Purpose

As a representative body and a chartered governing council recognized by Southwest Texas State University (Texas State), the Student Organizations’ Council (SOC) provides direction and support for all registered student organizations at the University

Membership

SOC membership is based on application and appointment of interested student leaders from registered student organizations in good standing with the university. Representation shall reflect the diversity of Texas State and all registered student organizations. Applications are distributed by the Office of Campus Activities and Student Organizations and reviewed by the current SOC membership for selection with the guidance of the Graduate Research Assistant for Student Organizations and the Coordinator of Campus Activities. There are 10 regular members and 7 alternates, representing the diversity of student organizations at Texas State. The Graduate Research Assistant for Student Organizations shall serve as the primary advisor and the Coordinator of Student Organizations and Greek Affairs shall serve as the secondary advisor. Term of Office: SOC members are appointed in April and will serve a one-year term from September 1 to August 31, with the opportunity for a one year reappointment.

SOC Judicial Board

A. ORGANIZATIONAL DISCIPLINE
Student Organizations are expected to regulate the conduct of its members in all organizational activities and to impose sanctions on individual members or member for university policy violations when behavior is not consistent with the educational mission of the university as set forth in the Regents' Rules, in university policy and in state, federal and local law.

Please refer to the Student Affairs Policies and Procedures Statement (SA/PPS) 05.04, for a more detailed explanation of student organizational discipline. SA/PPS 05.04 can be obtained by requesting a copy from one of the following offices; (1) Dean of Students, located on the 5th floor of the LBJ Student Center, (2) LBJ Student Center or (3) the Office of the Vice-President for Student Affairs, located on the 9th floor of JCKellam.

B. PURPOSE
Believing in the value of student empowerment, the SOC wishes to assume the obligations and responsibilities of self-discipline under an adequate and impartial judiciary system. The Judicial Board shall be empowered to make judgments and recommend corrective action to the university in any case of alleged violations of the soc Constitution and By-Laws, University Code of Conduct or any other pertinent legislation.

C. COMPOSITION
1. The Judicial Board shall be composed of seven (7) board members, each representing a different category of student organization at Texas State. A minimum of five (5) members shall hear each case. Each member participating in the decisions of a case shall have one vote.

2. Qualifications: Each Judicial Board member must have 2 semesters as a student at Texas State with a minimum 2.25 Texas State grade point average, have a working knowledge of University policies and the Student Code of Conduct and exemplify the Core Values of Texas State.

3. Judicial Board members may serve a term no longer than four (4) long semesters.
4. Judicial Board members shall be selected according to the following procedure:

a. Written application shall be made to the Judicial Board Chair.

b. Applications will be reviewed by the SOC.

c. Selected candidates shall be interviewed, as necessary, by the Judicial Board Chair, SOC Chair, Graduate Research Assistant for Student Organizations and Coordinator of Student Organizations and Greek Affairs.
 

D. CHAIRMAN OF THE JUDICIAL BOARD
1. The Chairman of the Judicial Board shall attend all regular SOC meetings.

2. The Chairman of the Judicial Board shall be responsible for all administrative work of the Judicial Board, including the completion and distribution of each Notice to Appear and Decision Letter.

3. The Chairman of the Judicial Board shall appoint all personnel necessary to expedite and improve Judicial proceedings and administrative work.

4. The Chairman of the Judicial Board shall call the Judicial Board into session, shall supervise all hearings, and shall insure that the Hearing Procedures are strictly followed.

5. The Chairman of the Judicial Board shall work closely with the staff in the Office of Campus Activities & Student Organizations to uphold all rules set forth in the University’s Code of Student Conduct as outlined in The Texas Stateexan. Also, to insure a just and equitable judicial process.

6. The Chairman of the Judicial Board shall see that only pertinent facts necessary for the Judiciary to arrive at a just and equitable decision are brought before the Board.

E. FILING A CASE
1. When a complaint is registered, it becomes the duty of the Chairman to discuss the case with the SOC, Judicial Board, Graduate Research Assistant for Student Organizations and the Coordinator of Campus Activities to decide if a hearing is warranted.

2. Should the SOC Judicial Board decide that a hearing is necessary, it shall send the accused a Notice to Appear stating:

a. The date of the hearing. Hearings shall be at least three (3) school days after the postmarked date or verified delivery date on the notice to the accused.

b. The specific rules, regulations, or policies which have been violated.
c. The act or acts of the accused responsible for the charges.

d. The members of the Judicial Board who will be hearing the case.
 

3. The deadline for initiating charges against a student organization shall be within two (2) calendar months after the date of the alleged violation.

F. HEARING PROCEDURES
1. The Chairman of the Judicial Board shall present the evidence in the following order.

a. Cite the specific rules and regulations which have been violated.

b. State the acts of the accused that constitute the alleged violation cited above. All evidence presented must relate to the items cited in letter (a).

c. Present documentation, witnesses or affidavits to support all charges.
 

2. The President (or designee) of accused organization will then present his/her defense and/or explanation, and any witnesses to support his/her case. The defense must relate to the evidence presented or the violation with which the accused is charged.

3. There shall be a question and answer period when any member of the Judicial Board or representative of the accused may ask questions concerning the case. Questions may also be directed to any witnesses at the hearing.

4. The accused shall remain in the room of the hearing at all times while the evidence is being presented, and is entitled to offer a concluding statement.

G. METHOD OF APPEAL
1. Appellate jurisdiction on Judicial Board decisions shall rest with the SOC sitting as a committee of the whole, with prior review of Judicial Board decisions by the Coordinator of Campus Activities.

2. Requests for appeal and written justification thereof, must be submitted within 48 hours or two (2) school days (whichever comes first) after the Judicial Board’s decision letter is received, to the SOC Chair, who will then be responsible for initiating the appeal process.

3. The Chair of the Judicial Board will be required to submit to the SOC Chair a record of the hearing (including circumstances, findings, Judicial Board comments, and justification of the Board’s decision.)

4. In general, the SOC will only consider substantive or procedural errors which are prejudicial and were committed during the disciplinary process. Specific questions for review which should be presented in an appeal are as follows:

a. Were the hearing procedures (as outline in this constitution) followed properly?

b. If a procedural error was committed, were the rights of the student organization outwardly violated?

c. Was the hearing conducted in a manner which provided an adequate opportunity for the accused registered student organization to present a defense?

d. Was the evidence presented at the hearing substantial enough to justify the decision reached by the SOC Judicial Board?
 

5. The SOC will notify the accused in writing of its decision.

6. If the accused remains dissatisfied with the decision of the SOC, they may appeal in writing to the Discipline Review Team (DRT) within 48 hours. The Discipline Review Team’s decision is final.

H. PENALTIES AND SANCTIONS
1. Sanctions for any offense may include, but are not limited to, the following:

a. Reprimand, or reprimand with restrictions.

b. Restitution, meaning payment for personal injury, property damage, losses or misappropriations.

c. Fines.

d. Probation (may include provisions for special projects): A defined period of time in which the organization must remain clear of any disciplinary problems or face additional punitive sanctions.

e. Special projects, such as community service work, written reports, presentations to the student body, hosting a speaker on an assigned topic or attendance at a special class or lecture.

f. Intramural Sports Probation: Restriction of an organization’s eligibility to participate in intramurals or to use its name in intramural competition for a defined period of time.

g. Activities Suspension: Restriction of an organization’s privilege to participate in any University sponsored event for a defined period of time.

h. Social Suspension: Restriction of an organization’s eligibility to sponsor social functions for a defined period of time.

i. Suspension: a recommendation to the Office Campus Activities and Student Organizations that the group have its university recognition revoked.
 

2. Sanctions of the SOC Judicial Board shall be complimentary to and in conformity with University Sanctions, as outlined in section 3.02 of the Code of Student Conduct, South West Texan.

3. Penalties and sanctions prescribed by the SOC Judicial Board become effective when the disciplinary process is complete.

4. In accordance with Student Code of Conduct, Section 4.04, the Vice President for Student Affairs, the President and the Board of Regents may, on their initiative, review any disciplinary case, and upon such review may approve, reject, or modify the lower decision, or may remand the decision to the original hearing for presentation of additional evidence and reconsideration of the decision.

I. GREEK JUDICIAL BOARDS
1. Any violation of the Student Organization Handbook or the Constitution and Bylaws of the Greek-letter organizations will be heard by the appropriate Greek Governing Council’s Judicial Board (IFC, MGC, NPHC, & PC).