Policy on Clubs & Organizations

Starting a Club

A student forming a club or organization must register the group with Student Life using the online resources provided to the right under "Start a Club". The registration materials consist of:

• Petition for formal recognition, including purpose, roster of club officers, and club name
• A minimum of 5 members are required to start up/maintain status
• Club or Publication Advisor agreement
• Club or Publication constitution
• Club/Publication Budget Form, if appropriate. New clubs can only request up to $200 initially.
• After submitting an application, please contact Yulissa Alvarado yulissaalvarado@CalLutheran.edu to set up a meeting to go over Clubs and Orgs policies. Failure to do so will result in the rejection of the application.

Club Guidelines and University Recognition

15.2 Rules for University Recognition: A club or publication must follow certain policies in order to be recognized. Among the policies for University approval, the club or publication must be approved by Student Life and the ASCLU Senate. Considerations include, but are not limited to: legal and risk assessment related to club activities, alignment with the University mission and purpose, and the opportunity for all Cal Lutheran traditional undergraduate students to actively participate in and join any club. Once a club or publication is approved and officially recognized by the University, the club is eligible for various privileges, including campus postings (in accordance with the University policy on Publicity), room reservations, and use of various campus resources.

15.3 Maintaining Status: In order to maintain club or publication status, groups must adhere to the following:

• Each club or publication must have formal approval by Student Life and the ASCLU Senate.
• All clubs and publications must be registered annually with Student Life according to the deadlines established by the staff.
• Each group must have an on-campus Advisor (faculty, administrator, or staff) who plays an active role in club meetings and events, agrees to the responsibilities of a club advisor, and can provide guidance to the group.
• Each club or publication must submit their club member rosters and waivers online in order to access more than $50 of their allocated student fee funding.
• Each club or publication must participate at the Involvement Fair each semester the club is in recognized status, allowing new and returning students to learn about club involvement opportunities in order to access more than $50 of their allocated student fee funding.
• No Cal Lutheran club or individual club member may enter into a contract of any kind with an outside vendor or company. Violation of this policy by clubs and organizations, or individual club members, will result in immediate loss of club recognition, as well as loss of access to all related student fee funds.
• Each club or publication must participate in a service project with at least half of their active membership during the academic year they are in recognized status in order to request more funding for the following year. Clubs must utilize the Service Verification Form.
• Each club or publication must have a student officer participate in “Financial Responsibility Training” offered at various times during the academic year in order to access more than $50 of their allocated student fee funding.
• Each group is expected to be nondiscriminatory in its practices and policies, allowing all traditional undergraduate students the opportunity to join the group and actively participate in all group activities.
• Religious organizations must be registered not only with Student Life, but also with Campus Ministry.
• All clubs or publications fundraising done either on or off campus must be pre-approved (Fundraising Approval Form) at least two weeks prior to the event through Student Life, and the Advancement Division when appropriate.
• All clubs or publications that conduct fundraising or receive gifts must deposit these funds into their club account one business day after the fundraising event is over or gift was received.
• Any funds collected by a club or publication, either as fundraising, club dues, or other forms of funding, must be deposited into a University account established for the Club or Publication.
• No club or publication may make transactions in cash with other entities or maintain a private bank account not affiliated with the University.
• Clubs and organizations must utilize provided financial forms for all club expenditures, including reimbursements, request for payments, and/or purchase requisitions.
• Reimbursements must be submitted to Student Life within one month of the date of purchase listed on the itemized receipt. Receipts submitted after one month of the date of purchase will not be accepted.
• All financial forms submitted for processing by Student Life must obtain both a student club member signature and a club Advisor signature.
• Clubs or publications may not sponsor non-University vendors or commercial entities that promote sales or solicitation of merchandise or products to the general campus, the use of drugs, alcohol, or tobacco, or other inappropriate or unhealthy behaviors.
• Clubs or publications sponsoring non-University vendors or entities must schedule the entity presence through Campus Services and must have a club or organization representative present with the non-University entity while on campus. All actions taken by non-University entities are the responsibility of the club or organization and its representatives, and all actions must comply with University policies. Clubs and publications sponsoring events, both on and off campus, must comply with the provided policies and guidelines for University events, available from Student Life, and including, but not limited to, the presence of University staff (club Advisors) at events where alcohol is available (off-campus) and appropriate check in procedures for Cal Lutheran students.

15.4 Fraternities and sororities are not permitted at Cal Lutheran.

15.5 Clubs and publications that fail to abide by the approved procedures may lose University recognition, access to student fee funding, and may face adjudication through Residence Life and Student Conduct for their actions.

15.6 Clubs or publications that violate campus policies, including violation of club and organization policy, publicity policy, and all other University policies, will be subject to University disciplinary action including suspension of official University recognition, loss of access to student fee funding, and loss of marketing/publicity privileges on campus. Individual members of clubs or organizations are subject to University disciplinary actions as well.

University Policy on Scheduling Events

All students, clubs, and organizations must adhere to following policies or their event may be canceled.

18.1 To reserve a site for any class or club meeting or event, you must request it through Event Services. Even if you have no set up needs, and will use the room “as is” you must still contact this office at x3195.

18.2 Use of residence hall common area such as lounges, quads, etc. must be approved by the Graduate Resident Coordinator or Coordinator for Residence Life and Student Conduct of the residence hall. The use of residence hall common areas by a residence hall staff is exempt from this policy.

18.3 Publicity for any event may begin only after the event has been cleared through the Student Programs Office and Events Services.

18.4 Groups or clubs sponsoring dances on campus may be charged 150.00 USD for security. Clubs must budget for this in advance. Dances will be approved by Student Life, Campus Safety and Campus Services only after funding is secured and demonstrated.

18.5 All fund-raisers must be registered as “events.” In addition, the fund-raiser or sale must be consistent with the goals and the principles of the sponsoring organization and must be of benefit to the University community. A group or organization must be registered with the Student Programs Office prior to a fund-raising event.