General Requirements

• Recognized organizations must maintain their local autonomy. The criterion for local autonomy shall be whether the College organization makes all policy decisions without obligation to any parent organization. Graduate trusteeships and other advising boards composed of responsible alumni will ordinarily be acceptable under this rule.
• Each organization must consult its adviser(s) and, if applicable, graduate boards or trustees at the beginning of each term.
• Members must be students of Harvard University.
• There must be at least ten undergraduate members.
• All officers and a majority of the members must be registered undergraduates.
• Only undergraduate student organizations that have received approval from the Dean of Harvard College may use “Harvard College” in their names. Approval of the name and recognition by the Dean’s Office constitutes permission to use that name in notices of meetings and written materials. Any regular publications sponsored by the group that uses “Harvard” in its title needs advance permission. Permission to use “Harvard” or “Harvard College” in the name of a group applies to undergraduate groups, and not to alumni groups (see also The Use of Harvard University’s Trademarks [Names and Insignia] or visit the following website: http://www.provost.harvard.edu/policies_guidelines/names_insignias.php.) Explicit advance permission of the Office of the Dean or Provost is needed before an organization can give permission to a third party to use the Harvard name or to imply connection with the College or University.
• Organizations must not duplicate the mission of previously recognized organizations.
• The organization will file a list of current officers and members every fall and spring with the Office of the Dean of Harvard College and notify that Office promptly of any changes in the roster of officers.
• Each fall in October the organization must provide the Office of the Dean of Harvard College with a financial report for the previous year, a proposed budget for the current year, and signed agreements verifying commitment by its adviser(s).
• The organization must notify the Office of the Dean of Harvard College and the Committee on College Life of any change in its constitution and by-laws and submit a copy of the amended documents for approval.
• The regulations of the College (see Chapter Five, “General Regulations and Standards of Conduct”) require that students on probation may not engage in any competition or activity that, in the opinion of the Administrative Board, may interfere with their College work. A student on probation must attend all classes and be especially conscientious about all academic responsibilities. If the offense or unsatisfactory academic record is related to participation in extracurricular activity, the Administrative Board may at its discretion restrict participation; in cases in which management of time appears to be the problem, the Administrative Board may ask the student to obtain the Board’s permission for participation in each individual extracurricular activity.
• Faculty members may not be voting members or officers of undergraduate groups. They are, however, encouraged to serve as advisers, sponsors, or consultants.
• Undergraduate officers will be held accountable for maintaining the accuracy of all financial records.
• Only registered undergraduate students of the College in good standing may serve as officers of a Harvard College student organization.
• Officers must receive approval for conferences and other large events from the Office of Student Life and Activities of Harvard College prior to planning such events. In addition, officers must consult the Office of Student Life and Activities before signing any contracts with vendors, hotels, consultants, or performers.
• Students on leave of absence or required to withdraw may not take part in student activities, including student organizations.
• Departmental organizations may also become undergraduate organizations by complying with the preceding requirements.