Student Organizations and Programming

A. Student Organization – Administration of Organization
B. Fraternity and Sorority Life
C. Student Event Planning
D. Travel Guidelines for Albright College Student Organizations
E. SGA Policies and Allocations

A. Student Organization – Administration of Organization

Student Organization Registration
1. Organizations may be established within the College for any legitimate purpose.
2. A group shall become an official College organization when formally recommended and recognized by the Director of Student Involvement and Leadership, the President of Student Government Association, and the Dean of Students.
  1. The group seeking recognition shall complete the New Organization Registration form on the OSIL webpage for review by SGA. SGA is responsible for managing all student organizations on campus under the supervision of the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership.
  2. After submitting the New Organization Registration form you may be asked to meet with the Director of Student Involvement and Leadership to review your application.
  3. New organizations are first considered “working groups” until they complete all the necessary actions and requirements laid out in the SGA Constitution and SGA New Organization Formation Policy.
    1. The SGA will only consider new organizations for recognition at the beginning of each semester.
    2. Prior to becoming an official organization eligible for SGA Allocations, the group in question must complete the following:
      1. Complete the New Organization Registration form and receive approval on this form;
      2. The purpose and goals of the organization must compile with the mission of Albright College.
      3. The organization then moves to SGA for approval to enter into “working group” status. To be approved, SGA must pass the proposal by a 3/4 vote. The group will, at this point in the process, be referred to as a “working group.”
    3. The “Working Group” Period will last for at least one full semester during which the group must fulfill the following requirements:
      1. Hold regular meetings whose attendance must be recorded and submitted to the SGA Recording Secretary at the end of the working group period;
      2. Conduct a fundraiser or host an event to advertise their presence on campus;
      3. Allocation requests will be considered on an individual basis.
    4. At the end of the working group period, to gain officially SGA recognized Priority 2 status:
      1. The working group must submit a constitution, executive board and an updated roster;
      2. The working group must hold free and fair elections based on its constitution;
      3. Everything must be turned into SGA by the last day of classes for the given semester
      4. The SGA will vote to recognize the group as a priority two organization, which requires 3/4 of the SGA general cabinet;
      5. If the “Working Group” is not granted full organization status they may reapply to be a working group the following semester.
  4. If the organization wishes to become a fraternal organization, affiliation with a national/international social fraternity or sorority is required. Please see the Director of Student Involvement and Leadership for the process of becoming a recognized fraternal organization at Albright College.
    - Social fraternities and sororities do not have the privilege of petitioning SGA for a general operating budget. They may petition to receive allocation for events that they wish to sponsor that will benefit the entire Albright community.
  5. Albright College and the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership prohibits any student from participating in any local fraternities, sororities or secret societies while on campus.
3. All changes and amendments to the organization’s bylaws, constitution or name shall be submitted to the Student Government Association for approval.
  1. All changes in officers and advisors are required to be submitted to SGA via aLink throughout the year.
4. All recognized organizations are required to have a member of the faculty or administrative staff serve as a collegiate advisor. The advisor commits themselves for a period of one year.
5. Organizations that are officially recognized through SGA are registered annually, and when in good standing with the institution, have the following privileges:
  - Within limits, to use the College name in connection with their programs
  - To petition the Student Government Association for funding. (See Student Government Association)
  - To petition the College for funding
  - To utilize College-owned space
  - To participate in the CGI Fair
6. To maintain official recognition, each student organization shall submit a new registration form and membership list to the Student Government Association twice a year, by the fall allocations deadline and the spring allocations deadline (dates determined by SGA). Student organizations must comply with data requests to be submitted to Collegiate Link as administered by the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership and/or SGA.
7. The names of all officers of an organization must be submitted to the Student Government Association immediately following their election or ascension into office due to a vacancy.
8. The opportunity for membership in all recognized organizations shall be open to any current eligible undergraduate Albright College student.
9. Under ordinary circumstances, the SGA approves the recognition of a student organization for funding after consultation with the Director of Student Involvement and leadership and/or the Dean of Students. Before any organization requests SGA funding, the organization must be fully registered with SGA.
10. Recognition of an organization infers neither approval nor disapproval of the aims, objectives and policies of the organization by the College or Office of Student Involvement and Leadership.
11. The Office of Community Standards will handle all violations by student organizations.
12. The Office of Student Involvement and Leadership and SGA may recommend withdrawing recognition of any student organization. This right shall be exercised when it has been determined that a student organization is not exhibiting sound financial management and/or is not acting in the best interests of the student body.
Responsibilities of Recognized Organizations
1. To maintain good standing with the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership and Albright College, recognized organizations are responsible for:
  1. Submitting a new registration form and list of all members on aLink by the second Friday of both the fall and spring semester.
    - Failure to submit this form on the date required may result in loss of funding for the semester by SGA.
  2. Reporting names of all newly elected officers on aLink within 72 hours of elections to SGA.
  3. Notifying the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership of any change of advisor.
    1. Failure to comply with these expectations may result in the organization’s loss of recognition by Albright College or funding from the College or SGA
  4. Executive board members must maintain at least a 2.5 GPA, or a higher GPA if required by any affiliated international, national, or regional organization. General membership must maintain at least a 2.0 GPA
The Role of the Adviser
1. All recognized organizations are required to have a member of the faculty or administrative staff as a collegiate adviser. The adviser commits him/herself for one year. At the completion of one year, the student organization may retain the adviser for the following year or they can select someone else as their adviser.
2. The organization adviser must get to know members of the group and assist the group to become acquainted with each other and their responsibilities in order to work effectively. He/she should attempt to assess, with each member, the contribution they can make to the group.
3. Workshops for advisers will be offered by the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership

B. Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL)

FSL organizations have a long and rich tradition at Albright College. The campus’ first fraternal organization formed for men was Kappa Upsilon Phi in 1900. Since 1986, all FSL organizations at Albright are required to have a national affiliation. Currently, there are three fraternities, three Panhellenic sororities, one co-ed service fraternity, and one a National Latin Sorority. The Albright College Interfraternity Council (IFC) is the governing body for all fraternities and the Albright College Panhellenic Council (Panhel) governs the Panhellenic sororities.

Fraternities	Sororities
Alpha Sigma Phi	Alpha Delta Pi
Pi Kappa Phi	Phi Mu
Sigma Alpha Epsilon	Sigma Kappa
Alpha Phi Omega	Chi Upsilon Sigma

The goals of the FSL community are to instill in its individual members the qualities of citizenship, scholarship, service, and respect for oneself and others. Students interested in joining a Fraternity or Sorority are required to have completed at least three academic courses at Albright with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 without rounding. In the case of a transfer student wanting to join a Fraternity or Sorority, they must have completed at least three academic courses at previous institution and provide proof of minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 from said institution. Interim and Summer courses and their respective GPAs will be used in evaluating eligibility. The Office of Student Involvement and Leadership and the Coordinator for FSL works with these organizations to provide guidance, continuity, and program support.

Albright students who are currently registered at Albright College (during the regular academic year) and have met the above named guidelines are eligible for affiliation. All students interested in affiliating with an FSL organization must register with the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership /Coordinator for FSL before beginning the intake/education process. The registration process is to ensure that potential new members meet the minimum GPA requirement before beginning intake/education.

FSL organizations at Albright College typically take two new member classes each year; one in the fall semester and one in the spring semester. No organization will be allowed to issue bids, hold any intake, new member, or recruitment program during interim sessions. New member education programs may last a maximum of eight weeks, with start dates set by IFC and Panhel at the beginning of each semester. These programs must conclude no later than a week before the last class of the respective semester. All new member programs must be approved by the Coordinator of FSL via the New Member Education Packet. These packets must be turned in and approved by the Coordinator at least 24 hours prior to the start of the education program. Incomplete packets will NOT be approved. Programs and activities will NOT have any elements of hazing as defined by Pennsylvania state law and Albright College Policy and must meet the approval of the organization’s national headquarters and the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership.

Albright College prohibits students from belonging to secret societies or local fraternities and sororities (those without national affiliation). Displaying local organization’s letters by any student is prohibited, including t-shirts, mugs, posters, etc. Violations of these policies or other policies relating to FSL organizations will be adjudicated through the office of Student Involvement and Leadership and/or the office of community standards. Any violation that involved harassment or other misconduct that may be related to gender will be reported to the Title IX Coordinator.

Additional information regarding Fraternity and Sorority Life can be found by calling the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership at 610-921-6637.

C. Student Event Planning

To serve students better, Albright has streamlined the process of scheduling space, acquiring work done by facilities, and obtaining security for events by having the entire process completed online at the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership’s website. All organizational program requests must be submitted and approved through your organization’s aLink page.

This registration process must be used for utilization of ALL college spaces (i.e. fields, parking lots). Please remember that room reservations, facility needs (audio visual equipment, chairs, tables, etc.) and security requirements cannot be automatically approved by the respective departments. It is important that students submit requests at least 10 days in advance of the program to avoid any delays in hosting the event. The 10 days will be taken from the date the program registration was submitted via the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership website.

D. Travel Guidelines for Albright College Student Organizations

Travel Guidelines for Albright College Student Organizations
Trips sponsored by a student organization are considered part of Albright’s “official business” and, therefore, must be planned in consultation with the organization’s faculty/staff adviser and the Director of Student Involvement and Leadership. After discussing the trip with your adviser, please come to the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership at the Campus Center desk to discuss the planning of your trip. All trips, transportation and travel arrangements must be made in conjunction with the Director of Student Involvement and Leadership. This planning meeting is an essential part of ensuring a safe and successful experience for all students who plan to participate in the trip. Failure to have this meeting or violations of the travel guidelines may result in disciplinary procedures.
Additionally, all Albright College student regulations apply to all students who go on trips sponsored by student organizations. It is important to note that students are responsible for their guests and will be held accountable for their guests’ behavior on the trip.

College Representatives
It may or may not be necessary for an organization’s adviser or another College representative to go on a trip. This depends on the nature, destination and duration of the trip. A College representative going on a trip must be employed by Albright College. The organization’s leader will consult with the Director of Student Involvement and Leadership in order to determine the need for a College representative to accompany the organization on their trip.
For all trips not requiring a College representative, a member of the student organization’s executive board will assume responsibility for the travel program. They must be in attendance during all phases of the trip. This student will be responsible for keeping all necessary travel documents secure on their person and will take the initiative if any emergency situation arises.
Transportation and Lodging Planning
All transportation contracts and arrangements (airline, train, bus, van, car rental and hotel arrangements) will be made through the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership. In cases where travel by air is necessary, the organization should meet with the Director of Student Involvement and Leadership no less than a month from the expected travel date. This should ensure the most economical fare for the organization.
Financing the Trip
Under no circumstances should money be sent directly by the student participants to an off-campus contractor (bus company, travel agent, hotel, etc.). A copy of the contract or agreement must be submitted to the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership for the proper College representative’s signature. In instances where money is collected from each person going on the trip, ticket sales should not commence until all contracts have been signed. All monies for the trip should be deposited into the student organization’s account with the Albright College Controller’s Office. (Please keep in mind that this process and any process dealing with contract signatures or transactions within the Controller’s Office may take considerable time, depending on the complexity of the trip or event.)
Automobile Transportation
Most students going on off-campus trips will use cars. The use of personal automobiles exposes the owner(s) and driver(s) to considerable liability. It may be possible for a group no larger than 13 to use the SGA van. A faculty or staff member from the College must be present.To minimize liability to the organization and to avoid possible injury to anyone in the group, the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership and the Department of Public Safety suggest that student organizations follow these recommendations:
- Check the proper licensing and eligibility of all drivers.
- Observe all traffic laws, including speed limits.
- Abstain from alcohol, drugs or medicine that would impair the safe operation of the vehicle.
- Carry proof of current automobile insurance for all drivers.
- Maintain all vehicles being used (current state inspection sticker).
- Keep basic safety and repair equipment on hand.
The College cannot assume responsibility for the driver or the safety of the vehicle being used. It is highly recommended that all drivers have at least two years’ experience. We highly recommend that student organizations obtain a van with a professional driver. The Office of Student Involvement and Leadership, through its travel agent, can arrange this for you.
Emergency Procedures
The designated person in charge of the trip (adviser/executive board officer) will assume responsibility for dealing with emergencies that may arise. This person should keep a copy of the trip registration form on them at all times during the trip. This person will also have a list of contact persons from the College to call in the event of an emergency.
An emergency folder will be made available to the adviser/executive board officer travelling on College-sponsored trips. The folder will include:
- A copy of the trip registration form listing everybody attending the trip as indicated by the student organization.
- A list of emergency phone numbers for the Albright campus (Public Safety Office, area coordinator on duty, and the on-duty emergency response task force member)

E. SGA Policies and Allocations

The rules of the allocation process are established by the Student Government Association (SGA) to provide guidelines for the allocation, disbursement and administration of the student activity fee. The Allocations process shall begin at the start of each semester and shall conclude by its second Sunday, which marks the day of Allocations Announcements. There will also be a time period for reallocations of funds that organizations can submit requests for.

1. Eligibility for Funding
  1. Each organization officially recognized by the SGA is eligible for Allocations. If the organization is not officially recognized by the SGA, then it shall not be allocated as a typical SGA-recognized organization. Only organizations that are open to the entire student body, with the exception of the classes, club sports, and academic honor societies are able to be officially recognized by the SGA and apply for allocations.
    1. Student organizations must submit an Organization Registration form on aLink and attend the Leadership Workshop before receiving funding.
    2. Each SGA-recognized organization must submit the following to the SGA every semester to be considered eligible for funding:
      1. An updated, and ratified version of the organization’s constitution:
        
        In the event that an organization updates its constitution in such a way that the changes significantly alter the organization’s stated purpose and/or executive board structure, said organization shall submit the proposed document to the SGA for approval even if said changes are made prior to the current constitution’s update/ratification deadline.
        
        The updated document must be approved by a majority vote of the SGA Cabinet.
      2. An updated Executive Board Registration and an updated Organization Roster.
    3. An executive officer of each organization must meet with their SGA liaison prior to the allocations deadline.
    4. Each SGA-recognized organization must follow the SGA email policy for student organizations which require organizations to respond to bi-weekly check in emails sent from their respective SGA liason.
    5. Because of the nature of the student activity fee, SGA reserves the right not to allocate/fund any event that is not made open to any registered student within the Albright College community.
2. Procedures for Requesting Funds
  1. SGA Allocations Information Meeting
    1. Organizations are required to send at least one member of the executive boards to the Allocations Information Meeting
    2. Allocations Request Forms must be submitted by 4:00 pm to the SGA Office on the Friday prior to Allocations Announcements, the second Friday of the semester.
    3. To be considered for SGA funding, the form must be filled out in its entirety. Also, the organization must provide documentation/proof of costs cited in the Request Form. Otherwise, the Allocations Request Form will be considered incomplete.
    4. The organization must provide an updated inventory of all items they currently possess from previous SGA allocations.
  2. Reviewing Requests
    1. Requests will be reviewed by the SGA in no particular order (with the exception of organizations that have been deemed Priority One, which will be considered first).
    2. Organizations that submit late or incomplete request forms or do not meet the eligibility requirements will be removed from the regular pool of requests and be considered for funding with penalties at a later date.
  3. Allocations Decisions and Announcements
    1. Allocations decisions will be emailed to the organization’s President and Treasurer by the day after the decisions are made.
  4. Funding Timeline
    1. Funding is requested by each organization during each semester.
    2. Funding only be granted to an organization for an upcoming semester with prior approval from the SGA President and Vice President of Finance
    3. Funds for activities during the Interim semester should be requested during the fall semester allocation process.
3. Administration and Disbursement of the Student Activity Fee
  1. 1. Funding for student organizations is based on the organization’s membership, number of events per semester, history (determining good standing or lack thereof) and account status (determining overages and/or misuse of funds).
    2. The SGA reserves the right to deny funding to an organization for any activity based on the limited funds available for the allocation process.
    3. Co-sponsorship of activities, which combines funds and energies, is highly encouraged.
    4. The SGA will not allocate funds toward the following:
      1. Any items which are susceptible to being owned by an individual, not the organization, at the end of an event
      2. Fundraisers
      3. Awards or prizes
      4. Gifts
      5. Personal loans
      6. Drugs/Alcohol
      7. Payment for tips
      8. Charity donations or contributions
      9. Any events that have happened prior to the allocation process (unless given special written approval by the SGA’s President and Vice-President of Finance)
      10. Any event that takes place outside of the academic year
    5. Club Sports Allocations Policy
      1. Club sports coordinator will only allocate for the following items for club sports:
        
        Standardized Personal Property, which entails any articles that must be the same for all club sports team members (ex. uniforms and jerseys) with the following stipulations: (i) New jerseys for the entire team every four academic years; (ii) New jerseys for each new member of the club sport, after the club sport submits its roster, every semester.
        
        Equipment, noting the following:
        
        A mandatory equipment inventory must be submitted each year.
        
        The Club Sports Coordinator holds the right to deny any equipment deemed excessive based on the club’s history, membership, and inventory records.
        
        Referees
        
        Athletic Trainers used for team practices, home games, and sport’s injuries.
        
        Reasonable transportation
    6. Class Year Allocations Policy
      1. The Albright College Student Government Association allocates funds to each of the four academic classes for events designed to promote unity among the class members and aid in fundraising efforts to support the financial needs associated with senior year;
      2. As the primary purpose and function of the classes differs from that of other allocated organizations a fundraising allowance has been made;
      3. For each allocated fundraising event the class may earn 20% of the total allocated amount, in the event the SGA is unable to fund the total amount requested the class is eligible to earn the differences in addition to the 20% profit;
      4. Example: A bus trip cost $2000, SGA is only able to cover $1500 of the total cost. In this case the class may earn a total of $800 ($500 to cover the remaining costs, and $300 of raw profit)
      5. An exception to Section 1, Subsection 3, will be made for transportation costs associated with senior class trips allowing funds to be allocated for events that are not open to the entire student body.
    7. Conferences and Trips
      1. Only an organization’s Executive Board will be considered to attend conferences (maximum of five members) unless prior permission is received through the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership.
      2. An advisor is strongly encouraged for both trips and conferences and can be included in the requests for funding.
      3. Trips will be reviewed on a first-come, first-serve basis. The skills and lessons learned and how they may contribute to the college’s advancement shall also be taken into consideration.
      4. Transportation funds can be requested, but the cost of transportation and the distance to the destination will be taken into consideration by the SGA when determining that which defines a reasonable request;
      5. Hotel funds can be requested; however, will only cover the flat fee; organizations must cover any tips or extra expenditures on their own (i.e. damages, late fees, etc.).
4. Appeal Process, Late Requests for Funding
  1. Appeal Process
    1. An organization holds the right to appeal an unapproved funding request by writing a letter of appeal to the SGA Executive Board.
    2. Once the letter is received, the SGA Executive Board will vote and come to a decision; the SGA Vice-President of Finance will contact the organization regarding the ruling, which is the final word and authority in the matter.
    3. An appeal must be made within a week after the allocation process and is under the scrutiny of the SGA Executive Board.
  2. Late Requests
    1. Any late requests not accounted for during the original request process may be submitted by any organization in the form of a letter stating the reasons funds are needed to either the SGA president or Vice-President of Finance
    2. All late requests are under the scrutiny of the SGA Executive Board, and the decision to follow is the final word and authority of the board.
5. Freezing Accounts
  1. The SGA reserves the right to freeze an organization’s SGA account based on the following:
    1. Attendance of mandatory SGA events including, but not limited to, SGA Town Hall Meetings.
    2. Any misuse of funds
    3. Violation of College policy
  2. While an account is frozen, the organization will be unable to submit check request forms or receive reimbursements.
  3. If an organization’s account has been frozen, the SGA Vice-President of Finance shall submit a written notification to both the organization’s President and Treasurer via email.
  4. The SGA determines the length and time an account will remain frozen based on each individual case.
    1. The SGA is open to hearing appeals of frozen accounts.
  5. Repeat Offenses
    1. In the event that the organization fails to attend another SGA event, misuses its funds again, or violates college policy within the same semester, the SGA may re-freeze its account;
    2. For an organization to regain the privilege to make use of its SGA account, the President and Treasurer must, again, meet with the SGA President and Vice President of Finance and submit a written appeal to the SGA who may approve or not approve the appeal;
    3. The SGA will discuss and decide the account status based on the outcome of a majority vote;
    4. If an organization repeats an offense, as outlined in Article V, Section A, Subsection 1, Clauses ‘a’ and ‘b,’ for a third time within the same semester, the SGA reserves the right to freeze said organization’s SGA account for the duration of the semester and reabsorb the remainder of its SGA-allocated funds intended for the organization’s use during that semester;Repeat Offenses shall be recorded in the organization’s account and attendance history, which may influence the SGA’s decision to allocate funds to that organization in the future and may result in the organization’s placement as a “Priority Three,” which is dependent upon a majority vote by the Student Government Association Cabinet.
6. Amending the Allocation Rules and Procedures
  1. Amendments may be proposed by any member of the SGA.
  2. Proposals must receive a 2/3 vote of the SGA in order to be passed.
    All changes and amendments to the organization’s bylaws, constitution or name shall be submitted to the Director of Student Involvement and Leadership and the Student Government for approval.
    1. All changes in officers and advisors are required to be submitted to the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership throughout the year.
  3. The opportunity for membership in all recognized organizations shall be open to any current eligible undergraduate Albright College student.
  4. Under ordinary circumstances, the SGA approves the recognition of a student organization for funding after consultation with the Director of Student Involvement and Leadership and/or the Dean of Students. Before any organization requests SGA funding, the organization must be fully registered with the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership.
  5. Recognition of an organization infers neither approval nor disapproval of the aims, objectives and policies of the organization by the College or Office of Student Involvement and Leadership.
  6. The Office of Community Standards will handle all violations by student organizations.
    1. The Office of Student Involvement and Leadership may recommend withdrawing recognition of any student organization. This right shall be exercised when it has been determined that a student organization is not exhibiting sound financial management and/or is not acting in the best interests of the student body.
  7. The opportunity for membership in all recognized organizations shall be open to any current Albright College student.
  8. Under ordinary circumstances, the SGA approves the recognition of a student organization for funding after consultation with the dean of students or the dean’s appointed designee. Before any organization requests SGA funding, the organization must be fully registered with the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership.
  9. Recognition of an organization infers neither approval nor disapproval of the aims, objectives and policies of the organization by the College or Office of Student Involvement and Leadership.
  10. The Office of Community Standards will handle all violations by student organizations.

1. 1. 1. Student activities may recommend withdrawing
      recognition of any student organization. This right shall be exercised when it has been determined that a student organization is not exhibiting sound financial management and/or is not acting in the best interests of the student body.
    2. Responsibilities of Recognized Organizations
      1. To maintain good standing with the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership and Albright College, recognized organizations are responsible for:
        
        Submitting a new registration form and list of all members to the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership by September 11th for the fall semester and February 5th for the spring semester.
        
        Failure to return this form on the date required may result in loss of funding for the fall semester by SGA.
        
        Respond to all liaison emails from SGA and communicate frequently to SGA throughout each semester.
        
        Reporting names of all newly elected officers within 72 hours of elections to the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership.
        
        Notifying the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership of any change of advisor.
        
        Updating membership lists before December 1st for the fall term and May 1st for the spring term.
        
        Failure to comply with these expectations may result in the organization’s loss of recognition by Albright College or funding from the College or Student Government Association.