Guidelines for Student Organizations wishing to obtain Official Recognition

Only officially recognized student organizations are authorized to sponsor academic and social functions and to receive budgetary support from the school. In order to be officially recognized by HSPH, all student organizations must provide the Office for Student Affairs with the following information:

• Name of the organization
• Names, addresses, and phone numbers of all elected officers for the academic year
• Names, addresses, and phone numbers of all transition officers elected for the summer
• Names, addresses and signatures of at least 20 students who are, or seriously intend to become, members and participants in the organization
• The mission of the organization and a constitution
• A list of activities and a budget for each event the organization proposes to sponsor as well as any other proposed expenditures of the organization
• A list of the names, addresses, and phone numbers of any groups outside HSPH with which the organization is affiliated
• A letter of support from a member of the HSPH faculty or administration who has agreed to serve as the organization's advisor

For more information, please refer to the HSPH Student Group Handbook, 2009-2010

Constitution

All organizations must submit a Constitution annually to the Office for Student Affairs.

The following information must be included:

• Mission
• Officers
• Decision-Making Procedures
• Certification
• Faculty or Administrative Advisor
• Membership.

See below for details.

Mission

The objectives and goals of the organization should be identified, including a short statement describing the contribution that the organization will make to the HSPH community. The statement should explain why no existing student organization meets the needs and objectives of this organization. Substantial duplication of purpose with an existing organization may be grounds for refusal to approve the proposed organization.

Officers

All organizations must elect a president, secretary, and treasurer. The responsibilities of each officer must be clearly specified, and the election procedures must be clearly described. All officers must be HSPH students.  Officers who graduate or otherwise end their HSPH student status, relinquish their position as an officer of the organization. In the spring, each organization must designate a continuing student to serve as the interim officer and contact person until elections are held in the fall.

Decision-making Procedures

The Constitution should specify the process by which decisions are made, especially regarding expending of funds (e.g., by vote of the membership, how membership is determined, authority delegated to officers, etc.).

Constitutional Amendments: The process for amending the constitution must be outlined. All amendments to the constitution must have the approval of the Office for Student Affairs before enactment.

Certification

The Constitution should include a statement that organizing members and officers agree to abide by the policies and procedures of the School of Public Health and Harvard University as outlined in the student handbook or elsewhere. This statement should be signed by each organizing member of the group (who must be HSPH students) and by the Director of Student Affairs. Amendments to existing constitutions should be signed by the officers of the student organization and by the Director of Student Affairs at the time the amendments are made.

Faculty or Administrative Advisor

All student organizations must have an advisor who is an HSPH faculty member or senior administrator. The advisor's role shall be purely consultative, except in cases where assistance is requested or a specific situation has developed that requires the advisor's attention (if necessary, the faculty advisor can bring such situations to the attention of the Director of Student Affairs). Student organizations should keep their advisors updated on the activities of the organization throughout the year. Faculty advisors have no legal responsibility for student organization debts, although debts incurred by organizations should always be a matter of concern to advisors.

Membership

 

All HSPH Student Groups are open to all HSPH Students and affiliates including spouses, partners and HSPH alumni.

Only students may participate in the events and meetings of an HSPH Student Group, however, non HSPH student members must be active Harvard community members and should constitute less than half of the total group membership. Such members may not be officers or have decision-making power.