Student Organizations
The Students’ Role in Participation in Institutional Decision Making
Vernon College acknowledges the importance of involving students in institutional decision-making. The College’s aim is to educate the students for leadership in society. This is evidenced through student membership in the institution’s standing committee structure, as well as through opportunities for student leadership through the Student Associations.
Student Organizations
The student body of Vernon College has founded numerous clubs and organizations and continues to have the opportunity to develop new groups to satisfy individual and group interests. Organizations already recognized include the Aggie Club; the Chaparral Singers; the Chaparral Christian Fellowship; Faith Factor Christian Fellowship; Lab Coat Posse Biology Club;
Phi Theta Kappa; the Chaps LEAD groups; the Student Nurses Association; the Surgical Technology Student Association; and the Student Veteran Organization. The College encourages the founding of any organization that is in keeping with the philosophy and purpose of the College and the interests of the students. Any student organization seeking recognition must be tied to an academic or workforce program, or college initiative, or standing department at Vernon College. Student organizations recognized by or registered with Vernon College are not authorized agents of the College, and the College assumes no responsibility for the actions of the group. Not all student organizations may be active every semester.
Rules and Regulations
The following statement of policies and standards has been endorsed by the student leadership program, ChapsLEAD, and administration of Vernon College.
Definition of College Organizations or Clubs
1. Recognition
In general, College organizations will be permitted to exist if they:
A. Are composed entirely of currently enrolled student body members.
B. Hold their meetings on College-controlled property. Exceptions should be outlined in writing and approved by the Vice President of Student Services.
C. Use a democratic plan for the selection of members without regard to race, religion, or national origin.
D. Establish aims that are educational and compatible with the best interests of the College.
E. Have an annually approved constitution on file in the Office of Student Services.
Upon verification of conformity to the conditions listed above, clubs must receive official recognition from the student leadership organization, the Dean of Student Services, the College President, and the Board of Trustees.
2. Organization Rules
To exist and to continue to exist, organizations must comply with the following conditions:
A. A constitution developed by the organization and containing the approval signatures of each College advisor (who must be a full time Vernon College employees) and will be filed in the Office of Student Services after being submitted to and approved by the following groups.
1. The Vernon College student leadership organization
2. The Dean of Student Services
3. The College President
B. Maintain a current membership roster in the Student Services office.
C. Have an approved College advisor in attendance at all meetings.
D. Program activities for each group, both on and off-campus, should be approved fourteen days in advance of the event by submitting a written request to the Dean of Student Services. This request must include the nature of the program (description of the film, name of the speaker, subject of the discussion, the names of the members of a panel, list of chaperone(s), etc.). The organization’s advisor must sign this request. It is a requirement that the needed facilities and equipment be ascertained. Failure to clear facilities and request equipment with proper authorities could mean cancellation of the planned event. Suggested places for holding events may be discussed with the Dean of Student Services or College advisor.
E. All student organizational fund raising activities must be approved through the Dean of the Student Services in advance. Student organizations may gain this approval by submitting the appropriate form, which is available in the Student Services Office. Student organizations will be allowed a maximum of four fund raising activities per semester. All student organizational fund raising will be in accordance with the College’s Mission. Following each fundraising activity, student organizations must submit the appropriate financial report to the Office of Student Services. Financial report forms are available in Student Services Office. At the end of each academic year, Student Services will compose a report of all student organization fundraising activities and deposits.
F. The president of the club or organization shall send to the Office of Student Services a written financial report (revenues, expenditures, dues, fund raising) at the end of each academic year. The advisor should also sign the report.
G. Be responsible for conduct of members in accordance with College rules and regulations.
H. In cases of organizational conduct inconsistent with this section (Organizational Rules), or in cases of organizational conduct that is inconsistent with the Code of Student Conduct, that organizations official recognition may be revoked.
Vernon College offers a student leadership program called ChapsLEAD. The goal of the program is to help interested students personally grow through exposure to a variety of leadership topics offered by speakers. The program is six weeks long and includes a philanthropy project. Vernon College Student Services believes that a key ingredient to a successful Vernon College community is investment in student lead leadership.
Student Activities
Students at Vernon College are encouraged to get involved and have fun. Knowing the importance of co-curricular activities, the College supports a variety of student clubs and organizations. Vernon College also offers a variety of intramural style competitions, and on-campus entertainment activities for students.
Student Travel
Vernon College recognizes the importance of student travel to supplement instruction, to provide opportunities for leadership growth, for cultural and social development, and for representation of the College in contests and competitions. The purpose of the student travel procedures is to maximize the probability of safe travel for Vernon College students on college-sanctioned trips. College-sanctioned travel occurs when travel meets one or more of the following conditions: 1) a college department or student organization plans the travel and/or recognizes it for professional or educational purposes; 2) a faculty or staff member serving in his/her official capacity supervises the travel; and/or 3) departmental and/or organizational resources are used. The following travel is NOT considered “college-sanctioned travel” for the purpose of these regulations: when a class or organization is meeting at an off-campus site and the meeting is not a requirement of the class or organization but is voluntary and students in the class or organization are responsible for their own transportation to the site.
The appropriate faculty member, club or organization sponsor, or other college employee is responsible for completing all travel forms and securing all approvals for student travel. However, students/sponsors driving personal vehicles will not be required to complete the travel authorization process for a college-sanctioned trip within the city limits of the campus they attend if they are traveling in their personal vehicle from their work or residence to the location, and they are not chauffeuring other students/sponsors in their personal vehicle to the location.