Policies

Every ISU student organization is required to have an approved constitution uploaded to the student organization database. If the status of your current constitution is pending, you have 30 days to work with Student Engagement to make any requested revisions.  

Below are guidelines to follow as your constitution is created or modified.  

There are certain components that must be written exactly as described. These components are bolded below. 

A Constitution Template is also available for organizations to use or adapt.

Article I - Name:  

State the name of the organization. The name of the organization may not contain any Iowa State University identifiers. These include, but are not limited to: iastate, Cy, Cyclone(s), Iowa State University, Iowa State, I-STATE, ISU. 

It is allowed to state that the organization is located at Iowa State, Iowa State University, and/or ISU. 

Example: The name of this organization shall be Constitution Club at Iowa State University.

Article II - Purpose:

Articulate the purpose, beliefs, and goals of the organization, as well as the type and scope of the organization's activities and affiliations. 

Example: The purpose of the Constitution Club is to enhance students’ understanding of creating and modifying constitutions for their student organizations. Constitution Club’s goals are to provide direction for student leaders, to teach students about university policy, and to be a resource for student organizations. To achieve these goals, Constitution Club will maintain a website with clear and concise constitution guidelines.  

Article III - Statement of Compliance:

The following statement is required:

(Name of Organization) abides by and supports established Iowa State University policies, State and Federal Laws and follows local ordinances and regulations. (Name of Organization) agrees to annually complete President’s and Treasurer’s Training. 

Article IV - Non-Discrimination Statement:

The following statement is required.

Iowa State University and (Name of Organization) do not discriminate on the basis of genetic information, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, race, ethnicity, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or status as a U.S Veteran.

Article V - Membership:

Outline specific requirements and expectations for membership to be granted into the organization. 

Example: Membership shall be open to all registered students in good standing at Iowa State University.

Article VI - Officers:

This article should outline the executive structure of the organization. This section should discuss officer duties, terms of service, dates for elections, method of election, minimum cumulative GPA for officers, and impeachment and replacement of officers.  

At a minimum, each student organization is expected to designate one officer as the chief student leader (usually titled "president"), one officer authorized to deal with the organization's finances (usually titled "treasurer"), and one officer who provides general oversight to the group ensuring that the organization is operating in conformity with the standards set forth by Iowa State University and Student Engagement (usually titled "advisor"). The titles of these positions may vary according to the needs of the organization, but the three separate job functions must be provided in this article.  

For more ideas of officer roles and responsibilities, election and selection processes, and impeachment/reinstatement procedures, head HERE.

• Officer Positions, Responsibilities, and Term of Service - List officers, their respective duties, and term of service (e.g. academic/calendar year) 

Example: “The President shall oversee the activities of the organization, preside over all meetings, and keep files of the organization’s duties and traditions. The President’s term of service shall be one academic year.

• Risk Management Officer - All recognized student organizations at Iowa State University must identify an officer responsible for risk management. This may be part of an existing officer position, Vice President - for example, or be a separate position. The following risk management duties must be included in the constitution:  

(a) help minimize potential risks for club activities,

(b) recommend risk management policies or procedures,

(c) to submit documentation to ISU’s Risk Management Office and

(d) to ensure that proper waivers and background checks are on file with Risk Management for events (if applicable).

• Method of selection or election of officers - Detail the process of selecting/electing executive board positions. Consider whether it is by secret ballot, hand vote, a simple majority, or 2/3 majority vote.

Example: Candidates will each have 5 minutes to speak with club membership during a general meeting. After candidates speak, voting will occur by secret ballot. A simple majority vote by due-paying members is required to elect an officer.

• Date(s) for selection or election of officers - Provide an estimate of what time in the semester elections occur.

Example: The election process will take place annually in the month of April.

• Impeachment/Removal of Officers - Specify how impeachment proceedings begin and how impeachments are voted on in order to become final. Also, state whether or not the person who is impeached is allowed to speak or be present during the final vote. Include 2-3 examples of impeachment offenses. 

Example: Impeachment or removal of an officer may be considered if an officer fails to uphold the duties of their position or commits wrongdoing against another club member. Impeachment proceedings may be initiated by a written complaint submitted to the President. If impeachment charges are being brought against the President, the written complaint should be submitted to the Vice President. To move forward with impeachment proceedings, 2/3 of executive officers must vote to continue the removal process. The officer being impeached should be notified at least 2 weeks before the general impeachment hearing. The officer will have 5 minutes to speak in front of the general membership, then a secret ballot will be held. An officer can be impeached by a simple majority vote of due-paying members.

• Replacement of officers - Describe how an officer’s position is filled whenever a vacancy occurs. Consider whether a replacement is appointed or elected using regular election procedures.  

Example: To fill an officer vacancy, a special election will be held within two weeks of the previous officer’s leave. The special election will follow the same procedures as general elections.

• Minimum Cumulative GPA for Officers - All recognized student organizations at Iowa State University must include the following statement (or its equivalent) in their constitution:

The officers of this organization must meet the following requirements:

(a) Be in good standing with the university and enrolled: at least half time (six or more credit hours), if an undergraduate student (unless fewer credits are required to graduate in the spring and fall semesters) during the term of office, and at least half time (four or more credits), if a graduate-level student (unless fewer credits are required in the final stages of their degree as defined by the Continuous Registration Requirement) during their term of office.

(b) Have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) as stated below and meet that minimum GPA in the semester immediately prior to the election/appointment, the semester of election/appointment, and semesters during the term of office. For undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, the minimum GPA is 2.00. In order for this provision to be met, at least six hours (half-time credits) must have been taken for the semester under consideration.

(c) Be ineligible to hold an office should the student fail to maintain the requirements as prescribed in (a) and (b).

*NOTE* The wording of the above statement may be made specific to the student organization, but no student organization may enact eligibility requirements for officers less stringent than those appearing above. Student organizations may enact requirements more restrictive than those provided by the university.

Article VII - Advisor:

All recognized student organizations at Iowa State University must provide a general statement about the duties and method of selection of the club’s advisor. Discuss advisor duties, terms of service, method of election, selection or appointment, impeachment, and replacement of advisors here.

• Advisor Duties - Outline the duties of the advisor 

Example: The Advisor of this organization shall attend executive meetings, maintain communication with university administration, and assist with the leadership development of the organization’s officers.

• Method of Election/Selection of Advisor(s) - State whether the advisor is appointed by a department, selected by officers, or elected by the general membership 

Example: The Advisor of this organization shall be selected by a unanimous decision of the executive officers.

• Advisor(s) Term of Service - Specify whether your advisor is serving year to year, at their leisure, or while they are at Iowa State University

Example: The Advisor of this organization shall serve an indefinite term length at their leisure.

• Impeachment/Removal of Advisors - Specify how impeachment proceedings begin and how impeachments are voted on in order to become final. Also, state whether or not the person who is impeached is allowed to speak or be present during the final vote.

Example: Impeachment proceedings for the Advisor shall follow the same format as Officer impeachment proceedings.

• Replacement of Advisors - Describe how an advisor’s position is filled whenever a vacancy occurs (is a replacement appointed or is a replacement elected using regular election procedures?)

Article VIII - Finances:

This article should outline the manner in which the finances of the organization should be handled. All recognized student organizations at Iowa State University must include the following statement (or its equivalent) in their constitution:  

All monies belonging to this organization shall be deposited and disbursed through a bank account established for this organization at the Campus Organizations Accounting Office and/or approved institution/office (must receive authorization via Campus Organizations Accounting Office). All funds must be deposited within 48 hours after collection. The Advisor to this organization must approve and sign each expenditure before payment. 

Constitutions must include a description of dues. Constitutions must state that dues will be (a) x-amount, (b) dues will not exceed x-amount, or (c) no dues will exist. 

Example: Dues will not exceed $10 per semester.

This article should include any other relevant information about the organization’s finances if not present in the bylaws. This can include: 

• Detailed financial procedures, including the amount and collection procedures for dues. 
• Money handling details and expectations, including who holds purchasing cards. 
• Budgeting, funding, and money-raising/allocation details. 
• What should happen to the organization's funds if the organization is dissolved? 

Article IX - Amendments and Ratification:

This section explains how constitutional amendments are made, as well as the procedure for adopting a constitution and any future amendments. At a minimum, your constitution must be voted on and approved by the general membership of your organization. This article should also include a statement requiring submission of an updated constitution and bylaws to Student Engagement within ten days should the document be amended following recognition. 

Example: A proposal to amend this constitution may be extended to Officers by any voting member of the organization. Proposals should be presented to the general membership at least one week before the vote. A constitution may be amended with a 2/3 vote of due-paying members. The amended constitution will be submitted within 10 days to Student Engagement for approval.

Additional Resources: 

Constitution Resources

Schedule an appointment to review your constitution with Student Engagement 

The Division of Student Affairs at Iowa State University values the relationship with students engaged in recognized organization activities and as such has adopted a philosophical approach to partnering with individual students and student organizations as facilitators of the involvement experience. To this end, the resources, guidelines, and concepts presented in this manual are based upon the facilitator university approach. As facilitators, student organization members, leaders, and advisers work with administrators, faculty, and staff to make intelligent, fair, and reasonable choices within the boundaries established by state, federal, and local laws, university rules, and the educational mission of the institution. It is a requirement that all recognized student organizations designate one member to be a risk management officer to ensure minimal risk for the organization.

Contracts

Anytime there is a need for a clear understanding of responsibility, there is a need for a contract. Contracts are binding agreements between two parties in which each gives something in return for something else. Before creating or signing any contract, please review these guidelines for proper procedure, as student organizations do not have signatory authority for ISU.

Insurance

Most student organization activities do not require the purchase of insurance. Iowa State University provides liability coverage for most authorized events. However, higher-risk activities or large-scale events may require the organization to purchase additional insurance.

Liability and Waivers

Whether you are planning an event or carrying out organizational duties, see this information to be in the know about proper liability and when waivers may need to be completed.

Serving Food on Campus

To ensure that ISU food sales or services do not conflict with existing university food contracts and meet health and safety regulations, ISU student organizations must obtain approval for sales, service, and handling of food-related items. Student organizations can obtain approval through the Event Authorization process.

Travel

Policy and procedures are in place to govern travel for recognized student organization events or activities. Approval should be requested prior to travel.

Youth Programs and Involvement

All youth activities, pre-collegiate programs, and camps must be authorized by the appropriate chair, dean, or vice president before program activities can occur. Please see the information provided by the Office of Risk Management to learn more about the Youth Activities, Pre-Collegiate Programs and Camps policy.

Organizations are required to have an acknowledged Operations Manual to maintain recognition with the university. This document is not a duplication of the Constitution. Operations Manuals serve to aid in the transition from one leadership group to the next and serve as a more detailed account of the day-to-day operations of the organization. An operations manual provides detailed documentation of how your student organization functions.

Follow these guidelines in creating an Operations Manual for your student/campus organization. Once complete, upload your operations manual to the Student Organization Database under "Operations Manual."

Rationale 

An operations manual provides detailed documentation of how your student organization functions. If written correctly, it should guide someone unfamiliar with your group through the day-to-day procedures for operating your club. Every operations manual is different. There's no exact formula to follow. You'll want to create one that essentially maps out exactly how things get done in your specific club. Start with your student organization's purpose and list any goals or values that you seek to communicate. Include an organizational chart that lists officer duties and positions. Then, categorize the material. Often, your club’s information can be entered into a Preamble and five basic sections: 

Preamble

• State your student organization's purpose, goals, or values that you seek to communicate.
• Include an organizational chart that lists officer duties and positions

Section One: Meetings & Travel

1. Meeting Schedule  
   • How often does your club meet?
   • When/where do you meet?
   • Is this location on or off-campus?
   • Who reserves meeting space?  When does space need to be reserved?
   • Do you hold general meetings and executive cabinet meetings?
   • What is your meeting schedule for the current academic year?
2. Travel  
   • Does your organization travel?  If so, how often does your organization travel?   
   • Are club members traveling in university vehicles, personal vehicles, or rented/chartered vehicles?   
   • Does the club enter its travel itinerary into the Student Organization Travel Authorization System? List all travel locations along with the purpose of your travel). 

Section Two: Equipment & Emergency Protocols

1. Equipment  
   • What equipment does the club own?   
   • Where is the equipment stored?   
   • Does the club rent any additional equipment?  If so, from what entity?   
   • Which club officer is responsible for checking and ensuring the safety of club equipment?   
   • Does any club equipment require routine maintenance?  If so, how often?   
   • Are all club members required to use the club’s equipment, or are they allowed to bring their own? If allowed to bring their own, who is responsible for ensuring the safety of that equipment?  
   • Include a recent inventory of equipment that lists items and conditions.
2. Emergency Protocols  
   • What are the inherent risks associated with participating in club activities?   
   • Do club members need to sign participation agreements/liability waivers?   
   • In the event of an injury or emergency, who will the club contact?   
   • Does the club have emergency contact information on file for each member?   
   • Is the club’s emergency protocol different if an injury happens off-campus or out of state?   
   • What officer position is responsible for risk management? What are those duties? 

Section Three: Finances & Fundraising

1. Finances
   • Does the club receive funding from a college or university department?   
   • Does the club receive funding from the Graduate and Professional Student Senate or Student Government?    
   • What is the deadline for requesting funding?   
   • Which club officer is responsible for initiating that request?   
   • Which club officer is responsible for preparing the club’s annual budget?   
   • Is the club’s budget approved by the general members?   
   • What cash handling procedures does the club have in place?   
   • Who is responsible for collecting monies and making deposits on behalf of the club?   
   • Does your club have a bank account?  If so, where is your account?   
   • Does the club contract with outside vendors? Student Organizations should consult with Student Engagement prior to signing any binding contracts. 
2. Fundraising  
   • Does your club engage in annual fundraising activities? If so, describe each of your fundraisers.   
   • Are you soliciting funds or items from local businesses?   
   • Who are your contacts within each of those businesses?   
   • Is your club sponsored by a third party or multiple third parties? If so, list all club sponsors. Be sure to check with the ISU Foundation to ensure that you aren’t targeting the same businesses in your fundraising efforts and to check with Student Engagement prior to finalizing any sponsorship agreements.   

Section Four: Annual Activities, Marketing & Records Management

1. Annual Activities 
   • What activities does your club participate in?   
   • Are there any that you host?   
   • What logistics go into hosting your event?   
   • Who are the key contacts?  When should the organization contact them?   
   • What internal or external approvals are necessary?   
   • How does your club collect payment or registration?  
   • Do you submit club activities to the Event Authorization Committee for approval?  If so, which club officer is responsible for EAC submission? 
2. Marketing
   • How does your club market its activities and events?
   • Do you utilize social media?  What social media platforms are your club on?
   • Do you have a web presence?
   • What is your website? (Unless your club has an exception, student organizations are not allowed to have websites that are not hosted on the Iowa State University domain.)
   • Do you post flyers? If so, where do you post flyers? Who prints your flyers? What is the process you use for posting flyers on campus?
   • Do you publish a newsletter, newspaper, or magazine?  If so, what are your listservs, mailing lists, deadlines, publishing dates, printing schedules, and distribution locations? 
3. Records Management
   • What records does your organization create, receive, or have?
   • Who creates and manages those records?
   • How are your organization’s records organized and stored?
   • Would you like to donate your records annually to Special Collections and University Archives to preserve and share your organization’s history?

Section Five: Adviser/Coach & Affiliation

1. Adviser/Coach
   • How often does your club meet with its adviser/coach?   
   • What are your adviser/coach’s duties?    
   • What are your adviser/coach’s qualifications?   
   • How does the club go about selecting a new adviser or coach?   
   • Is your adviser/coach knowledgeable in the area, sport, or discipline related to your organization?   
   • Does your adviser attend club meetings or attend executive cabinet meetings?   
   • The adviser/coach is integral to the success of every student organization. Because student leaders graduate, the club’s adviser/coach helps to provide continuity, teach new skills, and help mentor student leaders. 
2. Affiliation  
   • Is your club affiliated with a college or department at Iowa State University?
   • Is your club affiliated with a non-ISU governing body?
   • Is your organization a current member of a regional, national, or governing body? If so, will members be asked to pay a separate membership fee to join? Remember to list all affiliations and provide a link to their website if they are external to Iowa State University.

Conclusion

• Add any other important information or sections you would like future organization leadership to know about.

Student Office Space (SOS) is a value-added service that the Memorial Union Student Engagement offers to recognized student organizations. The office spaces are in the West Student Office Space (WSOS). Office spaces and Storage Lockers are allocated on an annual basis running May-April. 

Visit the Student Organization Resources Canvas for more details and to see the policy regarding these spaces.

If your organization is considering storage for old organization records, please consider instead reaching out to Special Collections and University Archives at archives@iastate.edu to talk about donating those materials to be preserved and shared instead of stored.

If you have any concerns or questions, please email stuorgs@iastate.edu

Recognized Student Organizations and Campus Organizations are required to maintain their websites on the iastate.edu domain and be hosted on campus.

The Domain Name System policy explicitly states:

Domain names that are outside the iastate.edu domain and that imply association with Iowa State University cannot be registered, regardless of who is providing the DNS service.

As a way to address concerns about this policy, Student Engagement offers free web space through the Student Organization Database (SODB). The President, Treasurer, Adviser or anyone they designate has access to update their website. There is training available in the SODB that explains how to navigate the system.

Questions can be directed to the Assistant Director for Student Organizations, Leadership, and Service at studentengage@iastate.edu. 

The Student Organization Travel Policy governs travel for activities or events sponsored by a recognized student organization and authorized by Iowa State. Travel authorization requests must be submitted and approved through the Student Organization Travel Authorization system prior to travel.

Learn more about the student organization travel process.

Student Organizations may not hold any meetings, functions, or sponsored events during Prep and Finals Week. Any exception to these restrictions must be authorized in advance. To seek an exception to this policy, organizations must submit their request to Event Authorization fourteen days before the Monday of Prep Week.

Prep Week and Finals Week Resolution

From the Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost:

Students' academic curriculum is their principal reason for being in college. For each Fall and Spring semester, the last full week of classes before final examinations is designated as Prep Week. The intent of this policy is to establish a one-week period of substantial and predictable study time for undergraduate students. Registered ISU Student Organizations may not hold any meetings, functions, or sponsored events during the Prep Week period. Any exception to these restrictions must be authorized in advance by the Office of the Senior Vice President for Student Affairs. 

Members of the Student Organization Review Committee will serve on two different boards: the Student Organization Recognition Board and the Event Funding Board. The students who serve on this committee will have the opportunity to help students start new organizations on campus as well as help orgs initiate and establish new events and traditions on campus by allocating the necessary funding. This is an excellent opportunity for any motivated student leader looking to gain experience in policy administration, finance, and communication skills.

The specific purpose of each board is outlined below:

• Student Organization Recognition Board
  • The Student Organization Recognition Board supports the recognition process for existing student and campus organizations. It also reviews and recognizes new organizations, assigning them to one of three tiers (sponsored, affiliated, or registered). 
• Event Funding Board
  • The Event Funding Board provides recognized student organizations an opportunity to receive funds for events throughout the academic year (fall and spring semesters only), giving priority consideration to brand new event ideas, previously held events with significant enhancements, events that attract a broad cross-section of the student body, and events hosted by multiple collaborating student organizations or that have received matching funds elsewhere.

Any questions about this opportunity can be directed to Kevin Merrill, the Assistant Director for Student Organizations, Leadership and Service.

Criteria for Committee Members:

• Must be a full-time student
• Must be in good academic standing with the university
• Must be able to devote approximately 2 hours per week to this commitment

Preferred Experience:

• Experience as an officer in a student organization
• Experience managing or reviewing budgets for student organizations or other entity
• Event planning experience
• Experience in reviewing funding applications

Committee Member Responsibilities:

• Each committee member will be responsible for reviewing the submitted materials electronically and outside of the designated meeting time for each board.
• Committee members are expected to attend every board meeting with any necessary documents and must actively contribute to the discussion
• Committee members must serve as representatives for the student body at large and not representatives for any specific organization they may be involved with

APPLY HERE

Student Engagement is committed to providing resources for registered student organizations to make their events the best that they can possibly be. If your organization is planning an upcoming event that involves a performance or presentation from an individual or group outside of the university, you will need to request that a contract be created for your event. To do this, you'll need to fill out the Contract Request Form. 

Before filling out the form, however, please note that you will need all of the following information:

• Artist name
• Contact person
• Contact person's title/agency
• Contact person's address
• Contact person's phone number 
• Contact person's email
• Day of show or emergency phone number
• Date, time, and location of performance
• Number and length of sets/shows
• Soundcheck time (if desired)
• Artist arrival time
• The flat guarantee amount you will be paying the artist
• What kind of lodging, production, hospitality, and local ground transportation that your organization will provide

Please note that your contract request must be submitted at least one month prior to your event. If you have any questions or concerns while filling out the Contract Request Form, please contact Student Engagement (stuorgcontracts@iastate.edu).

Mass Email Guidelines and Process for Recognized Student Organizations

A benefit and privilege extended to ISU recognized student organizations is the ability to send mass emails to ISU students utilizing ITS’s mass email service.  The following process and guidelines apply to all recognized student organization mass emails to ISU students.

Guidelines for Student Organization Mass Email to Students

• Mass email to ISU students may be used by recognized student organizations (“student organizations”) to communicate about student organization events and programs.
• Any student organization member may initiate the mass email to students request process on behalf of the student organization, subject to organization officer approval (see process below).
• All mass emails will have a standard “from” line clearly indicating the student organization sending the email.
• All mass emails will have a clearly stated standard subject line, as follows:  “StuOrg Email: [insert short description of event]” (Example: “StuOrg Email: Comics Club Welcome Back Pizza Party”). The standard subject line text will automatically be added to the subject line of the mass email by ITS.
• All mass emails will conclude with a signature block, as follows:  “The views and opinions contained in this email are strictly those of the student organization, and not the university.  If you have any questions regarding this email, please contact the organization at [insert link to student organization’s official webpage].
• Mass email to students can include .PNG or .JPG files only. All images require alt/descriptive text. Size restrictions may apply depending on the type of file.   
• Mass emails will include a link to the student organization’s official webpage in the Student Organization Database or to the website of a connected or supporting ISU department.  Links to third-party websites or URLs are not permitted.
• Mass emails will automatically include a link to an ITS page that explains how recipients may filter mass email messages from their Inbox.
• If an event is being promoted in the mass email, the student organization must complete the University Event Authorization approval process before submitting a mass email request.
• Usage of Iowa State University trademarks must follow student guidelines and policies as managed by the Trademark Licensing Office.

Process for Student Organization Mass Email to Students

• Mass Emails take up to three weeks to submit, process, and schedule to be sent.
• The requested “send date” for the mass email must be 7 or more days before any promoted dates. 
• There are two separate office processes; first, the Student Organization Mass Email Request process and then the ITS Mass Email Campaign process. 
• Mass email requests must be started 14 or more days before the promoted date(s). Mass email requests started fewer than 14 days will not be accepted.

Steps:

1. Complete the student organization request form and follow the instructions for submitting the request. 
2. The request form is completed by the organization's President, Treasurer, and Advisor
3. Request is routed to Student Engagement staff for review.
   1. Should the request form be denied for any reason, the student organization will be notified via email.
   2. If edits or additional information are needed, the student organization will be asked to update and resubmit the request form.
4. Once the email has been approved, the organization uploads the required information using the ITS Mass Email Campaign process. ITS staff requires a minimum of 3 business days to schedule the email, but it is recommended that organizations allow 7-10 business days.
5. Mass email send date must be 7 or more days before any promoted dates.

Timeline Example:
For an event on October 30, the email request should be submitted on or before October 7 (no later than October 15) to allow your organization’s President, Treasurer, and Advisor to review, Student Engagement staff to review, and the entire ITS Mass Email setup and scheduling process. The email would need to be sent no later than October 23.