Criteria for Registration of a Student Organization – LR 504.3

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University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Policy Name: Criteria for Registration of a Student Organization
Policy Number: LR 504.3
Effective Date: April 1, 2010 (review date)

Policy

  1. Any proposed student organization shall be open to all students of the university who meet membership requirements. Normally, membership in the organization shall be limited to currently enrolled students although organizations may include faculty and staff of the university.
  2. A proposed organization must represent the interests of the members and the control of the organization must be within the local campus group. The organization must not have a knowing affiliation with an organization possessing illegal aims or goals with a specific purpose to further those illegal aims and goals. List any affiliation with a national group and submit the constitution and bylaws. In addition, submit a local constitution and bylaws which include the name of the organization, purpose, goals and objectives, eligibility requirement(s) for membership, selection process and procedures of membership, name of officers or equivalent, and an amendment clause.
  3. The proposed organization must agree to comply with all policies, regulations, and procedures established by the Board of Trustees and the university, the Code of Student Conduct, and all federal, state and local laws.
  4. The proposed organization must not:
    • Have illegal aims and goals;
    • Propose activities which would violate regulations of the Board of Trustees, the university, federal, state, and local laws and regulations, or materially and substantially disrupt the work and discipline of the university; and/or
    • Advocate incitement of imminent lawless action which is likely to produce such action.
  5. No group will be recognized if their primary function is to serve as a subservient support group or auxiliary branch of another organization. Auxiliary groups to national fraternities and sororities are banned at UA Little Rock.
  6. The proposed student organization must have:
    • A faculty or staff advisor (name, address, telephone number);
    • Five (5) charter student members who are currently enrolled and whose interest in the purposes of the organization is sufficient to afford registration on a long-term basis (semester);
    • At least two (2) officers or representatives (names, addresses, and telephone numbers);
    • Constitution and bylaws (refer to number 2); and
    • Submitted the forms for new organizations:
      1. Student Organization Registration Form,
      2. Student Organization Origination Form, and
      3. Nondiscrimination Form.

In the event there is not sufficient interest to warrant long-term registration, the university may grant a short-term registration to an organization. In some cases a group will organize with some short term goal or purpose in mind, i.e., one which can be accomplished in less than a semester, such as passage of some legislation, particular cause, or event. The organization’s registration will expire on the date indicated on the registration form. Request for an extension of short-term registration may be made to the official who registers student organizations. Groups petitioning for short term registration must adhere to the Criteria, Nature and Conditions of Registration, and General Policies on Student Organizations (a constitution and bylaws may be waived in lieu of the Student Organization Registration Form).

Procedures for Forming New Student Organizations

  1. Interested students should confer with a faculty or staff member who might be interested in advising the organization.
  2. Interested students should advertise the organizational meeting. For the purposes of organizing, permission will be granted by Office of Campus Life (OCL) for planning and advertising the meetings on campus for a limited period of time. Petitioning fraternities and sororities must contact OCL prior to any activity on campus.
  3. The proposed group can obtain the required registration forms for a new student organization from OCL. If there are questions regarding the criteria, general policies, or the nature and conditions of registration of new student organizations, groups should consult with OCL.
  4. The proposed group must complete and submit the necessary registration forms and procedures required for new student organizations to the official responsible for registering new student organizations.
  5. The official will review the organization forms and required documents to determine if the criteria for registration of a new organization have been met. The official will notify the group if it has or has not met the criteria for official university registration. In case the group has not met the criteria, the official will notify the group of the deficient criteria and inform it that forms and documents can be resubmitted at a later date.
  6. Procedural requirements for colonizing a national Greek social fraternity or sorority on the campus are more rigorous and deviate from the standard procedures for most student organizations seeking university registration/recognition. Greek expansion procedures and guidelines will be followed as mutually determined by the university and either NPHC, NIC, or NPC. Inquiries pertaining to these organizations should be made at OCL.
  7. Male or female social groups interested in petitioning a national fraternity or sorority are not eligible for university recognition without prior approval from NPHC, NIC, or NPC, and the OCL.

Source: UALR Student Handbook 2009
Revised:
Approved By: VCESS, April 1, 2010
Custodian: Campus Life