Advisory Committee On Student Organizations

(1) The Office of the Dean of Students shall utilize an Advisory Committee on Student Organizations in the procedural review of constitutions of proposed organizations. The ACSO may also formulate and recommend rules, regulations, and policies regarding registered student organizations. (2) Matters pertaining to policies within an organization shall be the concern of the organization and its advisory council. Matters pertaining to the relationship of an organization to other organizations or to the University shall be the concern of the ACSO. (3) Student members of the ACSO shall be appointed by the President of the Student Body with the approval of the Student Government Association. The Dean of Students will appoint a staff person to serve as committee secretary and liaison with the Office of the Dean of Students. Authority: T.C.A. §49-9-209(e). Administrative History: New rule filed May 27, 1986; effective August 12, 1986. (For history prior to August 12, 1986 see pages (iii)-(v).) Amendment filed August 31, 1995; effective December 30, 1995. Amendment filed November 17, 2000; effective March 30, 2001. 1720-4-2- 05 REGISTRATION PROCESS. (1) New organizations may register any time during the year except during the last two weeks of an academic term. To apply, an organization must complete the proper form provided by the Office of the Dean of Students and submit three copies of its constitution to the Office of the Dean of Students for review. Local chapters of regional or national organizations will be required to submit their local constitution and, in addition, any statements of their parent organization to which their local constitution refers or which determine local policy above and beyond that which is stated in local constitution. The local constitution must contain the following: (a) The name of the organization. The phrase "The University of Tennessee" is regarded as a trademark and consequently cannot precede the name of a campus organization; however, the phrase may follow the name, e.g., Chess Club at The University of Tennessee. (b) A statement of the purpose. Said purpose must include aims and activities legal under local, state, and federal law, and this statement of purpose must be in conformity with written University regulations. It is required that the actual purpose of a student organization conform with the purposes stated within the organization’s constitution. (c) Membership eligibility requirements. Registered student organizations, including those affiliated with an extramural organization, shall be open to all students - unless the organization, by its nature, exists explicitly for a certain subgroup - in selecting its membership. There must be no discrimination with respect to race, gender, disability, religion or national origin. This statement must appear verbatim in organization constitutions. TYPES OF REGISTERED STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS CHAPTER-1720-4-2 (d) Officers. A listing of the names and titles of all officers as well as the names of at least ten (10) petitioning members shall be submitted with the constitution. This information should be completed on a form provided by the Office of the Dean of Students. Officers must be full-time students, except for organizations where membership is composed of both faculty and student members and a faculty member may serve as an officer. To be eligible to serve as an officer of a registered student organization, a student must be in good academic standing at the time of his/her election or appointment and during his/her term of office. In addition, a student may be judged ineligible for the office if found guilty by a Student Disciplinary Board of a violation of Student Standards of Conduct. When an election is held in a registered student organization, the names of the new officers must be transmitted to the Office of the Dean of Students within one (1) week. (e) A statement of the terms of officers and the time and method of election. (f) Frequency of meetings. (g) Financial statement. A statement of any membership dues, including amount and frequency of payment; agreement that all funds will be received and disbursed through the Student Activities Business Office if the organization receives University Programs and Services Fee Funds; and a provision for the disposition of funds remaining in the event of the dissolution of the group must be included. (h) Provision for faculty advisor. All registered student organizations must choose one or more advisors, and a provision for this selection must be included in the constitution, but the name of the advisor(s) should not be listed. Except for local chapters of national social fraternities and sororities, which may have alumni advisors, the advisor shall be a full-time faculty member or administrative officer. In procuring an advisor, questions regarding faculty or administrative status should be referred to the Office of the Dean of Students. Advisors are responsible for being familiar with the constitution and purposes of the student organization they are advising and with University policies regarding student organizations. Advisors may counsel their organization in the exercise of responsibility, but they do not have the authority to control the policy of the organization. The officers of the organization are responsible for keeping their advisors aware of the policies and actions of their organization. Financial records must be available to the organization's advisors at all times. (2) The ACSO will review the constitution and any other information available in order to determine whether the organization conforms to the policies and regulations established for the registration of University student organizations.