/guidelines for becoming a registered student organization.
(C) Relationship between the
university and student organizations
While registered student organizations are an integral part of
campus life at UT, it should be clear that these organizations are responsible
for managing their own affairs and are not units or agents of the university
nor authorized to represent themselves as units or agents of the university.
Each registered student organization is responsible for its own actions and is
acting on behalf of the organization, not the UT. Because of this relationship,
the affiliated campus offices are limited in how they work with registered
student organizations. UT does not give legal advice or counsel on matters
related to tax issues or off-campus bank accounts. The affiliated campus
offices work with facility requests for on-campus events, university fund
accounts, and any registered student organization issues. The offices work
alongside the office of student conduct and community standards for any
organization issues that may violate the student code of conduct.
Each registered student organization shall be required to
include in its constitution/bylaws a provision clearly stating that it is not
an agent or a part of the university, and disclaiming the responsibility of the
university for its acts and liabilities.
(D) Conditions for all registered student
organizations
(1) All registered student
organizations must abide by all federal, state and local laws as well as all
university policies and regulations.
(2) No registered student organization with
restrictive membership clauses discriminating on the basis of race, color,
religion, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity and expression),
age, national origin, ancestry, military or veteran status, the presence of a
disability, genetic information, familial status, political affiliation, or
participation in protected activities in its provision of employment and
educational opportunities, as defined by law, shall obtain or maintain
registration status except for religious qualifications which may be required
by organizations whose aims are primarily sectarian, and social fraternities
and sororities that are permitted by federal law to discriminate on the basis
of sex.
(3) Only currently
registered students may hold office and solicit funds on campus on behalf of a
registered student organization. Other persons (including faculty and staff)
may be admitted to non-voting membership if the registered student
organization's constitution permits. Certain scholastic honorary societies,
which have a national affiliation and admit faculty and staff to office
positions, may be exempt from this requirement, as well as those listed in
paragraphs (D)(4) to (D)(5) of this rule.
(4) Undergraduate students must be enrolled
full-time at the time of their appointment or election to be eligible to hold
an appointed or elected office within their registered student organization.
Graduate students may be enrolled full-time or part-time at the time of their
appointment or election to be eligible to serve as appointed or elected
officers within their registered student organization. Additionally, all
officers of all registered student organizations must remain degree-seeking
students for the duration of their term. Registered student organizations may
establish and apply additional eligibility criteria for appointed or elected
leaders/officers if the criteria do not violate the university's
non-discrimination policy.
Exceptions to this clause may be considered and approved by the
affiliated campus offices.
(5) A minimum of seven currently registered
student members shall be required as a condition of registration, and
maintenance of registered status. Exceptions may be made if there are
extenuating external circumstances with approval by the affiliated campus
offices.
(6) In order for a
registered student organization to achieve or maintain registered status,
registered student organizations are required to maintain the following
academic requirements:
(a) Registered student
organization officers are required to be in good academic standing and good
standing with the office of student conduct and community standards.
(b) Registered student organization members
are required to be in good academic standing to be recognized as an official
voting member.
(7) The
purpose(s) of a registered student organization must not conflict with the
mission or established policies of the university.
(8) No registered student organization may
use the name of any other registered student organization for the purpose of
registration or any other purpose.
(9) All registered student organizations must
have an advisor per rule 3364-30-56 of the Administrative Code. Registered
student organizations must have an advisor who is a full or part-time faculty,
staff, or administrator at UT. Registered student organizations must provide
for such advisors in their constitution and bylaws. Registered student
organizations may utilize community members as additional advisors.
(10) Registered student organizations must
file an annual report as required by their affiliated campus office.
(E) Procedures for registration of
student organizations
Registered student organizations must follow the procedures
required by their affiliated campus office to maintain their registration
status annually. Organizations on main campus will register through the office
of student involvement and leadership. Organizations on health science campus
will register through the office of student affairs, college of medicine and
life sciences.
(F)
Privileges of registered student organizations
Registered student organizations are afforded the following
privileges, along with the duty of each organization to take responsibility for
the consequences of its decisions and activities as a group:
(1) Use of the name of the university of
Toledo in their titles. If a registered student organization identifies
themselves with the university, they may only use the following format in the
organization name: "student organization at the university of Toledo." The name
must not infer university endorsement of the organization's purpose or
activities, or imply that the organization is speaking on behalf of the
university or any of its divisions or departments. Use of the university
symbols must conform to the rule 3364-45-02 of the Administrative Code
(permission for use of university name and symbols).
(2) Use of university facilities - please
refer to rule 3364-5-10 of the Administrative Code.
(3) Ability to petition for the use of
university funds by submitting requests through the appropriate university
procedure.
(4) Services provided by
the office of student involvement and leadership, such as guidance on student
organization best practices, event planning, and marketing resources.
(G) Funding and financial affairs
of registered student organizations officers
(1) Funding for student government president
and vice president
The student government president and vice president shall
receive funding during the term in office (fall and spring semesters) to cover
the following:
(a) In-state
instructional fees, general fee, facilities fee, and book scholarship during
the time in office (applied to the student's account).
(b) A wage compensation equal to the average
cost of on-campus room and board, paid over nine months during the fall and
spring semesters. The on-campus room and board will be established by the
office of residence life.
(c) In
order to qualify for funding, the student government officers shall:
(i) Be enrolled full-time throughout the
semester.
(ii) Maintain a
cumulative grade point average of 2.5 throughout the term.
(iii) Hold no officer position in another
student organization.
(iv) Be in
good standing with the office of student conduct and community
standards.
(v) Have no other
employment except during semester breaks and/or the summer semester.
(vi) Satisfy the requirements of their
organization as stipulated in the constitution.
(vii) Any exceptions to this criteria must be
approved by the office of the vice president for student affairs or
designee.
(2)
Annual budget process/special funding process
Registered students organization may petition for the use of
university funds by submitting requests through the appropriate university
procedure through their affiliated campus office. Registered student
organization requests for money derived from student general fees should be
used chiefly to support activities, items and services which benefit registered
students.
(3) Travel
Funds may be expended for travel when members of the registered
student organization will:
(a)
Represent the registered student organization and thereby enhance the prestige
of the organization.
(b) Gain
knowledge and experience in accordance with goals and purpose of the registered
student organization.
(c) Fulfill
responsibilities in accordance with goals and purposes of the registered
student organization.
(4) Entertainment and social activities
Funds expended from entertainment contractor and sponsored
event budget lines are intended to benefit all students at the university. Use
of the funds cannot be used to merely entertain organization members.
Registered student organizations using university funds to sponsor parties,
receptions, or banquets must use university provided facilities and services,
unless such facilities or services are not available, and be approved by the
office of the dean of students or designee.
(5) Speakers and facilitators
No speaker, facilitator, or other program presenter who is a
member of UT faculty, staff, or administration may receive payment for
participation in an event sponsored by a student organization. Registered
student organizations are not permitted to use funding to pay for commencement
speakers.
(6) Fundraising
activities
A benefit of being a registered student organization includes
the opportunity to use university facilities for fundraising activities.
Registered organizations funded by the university may be required to deposit
all proceeds from such activities into their university accounts. A registered
student organization which does not have a university account must deposit
monies raised into an account which is in the organization's name at a
financial institution (bank, credit union, etc.). Registered student
organizations not complying with those requirements will not be permitted to
use university facilities for fund-raising activities.
(7) Telephones
Telephones will be restricted to those registered student
organizations that have assigned offices in the student union and receive
funding specifically for an office telephone.
(8) Charitable contributions
Registered student organizations may not use funding for
charitable contributions or for a charitable purpose (e.g. purchasing food to
feed the hungry).
(9)
Political activities
Registered student organization may not use funds for any
political purpose or in the support of any political candidates or issues
whether federal, state, local or university level.
(10) Approval of expenditures and forfeiture
of funds
In the above guidelines, when approval is required, the source
of the approval is the office of the dean of students or designee. The office
of the dean of students administrative staff may consult with the student
allocation committee or the vice president for student affairs. The
administrative staff also has the authority to recommend that the student
allocation committee review the budgetary activities of any funded registered
student organization. Evidence which indicates a substantial violation of these
guidelines or of any other university budgetary regulations by a funded
registered student organization may cause for the university to order the
forfeiture of the funds remaining in that organization's budget. The amount
forfeited will be returned to the office of the dean of students.
(H) Restrictions on
solicitation and advertising
(1) Any
off-campus solicitation of sponsorships, including sales or advertising, by a
registered student organization must be approved by the division of advancement
through a procedure established by the affiliated campus office.
(2) The use of the university's name, with
the name of the registered student organization, shall be in accordance with
paragraph (F)(1) of this policy. The use or reproduction of university symbols
when advertising must receive final approval from university marketing and
communications through a procedure established by the office of student
involvement and leadership. Please refer to rule 3364-45-02 of the
Administrative Code (permission for use of the university name and symbols) for
the appropriate use of university symbols.
(3) Registered student organizations may
solicit funds for their groups or for non-university charitable organizations
by adhering to the requirements established by their affiliated campus.
(a) All solicitation activities and events
must be registered and approved in advance.
(b) All charities shall be required to
certify their tax-exempt status.
(c) All solicitation activities must comply
with all federal, state, and local laws, and university policies.
(d) Registered student organizations
receiving university funding may be required to deposit all proceeds of
solicitations in their appropriate university account. Registered student
organizations that do not receive university funding must comply with paragraph
(G)(6) of this rule.
(e)
Solicitation activities and events in residence halls are restricted to only
registered student organizations that are affiliated with the office of
residence life. These activities and events may only be held in common areas of
residence halls, and in approved locations within dining halls. Solicitation is
prohibited in dining halls (during meal hours) and other on-campus eateries,
and door-to-door in the residence halls.
(f) The office of the dean of students or
designee may prohibit the scheduling of concurrent solicitation activities and
events to prevent conflicts between registered student organizations which seek
to solicit simultaneously for worthy causes.
(g) Solicitors for a specific activity must
be members of the registered student organization conducting the
solicitation.
(h) All sponsored
vendors must comply with all applicable UT policies and procedures.
(I) Travel
Students traveling on behalf of their student organization must
abide by the travel procedures of their affiliated campus office.