VIII. Clubs, Organizations, and Athletics
Overview
Student clubs, organizations, athletic teams, Student Council, Greek Row, and other student groups are part of student life at Oakridge College.
These groups give students opportunities to build community, develop leadership, create events, represent student interests, and take part in campus life. Students who participate in or lead these groups are expected to follow college rules, respect others, plan responsibly, and act in a way that supports the mission of Oakridge College.
The Details
Student groups are important to Oakridge, but they are not separate from the college.
All student clubs, organizations, athletic teams, Greek Row groups, and student leadership bodies remain subject to college policy, Student Affairs, Campus Security, and other appropriate college authority.
A group may have its own traditions, officers, meetings, events, and internal rules. However, those rules may not conflict with college policy.
Student Clubs and Organizations
Student clubs and organizations may be created around academic interests, hobbies, service, culture, performance, athletics, social life, or other approved purposes.
A student organization should have:
- A clear name
- A clear purpose
- Student leadership
- A faculty advisor or staff advisor when required
- Recognition from Student Affairs or the proper college authority
- Rules for membership and participation
- A process for planning events
- Conduct expectations for members
A student group should not exist only as a private circle with no clear purpose or accountability.
Recognition of Student Groups
Student groups may need approval before they are treated as official Oakridge organizations.
Recognition may be required before a group can:
- Use the Oakridge name
- Reserve college spaces
- Schedule official events
- Request funding or resources
- Advertise as a college organization
- Represent itself as part of Oakridge
- Recruit members on campus
- Request a faculty or staff advisor
A group that has not been recognized may still exist socially, but it may not claim official college status.
Faculty or Staff Advisors
Some student groups may be assigned a faculty or staff advisor.
An advisor helps the group understand college rules, plan responsibly, and connect with the proper offices.
An advisor may help with:
- Event planning
- Scheduling questions
- Safety concerns
- Academic connections
- Leadership guidance
- Conflict resolution
- Understanding college procedures
- Referrals to Student Affairs or other offices
An advisor does not replace student leadership unless college policy gives them that authority.
Students should respect the advisor’s role and should not use the advisor only as a signature for approval while ignoring their guidance.
Student Leadership
Student leaders are expected to act with fairness, responsibility, and good judgment.
Student leadership may include:
- Student Council officers
- Club officers
- Greek Row leadership
- Team captains
- Residence hall leadership roles
- Event organizers
- Committee representatives
- Student workers or assistants
- Other approved student leadership positions
Student leaders are expected to:
- Follow college policy
- Treat members fairly
- Communicate clearly
- Plan events responsibly
- Respect advisors and Student Affairs
- Avoid favoritism and retaliation
- Report serious concerns
- Keep group activity connected to its approved purpose
- Use resources honestly
- Step back from decisions where they have a conflict of interest
A student leadership role is a responsibility, not a personal reward or private source of power.
Misuse of Student Leadership
Students may not misuse leadership roles.
Misuse may include:
- Harassing members
- Excluding students unfairly
- Pressuring students into unwanted activity
- Retaliating against someone for reporting a concern
- Using a role to control social relationships
- Ignoring safety concerns
- Misusing funds, spaces, equipment, or records
- Making false promises on behalf of the college
- Holding unauthorized disciplinary proceedings
- Acting outside the authority of the role
Misuse of student leadership may result in removal from office, loss of privileges, disciplinary review, or other college action.
Membership and Participation
Student groups should make membership expectations clear.
A group may set reasonable requirements related to its purpose, such as attendance, participation, tryouts, auditions, skill level, academic connection, or conduct standards.
However, membership rules must not be used to harass, humiliate, threaten, discriminate, retaliate, or exclude people unfairly.
Students should be told what is expected before they are punished, removed, or denied participation.
Hazing
Hazing is prohibited.
Hazing means any activity that humiliates, pressures, abuses, endangers, or coerces a student as a condition of joining, remaining in, or gaining status in a group.
Hazing may include:
- Forced or pressured drinking
- Dangerous dares
- Humiliating tasks
- Forced secrecy
- Sleep deprivation
- Threats or intimidation
- Physical mistreatment
- Sexual humiliation
- Public embarrassment
- Required personal service to members
- Pressure to break college rules
A student may still be hazed even if they say they agreed to participate.
Consent does not make hazing acceptable.
Greek Row
Greek Row organizations are part of student life and remain subject to college policy.
Greek Row groups may have traditions, social events, internal leadership, and membership processes. However, they must still follow rules about conduct, safety, hazing, events, residence life, scheduling, alcohol, guests, and student leadership.
Greek Row groups may not use tradition as an excuse for harassment, coercion, hazing, retaliation, exclusion, or unsafe conduct.
Greek Row scheduling and conduct concerns may be reviewed by Student Affairs, the Dean of Student Affairs, Campus Security, or senior college leadership when appropriate.
Student Council
Student Council represents student interests and supports student life.
Student Council may help with:
- Student concerns
- Campus activities
- Student organization matters
- Communication between students and college leadership
- Student events
- General student life issues
- Recommendations to Student Affairs or administration
Student Council does not replace college authority.
Student Council may not override faculty, Student Affairs, Campus Security, Deans, the Vice President, or the President.
Student Council members are expected to act fairly and avoid using their role for personal disputes, favoritism, retaliation, or social control.
Athletics
Athletic teams and sports activities are part of student life at Oakridge.
Student athletes are expected to follow college policy, team rules, safety expectations, and academic responsibilities.
Athletic participation may include:
- Practices
- Games
- Team meetings
- Travel, if used
- Training activities
- Team events
- Public representation of Oakridge
- Academic or faculty advisor meetings
Student athletes are students first. Participation in athletics does not excuse academic dishonesty, misconduct, harassment, unsafe behavior, or disrespect toward faculty, staff, students, officials, or opponents.
Team Captains and Athletic Leadership
Team captains and athletic leaders are expected to model responsible conduct.
They may help with:
- Team communication
- Encouraging participation
- Supporting team morale
- Helping new members understand expectations
- Reporting concerns to coaches, advisors, or Student Affairs
- Supporting safe and respectful team activity
Team captains may not use their role to haze, threaten, exclude, humiliate, or control other students.
Faculty Advisors for Athletic Teams
Some athletic teams may have a faculty advisor.
A faculty advisor may help student athletes balance academic and team responsibilities, communicate with faculty, and remain connected to the college’s academic mission.
A faculty advisor is not the same as a coach unless the college has appointed that person as a coach.
Student athletes should respect the difference between academic advising, team coaching, and Student Affairs authority.
Events by Clubs, Organizations, and Teams
Student groups may hold events when approved through the proper process.
Student events may include:
- Meetings
- Performances
- Games
- Competitions
- Social events
- Fundraisers
- Public lectures
- Workshops
- Service projects
- Recruitment events
- Ceremonies
- Community events
Events should have a clear organizer, purpose, date, time, location, and approval when required.
Student groups should not announce or hold official events before approval is complete.
Event Responsibility
The student group hosting an event is responsible for the conduct of the event.
Student organizers should make sure:
- The event has approval
- The space is appropriate
- The time does not create a known conflict
- Safety concerns are addressed
- Guests understand the rules
- The event does not exceed its approved purpose
- The space is cleaned afterward
- Problems are reported quickly
- Campus Security is contacted if safety becomes a concern
Student organizers should ask Student Affairs, their advisor, or Campus Security for help when needed.
Use of College Spaces and Resources
Student groups may use college spaces and resources only when approved.
This may include:
- Classrooms
- Meeting rooms
- Outdoor spaces
- Residence common spaces
- Athletic areas
- Performance spaces
- Equipment
- Supplies
- Communication tools
- Streams or event technology
A group should not reserve a space it does not need, block access, damage property, or use a space for a purpose different from the approved request.
Scheduling Conflicts
Student events may conflict with other events, classes, ceremonies, athletics, or college functions.
Students should try to resolve ordinary scheduling conflicts respectfully and early.
A student group should first speak with the other organizer when possible.
If the conflict cannot be resolved, it may be taken to:
- Student Affairs
- Faculty or staff advisor
- Dean of Student Affairs
- Department Chair, if academic space is involved
- Dean, if an Academic School is involved
- Vice President or President, if the conflict is college-wide
Major college events may take priority over student events.
Funding and Resources
Some student groups may receive funding, supplies, space, or other college support.
Resources must be used honestly and for the approved purpose.
Students may not:
- Misuse funds
- Hide expenses
- Use resources for private benefit
- Falsify requests
- Claim college support without approval
- Use group property for unrelated personal use
A student group may lose privileges if it misuses college resources.
Conduct at Student Events
Students attending student events are expected to follow college conduct rules.
Students may not:
- Harass others
- Threaten others
- Damage property
- Ignore safety instructions
- Disrupt the event
- Bring unauthorized weapons
- Engage in hazing
- Misuse alcohol or drugs
- Refuse to leave when directed
- Interfere with event staff, advisors, Campus Security, or college officials
A student may be removed from an event and referred for disciplinary review.
Guests at Student Events
Student groups may be responsible for guests they invite.
Guests are expected to follow college rules.
Student organizers should make sure guests understand expectations for conduct, safety, space use, and event limits.
A student group may lose event privileges if its guests repeatedly create problems or violate college rules.
Reporting Problems in Student Groups
Students may report concerns involving clubs, organizations, athletics, Student Council, Greek Row, or student leadership.
Concerns may include:
- Harassment
- Hazing
- Retaliation
- Unsafe events
- Misuse of leadership
- Discrimination
- Misuse of funds
- Threats or intimidation
- Exclusion or unfair treatment
- Pressure to break rules
- Conduct that harms the group or college
Reports may be made to Student Affairs, a faculty advisor, a coach, a Residence Assistant, Campus Security, the Dean of Student Affairs, or another appropriate college authority.
Loss of Group Privileges
A student group may lose privileges when it violates college policy.
Possible actions may include:
- Warning
- Required meeting with Student Affairs
- Required change in leadership
- Loss of event privileges
- Loss of space reservation privileges
- Loss of funding or resources
- Removal of recognition
- Suspension of activity
- Referral of individual students for discipline
The response should fit the seriousness of the issue.
General Rule
Student groups help make Oakridge active and alive.
Clubs, organizations, athletics, Student Council, Greek Row, and student leadership should create opportunities for connection, growth, service, competition, and community.
They must also remain safe, fair, responsible, and accountable to Oakridge College.