Student Organizations and Student Travel (Procedure 3.0510)

Purpose

Seminole State College of Florida approves and encourages a strong and viable student organization program that contributes significantly to the intellectual and social development of the student body, serves the academic goals of the College, encourages student participation and leadership, and enhances the general campus environment.

Definitions

1. Honor Society: An national or international honor society is an association of primarily collegiate chapters whose purposes are to recognize and encourage high scholarship and/or leadership achievement in some broad or specialized field of study.
2. Registered Student Organization: Student organizations that have been officially recognized as a student organization.
3. Days: within all timelines, “days” are defined as business days. A business day is a day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, day of College closure to the public (spring break, winter break, Convocation, certain Fridays in the months of May, June and July, etc.), or legal holiday.

Procedure

1. Student Organization Registration
   1. Students who want to organize a College registered club or organization must be currently enrolled students in good standing (minimum overall GPA of 2.0) and no current conduct violations or investigations at Seminole State College of Florida. Students will meet with the Office of Student Life to review the registration packet for new student organizations. Membership of student organizations shall be open to all currently enrolled students without discrimination on basis of race, color, religion, pregnancy, national origin, ethnicity, age, sex, gender, veteran or military status, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, marital status, or any other factor protected under applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations.
   2. Student organizations must submit online; 1) list of at least 10 students (who must each be enrolled a minimum of three (3) credits with Seminole State email addresses to serve as charter members of the organization which include a student president, vice president, and secretary/treasurer; 2) a constitution based on the Guidelines for Constitution Development; 3) a completed, signed, and dated Faculty/Staff Advisor Consent Form. Depending on the type of student organization, there may be additional requirements for the organization to be approved.
   3. Once a complete packet is received, a Student Life staff member will review the request for eligibility and approve or deny the request. Notification will be sent to the person who submitted the request and the club advisor.
   4. The Office of Student Life will deny registration when:

      1. The group requesting registration has not complied with all registration requirements;

      2. The request for registration contains false material or information required to disclose for registration;

      3. The request is to register an inactive organization from a national affiliate.

      4. There is a potential risk to campus or personal student safety or security.

   5. Groups that are denied registration may appeal to the Director of Student Life by submitting a request in writing within 10 days of notification.

   6. Each fall and spring semester student organizations must re-register their information with the Office of Student Life in order to maintain accurate records.

2. Official College Approved Honor Societies
   1. Honor Society chapters will be coordinated by the Director, Grindle Honors Institute.
   2. Students interested in starting an honor society would need to initially meet with the Director, Grindle Honors Institute who would provide recommendations on club advisors.
   3. The proposed advisor of the Seminole State chapter of an Honor Society must submit a recognition request to the Vice President of Academic Affairs to obtain approval as an Official College Approved Honor Society. Approval or denial will be provided in writing to the proposed advisor.
   4. Once approved as an Official College Approved Honor Society, the Honor Society chapter must apply to become a Registered Student Organization per College Procedure 3.0510.
   5. Student recognition of membership in Official College Approved Honor Society(s) shall be posted to the student's transcript at the time of graduation.
3. Student Organization Privileges
   1. Officially recognized student organizations will be allowed to do the following:
      1. Student organizations shall not use any College trademarks, logos, or other intellectual property in the title of their organization, but may use the words “SSC”, “Seminole State” or “Seminole State College” in the name of their student organization if the organization has been recognized by the Office of Student Life.  The College may require student organizations using the words “SSC”, “Seminole State” or “Seminole State College” to use disclaimer language approved by the Marketing & Communications Department on their social media accounts.
      2. Listing of the organization in the official directory of student clubs and organizations.
      3. Reserve rooms or outdoor spaces for club meetings or events. 
      4. Permission to post fliers and marketing materials on campus following the posting guidelines in the Student Life manual. 
      5. Opportunity to apply for funding in the Student Activity & Service Fee process or from the Student Government Association (SGA.)
      6. Participation in Club Recruitment days.
4. SGA Council of Presidents
   1. SGA requires student organizations to meet on a monthly basis each fall and spring semester to create a network of student leaders to receive updates and learn and share information with others. Student organizations who fail to send a representative to the meetings will be placed on warning, probation, or suspension status after the first, second, and third unexcused absence, respectively. Student organizations on warning will remain active and can access student activity & service fees. Student organizations on probation will remain active but can no longer access student activity & service fees. Student organizations who are suspended are considered inactive and can no longer access student activity & service fees. Student organization presidents and club advisors will be notified via the college’s official email of any status change.
5. Student Organization Status
   1. A registered student organization will become inactive upon any of the following:
      1. Request of the registered student organization;
      2. Failure to re-register for the succeeding semester by the stated deadline;
      3. Failure to comply with the rules, regulations, policies and guidelines of Seminole State College of Florida;
      4. Failure to regularly attend the SGA Council of the Presidents meetings.
      5. Request of the national organization chartering the Seminole State College of Florida organization; 
      6. Student organization is found to have violated the Student Code of Conduct.
   2. Inactive status will be determined on an individual basis by the Director of Student Life and consultation with the organization.
   3. Notification of any status change will be sent to the student organization president and advisor.
   4. If club registration becomes inactive, the student group may appeal within 10 days of being notified to the Associate Vice President for Student Development by sending an email regarding their request.
6. Student Organization Leaders
   1. Student organization leaders shall be open to all students without discrimination on basis of race, color, religion, pregnancy, national origin, ethnicity, age, sex, gender, veteran or military status, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, marital status, or any other factor protected under applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations.
   2. For students to be selected in a student organization leadership role, the student must be currently enrolled and at Seminole State College by the time of application for the student leadership position.
   3. Students must be in good academic standing (minimum overall GPA of 2.0) and no current conduct violations or investigations.
   4. Students must be enrolled in a minimum of 3 credit hours while they hold their leadership position.
   5. Student organization leaders will be verified by the Office of Student Life as new registration requests are submitted and on an annual basis upon organization re-registration.
   6. Students who do not meet the above criteria as a student organization leader will be notified via email they are not eligible to serve. The student organization advisor will also receive the notification.
7. Faculty and Staff Advisors
   1. With the approval of the appropriate supervisor, faculty and staff work with students to charter and maintain clubs and organizations. Club advisors will monitor student organizations in accordance with the Student Life Resource Manual and are required to participate in an annual advisor training offered by the Office of Student Life. Club advisors will be removed from the student organization if they fail to attend the training.
8. Student Organizations Funding
   1. Registered student organizations may request funding through the Student Activity and Service Fee (SASF). Student organizations’ SASF allocations will be suspended if they are in a probation, or suspension status with SGA. The Office of Student Life will send notification through the college’s official email. Approved funding will be maintained in a Seminole State College of Florida business account with budget and expenditure oversight by the Office of Student Life. The procedure for Student Activity & Service Fees can be found in College Procedure 3.0500.
   2. Student organizations may conduct fundraisers to generate revenue. Fundraising events must be reviewed and approved by the Office of Student Life prior to such event. In addition, funds raised must be deposited into a Seminole State College Foundation Account.  All requests for withdrawal of funds from the Foundation Account must be signed by the faculty advisor or respective Student Life Coordinator.
9. Student Organization and Individual Student Travel
   1. Student organizations or individual students who wish to travel must following procedure Student Travel XXXXX.