Guidelines for Student Organization Certification

Requirements for Certification

Additional Requirements and Privileges of Recognition

The University of Pittsburgh herein establishes a system of certification for student organizations to insure the rights of students to freely form associations, to define the relationship between the University and student organizations, to maintain the right to choose which student organizations it recognizes, and to insure that the requirements for certification, the privileges received through certification and the policies and procedures that govern student organizations are administered in a nondiscriminatory manner.

Intent

The University expressly permits certified student organizations only to operate on campus. Although certified student organizations are permitted to have external affiliations and may be part of an incorporated external organization or may be individually incorporated, certification only sanctions the existence and operation of an organization on campus. Off campus activities of certified student organizations, unless expressly approved and/or sponsored in advance by the University, are the sole responsibility of the organization, its officers and members.

Certified student organizations are student affiliations and are not official components of the University. Certification does not permit a student organization to represent the University, engage in any contractual obligation in the name of the University, nor represent itself as being officially part of the University.

Certification: Certification of a student organization is accorded to student groups that meet the standard conditions for certification. National social fraternities and sororities, however, must be recognized to officially operate on campus.

Recognition: Recognition of a student organization is accorded to student organizations that have established an association or working relationship with an official operating unit of the University. The nature and extent of the working relationship are determined solely by the chief administrator of the operating unit. The activities and programs of recognized student organizations are not considered official programs of the operating unit unless expressly approved and/or sponsored by the chief administrator or designee.

The recognition of national social fraternities and sororities and undergraduate governance groups are governed by additional recognition policies and procedures approved by the Vice Provost for Student Affairs and administered by the Department of Student Life.

Requirements for Certification

Submit the Certification Application to 833 William Pitt Union.
Accurately disclose the purpose of the organization and operate in accordance with its stated purpose.
Submit a constitution and bylaws according to standards. (see Guidelines for Student Organization Constitutions)
Submit a membership list with the names of 10 students (on Certification Application) or a petition of 100 currently enrolled students supporting the certification of the group.
Agree to and comply with the Requirements and Limitations of Certification.
Agree to and comply with the Notice and Acceptance of the Assumption of Risk.
Agree to and comply with the Publications Code for Student Organizations.
Disclose any external affiliations; provide the constitution and bylaws of any such organization with which it may be affiliated; and certify that all conditions for affiliation meet the certification standards of the University.
Limit voting, officer positions and formal leadership roles to students of the University of Pittsburgh.
Sustain an active membership of a minimum of ten (10) students.
Maintain a membership comprised of at least seventy-five (75%) students.
Maintain at least three (3) student officers in good academic and social standing.
Submit all changes in constitution and bylaws, officers and advisor to the Student Organization Resource Center (SORC) within one week of the change.
Submit a Recertification Application to the SORC immediately following election of new officers.
Adhere to University policies and procedures, and risk management guidelines including the Transportation Guidelines, the Emergency Medical Plan, the Risk Management Accident Report and the Agreement to Participate. Sport and physical recreation clubs must maintain a full membership roster at the SORC, and each member must complete, sign, and date an Agreement to Participate as a condition of participation in club activities.
Adhere to University regulations and local, state and federal laws.
Refrain from advocating, inciting or participating in any material interference or physical disruption of the University.
Refrain from the use of deceptive recruitment practices and the use of coercion, manipulation and proselytization techniques as a means of recruitment.
Refrain from participation in hazing activities.
Refrain from any illegal discrimination.
Conduct all activities in a manner consistent with the educational mission of the University.
Conduct all activities in a manner that contributes to the intellectual, ethical, psychological and personal growth of its members.
Refrain from using the organization for the financial enrichment of any officer, member or affiliate.
Refrain from directly or indirectly using University resources for the express benefit of external affiliates.
Use dues and other membership fees for the express benefit of the organization and in fulfillment of its purposes.
Maintain University accounts as required. (Visit the Student Life Business Office in 833 William Pitt Union for more information.)
Refrain from maintaining outside back accounts if funded by activity fees, and refrain from using the name of the University on private bank accounts.
Refrain from entering or attempting to enter into contractual obligations for the University without prior authorization by designated University staff.
Refrain from directly or indirectly using University resources in support of any candidate for public office.
Refrain from soliciting funds outside the University without the express approval from the Office of Student Life.

Privileges of Certification

Eligible to use University facilities, equipment and services according to policies and procedures.
Eligible to apply for funding from student government under the policies and procedures set forth in the appropriate student government constitution and bylaws. Each student government has guidelines that define which student organizations are eligible for funding. The Student Government Board (SGB) requires the organization to be comprised of at least 75% non-CGS undergraduate students. The College of General Studies Student Government (CGSSG) requires the organization to be comprised of at least 60% College of General Studies students. The Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA) funds recognized graduate school student governments and certified graduate student organizations.
Eligible to receive professional advising and other services from the Office of Student Life.
Eligible to collect dues, sponsor fund-raising events and solicit funds according to University policy.
Eligible to apply for remuneration for officers by student governments.
Eligible to receive awards or honors presented to student organizations and members.
Eligible to be listed in University publications.
Eligible to participate in University activities.
Eligible to apply for student organization office space in the William Pitt Union.
Eligible to sponsor program activities consistent with the purpose of the organization.
Eligible to distribute literature and organizational materials according to University policies and procedures.
Eligible to use the University mail services and to apply for a mailbox in the William Pitt Union.
Eligible to apply for a University account and to use the services of the University business departments.
Eligible to request assistance form the News and Publications Department to promote organizational activities.
Eligible to post material on controlled University bulletin boards.

Additional Requirements and Privileges of Recognition

The student organization must have established a working relationship with an operating unit of the University.
The purpose and activities of the group must be compatible with the mission of the operating unit.
The chief administrator must submit standard documentation approving recognition and acknowledging the existence of the working relationship.
For groups working with academic units, recognition status must be approved by the Dean of the School or College and for extracurricular groups, approval of the Vice Provost for Student Affairs is required.
The chief administrator must assign a faculty or staff member as liaison to the group.
The University unit may establish additional requirements for recognition beyond the standard requirements for certification. Likewise, the unit may establish policies and procedures to guide and define the working relationship and may require approval of the group's constitution as a condition of recognition.
No recognized student organization or student organization applying for recognition, may lease, purchase or occupy a residence off campus. Violation of the policy will result in revocation of recognition. Any student organization recognized as of 2/3/98 with an off campus house of this date may continue its operation. Thereafter, any organization whose recognition is discontinued must be in compliance with this policy before reinstatement of recognition will be considered.
National social fraternities and sororities must be recognized to operate on campus and are subject to additional recognition policies and procedures approved by the Vice Provost for Student Affairs administered by the Office of Student Life.
The recognition of undergraduate governance groups is governed by additional policies and procedures approved and administered by the Office of the Vice Provost for Student Affairs.
The recognized student organization is granted exclusivity of purpose and function, that is, the operating unit will not recognize more than one such group.
The recognized student organization may internally use the name of the University for the sole purpose of distinguishing its status as a recognized student organization.
The operating unit may afford the recognized student organization additional privileges beyond the standard privileges of certification.

Revocation of Certification

Any violation of Certification policies may result in suspension or revocation of certification. Except for recognized national social fraternities and sororities and undergraduate governance groups, the Student Organization Resource Center adjudicates all Certification violations. The decision of the SORC may be appealed to the Office of Student Life.
Procedural noncompliance once certified may result in suspension or revocation of certification. This includes failure to submit the Recertification Application every 12 months or when officers are elected; changes in the constitution and bylaws in violation of policy; affiliations, advisorship and officers according to established time frames may result in suspension or revocation of certification.
Withdrawal of Recognition Certification as a recognized student organization may be rescinded at the discretion of the sponsoring University operating unit or the approving Dean or the Vice Provost for Student Affairs. Except for national social fraternities and sororities and undergraduate governance groups, revocation of recognition will change the certification of the group to registered status.
Administration of the Certification program is administered by the Student Organization Resource Center (SORC), 833 William Pitt Union.

Limitations of Certification

It is understood and agreed that:

The organization is a student group and not an official component of the University of Pittsburgh. Certification expressly permits the organization to operate only on campus.
The organization may not act on behalf of the University of Pittsburgh.
The organization may not represent itself as being officially part of the University of Pittsburgh.
The organization may not engage in any contractual obligation in the name of the University of Pittsburgh. Off campus activities of the organization are the sole responsibility of the organization, its officers and members, unless expressly approved and/or sponsored in advance by the University of Pittsburgh.
Participation in the activities of the organization is voluntary, and all attendant risks are assumed solely by the organization, its officers, members and non-member participants.

Assumption of Risk

It is understood and agreed that participation in all activities of certified student organizations is voluntary and that all risk of personal injury, property damage or other losses that occur incidental to membership or participation in activities are assumed solely by the student organization and/or individual member(s) or participant(s).
Accordingly, the University of Pittsburgh, its officers and agents shall not be responsible nor liable for any claims or causes of action for damage or loss of property or personal injury of any kind or nature which may arise out of or are incidental to the conduct of any organization's activities or that of any individual's participation in any group-related activity.
It is further understood and agreed that it is the responsibility of the signatory officers of the organization to assure that all the organization's members and non-member participants in all activities sponsored by the organization or group are fully informed and advised of this Assumption of Risk, and in the event any individual member or participant should express or indicate non-acceptance, the organization's officers shall forbid participation and/or membership of such individual.
In regard to organization/participant assumption of risk, the University recommends that organization and/or participants make every effort to arrange for the acquisition of liability insurance sufficient to protect all participants against those risks being assumed. Similarly, for sport-related organizations the University recommends that each individual have insurance sufficient to allow for any risks by participation, accident or by deficiencies in physical health.

Publications Code

It is agreed that the publications of the organization will:

Comply with current copyright laws.
Be distributed according to policies and procedures.
Refrain from expressions that are considered obscene or libelous according to current statue, advocate or incite the material interference or physical disruption of the educational process or the peace, order and decorum of the campus, or that advocate or incite imminent lawless action or the violent overthrow of the government.
Identify the organization as publisher and specify that the group is a Certified student organization at the University of Pittsburgh.