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Interclub Council Guidelines

Guidelines for Student Organizations

Purpose

The purpose of these guidelines is to provide the Caruso School of Law students, faculty, and administration with information on procedures and regulations concerning student organizations.

University Policy

  1. Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law recognizes student organizations which adhere to the University goals as stated below:
    1. to strive toward all goals within the context of a university that has a commitment to the Christian faith.
    2. to provide a strong legal education for each student.
    3. to help each student advance significantly in personal, social, and academic growth through a program of services to students.
    4. to work toward the formation of a true spirit of community at all levels and in all areas of the university.
    5. to be at the service of the community beyond the campus.
  2. It is the policy of the University to oppose and prevent illegal discrimination by an organization on the basis of ethnic origin, race, or creed. This includes membership selection and/or activity involvement.

Registration of Student Organizations with the Caruso School of Law

How to Start a Student Organization

  1. Consult with the Associate Dean for assistance in forming a new student organization.
  2. Develop a constitution which states the purpose and structure of the organization. Follow the suggested constitutional outline being careful to include all of the information required.
  3. Submit the completed constitution to the Associate Dean for review.
  4. The information will be sent to the Co-curricular Committee for review and recommendation regarding approval.

Requirements of a Registered Student Organization

  1. Every registered student organization must have an advisor who is a member of Pepperdine University's School of Law faculty. Every student organization's advisor must read and sign the "Advisor's Agreement."
  2. All members of a registered student organization must be enrolled students of the Caruso School of Law.
  3. Alumni of Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law may be honorary members, but cannot hold office in an organization.
  4. All continuing, active organizations must submit an up-to-date statement, including the name of the current advisor, the President and other officers, and a list of all organization members, as well as current addresses and phone numbers for all of the above. Forms are available in and must be turned into the Associate Dean's Office. This report must be turned in by October 15, of the fall semester and February 15, of the spring semester.
  5. All student organizations are required to complete the "Student Organization Review" and submit it to the Associate Dean's Office by the last class day of each semester.

Officers

  1. All officers of Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law student organizations must be full-time students and may not be on academic or disciplinary probation.
  2. The names, addresses, and phone numbers of all organization officers must be on file in the Associate Dean's Office. Any change of officers should be submitted to the same office within 7 days of the change.
  3. Student organization officers are responsible for the programs of their individual organizations and must insure that all activities are conducted in accordance with University policy governing student organizations.

Advantages of Being a Registered Student Organization

  1. Official recognition by the University. (Organizations wishing to request SBA funding are required to be officially recognized by the University).
  2. The ability to use the University's name in the identification of the organization and in the sponsorship of activities and events.
  3. Holding of meetings and social functions on campus.
  4. Use of campus facilities (meeting rooms, etc).
  5. Engaging in on-campus fund raising activities.
  6. Dissemination of information and literature on campus.
  7. Special assistance in program planning and budget management.

Termination of a Student Organization

If a student organization wishes to terminate, a letter stating this fact should be sent to the Associate Dean. This letter should be signed by the president of the organization and the advisor.

Student Organization Review

In order to maintain current records of all active student organizations on campus, the Associate Dean's Office requires that each student organization complete and submit a "Student Organization Review." Student Organizations are required to submit their "Review" no later than the last class day of each semester.

Student Organization Constitution

Constitutional Outline

Article I Name of the organization
Article II Statement of Purpose
Article III Requirements for membership and means of selection of members
Article IV Officers (title, term of office, whether selected or appointed, duties)
Article V Dues and Fees (amount and when they are paid)
Article VI Rules for amending the Constitution
Article VII Frequency of meetings
Article VIII Committees (standing, i.e. finance, membership, constitution)
Article IX Penalties
Article X Advisor

Constitutional Guidelines

  1. Membership Provisions
  • Who can be a member?
  • Types of membership (honorary, etc.)
  • Methods of admitting new members
  • Methods of dropping members
  • What constitutes "good standing"?
  • Officers
  • Duties and powers
  • Provision for filling unexpired terms
  • Rules for election
  • Procedure for recall
  • Dues and Fees
  • Amount annual membership
  • When payable
  • Initiation fees
  • To whom all dues are payable
  • Meetings
  • Types (regular, special, etc.)
  • Procedures for calling special meetings
  • Quorum (designate a percentage of the membership)
  • Parliamentary authority
  • Provision for notification of membership if no regular meeting dates are established
  • Who shall preside at special meetings
  • Committees (standing)
  • Names (Finance, Membership, Constitution and Bylaws, etc.)
  • Term of office Quorum (usually majority of members)
  • Meetings (number and how called)
  • Advisor
  • How the advisor is chosen
  • How long is the advisor's term

Student Organization Review

All registered Caruso School of Law student organizations are required to submit to the Office of the Associate Dean a typewritten report including a list of all organization sponsored activities, a budget report, an update on changes in the constitution, a roster of all current officers, members and the organization's advisor. All student organizations are required to turn in a Student Organization Review no later than the last class day of each semester. If the review is not turned in to the Associate Dean by the due date, the Caruso School of Law has the prerogative to terminate the organization.

The review should be typewritten and double-spaced. It should include all of the following:

Organization Activities (Chronologically itemized)

  1. Speakers
  2. Social events
  3. Special projects
  4. Community service
  5. Other

Budget Report

  1. Expenditures
    1. Supplies (decoration, pens, paint, etc.)
    2. Refreshments for meetings or events
    3. Duplicating or printing
    4. Telephone
    5. Postage
    6. Transportation
    7. Awards
    8. Social functions
    9. Service projects
    10. Other
  2. Revenue
    1. Dues
    2. Fund raisers
    3. Donations
    4. Social activities
    5. Reimbursements from SBA
    6. Other
  3. Balance to date in each savings and/or checking account maintained by the organization. Include a copy of the most recent bank statements.

Constitution Revisions

  1. Include a copy of the constitution indicating any changes which have been made during the course of the school year.

Club Rosters

  1. Officer names, local and home addresses, local and home telephone numbers.
  2. Advisor name, position with the University, home address, home and work phone numbers.
  3. Members names, local addresses, local phone numbers.

Signatures

  1. The organization's president and advisor must indicate their approval of the report by placing their signatures at the end of the report.

Student Organization Advisors

It is a requirement that every registered student organization select a faculty member of Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law to serve as an advisor. The advisor is to be available to assist the officers with problem solving; to aid in the planning of social or fund-raising activities; to offer appropriate guidance to the officers, and, in general, to serve as a friend and consultant to the organization's members. Advisors are liaisons between student organizations and the Caruso School of Law. They are responsible for seeing that the organization follows University policy and procedure.

Responsibilities of a Student Organization Advisor

  1. The advisor must read and sign the "Advisor's Agreement" provided by the Office of the Associate Dean.
  2. The advisor is to be familiar with the organization's constitution.
  3. The advisor is to be present for at least one organization meeting per semester.
  4. The advisor is to review the minutes from each meeting.
  5. The advisor is strongly encouraged to attend all off-campus organization-sponsored functions.
  6. The advisor is requested to have specified office hours during which organization members may consult with him/her.
  7. The advisor is requested to attend a meeting of all organization advisors when called by the Dean's Offices.
  8. The advisor must approve and sign the Student Organization Review before it is submitted to the appropriate Dean's Office.
  9. The advisor is to encourage the organization to function within University guidelines and not condone any activity which is not in keeping with the letter or spirit of University policy.
  10. If for any reason the advisor is unable to continue with said responsibilities, the Associate Dean should be immediately notified in writing of the resignation.

Suggestions for the Advisor

  1. Once a semester host a student organization get-together in the advisor's home.
  2. Work with the organization�s officers on arranging parties, trips, sports competitions, etc.
  3. Suggest service or charity projects for the organization.
  4. Suggest possible topics and speakers on current affairs, world issues, etc. that would be of interest to the organization members for an evening of discussion.
  5. Act as a referral service for those organization members who need personal counseling or who express other needs.
  6. Occasionally join organization members for a meal in the cafeteria.

Conduct of Student Organization

Responsibility

All student organizations are responsible for observing both the University's and the Caruso School of Law's policy statements and other policies and procedures as established by the University and Caruso School of Law. The Caruso School of Law has adopted an Honor Code and a Code of Conduct to which all students are required to adhere.

  1. Organizations must agree that whether activities are on or off campus, they are extensions of the University and subject to the principles and regulations governing University activities.
  2. Any activities in which more than half of the active members of an organization are engaged will be considered an activity of that organization and will be subject to all guidelines thereto pertaining
  3. Alcoholic beverages may not be served and consumed at on campus meetings or gatherings of a student organization. In any event, University funds may not be used to purchase alcoholic beverages. Alcohol abuse is inconsistent with the University's and the Caruso School of Law's policies.
  4. An organization must notify in writing the Dean's Office of any behavior by an officer or member representing the organization which is inconsistent with the Caruso School of Law Honor Code, Code of Conduct, or University policy.

Discipline

In the event that a student organization violates the above mentioned responsibilities, among other things, the organization will be subject to discipline by the Dean's Office. The discipline may include censure, probation, and/or suspension.

  1. Censure - verbal and written reprimand to a student organization.
  2. Probation - status of a student organization indicating that its continued existence at the Caruso School of Law is tenuous and that its activities will be reviewed periodically.
  3. Suspension - a formal revocation of a student organization's status as an officially recognized and registered Caruso School of Law student organization. This will include loss of all rights and privileges which pertain to School of Law-recognized student organizations. A specified suspension period may or may not be designated depending upon the nature of the violation. A student organization incurring disciplinary action will be informed of the sanction in writing by the Dean's Office. Individual student members of an organization may also be subject to disciplinary action.

Inter-club Council

The Inter-Club Council, presided over by the Associate Dean, is formed by representatives from registered Caruso School of Law organizations. The following is a list of some of the Inter-Club Council's responsibilities:

  • to meet on a monthly basis in order to develop better communication.
  • to discuss student organization selection procedures.
  • to discuss and coordinate campus-wide student organization activities.
  • to promote student-led service projects.
  • to coordinate the campus calendar for the student organizations.

Professional Entertainment and Speaker Guidelines

Initial planning for any special program using professional speakers or entertainers should begin no later than three months prior to the date of the proposed program. Prior to making any arrangements or commitments for a special program, contact the Associate Dean. All contracts must be reviewed by the University Legal Counsel and the Manager of Insurance and Risk Management before they are signed. If an agent or promoter does not issue a contract, a University contract must still be signed by both parties.

Use of Name of Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law

Organizations shall not without the prior written consent of the Dean's Office use the name of Pepperdine University or Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law in connection with any activity or item (T-shirts, cups, etc.).

Poster Policy

The placement of any written material which does not conform to any of the following stipulations will be removed.

  1. Content
    1. All material placed on bulletin boards must be tasteful and in accordance with Caruso School of Law policies.
    2. The Deans' Office staff may forbid the posting of any questionable written or graphic material.
  2. Clearance and Maintenance
    1. All posters, pamphlets, flyers or cards must be stamped by a member of the Deans' Office before they may be placed in the academic complex area.
    2. Each person or group responsible for placing materials on campus is also responsible for their removal within eighteen hours of the conclusion of the event being publicized.
  3. Siza
    1. Posters placed on bulletin boards must be no larger than 8" x 10". Posters may only be placed on the appropriate boards.
    2. Student, faculty or staff bulletin board messages pertaining to items for sale, items lost, items found, etc. must be written or typed on cards no larger than 5" x 7". Such items may only be placed on the Student Message Board by the mailboxes.
  4. Placement
    1. Posters, pamphlets, cards or flyers may be placed only on appropriate bulletin boards.
    2. No materials may be placed on windows, doors or interior walls.
    3. No materials may be placed in the classrooms.
    4. No materials may be placed in the cafeteria.
    5. No materials may be placed on bulletin boards clearly designated as departmental boards or boards designated for other uses.
    6. Easels may only be used for school-wide events and administrative announcements.
    7. Organizations may use classroom boards for announcements.
  5. POLICY FOR PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS
    1. Please make use of bulletin boards, the Law School Dicta, or student mailboxes for making announcements.
    2. Student organizations will need approval of the Associate Dean's Office before submitting a mass mailing to the student mailboxes. A copy of the mailing will be kept in that office.
    3. It is the organization's responsibility to place mass mailing in the student mailboxes and to incur the costs of such mailings.
    4. Mass mailings to all student boxes must be relevant to the interest of a major part of the student body.
    5. Items identified as chain letters may not be placed in boxes.
    6. Commercial or other off-campus organizations will not be permitted to mass-mail items through the student boxes.
    7. Materials regarding West, and other bar review programs may only be posted on the bulletin board by the student mailboxes.
    8. At no time should mass-mail items be placed in the atrium.

SBA Budget Request Form

Each year the SBA provides funding to the various student organizations in an effort to promote the academic, cultural, and social needs of the student body. The budget request form was devised to facilitate a more efficient and equitable distribution of SBA funds. The form is available from the SBA officers or online through the link above and has an early deadline during each semester. Requests received after the deadline will only be considered after all timely requests have been met.

Policy for Having Luncheon Meetings

PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS POLICY IS AN ATTEMPT TO HELP PRESERVE THE QUALITY AND APPEARANCE OF THE SCHOOL OF LAW. YOUR COOPERATION IS ESSENTIAL AND GREATLY APPRECIATED.

  1. A faculty advisor and/or student organization president must attend the meeting.
  2. The faculty advisor and the student organization president are responsible for the area. This involves throwing away all paper products, cans, etc.
  3. Food is not to be discarded in the room. Food should be discarded in trash receptacles in the school cafeteria.
  4. Organizations can only schedule one luncheon at a time in order to allow all clubs with the opportunity to use the area.
  5. All luncheon meetings must be catered by Marriott Corporation, arranged with the Associate Dean, and paid in advance of the event by the organization.
  6. If an organization does not comply with all of these rules, they will not be allowed to conduct luncheon meetings in the school.

Student Organization Advisors

It is a requirement that every registered student organization select a faculty member of Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law to serve as an advisor. The advisor is to be available to assist the officers with problem solving; to aid in the planning of social or fund-raising activities; to offer appropriate guidance to the officers, and, in general, to serve as a friend and consultant to the organization's members. Advisors are liaisons between student organizations and the Caruso School of Law. They are responsible for seeing that the organization follows University policy and procedure.

Responsibilities of a Student Organizations Advisor

  1. The advisor must read and sign the "Advisor's Agreement" provided by the Office of the Associate Dean.
  2. The advisor is to be familiar with the organization's constitution.
  3. The advisor is to be present for at least one organization meeting per semester.
  4. The advisor is to review the minutes from each meeting.
  5. The advisor is strongly encouraged to attend all off-campus organization sponsored functions.
  6. The advisor is requested to have specified office hours during which organization members may consult with him/her.
  7. The advisor is requested to attend a meeting of all organization advisors when called by the Dean's Office.
  8. The advisor must approve and sign the Student Organization Review before it is submitted to the appropriate Dean's Office.
  9. The advisor is to encourage the organization to function within University guidelines and not condone any activity which is not in keeping with the letter or spirit of University policy.
  10. If for any reason the advisor is unable to continue with said responsibilities, the Associate Dean's Office should be immediately notified in writing of the resignation.

Suggestions for the Advisor

  1. Once a semester host a student organization get-together in the advisor's home.
  2. Work with the organization's officers on arranging parties, trips, sports competitions, etc.
  3. Suggest service or charity projects for the organization.
  4. Suggest possible topics and speakers on current affairs, world issues, etc. that would be of interest to the organization members for an evening of discussion.
  5. Act as a referral service for those organization members who need personal counseling or who express other needs.
  6. Occasionally join organization members for a meal in the cafeteria.

I have read the Guidelines for Student Organizations and agree to adhere to them.

Organization:


Faculty Advisor Signature     Date

Organization President Signature     Date

Requirements of a Registered Student Organization

  1. Every registered student organization must have an advisor who is a member of Pepperdine University's School of Law faculty. Every student organization's advisor must read and sign the "Advisor's Agreement."
  2. All members of a registered student organization must be enrolled students of the Caruso School of Law.
  3. Alumni of Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law may be honorary members, but cannot hold office in an organization.
  4. All continuing, active organizations must submit an up-to-date statement, including the name of the current advisor, the President and other officers, and a list of all organization members, as well as current addresses and phone numbers for all of the above. Forms are available in and must be turned into the Associate Dean's Office. This report must be turned in by October 15, of the fall semester and February 15, of the spring semester.
  5. All student organizations are required to complete the "Student Organization Review" and submit it to the Associate Dean's Office by the last class day of each semester.

Student Organizations wishing to request SBA funding are required to be officially recognized by the University.