SS/PPS 07.04 - Chartered Student Organizations

POLICY STATEMENTS

1. The Student Success Division is committed to the recruitment and retention of a heterogeneous and qualified student body and providing services that enhance their personal development and contribute to the fulfillment of their goals. The following procedure contributes to the implementation of this policy

2. This policy and procedure statement (PPS) provides an organized procedure whereby a Texas State University department may charter a student organization.

POLICY

1. The university accepts the responsibility for assisting students in organizing and maintaining chartered student organizations; agrees to support, supervise, and advise their activities; provides resources for those activities; and acknowledges that these organizations contribute to the educational mission of the institution.

2. The granting of chartered status represents a partnership between the university and the chartered organization’s executive body. Chartered student organizations are held to a higher standard with higher expectations than other student organizations. Included in those higher expectations are minimum grade point averages (GPAs) for members and officers. It is the expectation that the chartered organizations, in consultation with the sponsoring departments, determine the minimum GPA for officers. Individual officer GPA minimum requirements shall exceed the 2.25 Texas State cumulative GPA required of registered student organization officers. Student Involvement @ LBJSC verifies all organization officer grades during the annual registration period at the beginning of the fall semester for compliance with the minimum, as set forth by the Student Organization Handbook. It is the expectation that the sponsoring department determine the chartered organization’s officer GPA compliance according to that organization’s policy statement. All minimum requirements should become part of the constitution or this PPS for that chartered organization. Other higher expectations include exemplary conduct and civic responsibility involvement for officers and members, which should foster in these students an affinity for the university and the sponsoring department.

3. To qualify as a chartered student organization, the functions of the student organization would generally be performed by the university if the group did not exist.

PROCEDURES

1. Chartered student organizations, as partners with the university, are subject to all laws, rules, regulations, and policies which govern the sponsoring university department, Texas State University System (TSUS) Rules and Regulations, and university policies.

2. An application for chartering a student organization must be initiated by the university department or auxiliary organization that will assume responsibility for the organization. The Chartered Student Organization application is available by request from Student Involvement @ LBJSC. The procedures for chartering a student organization are as follows:

   1. Step I – The department or auxiliary unit must submit an application of charter and a memorandum to the dean of Students or college dean (for academic departments) expressing intent to establish a chartered student organization. The memorandum must include the following:

      1. how the proposed organization will support the educational mission of the university; and

      2. a description of the department’s partnership with the proposed organization.

   2. Step II – The department must prepare a constitution for the proposed student organization and include this as an attachment with the application and letter of intent. The constitution must be approved through the appropriate administrative channels to establish the organization. The constitution must include the following components:

      1. the official name of the proposed student organization;

      2. a detailed declaration of purpose of the proposed student organization;

      3. a reference to the chartered student organization’s relationship to the sponsoring department or auxiliary unit;

      4. a description of the partnership between the department and the proposed student organization;

      5. identification of any student organizations that will be organized under the chartered student organization (i.e., the Interfraternity Council is the umbrella organization for university registered Greek letter organizations);

      6. the chain of command, organizational funding, facilities, resources, and advisement;

      7. criteria for selecting membership;

      8. the duties and privileges of membership;

      9. procedures for selecting and removing officers, their duties, and authority;

      10. requirements for officers and members (i.e., GPAs, enrollment in specific number of hours); and

      11. frequency of meetings.

   3. Step III – The letter of intent, a copy of the charter application, a copy of the constitution, and all applicable documents will be forwarded in triplicate by the department or auxiliary unit or college dean to Student Involvement at the LBJ Student Center for review. Student Involvement will route applicable documents to the dean of Students for final review. Student Involvement and the Dean of Students office will retain copies. The original application and constitution will be returned to the submitting department.

3. The dean of Students, in consultation with the director of the LBJ Student Center and the associate director for Student Involvement @ LBJSC, will review and approve chartered status for all student organizations requesting this classification.

4. In the event that a sponsoring department or auxiliary unit withdraws its support or if the chartered student organization does not comply with operating guidelines set forth in its constitution, the dean of Students, in consultation with the director of the Student Center and the associate director of Student Involvement @ LBJSC may suspend or revoke the charter.

5. The dean’s decision to suspend or revoke the student organization’s charter may be appealed to the vice president for Student Success, who will make the final decision on the student organization’s status as a chartered student organization.

REVIEWERS OF THIS PPS

1. Reviewers of this PPS include the following:

   Position	Date
   Director, LBJ Student Center	January 1 E4Y
   Associate Director, Student Involvement @ LBJSC	January 1 E4Y
   Associate Vice President for Student Success and Dean of Students	January 1 E4Y

CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

This PPS has been approved by the following individuals in their official capacities and represents Texas State Student Success policy and procedure from the date of this document until superseded.

Director, LBJ Student Center; senior reviewer of this PPS

Associate Vice President for Student Success and Dean of Students

Vice President for Student Success