Friday, February 20, 2009

1. Applications for Change to Constitution
The Committee reviewed the revised constitution of the Rock for Life, who submitted to change their name to Students for Life and recommended the change continuing the organization as a funded, service/social action organization.

The Committee reviewed the Running Club's constitution requesting changes and requests further clarification on the dates of officer election/transition. The club is to be contacted by a Commitee member.

2. Application for Recognition
The Committee reviewed the revised constitution of the Erickson School Council of Majors and recommended it for recognition as a funded, academic/departmental organization.

3. Request to close organization
Based on a request from the organization via a vote to un-ratify the Constitution, the Committee revoked the recognition of the Twenty Four Form Yang Style Tai Chi Club.

4. The Committee is looking into creating an online constitution creation/submission form. The form is being created now & we will continue to offer updates on this project.

Friday, February 6, 2009

1. Applications for Recognition

The Committee reviewed the revised constitutions of the UMBC Comedy Club & the Erickson School Council of Majors and has further requests for clarification. The Committee will contact the leaders of these groups to schedule a meeting to assist them through the review process.

2. Review/Revise a template

The Committee reviewed a letter to be used as a template in response to group requests for recognition where the group would be categorized as a sports club, as these groups must first seek recognition from the Athletics Department.

Friday, December 5

1. Applications for Recognition

The Committee reviewed the revised constitution of the UMBC Coptic Club and recommended it for recognition as a funded, religious/spirituality organization.

The Committee reviewed the constitutions of Game Developers Club & Bethel Campus Fellowship and is requesting clarification on some of the language in the documents.

Friday, November 21

1. Applications for Recognition

The Committee reviewed the revised constitution of Delta Phi Omega and recommended it for recognition as a restricted funded, Greek organization.

The Committee reviewed the Golf Club constitution (a revised version of the original) and recommended it for recognition as a funded, hobby organization.

Friday, November 14, 2008

1. Applications for Recognition
The committee reviewed the constitutions of Delta Phi Omega and the UMBC Flying Retrievers Sky Diving Team.

The committee asked for revisions to the Delta Phi Omega constitution and planned to meet with them the following week.

The committee determined that the Flying Retrievers Sky Diving Team met the definition of a sport club and advised Jason Hamm, President of the organization, to seek recognition from the Athletics Department as a sport club.

Friday, October 31 & Friday, November 7

1. Applications for Recognition
On October 31, the Student Organizations Committee reviewed ADAA's constitutions for recognition and requested revisions to clarify some of the articles in these documents.

On November 7, the committee reviewed the Gender and W omen's Studies Council of Majors and the Erickson School Council of Majors constitutions and requested revisions to clarify some of the articles in these documents.

2. Request for Name Change
On October 31, Rock for Life student organization submitted a revised constitution requesting a name change to become Students for Life. The committee reviewed this constitution and requested revisions to clarify some of the articles in these documents.

Friday, October 24, 2008

1. Applications for Recognition

The Committee reviewed the constitutions of Campus Crusade for Christ (funded, spirituality), and Engineers Without Borders (funded, service/social action) and recommended these student groups for recognition to the Acting Director of Student Life.

The Committee also reviewed revised constitutions of ADAA (a dance group) and Beats of Steel (a steel band group) and requested clarification/revisions on some of the language in these constitutions.

Friday, October 17, 2008

1. Applications for Recognition
The Committee reviewed the constitutions of ROCK, The Green Element, International Club, Unite for Sight, and Pi Sigma Alpha and recommended these student groups for recognition to the Acting Director of Student Life.

The Committee also reviewed the constitutions of Coptic Club, Campus Crusade for Christ, ADAA, and Beats of Steel and requested revisions to clarify some of the articles in these documents.

Friday, October 10, 2008

1. Applications for recognition

The Committee reviewed revised editions of the UMBC Running Club's and 24 Form Yang Stylte Taichi Club's constitutions and recommended these two organizations for recognition to the Acting Director of Student Life.

The committee also reviewed the constitution of the Flaming Chalices. This organization was also recommended for recognition to the Acting Director of Student Life.

2. Business

In an effort to get student groups who have submitted materials for recognition through the process faster, the Committee determined that it would be helpful to have someone review the constitutions on a preliminary basis, provide feedback to the student group on the constitution, and ask for a revised copy to bring to the Committee meetings.

Friday, October 3, 2008

1. Update on Recommendation to Revoke Recognition:
   
   The Student Organizations Committee voted to withdraw its previous recommendation to revoke recognition of the Army ROTC and the Sailing Club as they completed their registration prior to the final approval of the revocation of recognition. These organizations are fully recognized for the Fall 2008 semester. Also, the Political Economy Club should have been on the list to have recognition revoked.
   
   
2. Applications for Recognition
   
   The Student Organizations Committee reviewed the constitutions of three organizations seeking recognition; it requested clarification on some of the language in the UMBC Running Club and the Twenty Four Form Yang Style Taichi Club constitutions and recommended Pakistani Student Association (PakSA) for recognition.
   

Friday, September 26

1. Revocation of student organizations' recognition.

Erica Johnson, Coordinator for Student Organizations and Involvement, provided a list of student organizations that are out of compliance with the requirement to submit a registration form (24 undergraduate organizations and 5 graduate organizations) or the 5-member rule (2 organizations) despite repeated warnings and the announcement of September 15th as the deadline to correct these problems. Of these organizations, 1 is in the Greek Life category (which is subject to slightly different rules) and has reached the end of its probation period for being out of compliance with the 5-member rule.

By unanimous consent of the members present, in accordance with the SGA's Student Organizations Policy, the Committee formally recommended revoking UMBC recognition from the non-complying organizations.

Furthermore, two (2) additional Greek organizations (subject to slightly different rules) are not compliant with the 5-member rule. Thus, by unanimous consent of the members present, in accordance with the SGA's Student Organizations Policy, the Committee formally recommended these organizations be placed on a probation period until February 15, at the end of which they must be compliant with the 5-member rule.

This recommendation is being delivered via e-mail to Lee Calizo, Acting Director of Student Life, who will make the final decision on revocation.

The 31 organizations for which the Committee recommends revocation of UMBC recognition are:

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.

American Institute of Graphic Arts

Army ROTC

Association for India's Development

Black Graduate Student Association

Board of Underrepresented Students

Bowling Club

Campus Climate Initiative

Caribbean American Student Association*

Drivers Club

Emergency Medical Services

Engineers without Borders

English Council of Majors

Fellowship under God's Influence

Fishing Club

Hapkido Club

Migraine Help Club

Mock Trial

Natural Path Meditation Club

Ninhonbu

Organic Chemistry Committee

Phi Alpha Honor Society of Social Work

Phi Kappa Phi Student Org

Public Health Alliance

PUSH America

Sigma Pi Sigma

SPIE Graduate Organization

Spin @ UMBC

Taiwan Student Association Graduate Student Org

Yoga & Meditation Society

Sailing Club

The 2 organizations for which the Committee recommends a probationary period are:

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.

Lambda Theta Alpha

*Please note that Caribbean American Student Association, CASA, has already submitted a completed application seeking re-recognition.


2. Applications for Recognition

The Committee considered new applications for recognition from the Bethel Campus Ministry. Two representatives from this organization attended the meeting, responded to questions about their Constitution and received suggestions from the Committee. The group will resubmit their Constitution with amendments based on the discussion.

Friday, September 12, 2008

1. Overview of the Role of the Student Organizations Committee
   
   The Committee discussed the role of the committee and reviewed student organization policies set forth by SGA in preparation for the current academic year. Topics included:
   
   • Overview of the student organization recognition process
   • Requirements of becoming a student organization
   • Requirements of becoming a sports & recreation club
   • The committee's role in disciplinary matters that are not violations of the Student or Student Organization Code of Conduct set forth by UMBC
   • Overview of the student organization de-recognition process and scenarios for which this process may be used
     
   
   
2. Review of the Student Organization Committee's previous recommendation of Basketball Club as a sports & recreation club.
   
   After reviewing the current guidelines regarding the recognition process of sports & recreation clubs, the committee decided to withdraw its recommendation of the Basketball Club as a Sports/Recreation Club to OSL. The organization had not yet been recognized.
   

April 17th & 24th and May 1st, 8th & 15th Meetings

1. Applications for Recognition

The Committee has decided to recommend recognition of the following new organizations:

S.I.S.T.E.R.S. (limited funding, Service/Social Action)
Bioethics Student Association (funded, Academic/Departmental)
Kappa Omicron Sigma (funded, Service/Social Action)
Zeta Sigma Chi Multicultural Sorority, Inc. (limited funding, Greek Life)
Computer Science Council of Majors (funded, Academic/Departmental)

In addition, the Committee recommended recognition of the following organization on the condition that it make minor changes to its proposed constitution:
American Cancer Society--Colleges Against Cancer (funded, Service/Social Action)

The Committee also received and reviewed applications from the Pakistani Student Union, Ludologist's Society, Bethel Campus Fellowship and Christian on Campus, all of which have been sent back to the organizations for revisions.

2. Category Change

The Committee approved the Skydiving Club's request to move from the Sports/Recreation category to the Hobbies category.

3. Meeting with Athletics

The Committee met with representatives from the Athletics Department for a second time and reached an agreement in principle on a new process for recognizing Sports Clubs. The current process requires all organizations to request and receive formal UMBC recognition through the Student Organizations Committee before applying to Athletics for Sports Club status. This process leaves organizations that have received UMBC recognition but not Sports Club status in limbo, without support from either SGA (which does not fund athletics activity) or Athletics.

The new process would require new organizations to be recognized by the Athletics Department as a Sports Club before seeking formal recognition as a UMBC student organization (through the Student Organizations Committee and Director of Student Life) if any of the following statements is true:

1. In order to fulfill its mission and purpose, the organization would require access to athletic fields, recreational facilities or equipment managed by the Athletics Department.
   

2. The organization’s members will compete in contests involving physical skill and any of the following:
1. running
2. jumping
3. diving
4. skating
5. swimming
6. combat
7. non-cooperative physical contact between participants.
   

3. The organization plans to participate in intercollegiate competition for which the league or governing body requires participants to be affiliated with the campus Athletics Department.

The Student Organizations Committee will meet with Athletics again on May 19th to finalize the language of this new policy and discuss the status of existing Sports/Recreation organizations that have not been granted Sports Club status by Athletics.

March 13th & 27th, April 3rd & 10th Meetings

1. Applications for Recognition

The Committee has decided to recommend recognition of the following new organizations:

Biodiesel Project (funded, Service/Social Action)
Pi Mu Epsilon (limited funding, Honor Society)
German Club (funded, Cultural/Ethnic)
Organic Chemistry Study Committee (funded, Academic/Departmental)
Skydiving Club (limited funding, Sports/Recreation)
Invisible Children United (funded, Service/Social Action)
The Stilettos (limited funding, Arts/Performance)

The Committee also received and reviewed applications from S.I.S.T.E.R.S., Bioethics Student Association, Zeta Sigma Chi, Delta Phi Omega and Best Buddies, all of which have been sent back to the organizations for revisions.

2. Meeting with Athletics Department

Next Tuesday, April 15^th, the Committee will meet with representatives from the Athletics Department for the second time to try to clear up ambiguities in the recognition process for Sports Clubs.

February 28 & March 6, 2008 Meetings

1. Applications for Recognition

The Committee has decided to recommend recognition of the following new organizations:

Yoga Club (limited funding, Sports/Recreation)
Artist Connection Community (funded, Art/Performance)
GET UP (limited funding, Service/Social Action)
Tai Ji Club (limited funding, Sports/Recreation)

In addition, the Committee received applications from the following proposed organizations and requested that they clarify language in their Constitutions:

German Club
Invisible Children United
Unite for Sight
UMBC Biodiesel Project

2. Constitution Change

The Committee approved requested changes to the Mama’s Boys’ Constitution.

3. Suspension of Privileges

The Committee recommended suspension of the privileges of Alpha Kappa Alpha and Zeta Phi Beta. Both organizations have fewer than five members. In accordance with the Student Organizations Policy’s provisions relating to Greek Life organizations, the two groups will have until September 15^th to comply with the Five Member Rule or face the loss of their UMBC recognition.

4. Meeting with Athletics Department

The Committee met with Mike D’Archangelo and Brianne Day from the Athletics Department on February 26^th. Mike and Brianne explained that the total number of Sports Clubs supported by Athletics is capped at 25 primarily due to financial constraints which make it impossible to provide staff support and ensure safety for more groups. If one of the 25 groups were to fold, it would be replaced by a new group from a waiting list maintained by Athletics. Mike and Brianne indicated that any increase in funding for Sports Clubs is very unlikely in the short term, because Athletics has other high priority needs.

The Committee raised its concerns about organizations that fall between the cracks: recognized by UMBC, engaged in physical/competitive activity requiring athletic equipment, but not recognized by Athletics and ineligible for SGA funding. All in attendance agreed that it would be helpful to stop recognizing new organizations that would be forced into such cracks. Mike and Brianne agreed to draft a proposed definition of such organizations: groups that would have to be accepted by Athletics as Sports Clubs before they could seek formal UMBC recognition as student organizations.

The Committee will meet with Mike and Brianne again on April 8^th to discuss their proposed definition.

5. Student Organization Ballroom Events

Lee Calizo met with the Committee to discuss the recent drop in the number of events held in the UC Ballroom. The Committee speculated about reasons for the decline, but arrived at no firm conclusions.

February 7, 14 & 21, 2008 Meetings

1. Applications for Recognition

The Committee has decided to recommend recognition of the following new organizations:

Ancient Studies Club (funded, Academic/Departmental)
Disciples on Campus (funded, Religion/Spirituality)
Basketball Club (limited funding, Sports/Recreation)

The Committee also received and reviewed applications from the Yoga Club, Artist Connection Community, Get Up! and Unite for Sight, all of which have been sent back to the organizations for revisions.

2. Revocation of Recognition

The Committee has decided to recommend revocation of Alpha Phi Alpha’s recognition for failure to maintain a membership of at least five UMBC students.

3. Constitution Change

The Committee approved a change in the Air Force ROTC Constitution eliminating certain categories from its nondiscrimination clause. As a result of the change, Air Force ROTC has been reclassified as a “limited funding” organization (i.e., eligible for SGA funding only for events directed at the entire campus community).

The UMBC Mama’s Boys also submitted a request for a Constitution change, and the Committee requested additional modifications.

4. Enforcement of SGA’s Free Admission Policy

SGA Vice President for Student Organizations Chris Najmi is working with the Finance Board and the Scheduling and Business Services offices to develop ways of notifying students and event staff about admission charge restrictions placed on specific events by SGA. Typically, the restriction is that when SGA has allocated funds to pay for the full cost of an event, UMBC students must be admitted free of charge.

5. Stale Student Organization Accounts

The Committee developed a plan for ensuring that once student organizations have lost UMBC recognition, their accounts are managed in a manner consistent with SGA’s Budgetary Policy (they’re frozen immediately; former organization members can appeal to SGA for access to the funds; after two years, they roll into SGA’s General Ledger). The Business Services Center is reviewing the Committee’s plan.

6. Meeting with Athletics Department

Next Tuesday, February 26^th, the Committee will meet with representatives from the Athletics Department to try to clear up ambiguities in the recognition process for Sports Clubs.

January 31, 2008 Meeting--Planning for Spring Semester

1. Application for Category Change

The Committee granted a request from Women Involved in Learning and Leadership (WILL) to move from the Career/Professional category to the Service/Social Action category.

2. Revocation of Recognition

The Committee decided to recommend revocation of Alpha Phi Alpha's UMBC recognition. Alpha Phi Alpha had not maintained the minimum five members for many semesters, and had been given until the end of the fall semester to remedy the problem.

3. Registration Deadline

Student organizations have been alerted by e-mail to the deadline for updating their registration forms online: February 6th. Organizations that have not complied or do not have five members identified on their forms by the deadline will be alerted and given until February 15th to resolve issues with their forms.

4. Committee Plans for This Semester

The Committee discussed its work for the current academic semester. Among the issues it will address:

--Sports Clubs: The Committee will set up a meeting in the near future with Mike D'Archangelo from the Athletics Department to resolve longstanding issues relating to the process of recognizing and supporting sports clubs at UMBC.

--Abandoned Student Organization Accounts: The Committee will work with the Business Services Center to set up a process for auditing student organization accounts and ensuring that once an organization loses its UMBC recognition, funds remaining in its carryover account are disposed of in the manner specified by SGA's Budgetary Policy.

--Enforcement of the SGA Finance Board's Policy on Admission to SGA-Funded Events: The Finance Board is requiring organizations accepting SGA funding to cover the full cost of an event to admit all UMBC students free of charge. The Committee plans to work with SGA to set up a system for enforcing the policy. The system will include a process for informing students and staff members participating in an event that admission may not be charged to UMBC students.

December 6, 2007 Meeting and Semester Summary

1. Applications for Recognition

The Committee has decided to recommend recognition of the following new organizations:

Capoeira (restricted, Sports/Recreation)
Drivers Club (funded, Hobbies)
Emergency Health Services Council of Majors (funded, Academic/Departmental)
Pre-Veterinary Society (funded, Career/Professional)
Tau Sigma Transfer Honor Society (restricted, Honor Society)
UMBC TV (funded, Media)
United States Air Force Reserve ROTC (funded, Career/Professional)

In addition, the Committee reviewed the Men of Strength Club’s proposed constitution and requested clarifying changes.

2. Student Organization Categories

David Hoffman reported that only one organization had responded to the Committee's e-mail about the new system of categories by requesting reassignment to a new category, and even that organization already had been placed in the requested category (but apparently had not read the list carefully).

However, a student leader has contacted the Committee to express his concern about the placement of Alpha Sigma Kappa in the Academic/Departmental category, because he believes ASK operates as a social Greek organization. The Committee agreed that members would confer with Greek Life Coordinator Corin Gioia and develop a process for reviewing the status of existing organizations that may belong in the Greek Life category.

3. Summary: What The Student Orgs Committee Did This Semester

• Developed and published a new sample Constitution for prospective new student organizations
• Revised the system of student organization categories for clarity and accuracy, and sorted existing organizations into the new categories
• Clarified the meaning of the SGA Student Organizations Policy provisions relating to funding status and restrictions on membership
• Worked with prospective student organizations to move them through the process of gaining formal UMBC recognition, and recommended recognition of 16 new student organizations
• Recommended revocation of 60 student organizations’ recognition for failure to comply with the registration requirement or the 5-member rule
  
• Began to address longstanding ambiguities about the boundaries of the Sports/Recreation and Greek Life student organization categories

November 29, 2007 Meeting--Sports Club Issues On The Horizon

1. Student Organization Categories

Chris Najmi and David Hoffman reported that they had met last week and sorted all of the recognized student organizations into the new scheme of categories created by the Committee at its previous meeting. The Committee reviewed the list, made a few corrections, and approved sending it out to all student organizations for their review. Student organizations will be invited to provide feedback and request category changes if needed.

2. Applications for Recognition

The Committee reviewed constitutions submitted by UMBC TV and the Emergency Health Services Council of Majors, and asked Chris Najmi to request that the groups make minor revisions for clarity.

3. Application for Constitution Change

The Committee reviewed and approved the amended constitution submitted by Filmmakers Anonymous. Because the purpose of the organization is to watch and discuss films, the Committee asked me to remind the group about its responsibility to comply with copyright laws and licensing requirements.

4. Sports Clubs

The Committee began what promises to be a series of discussions aimed at resolving longstanding issues regarding the status of Sports Clubs. The Sports Clubs category maintained by the Office of Student Life and SGA has no official definition, but placement in that category has an important consequence: Sports Clubs are not eligible for SGA funding except for events directed at the entire campus, because they are expected to be coordinated and supported by the Athletics Department. Yet the Athletics Department has denied privileges and funding to several groups already in that category, leaving them with very limited campus support for their activities. The Committee discussed the need to get clarification from the Athletics Department about its criteria for supporting a Sports Club, and to develop a recognition process that does not result in the creation of more clubs that exist in name but lack access to funding and campus support.

November 15, 2007 Meeting--New Student Org Categories

1. Applications for Recognition

The Committee decided to recommend recognition of the following new organizations:

Black Artists Society (funded, Special Interest)
Russian Club (funded, Cultural/Ethnic)
Amnesty International (funded, Political/Social Activism)
Women’s Lacrosse Team (restricted, Sports/Recreation)

In addition, the Committee reviewed another draft of the American Studies Council of Majors Constitution and asked Chris Najmi to set up a meeting with its President to discuss needed revisions.

2. Student Organization Categories

The Committee agreed on several changes to the system of student organization categories designed to make the categories more accurate and descriptive. The changes will be as follows:

a. The Political/Social Activism and Service categories will be replaced by a category for Political organizations and a category for Service/Social Action organizations.

b. There will be three new categories: Arts/Performance, Career/Professional and Hobbies.

c. The Special Interest category will be eliminated.

As a result of these changes, the entire set of categories will be as follows:

Academic/Departmental
Arts/Performance
Career/Professional
Cultural/Ethnic
Governance
Greek
Hobbies
Honor Societies
Intellectual Sports
Media
Political
Religion/Spirituality
Service/Social Action
Sports/Recreation

The Committee discussed the possibility of dividing the Arts/Performance category into separate Arts and Performance categories, but will wait for feedback from student organizations before making such a change. In addition, the Committee discussed the possibility of distinguishing between groups organized to compete in athletic events and groups organized around members’ interests as sports fans. The Committee agreed to defer any change to the existing Sports/Recreation category until after working with the Athletics Department and SGA to resolve outstanding issues relating to the management and funding of sports and recreation activities on campus.

The next step in the process of changing the student organization categories is to tentatively reassign organizations based on the new system, which the Committee will do at its next meeting on November 29^th. Between now and the 29^th, Chris Najmi, Nayana Davis and I will work up a proposed list of assignments for the Committee to review. Once the Committee has approved the tentative assignments, we will send an e-mail out to all student organizations soliciting feedback and inviting requests to be moved to a different category.

November 8, 2007 Meeting

1. Applications for Recognition

The Committee received no new applications for recognition, but considered revised Constitutions for the following organizations:

Filmmakers Anonymous
Pre-Vet Society
Emergency Health Services Council of Majors
Tau Sigma Honor Society

In every case, the Committee identified minor problems, the resolution of which should result in swift approval.

2. Air Force ROTC

The students seeking to launch the Air Force ROTC organization submitted a Constitution earlier in the month which included the standard nondiscrimination clause:

“Membership in this organization may not be denied because of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, disabled veteran or veteran, national origin or religion.”

The nondiscrimination clause is not required for recognition, but any sort of discrimination in selecting members has an impact on whether an organization is eligible for SGA funding. Chris Najmi had sent the group an e-mail on the Student Organizations Committee’s behalf asking Air Force ROTC whether it planned to enforce the United States government’s policies regarding the sexual orientation of members of the military. As Chris reported at today’s meeting, the Air Force ROTC’s response was ambiguous. Chris will follow up by asking specific questions about whether being openly gay would result in denial of membership in the organization.

3. Record-Keeping

The Committee discussed the fact that the paper files on student organizations maintained by the Student Involvement Center do not contain much of the information that is now routinely handled electronically, including registration forms submitted after organizations have received formal recognition from UMBC. Committee members agreed that it would be useful to have complete paper files on each organization, and Erin Carter will follow up by working with her staff to create paper versions of all information stored in electronic form.

4. Process Change for Recognition Applications

The Committee asked Chris Najmi to develop and provide Sheryl Gibbs with an information sheet to be provided to organizations submitting applications for recognition to the Office of Student Life. The information sheet will advise the organization to send an electronic copy of its proposed Constitution to Chris for an initial review and consultation before it the application is considered by the full Committee. The Committee anticipates that this change will make the recognition process quicker and easier for both the organizations submitting applications and the Committee.

5. Student Organization Categories

The Committee agreed that members would come to next week’s meeting with proposed student organization categories to supplement or replace the existing categories (Academic/Departmental, Greek Life, etc.). Committee members expressed particular interest in replacing the existing Special Interest category with several more accurate and descriptive category names reflecting the various types of organizations now lumped together in that category.

October 25 and November 1, 2007 Meetings--4 New Orgs and a Dispute Resolved

1. Applications for Recognition

The Committee has decided to recommend recognition of three new student organizations:

Modeling Club (funded, Special Interest)

UMBC Executive Club (funded, Academic/Departmental)

Media and Communications Studies Council of Majors (funded, Academic/Departmental)

The Committee also accepted a revised Constitution from the Political Science Council of Majors and affirmed its previous recommendation for the group's recognition as a funded, Academic/Departmental organization.

In addition, the Committee considered applications from the following organizations and asked them to make revisions to their Constitutions:

Amnesty International (1^st and 2^nd submissions)

Black Artists’ Society (2^nd submission)

Air Force ROTC

Russian Club

Pre-Veterinary Society

Also, I reported to the Committee that the dispute between the two organizations claiming to be entitled to the name and/or funds of Filmmakers’ Anonymous has been resolved successfully. One of the organizations will retain the name, while the other—the UMBC Film Crew—will inherit the carryover account. The Committee considered the UMBC Film Crew’s application for recognition and Filmmakers’ Anonymous’ proposed new Constitution, and asked Chris Najmi to work with both organizations on needed revisions to their Constitutions.

2. What Counts as a Membership Restriction?

The Committee has made a couple of initial determinations about membership restrictions in relation to organizations’ funding status. One is that an organization can limit membership based on participation—for example, requiring attendance at two consecutive meetings before allowing a student to vote in the organization’s elections—without losing its funded status. The other is that an organization can place restrictions on the holders of officer positions—for example, requiring officers to have minimum GPAs or junior standing—without losing its funded status. These determinations reflect the Committee’s interpretation of SGA’s Student Organizations Policy.

October 18, 2007 Meeting--Do the Current Stu Org Categories Make Sense?

1. Applications for Recognition

The Committee considered new applications for recognition from the Black Artists Society and the UMBC Executive Club. Representatives from the two organizations attended the meeting, responded to questions about their Constitutions and received suggestions from the Committee. Both will resubmit their Constitutions with amendments based on the discussion.

The Political Science Council of Majors submitted revisions to its Constitution, but the revisions raised more issues than they resolved. Chris Najmi will contact the organization to discuss a resolution to the problem.

2. Student Organization Categories

The Committee discussed the practice of placing student organizations into categories like Religion/Spirituality and Cultural/Ethnic. The primary significance of most of the categories (other than Greek Life and Sports Clubs, for which there are special processes and restrictions) is that they help students to identify organizations they might be interested in joining. The Committee talked about whether a reconfigured category system with different or additional names might better serve that purpose. For example, the existing Special Interest category is a hodgepodge of organizations that do not belong in any of the other categories; maybe it would be possible to rename or reconfigure the categories so the Special Interest organizations would belong in other, more descriptive categories. Committee members agreed to come to next week's meeting (October 25^th) with ideas about potential alternatives to the existing category scheme.

If you have thoughts about how to improve upon the existing scheme of student organizations categories, feel free to share them with the Committee by sending an e-mail to studentorgscomm@umbc.edu.

October 11, 2007 Meeting--What Counts as a Membership Restriction?

1. Applications for Recognition

The Committee voted to recommend recognition of Alpha Phi Omega as a Restricted-Funded Service organization, and the Political Science Council of Majors (which had its recognition revoked last month) as a Funded Political/Social Activism organization. The Political Science Council of Majors recommendation is tentative pending minor revisions to the organization’s Constitution.

The Committee received new applications for recognition from Best Buddies and Women’s Club Lacrosse (both of which had their recognition revoked last month), and from Get Up. Katie Nolan from Women’s Club Lacrosse attended the meeting and responded to questions about the group’s application and plans to resubmit the Constitution with minor revisions. Chris Najmi will follow up with the other organizations regarding issues with their Constitutions.

Based on the usefulness of the conversation with Katie Nolan, the Committee decided to invite the Presidents of all organizations applying for recognition to meet with the Committee when it considers their applications.

2. Alpha Nu Omega Sorority, Inc.

The Committee met with the two members/officers of Alpha Nu Omega Sorority and answered questions relating to the revocation of its recognition. In accordance with SGA policy, the group’s carryover account will remain in place for two years, and if its officers are successful in recruiting new members and reapplying for recognition the group can ask SGA to restore its access to the carryover funds.

3. What Counts as a Membership Restriction?

SGA’s Student Organizations Policy identifies any organization that is not “open to all UMBC undergraduate students,” or has “selection criteria,” as a limited-funded organization. The Committee discussed the ambiguity of these phrases as they apply to some organizations’ practices. For example, if an organization allows anyone to join but states that only members with certain characteristics (e.g., with a certain major) can hold an officer position, should the organization be considered a limited-funded organization? What about an organization which accepts anyone as a member, but requires auditions to play certain central roles in the organization’s activities? The Committee agreed that this is a complicated issue requiring further discussion.

October 4, 2007 Meeting--Revocation Revisited, 2 Filmmakers Anonymous Groups

1. Revocation Revisited

Erin Hundley and David Hoffman reported that of the 60 organizations that had their recognition revoked last month, only a few have raised questions and just two challenged the decisions. Each of those two organizations had received multiple warnings about their impending loss of recognition and failed to take action before the deadline. One of them—Women’s Club Lacrosse—identified some communication problems involving the Athletics Department, which the Office of Student Life will work to resolve. However, the Student Organizations Committee affirmed its previous conclusion that the organizations received the information they needed and could have complied with the registration deadline. Like any organization that has lost its recognition, they now have the opportunity to submit a new application for recognition.

The Scheduling Office has released all space reservations held by the 60 groups that have lost recognition.

2. Filmmakers Anonymous

The Committee learned that two different organizations submitted budget proposals to SGA under the name Filmmakers Anonymous. Each organization—one that has been calling itself the UMBC Film Crew, the other Image Movers--views itself as the successor to Filmmakers Anonymous, which was active several years ago. An investigation after the meeting revealed that Filmmakers Anonymous has not submitted a registration form since at least 2005-2006, and has not spent SGA or carryover funds at least since 2004-2005, suggesting that both of the active organizations will have to apply for UMBC recognition as new organizations. David will follow up with the two groups.

3. Applications for Recognition

The Committee considered new applications for recognition from the Cooking Club, the U.S. Air Force ROTC and Tau Sigma (an honor society), and from two organizations that recently had their recognition revoked: the Political Science Council of Majors and Pi Sigma Alpha honor society. The Committee asked Chris Najmi to request changes to various clauses in the organizations’ Constitutions (mainly to clarify the process of becoming a member and officers’ duties), and will reconsider the groups’ applications once the changes have been made.