Office of the Vice President

for Student Affairs Revised: 07/23/2003

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Effective Date: 02/01/99

Page 1 of 4

01. POLICY STATEMENT

01.01 The Student Affairs Division is committed to recruitment and retention of a

heterogeneous and qualified student body, and providing services which

enhance their personal development and contribute to the fulfillment of

their goals. The following procedure contributes to the implementation of

this policy.

01.02 This SA/PPS provides an organized procedure whereby a university

department may charter a student organization.

02. POLICY

02.01 The university accepts the responsibility for assisting students in organizing

and maintaining chartered student organizations; agrees to support,

supervise and advise their activities, will provide resources for those

activities; and acknowledges that these organizations contribute to the

educational mission of the institution.

02.02 The granting of chartered status represents a partnership between the

university and the chartered organization's executive body. (See Student

Organization Handbook). Chartered Organizations are held to a higher

standard with higher expectations than other student organizations.

Included in those higher expectations are minimum grade point averages for

members and officers. It is the expectation that the chartered organizations,

in consultation with the sponsoring department, determine the minimum

GPA for officers. Individual officer GPA's minimum requirements shall

exceed the 2.25 Texas State cumulative GPA required of registered student

organization officers. The Campus Activities office checks all organization

officer grades at the end of each long 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 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.

02.03 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.

03. PROCEDURE

03.01 Chartered student organizations, as partners with the university, are subject

to all laws, rules, regulations and policies which govern the sponsoring

university department.

03.02 An application for chartering an organization must be initiated by the

university department or auxiliary organization that will assume

responsibility for the organization. The procedure for chartering a student

organization is as follows:

Step I

The department/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 organization. The

memorandum must include the following:

How proposed organization will support the educational mission of the university and

b. A description of the department's partnership with the proposed

organization.

Step II

The department must prepare a constitution for the proposed organization

and include this as an attachment with the letter of intent. The constitution

must be approved through the appropriate administrative channels to

establish the organization. The constitution must include the following

components:

The official name of the proposed organization;

b. A detailed declaration of purpose of the proposed organization;

c. A reference to the chartered organization's relationship to the sponsoring

department or auxiliary unit;

d. A description of the partnership between the department and the

proposed organization;

e. Identification of any student organizations that will be organized

under the chartered organization (i.e., the Interfraternity Council is the

umbrella organization for university registered Greek letter

organizations);

f. The chain of command, organizational funding, facilities, resources and

advisement

g. Criteria for selecting membership;

h. The duties and privileges of membership;

i. Procedures for selecting and removing officers, their duties and authority;

j. Requirements for officers and members (i.e., grade point averages,

enrollment in specific number of hours, etc.); and

k. Frequency of meetings.

Step III

The letter of intent, a copy of the charter application and a copy of the

constitution will be forwarded in triplicate by the department/ auxiliary unit

or college dean to the Dean of Students Office for final approval. The Dean

of Students will retain copies of all charter-related documents submitted and

will forward a copy to the Office of Campus Activities and Student

Organizations. The original application and constitution will be returned to

the submitting department.

03.03 The Dean of Students, in consultation with the Director of the LBJ Student

Center and the Associate Director of Campus Activities and Student

Organizations will review and approve chartered status for all student

organizations requesting this classification.

03.04 In the event that a sponsoring department/office 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

Campus Activities and Student Organizations may suspend or revoke the

Charter.

03.05 The Dean's decision to suspend or revoke the student organization's charter

may be appealed to the Vice President for Student Affairs who will make

the final decision on the student organization's status as a chartered

organization.

04. MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SA/PPS

04.01 Major responsibilities for routine assignments associated with this SA/PPS

include the following:

Position Section Date

Director, LBJ

Student Center Review Dec E4Y

Dean of Students Review Dec E4Y

Vice President for,

Student Affairs Review Dec E4Y

05. CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

This SA/PPS has been approved by the following individuals in their official

capacities, and represents Texas State policy and procedure from the date of this

document until superseded.

Mr. Andy Rhoades, Director of Student Center, reviewer of this SA/PPS

Dr. John Garrison, Dean of Students, reviewer of this SA/PPS

Dr. James D. Studer, Vice President for Student Affairs