Ram's Eye View

West Chester University

West Chester University
West Chester, PA 19383
610-436-1000




Establishing and Registering Student Organizations: Procedures

SGA Approval Process:
As an initial step, students interested in forming a new student organization on campus should meet with the director of student leadership and involvement. The director (or designee) will review the policies and procedures that need to be followed to establish a new group on campus. The director is located in 238 Sykes Union, 610-436-2117. If the group is a proposed sports club, the director of campus recreation will be invited to participate in the meeting. If the group is a proposed new fraternity/sorority, the director of Greek life programs will be invited to participate in the meeting. After meeting with the director the group should proceed with the following steps:
  1.  Fill out the Request to Organize Form on-line at http://wcu.orgsync.com/ and search under resources.
  2.  Secure an adviser for the organization, i.e., a faculty member or administrator.
  3.  Establish the organization.
  4.  Draw up a constitution/set of by-laws for the organization that models the master copy provided on-line at http://wcu.orgsync.com/. Groups may add but not remove portions of the blank by-laws.
  5.  Submit the required materials (by-laws, list of members with undergraduate student ID numbers) to the SGA parliamentarian. Ten copies of the by-laws must be submitted.
  6.  The SGA parliamentarian will offer the interest group an opportunity to present the constitution to the By-Law Review Committee.
  7.  Upon approval of the By-Law Review Committee, you will be invited to the SGA General Assembly meeting where you will present your by-laws and an overview of your proposed organization and be either approved or denied recognition.
  8.  If the by-laws are approved by the Senate, they are automatically forwarded to the vice president for student affairs, the president of the University, and the SSI Board of Directors. If the presence of the organization is contrary to the mission of the University or presents undue hardship and/or liability to the University and Student Services, Inc., then any of the above have the power to reject the by-laws regardless of SGA Senate action.
  9.  After the by-laws are accepted, the organization is placed on probation for one calendar year. At the end of the probation period, barring any problems, the organization will be formally recognized by the SGA Senate. The organization is also responsible for filling out the organization’s portal on OrgSync, which serves as the official process to register organizations with West Chester University and the Student Government Association. This organization portal  must be updated by May 1 of each year to maintain the student organization’s official status. Additionally, a membership roster is required to be updated on the organization’s OrgSync portal.

Registration Policy:
To ensure an accurate listing of all student organizations and advisers, the University requires all student organizations to register formally with the Office of Student Leadership and Involvement in 238 Sykes Union by updating their organization’s OrgSync portal by May 1 of each calendar year. To be an official student organization at West Chester University a group must
  1.  be officially approved by SGA through the formal student government approval process;
  2.  agree to abide by the University policies and regulations as outlined in the Student Code of    Conduct;
  3.  have an official adviser who is currently a faculty, administrator, or staff member at the University; and
  4.  register with the Office of Student Leadership and Involvement, 238 Sykes Union via their OrgSync portal. In addition, a copy of the organization’s current by-laws must also be uploaded to their OrgSync portal as well as an updated membership roster. Every year, that is, on an annual basis, all organizations are required to register with the Office of Student Leadership and Involvement by May 1. Any changes in officer and/or adviser information that occurs during the academic year must be changed on the organization’s OrgSync portal .


Please note that student organizations that do not register or keep their OrgSync portal updated with the Office of Student Leadership and Involvement will lose their status as a recognized group on campus. Loss of recognition precludes any group from financial assistance, use of University facilities and services, and using the name of West Chester University to represent the organization.

Adviser Responsibilities:
The role of your group’s faculty/staff adviser is important to the success of a campus organization. Some of the responsibilities may include, but are not be limited to, the following:
  1.  Familiarity with all applicable University regulations, as well as any applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances in order to provide advice to student members.
  2.  Regularly attending general organization meetings and committee meetings of the organization.
  3.  Helping to organize fair election of officers.
  4.  Assisting in the installation and training of new officers in order to provide guidance and continuity.
  5.  Assisting in the administration of organizational financial affairs. Special attention should be given to the monitoring of all organizational bank accounts per the SSI Financial Guidelines on expenditures.
  6.  Assisting in planning special programs and special events.
  7.  Meeting regularly with organizational officers to discuss goals and direction of the group.
  8.  Assisting with the recruitment and selection of new members and overseeing the process by which students become full members.
  9.  Being available to members wishing assistance or counsel.
10. Assisting in establishing procedures for discipline or even expelling members for just cause, if necessary.
11. Ensuring accurate registration of the organization with the Office of Student Leadership and Involvement by May 1 of each year on the organization’s OrgSync portal.
12. Work with members who might be struggling academically and provide them with information concerning the academic support systems that are available.
13. Understanding that faculty/staff advisers to student organizations are University officials that qualify as Campus Security Authorities (CSA) and must understand and comply with the Department of Educations's Clery Act found in Handbook for Campus Safety and Security Reporting (2011), pages 74-75.