80.00 POLICY ON STUDENT GOVERNMENTS

81.00

Chancellors have authority to authorize or discontinue student governments as official units of the University of California, responsible for representing student constituencies comprising either the student body as a whole or particular segments of it. Chancellors may also assign to such student governments specified powers and other responsibilities concerning student affairs.

82.00

Student governments may be supported by either compulsory or voluntary fees. Fees established to support a student government must be approved by the Chancellor, except that no compulsory fees shall be effective until approved by The Regents.

83.00

Compulsory fees to support a student government may be established or increased only following a referendum in which at least a majority of a voting pool, as specified prior to the referendum in campus regulations, vote in favor of compulsory fees.

83.10

Compulsory student government fees shall not be used to support political, ideological, or religious organizations or activities, including, but not limited to, lobbying of public agencies or officials. Definitions of such organizations and activities are provided in the University's Guidelines for Implementing the Requirements of Smith v. Regents.

83.20

Compulsory student government fees may be used for educational purposes germane to the University's mission, including support for registered campus organizations and student activities. However, such fees may not be used to support organizations or activities which are predominantly political, ideological, or religious. Chancellors shall develop guidelines and procedures to determine which registered campus organizations and activities are eligible for compulsory student government fee funding and shall establish procedures to allow a student to seek a refund of that portion of his or her fee which he or she believes continues to support political, ideological, or religious organizations or activities. Chancellors shall determine whether student governments or the campus administration is responsible for litigation costs that are incurred as a result of violations of this section.

84.00

Student governments shall have the right to address and take positions on public issues, as consideration of such matters serves the University's educational purposes. Positions on issues taken by student governments shall not be represented as or deemed to be official positions of the University. No compulsory student government fees shall be expended in support of such positions. Any expenditures in support of such positions, funded by voluntary student fees, must avoid any implication that the positions taken are sponsored, endorsed, or favored by the University. This does not affect the right of any student, as an individual, to petition governmental officials or bodies.

85.00

Chancellors are responsible for the fiscal soundness of student governments. In the discharge of this responsibility, Chancellors may make audits of the finances of student governments, exercise control over expenditures of their funds when and to the extent necessary to maintain financial solvency of student governments, and where necessary may take action to ensure that any activity under control of student governments is operated in accordance with sound business practices consonant with University policies and procedures applicable to such practices.

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