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Bulletin Archive

This archived information is dated to the 2008-09 academic year only and may no longer be current.

For currently applicable policies and information, see the current Stanford Bulletin.

Voluntary Student Organizations

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Office of Student Activities

At its March 1963 meeting, the Board of Trustees adopted the following policy:

"Students are encouraged to study, discuss, debate, and become knowledgeable about contemporary affairs. Expressing opinions or taking positions with respect to these matters is up to the individual students or to volunteer groups of students so constituted that they are authorized to speak for their members. This is not a function of student government at Stanford.

"All students are required to become members of the Associated Students of Stanford University, which represents them with respect to student affairs on the Stanford campus. The student government, under this policy, is not authorized to speak for students on other matters.

"Under such regulations as may be established from time to time by the President of the University, students may form voluntary organizations constituted to speak for their members with respect to matters outside the scope of student government, provided such organizations clearly identify themselves and, in any public statements, make it clear that they do not represent or speak for the University or the Associated Students.

"Any questions concerning the interpretation and application of this policy shall be resolved by the President of the University."

Voluntary student organizations are those organizations: (1) in which membership is not mandatory and is nondiscriminatory, (2) in which membership is both open and limited to current Stanford students registered in a degree-granting program, (3) in which students make all organizational decisions, and (4) whose purposes and procedures are consistent with the goals and standards of the University. In order to use University facilities, the Stanford name, or to receive ASSU funding, all voluntary student organizations must register with the University through the Office of Student Activities, Old Union, room 206.

As a condition of registration, each voluntary student organization must file and have approved each of the following:

  1. A statement of purpose and organizational constitution.
  2. A statement about membership eligibility.
  3. Clear procedures for officer elections.
  4. Identification of the authorized representatives of the group, who must be a currently registered student, and at least five active members in the organization who are currently registered students.

Each voluntary student organization must renew its registration with the University annually, early in Autumn Quarter, by submitting new registration materials.

If a voluntary student organization that is registered with the University seeks to use University facilities for meetings open to more than its own members and to specifically invited guests, such meetings shall be subject to the regulations of the Committee on Public Events. All organization events held in University facilities must receive event approval from the Office of Student Activities and Stanford Events.

A voluntary student religious organization may hold open meetings in University facilities only with the approval of the Office of the Dean for Religious Life.

A registered voluntary student organization may advocate publicly a position on a public issue, provided the organization clearly identifies itself, and provided such an organization in any public statement makes clear it does not represent or speak for the University or for the Associated Students.

No student group may use University space or facilities or receive other University support for purposes of supporting candidates for public office. Groups may use public places such as White Plaza for tables, speeches, and similar activities; may have intermittent use of on-campus meeting rooms; and may request to reserve auditoriums and similar space for public events including speeches by political candidates as long as all University guidelines are followed.

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