Chapter 4 - Personnel-General
Publication Date: August 30, 2011
Policy Reviewed Date: December 22, 2023
Policy Owner: VP for Business Affairs
4.23 Registration of Faculty and Staff Organizations
POLICY STATEMENT
The University of Texas System (U.T. System) Board of Regents Rule 40201 requires each U.T. institution to adopt procedures for the registration of faculty, staff, and student organizations.
A registered faculty or staff organization shall be subject to all applicable rules and regulations of the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and U.T. System. Action taken by or on behalf of a registered faculty or staff organization that results in a violation of such rules and regulations is subject to disciplinary action that may result in the suspension or revocation of the registered status of the organization.
RATIONALE
This policy provides guidelines and procedures for the registration of UTSA faculty and staff organizations.
SCOPE
This policy applies to faculty and staff organizations. Membership in any registered faculty or staff organization is limited to the employees of UTSA. This policy does not apply to student organizations. The Student Activities office under the Vice President for Student Affairs is responsible for registration of student organizations.
WEBSITE ADDRESS FOR THIS POLICY
http://www.utsa.edu/hop/chapter4/4-23.html
RELATED STATUTES, POLICIES, REQUIREMENTS OR STANDARDS
UTSA or UT System Policies or the Board of Regents Rules & Regulations
- UT System Board of Regents' Rules and Regulations, Rule 40201
- UTSA Handbook of Operating Procedures (HOP) policy 8.06, Use of Campus Facilities Other than for Regular Classroom Instruction
- UTSA HOP policy 5.02, Regulations Relating to Student Organizations
Other Policies & Standards
CONTACTS
If you have any questions about HOP policy 4.23, Registration of Faculty and Staff Organizations , contact the following office:
Staff Organizations
Vice President for Business Affairs
(210) 458-4201
Faculty Organizations
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
(210) 458-4110
DEFINITIONS
A UTSA Faculty or Staff Organization is an organization that is composed of members of the faculty or staff of UTSA, but not established to act with the authority of UTSA or as a designated committee, entity, or agency of UTSA.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Vice President for Business Affairs is responsible for the final authorization for registration of organizations that include staff members, and for compliance with the requirements of this policy and Board of Regents applicable rules.
The Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs is responsible for the final authorization of organizations that include faculty members, and for compliance with the requirements of this policy and Board of Regents applicable rules.
Members and Officers of faculty and staff organizations are to follow all rules and regulations of UTSA and U.T. System, including institutional policies and guidelines, to assure the organization is in good standing with UTSA.
PROCEDURES
- Organizations as defined in this policy must apply for registration each year. The required information may be presented in a memo format:
- Purpose and Name of the Organization
- National, state or local affiliations, if any
- Qualifications for membership, if any
- A statement that the organization does not presently have, nor during any period of registration will it have, as a member any person who is not a faculty or staff member at the institution.
- Required Contact Information. Each application must be accompanied by a complete list of the names and addresses of all officers of the organization as as well as all person(s) authorized to speak for, represent, or receive official notices, directives, or instructions from UTSA on behalf of the organization.
- Period of registered status requested. Typically registered status shall not exceed one academic year and such status shall automatically terminate at the end of each academic year; provided, however, an organization previously registered as a faculty or staff, the organization may apply for and be granted registration for subsequent periods of one academic year if it meets all applicable criteria in effect for the period for which registration is sought.
- Each organization must register annually at the beginning of the fall semester. This required information shall be kept current during any period of registration. If at any time during a period of registration it is determined by the appropriate Vice President that such information is not current and the organization does not make such information current within ten (10) days after being notified of such deficiency, registration shall be canceled.
- Registration applications should be routed as follows:
- Applications to register a staff only organization are sent to the Vice President for Business Affairs;
- Applications to register a faculty only organization are sent to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (Provost);
- Applications to register organizations that include both faculty and staff are sent to both the Vice President for Business Affairs and the Provost.
- The appropriate Vice President will notify the organization regarding approval of the organization and maintain any required documentation. Registration in accordance with this policy in no way indicates official university endorsement or recognition of registered faculty or staff organizations, nor does it indicate approval or sanction of any actions taken or recommended by such organization.
- Registered organizations shall be permitted the use of university facilities on a nondiscriminatory basis for meetings and events attended by university employees. This use is subject to the availability of facilities; the priority of regularly scheduled teaching or other official business activities; and the following restrictions/limitations:
- Under normal circumstances faculty and staff organizations should not schedule meetings during working hours.
- Campus mail facilities cannot be used by registered organizations.
- Various communiques, e.g. solicitations, meeting notices and flyers, or informational email may be distributed by faculty and staff organizations, provided approval is obtained by the appropriate Vice President prior to distribution. No organization has the right to disrupt the work environment, to solicit memberships in the work environment, or to force themselves into a work area.
- If university facilities are to be used, a Request for Facility Reservation form must accompany the request for approval to post notices.
- Notices shall not be posted on university bulletin boards without prior written approval of the appropriate Vice President.
- Registered organizations may invite outside speakers and guests in accordance with the U.T. System Board of Regents’ Rules and Regulations.
- Reservation and or use of university facilities should be coordinated through the office designated for reserving space as outlined in the HOP policy 8.06, Use of Campus Facilities Other than for Regular Classroom Instruction. A reasonable service fee may be charged for use of any university facility.
- A faculty or staff organization shall not use the name of The University of Texas at San Antonio or the name of The University of Texas System as part of the name of the organization, and it shall neither display the seal of either UTSA or U.T. System in connection with any activity of the organization nor use such seal or seals as part of any letterhead, sign, banner, pamphlet, or other printed material that bears the name of the organization.
- Fund raising on behalf of the registered organization must be done in accordance with IRS regulations. Federal tax law applies substantiation and disclosure requirements to charities that receive deductible charitable contributions. For a complete explanation, see Publication 1771, Charitable Contributions: Substantiation and Disclosure Requirements.
- Faculty and staff organizations are to follow these guidelines or the registration of an organization may be repealed.
- Registration of an organization may be repealed and authorization to use university facilities withdrawn if an organization:
- damages university property;
- violates university regulations or policy, State or local laws on university property; or
- fails to pay any applicable charges or fees to the university.
FORMS AND TOOLS/ONLINE PROCESSES