Mansfield University of Pennsylvania
Developing Tomorrow's Leaders
Student Affairs

Procedures for University Clubs & Organizations

Petition to Create a Student Organization

Clubs and organizations at Mansfield University provide a full range of opportunities for social, cultural, ethnic, recreational, and educational experiences. Students are encouraged to expand their education with out-of-class activities.

Procedures for university recognition of campus organizations

The organization must complete a Petition for University Recognition. Petitions are available by clicking on the link above.

Petitions will be reviewed by the Vice President for Student Affairs and, if appropriate, other university departments may be consulted as part of the review.

Organizations that receive an unsatisfactory petition review may appeal directly to the Vice President for Student Affairs.

Definition of recognition

An organization that receives university recognition is authorized to use the name of the university, to utilize physical facilities, to utilize the services of Mansfield University and to recruit and accept new members from the university community. Organizations who receive university recognition are not automatically recognized by the Student Government Association. Student Government recognition is by petition to that body and must be eligible prior to an organization receiving funding from student activity fees (COF).

Criteria for recognition

The stated purpose of the organization must be consistent with the purpose and goals of Mansfield University.

Organizational advisors must be members of the faculty or staff or closely related thereto (e.g., alumni).

The organization must give evidence of sound organizational structure by submitting either a constitution, charter or a set of written by-laws.  An updated copy must be submitted any time changes occur.

The organization agrees to utilize the campus’ Central Bank (College Community Services, Inc.) as its depository and may not maintain any other accounts without specific approval from the Vice President for Student Affairs.

Organizations must submit the Student Organizations Recognition Form by the second full week of classes of the spring and fall semesters containing

  • The names of officers of the organization.
  • The name(s) of the organization’s advisor(s).
  • The time, day and place of regularly scheduled meetings.
  • A revised Constitution if appropriate.
  • Organizations which require initiation of new members must submit an outline of those procedures for each semester in which initiations are conducted and participate in a seminar on initiation practices.
  • Organizations must meet their financial obligations to the university and/or external creditors in a timely fashion.

Responsibilities of a recognized organization

Upon its designation as a recognized organization, an organization agrees that it will adhere to university policies and function in a manner that will be consistent with the educational goals of Mansfield University.

Inactive organizations

Any organization which is inactive for two semesters must reapply for University recognition prior to becoming active. Funds remaining after two semesters inactivity will revert to CCSI for non-funded organizations and COF for funded groups. Previously funded organizations must reapply for SGA recognition if their Constitution and/or By-Laws have changed or if they have been inactive for longer than four years.

Rules governing office holding

Scholastic requirement for seniors, juniors, sophomores, and second semester freshmen, is an average of C, or 2.0 at the time of the elections. Requirement for first semester freshmen is to have a ranking in the upper half of the high school class.

Student organizations are normally active only during the academic year, August through May.

The university will not assume any responsibility for the collection of any financial account of any member of campus organizations.

Initiation practices policy

ALL organizations that require an initiation process must abide by the following rules and regulations when developing a program by which persons become members of the organization. The university believes that an effective organization is nurtured in an atmosphere of social and moral responsibility, respect for duly constituted authority, and loyalty to the principles of higher education. While social behavior cannot be legislated, an organization without morally sound precepts and practices is not a constructive influence on university students.

An organization has a solemn obligation in the development of its pledges and members, and this responsibility extends alike to the institutions where it is represented, to parents and others who make possible the education of pledges for good citizenship and to the university of which it is a part.

Despite the fact that much progress has been made, one of the most damaging instruments to any organization is the employment of a program of education that includes hazing. This unproductive, ridiculous and hazardous ‘tradition’ has no rightful place in any university. The university defines hazing as any intentional action taken, or situation created, on or off university premises, to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment or ridicule.

Initiation Rules and Regulations

  • All activities will be non-alcoholic in nature for new, current, and alumni members.
  • No person shall engage in an activity that involves compelling a person to remain at a certain place or transporting someone without his or her knowledge or consent.
  • Chairing, “poling”, pledge walks, or other similar “traditional” activities, involving any person (new, associate member, member, affiliate, guest), are not permitted at any time.
  • No membership-related activity shall be required of any person (new, associate, member, affiliate, and guest) between the hours of 11pm and 8am.
  • In cases where membership-related activities are carried out in a campus residence hall, the Director of that particular building must approve the activity prior to the event.
  • Each organization must submit a new member program to the university upon request.
  • Any willful destruction, or removal, of public or private property is prohibited.
  • Membership-related activities should be kept within properly reserved space, and generally should not be conducted in “public”.
  • All new/associate member activities must end two weeks prior to the final exam period.
  • Actions and activities which are explicitly prohibited include but are not limited to the following:
    • Activities interfering with scholastic activities or participation in other university events;
    • Total nudity at any time or dress which is inconsistent withweather conditions;
    • Dropping food into mouths or the forced consumption of any food, alcohol, drug or other substance;
    • Paddle swats, beating, whipping, branding or any brutality of a physical nature;
    • Waking individuals during the night, therefore, depriving the individual of sleep and causing less than eight continuous hours of sleep any given night;
    • Creating excessive fatigue, requiring calisthenics, physical or psychological shocks, quests, treasure hunts or scavenger hunts;
    • Kidnapping of individuals, or road trips;
    • Assigning pranks such as stealing, panty raids or harassment of another organization;
    • Intentionally “messing up” an area for the associates/ pledges to clean;
    • Calling new/associate members names or yelling/ screaming at them;
    • Requiring members to publicly wear apparel which is conspicuous and not normally in good taste;
    • Engaging in public stunts and buffoonery;
    • Forcing exclusion from social contact;
    • Forcing conduct that could adversely affect the mental health or dignity of the individual.
  • For purposes of definition, any activity described in this policy upon which the initiation of admission into, affiliation with or continued membership in an organization is directly or indirectly conditioned shall be presumed to be “forced” activity, the willingness of an individual to participate in such activity notwithstanding.

Implementation

Each organization is responsible for informing members (new, associate members, affiliates, guests) of the above policy.

Individuals and/or organizations will be held responsible for group activity in the event these policies are violated. Violations will be handled by the University Hearing Board and/or court action. In addition to the preceding university regulations, current Commonwealth of Pennsylvania law specifically states that, “Any person who causes or participates in hazing commits a misdemeanor of the third degree.” Any penalties imposed under state law will be in addition to those imposed under institutional rule violations. Infractions in these areas shall be considered violations of university policies.

There are over 100 clubs/organizations active on campus. Information concerning their specific activities, time, date, place of meeting and who to contact for more information about a particular organization is available in 325 Alumni Hall Student Center.

If a university organization is charged with a violation of university policy, such charges shall be brought against the appropriate officer of that organization who shall be named as a representative of that organization.

If the situation warrants, other members of that organization shall be charged as additional representatives of that organization. Following the identification of the representatives of the organization in question, the procedures contained in the campus Judicial Code shall be employed.

Sanctions vs. University Organizations

If an organization is found to be in violation of university policy, sanctions may be levied against the organization as a group, in addition to individual members of the organization.

Sanctions against an organization could include loss of university recognition, establishment of a probationary period, or loss of the privilege to use university facilities.

Selection of Hearing Board Members:

Student members of both hearing boards shall be appointed by Student Government.

 
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