NORTHERN VIRGINIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Student Handbook
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STUDENT ACTIVITIES

The student activities program seeks to assist you and the faculty in reaching the goal of integrating a variety of educational, cultural, recreational, and social experiences with the College instructional program. Types of student activities include the following: student government, publications, intramurals, dramatic activities, political organizations, professional and service organizations, and music activities. All student clubs and organizations work with an advisor or sponsor from the faculty or administration. The Student Activities Office coordinates student activities and maintains an activities calendar as well as information on off-campus cultural and social events. (See "Student Organizations" and "Organizations Active at the College.")

ACTIVITIES CALENDAR

The Student Activities Office on each campus maintains an Activities Calendar for its campus. All campus-wide activities and events of interest to the campuses generally appear on the calendars. All events sponsored by campus groups must be scheduled in the Student Activities Office. These will appear on the Activities Calendar.

PUBLICITY

Student organizations are responsible for their own on-campus publicity for activities. On-campus publicity must be approved by the dean of Student Development or his/her designee. You should check with the dean or the Student Activities Office for details concerning other publicity policies.

PUBLICATIONS

A student, group, or organization of the College may not distribute written material on campus without prior approval of the dean of Student Development or his/her designee. Approval shall be granted unless, in the opinion of the dean of Student Development, the material is libelous, obscene or preaches the disruption of normal College activities. Editorial freedom of the student press entails a corollary obligation under the canons of responsible journalism. All student communications shall explicitly state on the editorial page that the opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the College or its student body.

SOLICITATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF MATERIALS ON COLLEGE PROPERTY

The College welcomes and respects the free expression of ideas, and permits the distribution of printed materials on College property as long as the distribution is not disruptive. In order that these activities not be disruptive to the regular operations of the College, conditions of time, place, manner and frequency will generally be established by the campus dean of Student Development. The following procedures will apply:

A. When no special facilities, equipment or services (e.g., rooms, audiovisual equipment, duplicating equipment, maintenance or set-up services) are requested of the College:

1. Distribution of materials or solicitation may be conducted with prior approval in any appropriate campus area except for the following: classrooms, laboratories, rest rooms, library, administrative and academic offices, doorways, and parking lots.

2. Any material remaining after the distribution or solicitation must be properly discarded. The College may impose a fine for littering, if leaflets or other advertising materials are left.

B. When special facilities, equipment or services are requested of the College:

1. A facilities use form (NVCC 105-112) must be completed in those cases where a specific room or rooms are required for distribution of materials. Appropriate forms should be submitted to the Provost's Office or his/her designee. See Section 31 of the Administrative Procedures Manual for procedures on use of College facilities.

2. A request for audiovisual or maintenance services must be submitted in accordance with campus policy.

3. Arrangements for facilities use payment and/or services must be made at the time that forms are submitted.

C. Decision by the dean of Student Development on the request for approval to solicit or distribute will be made within five working days, unless good cause exists for additional time, in which case the decision will be made as soon as reasonably possible. The requestor may appeal the decision of the dean to the provost by presenting such an appeal within five working days of the dean's decision. The provost or his/her designee will respond to the appeal within five working days, unless good cause exists for additional time, in which case the decision will be made as soon as reasonably possible.

D. No commercial distribution or solicitation is permitted except within or through the sponsorship of a College organization and with the approval of the coordinator of Student Activities (or counselor responsible for Student Activities) and the dean of Student Development. Distribution and solicitation involving faculty and/or staff must have prior approval of the provost. All requests for commercial distribution or solicitation must be reviewed in light of existing contracts. Approval will be subject to regulation as to time, place, and manner to assure non-interference with operations of the College.

E. All distribution or solicitation must be conducted with regard to conduct regulations contained in this handbook.

F. College jurisdiction extends to the property boundaries of each campus. Jurisdiction also includes all property owned, leased, controlled, used or occupied by the College except where the College may be bound by legal restrictions which may be contrary to these regulations.

G. Posting of printed materials by students and non-student groups will follow established campus procedures as to location, time limits, and responsibility for removing posted items. Approval for posting is granted only by the provost or his/her designee. Materials printed in a foreign language must be presented in the English translation prior to approval for posting.

H. Failure to adhere to these regulations may lead to loss of distribution or solicitation privileges, conduct charges, or legal proceedings.

INTRAMURALS

Recreational events which are adaptable to intramural competition are encouraged and are a part of the total physical education program provided for you at Northern Virginia Community College. The primary purpose of the intramural program is to provide an opportunity for you to participate in a variety of activities on a self-directed, self-selected basis. The Intramural Fund for supporting these activities is derived from the College Local Revenue Account.

If you are interested in pursuing some form of intramural activity which is not in the following list, contact the campus intramurals office or the Student Activities Office.

Examples of intramural activities include:
Archery Chess Personal Health/ Ten Kilometers Race
Backgammon Croquet Fitness Program Tennis
Basketball Exer-Trail Raquetball Volleyball
Bicycle Race Flag Football Skiing Walleyball
Bowling Golf Soccer Weight Lifting
Bridge Hiking Softball Whitewater Rafting
Canoeing Jogging Table Tennis

STUDENT ACTIVITY FUND

A Student Activity Fund (SAF) is established to support the program of student activities. This fund is derived from the College Local Revenue Account which is, in part, student generated. This fund is operated and controlled by the College Board under methods and procedures established by the Virginia Community College System and approved by the state auditor. During the spring semester, budget requests are submitted to the coordinator/counselor of Student Activities for the ensuing fiscal year and the monies allocated become part of the SAF.

The SAF is administered on each campus through the Student Activities Office. Information on the SAF may be obtained through the campus dean's office.

STUDENT GOVERNANCE

Students on all campuses are represented on the Campus Council. This is a body made up of students, faculty, administrators, and classified staff and is part of the College Forum. The Campus Council deals with matters of particular interest to the local campus but also makes recommendations on many collegewide issues.

In addition to representation on the Campus Council, students at some campuses have organized student governments. The Student Government Association is concerned with matters affecting students. The Student Government Constitution describes more fully the purpose and structure of this organization.

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

Organizations may be established, as hereinafter provided, within the College for any legal purpose. Affiliation with an extramural organization such as a national society shall not, in itself, disqualify the college branch or chapter from institutional privileges. Specific policies related to establishment of student organizations are listed below and in the following section, "Policies and Procedures for Recognition of Student Groups."

A. Full membership lists including a list of officers of each student organization and copies of the organization's constitution and by-laws will be filed and maintained with the campus student activities coordinator/counselor. All amendments to the constitution and/or by-laws shall be submitted for approval before becoming effective.

B. Private clubs, private associations, social fraternities and social sororities will not be recognized by the College. Where there is an affiliation with an extramural organization such as a national society, that organization's constitution and by-laws shall be filed with the student and College governing bodies. All amendments shall be submitted within a reasonable time (at least two weeks) before they are effective.

C. All organization funds will be deposited with and expended through the College Accounting Office and are subject to policies, procedures and regulations pertaining to such funds as established by the State Board for Community Colleges.

D. Recognition of an organization implies neither College approval nor disapproval of the aims, objectives, and policies of the organization. Recognition means only that the organization may use College facilities and receive other support as provided by College policies.

E. Any organization which engages in illegal activities on or off campus may have sanctions imposed against it including admonition, probation, or withdrawal of College recognition.

F. There must be a full-time faculty advisor for each student organization.

G. College facilities may be assigned to student organizations and community civic groups for regular business meetings, for social programs, and for programs open to the public, unless in the opinion of the president, the group or the planned program poses a serious threat to the continued well-being and safety of the College. Reasonable conditions may be imposed to regulate the timeliness of requests, to determine the appropriateness of the space assigned, to regulate time and use, and to ensure proper maintenance.

H. An individual, group, or organization may use the College name only with the expressed authority of the College.

I. Student organizations, including their officers and members, have no authority to speak for the College or commit the College to any agreement or undertaking. However, the College reserves the right to supervise on-campus activity, but does not assume any obligation to do so.

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR RECOGNITION OF STUDENT GROUPS

The following policies and procedures regarding the development of student groups is established to provide an orderly and timely process of official recognition to those groups organized to provide a particular service in keeping with the College's mission and goals. It is recognized that small groups of students may wish to meet, often on a short-term basis, to support a particular curricular or service interest and because of the informal nature or the temporary nature of the group, development of a constitution and formal structure may not be necessary. Such an interest group may be formed as noted in Section A of the following procedures. Those student groups anticipating a more continuing function and seeking College funding will go through a process of official recognition as a College organization.

A. Recognition of Interest Groups

An interest group may be established observing the following guidelines:

1. Any group of students wishing to form an interest group should complete an "Application for Approval as an Interest Group" and obtain approval from the Student Activities coordinator/counselor who will keep the dean of Student Development informed of all interest groups formed on the campus. Notice of approval or disapproval shall be made by the Student Activities coordinator/counselor within one month of receipt of the application.

2. The use of College facilities may be provided.

3. No revenue-producing activities will be permitted except through the sponsorship of an officially recognized organization which bears full fiscal responsibility and liability for the activity.

4. The group will not be allowed to use the College name in its title and no College funds or services will be provided to the group. However, the campus locations for meetings and activities may be designated.

5. The group shall be open to all students, faculty and staff regardless of race, color, sex, age, political affiliation, religion, handicap, or national origin.

B. Recognition as a College Organization

1. Initiating the Process

a. Any group of students wishing to form a recognized club or organization should complete the "Application of Intent" and obtain the necessary forms from the Student Activities coordinator/counselor.

b. An application for full recognition and a constitution shall be completed and approved by the Student Activities coordinator/counselor and the dean of Student Development. Notice of approval or disapproval of the application will be made by the dean of Student Development within two months of receipt of the club application. The Student Activities coordinator/counselor will circulate for review copies of all constitutions to other Student Activities coordinators/counselors, deans of Student Development and the dean of Academic and Student Services.

c. Ten NVCC student signatures are needed to achieve recognition. An organization advisor designated from the full-time College teaching or administrative faculty will be required.

d. Until recognition has been granted, the group will not be allowed to use the College name in its title and no College funds or services will be provided to the group. However, the campus locations for meetings and activities may be designated.

e. The group may sponsor revenue-producing activities.

f. Funds collected or disbursed must be accounted for according to College and state fiscal policies.

2. Final Processing

a. As soon as the constitution has been reviewed and all paperwork is in order, the provost will forward the "Application for Recognition" and the organization's constitution from the Student Activities coordinator/counselor through the campus dean of Student Development to the dean of Academic and Student Services for review and action.

b. A decision on recognition will be based on criteria established in Section 2 of the "Statement on Student Rights and Responsibilities."

c. Once an organization has been officially recognized, funds may be requested from the Student Activities coordinator/counselor. Such funds shall be used only for purposes of campuswide interest and benefit.

C. Inactive Status and Loss of Recognition

1. Inactive Status

Prior to being declared inactive, an organization's president will be so advised and given an opportunity to present relevant information on behalf of the organization. Such a hearing would be with the dean of Student Development.

a. An organization may be declared inactive by the dean of Student Development if any one of the following conditions exist:

(1) Failure to maintain the required number of members in the organization (ten).

(2) Failure to maintain a faculty advisor. The Student Activities coordinator/counselor may serve as a temporary advisor for one semester only.

(3) Failure to provide lists of officers or constitution changes to the Student Activities coordinator/counselor when requested.

(4) Failure to comply with audit requirements of club accounts when required.

(5) Failure to provide representation at coordinating meetings when scheduled.

(6) Failure to provide or engage in campus service activities when assigned by the Student Government Association or other student coordinating group.

(7) Failure to comply with College policies or any authorized directive by a College official.

b. An organization may declare itself inactive for a given semester or semesters by submitting a written request to the Student Activities coordinator/counselor.

c. Until the organization corrects all deficiencies which caused declaration of inactive status, the following actions will be observed:

(1) The organization will lose financial support from the Student Activities fund.

(2) The organization's name will not appear in campus publications such as newsletters, newspapers, and the Student Organizations Directory (where published).

(3) The organization is ineligible for any awards or honors available to recognized organizations.

2. Loss of Recognition

a. Possible reasons for loss of recognition are:

(1) Evidence of failure to comply with College/campus, local, or state policies and regulation (e.g. financial policy, policy on scheduling of events, etc.).

(2) Evidence of failure to abide by its own constitution and by-laws (e.g. discrimination in membership, misappropriation of local revenue funds, etc.).

(3) Inactivity for a period of two academic semesters excluding summer session.

b. Procedures following loss of recognition:

(1) Students interested in establishing a similar organization at some later time would follow the guidelines for "Recognition as a College Organization."

(2) Funds accrued in the student club control account (520 account) of an organization for which recognition is revoked shall revert to the Student Activity Fund.

(3) The name of the organization will not appear in the NVCC Student Handbook.

3. Implementation

a. An organization may be declared inactive by the dean of Student Development upon recommendation of the Student Activities coordinator/counselor. Appeal of this action may be submitted in writing to the provost.

b. An organization may lose official College recognition by action of the dean of Academic and Student Services.

D. Organizations Active at the College

The following organizations are active at the College at the campuses indicated.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

-A-

Academic Association of Vietnamese Students­AN

Administration of Justice Club­MA, WO

African American Student Association­WO

Alexandria Campus Historical Association­AL

Alexandria Campus Music Club­AL

Alexandria Honors Association­AL

All-Afrikan Student Union­AL

All Students Federation­AL

American Institute of Architecture Students­AL, AN

American Society for Travel Agents­AN

American Society of Interior Designers­LO

Arabic Club­AL

Arab Student Association­AN

Aristos Xenia Tourismos­AN

Art Students League­AL

Association for Cooperative Education Students (ACES)­AL

Association of Student Animal Science Technicians­LO

Auto Association­AL, MA

Aviation Club­MA

-B-
Black Student Alliance­AN

-C-
Christian Student Union­AN, MA

Club Filipino­AN

College Democrats­MA

College Republicans­MA

-D-
Dancers, Etc.­AL

Data Processing Management Association­AL, LO

Dental Hygienists Association­AN

Deutscher Klub­AL

-E-
Ecology/Environmental Club­MA

-F-
Fitness Club­AL

Free Speech Society­AN

French Alliance­AN

-H-
Hispanic Student Union­AN

Historical Association­AL

H.O.P.E. (Help Others Protect the Environment)­WO

Horticulture Club­LO

-I-
InterCouncil Committee­MA

International Club­AL, AN, WO

International Student Council­AN

-K-
Korean Christian Student Fellowship­AN

Korean Student Club­AN

-L-
Le Cercle Francais­AN

-M-
Maturals (Mature Adult Learners)­AL

Medieval Society­AN

Music Club­AL

Music Recording Technical Assoc.­LO

Musica NOVA­AN

Muslim Students Association­AL, AN

-N-
Natural Science Club­AL

NOVA Art Association­AN

NOVA Jazz Club­AN

NOVAN Theatre Players­AN

Nursing Students' Association­AN

-O-
Omega Engineering Students­AN

Omphalos­LO

Organization of Black Educated Youths­LO

Outdoor Adventure Club­WO

-P-
Peer Assistants Club­AL

Phi Beta Lambda (National Business Organization)­AN, MA

Phi Theta Kappa Alumni Association­AN

Phi Theta Kappa Fraternity (National Junior College Honorary Scholastic Society)­AL, AN, LO, MA, WO

Physical Therapist Assistants Club­AN

Psychology Club­AL

-R-
Radiography Association­AN

Recreation and Parks Society­AN

-S-
Science Club­AN

Society for Black Students Concerns­MA

Society for Minority Concerns

Society for Physics Students­AN

Society of Hosteurs­AN

Spanish Club­AN

Spanish-American Latin Student Association (SALSA)­AL

Student Activities Board­AL

Student Chapter NAVTA (North American Veterinary Technician Assoc.)­LO

Student Education Association­MA

Student Government Association­AN

Student Photography Association­AL

Students for Drug Education & Addiction Prevention­AL

-T-
Thespians of Northern Virginia­AL

Tutorial Club­AL

STUDENT ACTIVITIES OFFICE

This office is responsible for coordinating and implementing the policies and procedures pertaining to the operation of campus organizations and activities. In addition to assisting the Student Government (where applicable), student publications, and clubs, the Student Activities Office helps individual students, informal groups, and faculty and staff to develop new activities and services to meet the needs of the campus community. Contact this office to find out what types of programs have been established on your campus.

If you see a need which is not being met, tell someone about it--better yet, DO something about it. Suggestions and requests for social, cultural, recreational, and co-curricular activities are most welcome.

STUDENT ACTIVITIES RECORD CARD

The Student Activities Record Card is an "official record" of your participation and involvement in the extracurricular program at NVCC. If you've been involved in a student organization, interest group, student publication, intramurals program, college/campus committee or task force (to name just a few), don't overlook the opportunity to record these activities. The card is prepared on a request basis only.

You may obtain a Record Card in the campus Student Activities Office. After you initiate action for the card, you are responsible for submitting and updating all of the information to be included on it. At your written request, a copy of the card will be sent to prospective employers or to transfer institutions.

STUDENT PUBLICATIONS

The students on each campus are responsible for developing student publications which respond to the needs of the campus and the College. The students of the Annandale Campus publish a newspaper, Frontlines, and the Annandale Co-Curricular Programs and Services prints a newsletter, The Student Activities Update. The Alexandria Campus has a newspaper, The Collective. The students at the Manassas Campus publish a student newspaper, The Experience, and a literary magazine, Out of Chaos. The students of the Woodbridge Campus publish a student newspaper, Voice, and a literary magazine, Dimensions. Newsbriefs, the student newsletter of the Loudoun Campus, is published by the Student Development Office.

If you have ideas or suggestions for additional publications or for broadening existing publications, you are encouraged to contact the individual publication staffs or the Campus Student Publications Committee through the Student Activities Office for the development of your ideas and possible funding.

If you are interested in serving on the staffs of the student publications, you should contact the following:

Alexandria Campus Room 148, Bisdorf Building, 845-6207
Annandale Campus Upper CF Building, 323-3147
Loudoun Campus Room 216, Classroom Building, 450-2571
Manassas Campus Room 110, Classroom Building, 257-6665
Woodbridge Campus Room 402K, Classroom Building, 878-5668

 

 

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