Boston University - SAO - Student Group Resources

Benefits of Registering an Organization
Registering a Returning Organization
Requesting Recognition of a New Organization
Requesting Status as a New Religious Organization
Requesting Status as a New Honor Society
Loss of Recognition
E-Mail Accounts for Student Organizations
Web Pages for Student Organizations
Voice Mail for Student Organizations
Excellence in Programming Awards
Duties of the Student Organization Advisor
Religious Life Council
University Policy Regarding Hazing
Hazing Laws

Recognized student organizations wishing to register must do so with SAO no later than Friday, May 29, 2009. This deadline ensures that a complete database of student organizations is available to the University community. Registration is effective from September to May. All student organizations are inactive during the summer except under special circumstances.

Go to Online Registration.

Go to Signature Sheet.

Benefits of Registering an Organization

Use of Boston University identification in association with the name of your organization.
Use of University facilities for programs & meetings.
Use of University program support at University rates.
Inclusion in University calendars and listings, and dissemination of your organization’s publicity and information on campus.
Consultation and advice from SAO staff, including program resource information and services.
Funding from the University Undergraduate Student Fee, if your organization is eligible.
Tax exempt status for most purchases.
Use of cash collection materials at programs.
Fiscal advice about budgets, accounting/bookkeeping procedures.
Information on the laws of the city and Commonwealth, and policies of Boston University.

Registering a Returning Organization

Recognized organizations will recieve a notice in April that the Registration Period is open on our You Do @ BU site. It is recommended that you hold elections in April.
Registration must be completed online by the end of the Spring semester in order to be a recognized organization in the Fall semester.
Complete Signature Sheet and return it to SAO by to the end of the semester.
Training workshops for organization officers will be available at the start of fall semester.
Check status of the constitution of the organization and make sure the most current revision is in your SAO file. Constitutions must be reviewed at least every five years.
An organization is considered fully registered once these steps have been completed.

Requesting Recognition of a New Organization

Applications for new organizations are accepted in the beginning of the fall and spring semesters, usually for the first 3-4 weeks of the semester. During that period, there will be a section of You Do @ BU where you can fill out and submit your paperwork.

Before you start be sure that you have the following information:

The names and emails of your 4 officers. We require that all organizations name a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
A membership roster with at least 10 members.
The name and email address of one faculty or staff advisor.
A description of your group.
A constitution with rules and policies to govern your organization - a sample one is available within the application process if you need help.

Once all of the steps are completed and you have submitted the completed application via the You Do @ BU system, the other student organizations in your Consortium will have the opportunity to view your profile and vote on your acceptance. Be prepared to answer questions via email or the You Do system. Generally, the approval process takes about 1 week from the deadline date.

This can be a long process so if you need to take a break, you can save your work and continue the application later. Keep in mind that this is a new system, so if you have any problems or questions don’t hesitate to call or email our office for help!

Phone Number: 617-353-3635
Email: sao@bu.edu

Note to Religious Groups and Honor Societies

Some groups must gain approval from other sources before they can be approved by our office. Here are the guidelines for those groups:

Requesting Status as a New Religious Organization

Students must schedule a presentation with the Religious Life Council (RLC). The Council will make a recommendation to the Student Activities Office.
Once approved by the RLC, the organization may proceed to request recognition as a new organization through the Student Activities Office by following the procedures outlined above.

For more information, please refer to the section on the Religious Life Council.

Requesting Status as a New Honor Society

The faculty advisor must send a letter in support of the honor society to the Dean of the School or College to which the honor society is affiliated.
The Dean of the School or College must then send a letter of request to recommend the society for approval to the Office of the Provost.
Once the Provost has approved the group, the honor society may proceed to register as a new organization through the Student Activities Office by following the procedures outlined above.

Loss of Recognition

It is the responsibility of a student organization to know and follow all University policies as well as all federal, Commonwealth and local laws. If any law or University policy is unclear, it is your responsibility to seek an explanation from the Student Activities Office.
Failure to comply with laws of the federal, commonwealth, or local government could result in an organization facing criminal charges, civil charges, and/or University penalties.
Any misrepresentation of Boston University, your organization and/or its intentions, or failure to comply with University policy could result in loss of recognition for your organization.
An organization will receive violation notices for any breach of policy, which may include a (punitive monetary) fine.

E-Mail Accounts for Student Organizations

Organizations may request to have an e-mail account set up in their name. Organization e-mail accounts are for use ONLY during the academic year (September through May) and must be renewed each fall.

To establish an account, complete a Guest Application Form, available at Information Technology or the Student Activities Office. Submit the form with the top portion completed to the Student Activities Office. The following day, return to SAO and pick up the form with a confirmation letter and bring both items to Information Technology.

Web Pages for Student Organizations

Organizations may create and maintain a web page to provide general information regarding their organization, promote events and document activities. The web page service is called PeopleWeb and is available on the World Wide Web at http://people.bu.edu/. Groups need to apply for a Group E-Mail account in order to have access to this service. You may request that your site be linked to the SAO website by sending an e-mail to saoweb@bu.edu. SAO reserves the right to revoke website privileges.

Voice Mail for Student Organizations

Organizations may have voice mail activated on their phone lines for a fee of $15 for the academic year. If your organization does not have an office, you can still take advantage of the University Voice Mail services. Telecommunications will set up a pseudo phone line for your organization that can be accessed through the University Voice Mail System.

Applications are available in the Student Activities Office. Complete the request form and return it to the SAO Reception Desk along with a Funds Transfer for $15 to cover the fee. You will be notified when the voice mail has been activated, and will receive instructions on how to use your voice mail.

Excellence in Programming Awards

Each year the Student Activities Office recognizes the programming of outstanding student organizations and Residence Hall Associations through the Excellence in Student Activities Programming Awards. These awards honor programs that not only generate interest among the University community, but those which are well planned and executed. Additionally, the Student Activities Office recognizes individuals for excellence in programming and in advising. To be eligible for an award, all programs must have been sponsored by a registered student organization and have been held during the current academic year.

Duties of the Student Organization Advisor

All organizations are required to have an advisor who must be a full time faculty/staff member. While the level of involvement is to be determined by the advisor and the organization, the minimum expectations are as follows:

To act as a resource to the officers and members of the organization in a non-classroom environment.
To assist the organization in all phases of its operations.
To sign appropriate forms implying knowledge of the organization's activities and fiscal status, but not assuming fiscal responsibility.
Advisors of governments, Residence Hall Associations (RHAs), groups which receive direct University funding, and organizations which publish journals, must sign paperwork for any program or transaction which exceeds $200.00.
Advisors of all other organizations are required to sign paperwork for any program or transaction which exceeds $1,000.
To serve as a liaison between old and new officers and the University administration, thus providing stability and continuity of operation.
To serve as a chaperon or supervise organization programs or projects when deemed necessary by SAO.

A member of the faculty/staff may serve as an advisor to no more than two organizations at one time, with the exception of those faculty/staff members who do so by virtue of their position, i.e., PERD staff. In some instances, SAO may require that an organization's advisor have certain certifications or professional licenses when the nature of the organization makes such certification or licensing necessary.

Religious Life Council

The Religious Life Council (RLC) exists to promote and enhance the quality of religious life on the Boston University campus by working with religious groups which serve here.

The Council shall receive a report each semester from the Dean of the Chapel detailing the religious preferences of students, current religious life organizations, recognized campus religious leaders, and proposed activities in which the Council might take leadership.

The Council shall review and adopt a Policy for Activities and Behavior of Religious Groups on the Boston University campus, which shall apply to all groups which are registered through the Student Activities Office as well as other Campus Ministry organizations which operate out of the Office of the University Chaplain.

Groups requesting recognition as religious student organizations, as well as other Campus Ministry Organizations, shall not merely be extensions of a single individual, parish, or local faith community.

The Council shall review the applications of religious groups seeking recognition as registered student organizations and shall make recommendations to the Student Activities Office concerning these groups.

The Council shall discuss activities deemed to be destructive to the University, other religious groups, and/or individuals, and shall advise the Dean of Students or other University officials of possible responses.

University Policy Regarding Hazing

Boston University hazing policy will be in accordance with laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts at all times. However, the University’s standards of personal conduct substantially exceed the minimum expectations of civil law and custom. Student organizations and individual students found in violation of Massachusetts hazing laws will be subject to University disciplinary action.

In accordance with Chapter 536, Section 19, the Student Activities Office has developed the following procedures:

At the time of registration, the president of each student group, team or organization must receive a copy of the law and will be required to sign a statement acknowledging that such copy has been received, that a copy of this law shall be distributed to every member, plebe, pledge or applicant for membership of the organization, and that the group, team or organization understands and agrees to comply with the provisions of this law.
This statement will be kept in the group, club or organization’s permanent file in the Student Activities Office.
The Student Activities Office will make available to each group, team, or organization as many copies of the law as necessary both when the group, team or organization registers for the year and throughout the year as necessary to insure that the organization can comply with their responsibilities as outlined in Section 19 of this law.

Hazing Laws
Chapter 536 of the Massachusetts General Laws:
An Act Increasing The Penalties For Hazing*

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

Chapter 269 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out sections 17 to 19, inclusive, and inserting in place thereof the following three sections:

Section 17.

Whoever is principle organizer or participant in the crime of hazing as defined herein shall be punished by a fine of not more than three thousand dollars or by imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment. The term “hazing” as used in this section and in sections eighteen and nineteen, shall mean any conduct or method of initiation into any student organization, whether on public or private property, which willfully or recklessly endangers the physical or mental health of any student or other person. Such conduct shall include whipping, beating, branding, forced calisthenics, exposure to the weather, forced consumption of any food, liquor, beverage, drug or other substance, or any other brutal treatment or forced activity which is likely to adversely affect the physical health or safety of any such student or other person, or which subjects such student or other person to extreme mental stress, including extended deprivation of sleep or rest or extended isolation.

Not withstanding any other provisions of this section to the contrary, consent shall not be available as a defense to any prosecution under this action.

Section 18.

Whoever knows that another person is the victim of hazing as defined in section seventeen and is at the scene of such crime shall, to the extent that such person can do so without danger or peril to himself or others, report such crime to an appropriate law official as soon as reasonably practical. Whoever fails to report such crime shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars.

Section 19.

Each institution of secondary education and each public and private institution of post secondary education shall issue to every student group, student team or student organization which is part of such institution to use its name or facilities or is known by the institution to exist as an unaffiliated student group, student team or student organization, a copy of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen; provided, however, that an institution’s compliance with this section’s requirements that an institution issue copies of this section and section seventeen and eighteen to unaffiliated student groups, teams, or organizations shall not constitute evidence of the institution’s recognition or endorsement of said unaffiliated student groups, teams or organizations.

Each such group, team or organization shall distribute a copy of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen to each of its members, plebes, pledges or applicants for membership. It shall be the duty for each such organization or team, acting through its designated officer, to deliver annually, to the institution an attested acknowledgment stating that such group, team or organization has received a copy of this section and said sections seventeen and eighteen, that each of its members, plebes, pledges, or applicants has received a copy of sections seventeen and eighteen, and that such group, team or organization understands and agrees to comply with the provisions of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen.

Each institution of secondary education and each public or private institution of post secondary education shall file, at least annually, a report with the regents of higher education and in the case of secondary institutions, the board of education, certifying that such institution has complied with its responsibility to inform student groups, teams or organizations and to notify each full time student enrolled by it of the provisions of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen and also certifying that said institution has adopted a disciplinary policy with regard to the organizers and participants of hazing, and that such policy has been set forth with appropriate emphasis in the student handbook or similar means of communicating institution’s policies to it’s students. The board of regents and in the case of secondary institutions, the board of education, shall promulgate regulations governing the content and frequency of such reports, and shall forthwith report to attorney general any such institution which fails to make such report.

* reproduction of the act as adopted by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts House of Representatives on Dec. 29, 1987.

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