May 8, 2023
New student organization policies to be implemented August 2023
Submitted by Center for Student Involvement
Dear K-State Community,
In fall 2017, a major change was made to the Student Organization Policy putting into place the current policy and independent student organization/departmental student organization relationship structure. As part of the Action Plan for a More Inclusive K-State, a group of individuals representing faculty, staff and students established a workgroup to analyze and make recommendations on university policies and the Student Code of Conduct.
In October 2021, a sub-workgroup was established to examine the structural relationship of student organizations with the university. This sub-workgroup included representatives from a variety of departments on campus, student representatives, and community/alumni advisors. The members completed a peer and aspirational institution review as well as several roundtable discussions with various student organizations and advisor groups. The sub-workgroup utilized this information to put together a series of relationship structure options, which were submitted to university administration in February 2022.
Since then, a Student Organization Policies workgroup was formed to create and update student organization-related policies at K-State. Today, I am pleased to share with the university community the policies that have emanated from that group's work:
- PPM 8540 — Student Organization Recognition Policy.
- The purpose of this policy is to establish the different classifications of student organizations, to define various roles within student organizations, and to provide criteria for organizations to achieve and maintain university recognition.
- PPM 8545 — Student Organization Conduct Code and Process for Discipline.
- This policy provides an outline of expectations and methods of accountability for student organizations and their members.
- PPM 8550 — Student Amnesty Policy.
- Through this Amnesty Policy, the university empowers students to report alcohol and other drug-related emergencies, sexual harassment, discrimination and other harassment, physical assaults, threatening behavior, incidents of hazing, and similar behavioral concerns by eliminating a potential barrier — concern of being punished for minor conduct infractions.
These policies will be implemented on Aug. 1, 2023. In addition to the policies listed above, the workgroup continues to work on updates to the Student Organization Event Policy, PPM 8530, anticipated to be released later this summer.
An FAQ page has been established to assist the campus community in navigating these changes.
Student organizations will need to complete the annual recognition process under these new policies for the 2023-2024 academic year. The Center for Student Involvement anticipates this process will open on July 10, 2023.
Questions regarding these policies may be submitted to the Center for Student Involvement at studentinvolvement@k-state.edu.
Thank you and Go 'Cats!
Thomas Lane
Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students