Registration & Recognition

Registration Categories

The University has four categories of registrants: Greek Organizations, Vanderbilt Student Communications, Inc., Protection of Minors, and Registered Student Organizations.

Greek Organizations

Greek Organizations are a type of Registered Student Organization. The Interfraternity Council (IFC) and Panhellenic Council administer the recruitment programs for their member groups while the National Pan-Hellenic Councils (NPHC) and Intercultural Greek (IGC) organizations each administer their own recruitment programs. The IFC, Panhellenic Council, IGC, and NPHC set a minimum academic requirement to join a Greek organization; however, most chapters have higher academic standards. To be eligible for fraternity or sorority membership, students must have carried and passed twelve semester hours.

Proposals for the establishment of additional fraternities and sororities may be made to, or initiated by, members of the Interfraternity, National Pan-Hellenic, Intercultural Greek, or Panhellenic Councils. If approved by the appropriate council, the proposal will be forwarded to Greek Life for consideration. Upon the recommendations of the councils, Greek Life, and the Vice Provost and Dean of Students or designee, the University may invite a national organization to start a new fraternity or sorority chapter at Vanderbilt.

Vanderbilt Student Communications, Incorporated (VSC)

Student produced media for general distribution to the University community or to persons outside the membership of a student organization and publications funded directly by the Student Services Fee are under the exclusive authority of Vanderbilt Student Communications, Incorporated.

Vanderbilt Student Communications, Incorporated (VSC), is a nonprofit corporation, affiliated with the University, which publishes and/or supervises various student media outlets.

Registered Student Organizations

Student Organizations, Leadership and Service (SOLS) registers undergraduate and graduate/professional student organizations within the Vanderbilt community. Registered Student Organizations must renew their registration annually during the time window designated by SOLS;. All organizations must have a current membership roster as well as constitution and/or bylaws on file in Anchor Link.

Registration Eligibility

To be eligible for registration, an organization must:

• be organized and run by officers who are enrolled Vanderbilt students;
• have at least one full-time, permanent, Vanderbilt faculty or staff member as its adviser;
• maintain all funds on deposit in an account of good standing through Finance and follow appropriate accounting procedures (Special conditions apply to fraternities, sororities, and Vanderbilt Student Communications divisions);
• be funded by its members, an external body or the University;
• limit its voting membership to Vanderbilt students;
• have purposes that do not overlap significantly with those of any other registered organization as determined by SOLS or a SOLS designee; and
• have approval from the appropriate University office, department, or governing body, if applicable. For example:
  • Club sports, which includes any group that requires the use of University recreational facilities and/ or requires the expertise of University recreational personnel to operate, must have approval from the David Williams II Recreation and Wellness Center.
  • Religious groups must have approval from the Center for Spiritual and Religious Life.
  • Greek-letter social organizations require membership in the Interfraternity, Panhellenic, Intercultural Greek, or National Pan-Hellenic Councils, which have governing responsibilities and accountability authority over their member groups.

Registration Requirements

The following is required for Registered Student Organizations seeking to remain active at the University; the required materials should be submitted during the annual RSO Registration/Re-registration in Anchor Link:

• Annual submission of an updated constitution or bylaws, which includes, at a minimum, a mission/purpose statement, descriptions of officers/leaders and their duties, method for election of officers/leaders, and a process for removing leaders from positions and members from the organization.
  • Submission of any organizational logos used for social media, Anchor Link, print or promotional material.
  • Submission of certificate of completion of asynchronous START SOLS training.
  • Affirmation of organization’s commitment to consider mission and/or operational expansion to incorporate new ideas or aligning propositions put forth by members.
  • Submission of a copy of the organization’s insurance contract to the University for record keeping (only applicable for those organizations carrying insurance coverage).
  • Affirmation of compliance with the University’s nondiscrimination policy. Registered Student Organizations must be open to all Vanderbilt students as members and must permit all members in good standing to seek leadership opportunities and position. Single-sex organizations are permissible to the extent allowed under Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, 20 U.S.C. § 1681. Inquiries or complaints should be directed to Equal Opportunity and Access.
  • Affirmation that the organization will conduct their activities in accordance with all University policies and federal, state, and local laws.

Constitution/ByLaws

Privileges of Registration

Through established policies and procedures, Registered Student Organizations are entitled to the following privileges:

• Use of the official Registered Student Organization mark, which incorporates the Vanderbilt University logo, official University spirit marks, and the name “Vanderbilt University,” or titles indicating institutional affiliation, such as “Black and Gold,” “VU,” or “Commodore,” for purposes generally consistent with the organizations’ purposes and their usual activities or to identify themselves as campus groups (See Marketing and Communications for more information).
• Financial support from the University (Student Organization Funding, and other sources when available)
• Use of University facilities for conducting regular business. Student organizations are prohibited from establishing offices, social spaces, or living quarters, off-campus.
• Use of University meeting rooms and facilities at no charge or at a reduced rate.
• Use of University electronic resources (e.g., Anchor Link, listservs, University-hosted website), and member subscription to the student leader listservs maintained by SOLS.
• Use of common space and storage space allocated for Registered Student Organizations.
• Opportunity to solicit funds from, or make sales to, members of the University community on campus.
• Participation in the annual Student Involvement Fair and other programs promoting participation hosted by the University.
• Opportunity to advertise and promote the organization and its purposes on campus, and to advertise in Student Affairs-supported publications and other media.
• Ability to publish events on Anchor Link and in the University Events Calendar.

Becoming A Registered Student Organization

Students seeking to create a new student organization may complete a New Organization Interest Form during the first two weeks of the spring semester. This is the only period when applications may be reviewed.

New organizations must have a unique mission that does not overlap with the missions of existing organizations, interfere or overlap with the mission of academic departments or administrative offices of the university without approval from such department or office, contradict the University’s mission or non-discrimination policy, or otherwise violate local, state, or federal law. If the organization applying to become an RSO has an overlapping or nuanced mission, it will be asked to work closely with an existing organization whose mission it coincides with.

New Organizations must have at least 10 members interested in forming the organization.

Organizations whose forms are denied will be allowed an appeal. Details of the appeal will be provided in the registration response. The appeal decision will be final.

One member of each student group that is approved must participate in the New Organization Cohort Program. This onboarding program educates student leaders of new RSOs on University policies and procedures and expectations relating to student involvement at Vanderbilt University. Student leaders must attend all sessions offered. Failure to meet requirements will result in the organization losing Student Organization Funding eligibility, being frozen, and needing to take sessions the following year.

Suspended, Expelled, or Otherwise Unrecognized Organizations

Organizations no longer recognized or who never sought recognition by the University–whether suspended, expelled, disaffiliated, or otherwise– do not retain any of the privileges of a recognized organization. Privileges unavailable to unrecognized organizations include, but is not limited to, the following:

• Using the “Vanderbilt University” names or associated marks such as Vandy, VU, Dores, etc.; authorized logos; and spirit marks in communications, social media handles, swag, or any other expression;
• Using the Virtual Event Management System to reserve University spaces.
• Using University space for organizational functions;
• Participation in any recruitment or involvement events; and
• Financial, advising, or any other University support.

Additionally, action may be taken by the University at its discretion to protect the safety and wellbeing of the campus; such acts may include, but are not limited to:

• Barring the organization from campus;
• Providing communications to parent, students, and others regarding the unrecognized status;
• Listing the organization on University websites as unrecognized;
• Holding individual students within the unrecognized organization personally responsible for misconduct stemming from Organizational Activity via the student accountability process;
• Barring or removing students participating in the unrecognized organization from University leadership positions; and
• Replacing the organization with an equivalent option that is recognized by the University.
• For organizations whose recognition is suspended, the terms of the suspension will outline the return process. For organizations that voluntarily withdraw from or never seek recognition by the University and have a national governing body, the national group will not be considered for recognition unless it demonstrates to the University’s satisfaction that it has ended any relationship (i.e., revoking charters, suspending/expelling members, etc.) with the unrecognized organization.

Participation Eligibility

To be eligible for membership in any Registered Student Organization, or to act as a representative of Vanderbilt in any public exercise, an individual must be an enrolled student of the University (excluding non-degree seeking students who are minors). A student on academic or disciplinary probation or who fails to maintain a cumulative 2.0 grade point average may not hold a leadership position, including (but not limited to) Admissions Tour Guide, VUceptor, Resident Adviser, or president (or comparable position) of a Registered Student Organization or Vanderbilt Student Communications division.

Registered Student Organizations, governing bodies, or University departments may set eligibility standards or requirements for membership or leadership that exceed these minimum standards, as long as such eligibility standards comply with the University’s nondiscrimination policy. Additionally, Registered Student Organizations may take action to remove or restrict a member’s participation in the organization in accordance with the organization’s constitution or bylaws.

Requests for exception or waiver of eligibility requirements should be made to the Vice Provost and Dean of Students with the recommendation of the appropriate governing body, if applicable.

If a student’s participation in co-curricular endeavors threatens academic performance, the University may counsel the student about the scope of the activities. In addition, restrictions may be placed on a student’s participation in University co-curricular activities for the duration of an accountability sanction.

Advisers and Student Affairs Liaisons

Registered Student Organizations are required to have an adviser who is employed by Vanderbilt University. Advisers provide holistic development for student organization members through experiential learning opportunities, advocate for the mission and vision of the organization, and counsel officers and members regarding their responsibilities. The Adviser has a duty to monitor the finances to prevent the organization from becoming financially insolvent. Advisers do not have the authority to prohibit the expression of editorial opinion by a campus publication. A more detailed listing of guidelines and requirements may be found on the SOLS website. SOLS may require a student organization with high needs of support to be directly advised by a University office. Students may request through SOLS to be advised by a University office they feel will provide them better support to accomplish their mission. Advisers will help student leaders plan and manage the programmatic, financial, and logistical operations of their student organization. Student Affairs Liaisons will provide additional support in assisting student organizations with guidance on how to complete operational duties. Student Affairs Liaisons are required to attend training on, among other things, Vanderbilt’s financial system, policies and procedures (including Protection of Minors), travel, reimbursement, and the re-registration process. Student Affairs Liaisons may be asked to temporarily fill the role of an adviser to support a student organization in their absence.

Advisers have the authority to request that the organization they support be frozen (temporarily not able to reserve space or use financial resources) or inactive (removed from AnchorLink as well as not able to reserve space or use financial resources) by SOLS during a period of time where there are internal issues that need to be resolved.