Chapter 2: Important Policies
Important Policy Highlights for Organizations
Below is a list of important University and Campus Activities policies. This is not an all-inclusive list but rather a highlight of policies with which student organizations tend to engage with most. As a student organization operating on campus, it is your responsibility to become familiar with all procedures at Cornell. Campus Activities does not determine what University Policies exist; instead, the office serves as stewards of the policies. If you have questions about a specific University Policy, please click on the policy, and in the top right corner, you will see which university office is the executive sponsor.
Student Code of Conduct
Environmental Health and Safety
Contact: Ron Flynn at rmf9@cornell.edu
Website: https://ehs.cornell.edu/campus-health-safety/event-management/event-safety
The Cornell University Department of Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) works with Cornell faculty, staff and students to help ensure that special events on campus are organized and run safely. All registered events require University Events Team (UET) approval using the 25Live Scheduling System. EHS personnel will work with you to review and approve events for items such as:
- Locations and occupancy limitations
- Event layout, setup and egress
- Activities and decorations
- EHS staffing requirements
- Emergency medical staffing requirements
- Applicable municipal permits
Hazing Policy, Cornell University Student Code of Conduct
As student leaders and/or advisors of registered student groups, teams, or organizations, you have a responsibility to take proactive steps to ensure all members of your organization feel welcome and safe. You are responsible for ensuring that planned activities for new and existing members do not violate the Student Code of Conduct and do not violate New York State law which includes preventing hazing.
Cornell takes a comprehensive, public health approach to hazing. Hazing is a harmful form of interpersonal violence that often negatively impacts physical or mental health, often involves sexual abuse, and very often involves alcohol. This serious public health issue poses risks to the physical safety and psychological well-being of individuals here at Cornell University and nationwide. Most often, it happens to those joining or continuing their membership in various groups, teams, and organizations. The impact of hazing on individuals and the community can be severe, long-lasting, and even fatal. Hazing is prohibited by the Cornell University Student Code of Conduct, as well as by New York State, and the federal Stop Campus Hazing law.
According to the Cornell Student Code of Conduct:
Hazing is any act that, as an explicit or implicit condition of recruitment, admission, or initiation into, affiliation with, or new or continued membership status within a group, team, organization, living group, or academic group or cohort, does one or more of the following:
- Causes, encourages, or compels another person to engage in any activity that could reasonably be perceived as likely to create a risk of mental, physical, or emotional distress or harm; examples include but are not limited to:
a. Undertake acts of servitude or menial tasks;
b. Undergo undue financial expenditures;
c. Engage in acts relevant to those of the group (for example practice or training activities), but in a manner that a reasonable person would consider excessive or dangerous;
d. Abuse, humiliate, degrade, or taunt another person or persons.
- Involves any of the following:
a. Consumption of alcohol or drugs;
b. Consumption of unpalatable substances, or palatable substances to excess;
c. Damage to or theft of property, or any other illegal act;
d. Violation of any University policy.
- Subjects any other person (including an existing member or cohort of existing members of the group) to any of the above activities.
Hazing can occur on or off campus, in person or in virtual settings. The individual subjected
to hazing does not need to regard or identify the act as hazing. The fact that an individual does not object to and/or appears willing to participate in the activity, does not signify the conduct is not hazing.
Resources
- For student leaders:
- Utilize the free resources and tools to develop positive team building activities and strategies for how to interrupt the cycle of hazing.
- Be pro-active and request an in-person training (e.g., Intervene or How to Recognize and Respond to Hazing) from the Skorton Center for Health Initiatives for your group, team, or organization.
- For club advisors / coaches:
- Learn more about what you can do in your role to prevent hazing and help foster positive group experiences for the students you advise.
- Enroll in How to Recognize and Respond to Hazing, a self-paced online training developed for the Cornell community.
Visit hazing.cornell.edu to learn about healthy group relationships and dynamics and to review which groups have a history of campus hazing violations and the corresponding sanctions from the University.
Reporting Options and Support
You have a responsibility to ensure members of your registered student organization are aware of how to report hazing incidents to the University and where people can seek support. If you observe hazing activities, overhear plans about hazing activities, or suspect someone may be experiencing hazing, you should make a report online and connect anyone who has been hazed to additional support.
Reporting options:
- Online via the University website: hazing.cornell.edu/reporting (privately or anonymously)
- By phone (or in-person) to a university staff member:
- Athletics & Physical Education (for concerns about an athletic team): 607-255-8832
- Campus Activities (for concerns about a student organization): 607-255-4169
- Cornell University Police: 607-255-1111
- Dean of Students: 607-254-8598
- Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards: 607-255-4680
- Sorority & Fraternity Life (for concerns related to the Greek system): 607-255-2310
- University Ombuds: 607-255-4321
- Online via the Silent Witness Program: https://secure.ethicspoint.com/domain/media/en/gui/6357/index.html (confidential or anonymous)
Support for students who are hazed:
- Cornell Health: Medical and mental health professionals can offer medical or mental health care for students who have experienced hazing.
- SHARE Office Victim Advocacy program: Students can seek free, confidential support to determine what they need after a hazing incident.
- Remember, hazing is never okay. For more detailed information about this topic—including care and support for those who have been hazed—please visit hazing.cornell.edu
Thank you for your leadership and efforts to support and protect the health and safety of all students.
Risk Management: Risk Guide
Contact:risk_mgmt@cornell.edu
Website: https://www.risk.cornell.edu/risk-guidance/
- Cornell Insurance Requirements
- Catering Service Provider
- Drones
- Events with Alcohol
- Events with Athletic Activities
- Internships
- Inflatables
- Preparing and Serving Food
- Private Event Insurance
- Student Travel/Trips
- Independent (EO - external) Organizations cannot reserve University Fleet services.
- Must follow the travel process, including travel the questionnaire and waivers.
- Volunteers
Campus Activities Policies
Contact: activities@cornell.edu
Website: https://scl.cornell.edu/get-involved/campus-activities
- Complete the annual re-registration process by the deadline, or deactivation will occur (resulting in a loss of recognition and access to funding). This includes all the required training outlined by CA (such as Independent Organization and Treasurer Training 101).
- Must have three student officers and a full-time faculty/staff as an advisor.
- Must have ten total club members (who are active full-time students).
- Must have an updated and accurate constitution.
- UG organizations must work their way through the Funding Track Model. By successfully completing the Funding Tracks means your organization is on track to receive funding. GPSAFC has its own funding track as GPSAFC is a part of the GP Student Assembly.
- Maintain up-to-date and accurate rosters in CampusGroups of organization membership.
- Must post their activities/events in CampusGroups.
- Must follow the Universal Funding Guidelines.
- Must follow all University Policies, departmental policies (such as policies related to event/space usage), and building policies (such as postering and space usage).
- Are subject to policies changing or being updated throughout the semester or academic year (AY).
University Policy 3.2 Student Travel and Expenses
University Policy 3.16 External Organization Accounts
University Policy 4.3 Sales Activities On Campus
University Policy 4.8 Alcohol and Other Drugs
University Policy 4.10 Use of Cornell's Name, Logos, Trademarks, and Insignias
Cornell has adopted certain authorization procedures to ensure that the university and its campuses and units are presented to the public in a consistent, coherent manner and that university resources are expended efficiently and effectively in alignment with brand guidelines. Cornell University allows the use of its name, and its logos, trademarks, insignias, and other indicia only with permission, as set forth in the principles and procedures of this policy.
Registered student organizations are eligible to use the Cornell University name in their organization name for publicity, uniforms, or other purposes, as determined by university brand guidelines regarding the use of the Cornell name, logo, and artwork, and subject to approval through University Relations.
Examples of the proper way to use the university name can be found on the university brand guidelines website.
University Policy 4.11 Establishing a New University-Related Subsidiary or Affiliated Corporation
University Policy 4.12 Data Stewardship and Custodianship
University Policy 4.16 Social Media Accounts
University Policy 4.18 Political Campaign Activity
University Policy 5.2 Mass Email Approval
University Policy 5.6 Recording and Registration of Domain Names
University Policy 5.12 Web Accessibility Standards
Cornell University is committed to providing an environment in which all people have an equal opportunity to participate in the university’s programs, activities, and services. To support this environment, all new, newly added or redesigned university web content, web pages, web functionality, websites, and web applications must be made accessible to people with disabilities to the standard prescribed by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level AA, except where doing so would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of a service, program, or activity or in undue financial and administrative burdens.
When fundamental alteration or undue burden applies, equally effective alternative means of access must be provided so that, to the maximum extent possible, individuals with disabilities receive the same benefits and services.