General Policies

Minimum Number of Students

Official recognition of a student organization requires the following:

• A minimum of five (5) CSU students who are currently enrolled in at least one class. 
• Members of a student organization must be enrolled as a CSU student. 
• Only students enrolled at the CSU campus may vote on issues that come before the student organization.

In cases where an educational need is met, the vice president for student affairs (or Senior Student Affairs Officer) or designee may waive the membership provisions for student organizations. In these instances, non-CSU members shall not comprise more than 20% of the student organization's total membership. Documentation for this waiver shall include copies of national charters or other appropriate documentation, and these documents shall be submitted to the vice president of student affairs or designee.

Campuses retain authority to include additional requirements for recognition and/or to make the requirements listed here more limiting. (CSU EO 1068) 

Minimum Academic Qualifications for Student Office Holders

All student representatives, candidates, and incumbents for major and minor office positions must:

• Matriculated at a CSU campus 
• Maintain a minimum campus term grade point average (GPA) of 2.0,
• Be in good standing, and must not be on academic, disciplinary or administrative probation. (EO 1068) 

Incumbent Requirements 

Incumbent Unit Load

1. Undergraduate incumbents must earn 6 semester (9 quarter) units per term while holding office. 
2. Graduate and credential incumbents must earn 3 semester (4 quarter) units per term while holding office.
3. Students enrolled at quarter campuses must attend a minimum of two quarters during the academic year to maintain eligibility.

Incumbent Maximum Allowable Units

1. Undergraduate students are allowed to earn a maximum of 150 semester (225 quarter) units or 125 percent of the units required for a specific baccalaureate degree objective, whichever is greater. 
2. Graduate and credential students are allowed to earn a maximum of 50 semester (75 quarter) units or 167 percent of the units required for the graduate or credential objective, whichever is greater.
3. Students holding more than this number of units are not eligible for minor student representative office. (EO 1068)

All RSOs must have an On-Campus Advisor who is affiliated with Cal State East Bay to provide the RSO with the necessary connection to the University. RSOs have the option to have an Off-Campus Advisor, however it is not required. SLIC Staff are available to work with and assist On/Off-Campus Advisors in clarifying and carrying out their responsibilities with the RSOs.

The Advisor's role is to assist RSOs in achieving their goals and objectives by being a liaison. The university expects Advisors to advise RSO members and officers of relevant state laws and University policies and to take reasonable action to enforce them. Therefore, the Advisor should be knowledgeable of University policies and procedures, including those outlined in the RSO Handbook. 

Campus facility reservations for RSOs should be processed and reserved by on behalf of the RSO. If the location cannot be reserved by SLIC in 25Live (i.e. CORE or specific classrooms) then a confirmation email or the 25Live reservation number must be submitted to SLIC via BaySync by the RSO. If a department is hosting the event, and the student organization is using AS funds to support, the event must be submitted in BaySync for items purchased. Student organization funds should only be used by the students as faculty/staff have a different reimbursement process. 

Click here to learn more about The Role of an Advisor at Cal State East Bay

Who Can Serve As an On-Campus Advisor?

Any CSUEB or Auxiliary Staff or Faculty; full or part time

Each officially recognized student organization must have a university advisor who is either a faculty member or professional staff member who is an employee of the CSU or one of its auxiliaries. Campuses may permit part-time faculty and professional staff as advisors. The VPSA or designee may remove an advisor from their student organization-related responsibilities as needed to ensure that the educational purpose of student organizations is met, or in the interests of student health, safety and welfare. Campuses should develop a training and orientation program for university advisors to student organizations (EO 1068).

On-Campus Advisors are required to complete the On-Campus Advisor form via BaySync and complete the online Clery Training to be in compliance with the Clery Act.

Who Can Serve as an Off-Campus Advisor?

Off-Campus Advisors are advisors that are not affiliated with CSUEB but continue to support and aid the RSO. These advisors can be but are not limited to previous members of the RSO but have since graduated, a member of the national chapter of the organization, etc. Though Off-Campus Advisors are not required for the recognition of a RSO, all official Off-Campus Advisors are required to complete an Off-Campus Advisor form via BaySync.

RSO membership may not be denied to anyone on the basis of race or ethnicity (including color, caste, and ancestry), religion (or religious creed), nationality, citizenship, age, medical condition, genetic information, gender (or sex) (except as permitted by fraternities/sororities), gender identity (including nonbinary or transgender), gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran or military status, or disability (physical or mental) (hereafter referred to as the nondiscrimination statement).

No campus shall recognize any student organization unless its membership and leadership are open to all currently enrolled students at that campus, with the limited exception that a social fraternity or sorority may impose a gender limitation as permitted by Education Code Section 66273.

All RSO presidents and treasurers must sign a statement acknowledging their group will abide by the Nondiscrimination Policy as a condition of recognition.

No member of a recognized student organization shall engage in hazing, i.e. commit or participate in any act that causes or is likely to cause bodily damage, physical harm, or personal degradation or disgrace resulting in physical or mental harm to any student or any other member of the California State University, East Bay community.

Hazing, or conspiracy to haze. Hazing is defined as any method of initiation or pre-initiation into a student organization or student body, whether or not the organization or body is officially recognized by an educational institution, which is likely to cause serious bodily injury to any former, current, or prospective student of any school, community college, college, university or other educational institution in this state (Penal Code 245.6), and in addition, any act likely to cause physical harm, personal degradation or disgrace resulting in physical or mental harm, to any former, current, or prospective student of any school, community college, college, university or other educational institution. The term "hazing" does not include customary athletic events or school sanctioned events.

Neither the express or implied consent of a victim of hazing, nor the lack of active participation in a particular hazing incident is a defense. Apathy or acquiescence in the presence of hazing is not a neutral act, and is also a violation of this section. (California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Standards for Student Conduct, Section 41301(b)(8))

All RSO presidents, treasurers, and fraternity/sorority members must sign a statement acknowledging their group will abide by the Anti-Hazing Policy as a condition of recognition.