Recognized student organizations are expected to comply with the law and all existing MIT policies, remain in good standing with the Institute and the ASA, and manage their leadership, membership, operations, finances, and activities responsibly while upholding community standards and fostering a culture of accountability and respect.
Student organizations are accountable for the actions of their officers, members, guests, as well as for the actions of participants at their sponsored events. When behavior that does not comply with existing law and policy occurs in connection with an organization’s activities, operations, or use of Institute resources, the actions of a single individual can result in accountability actions against an organization, particularly when leadership, oversight, risk management, or compliance responsibilities are not met.
SOLE, in collaboration with DSL, ASA, the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (OSCCS), the Committee on Discipline (COD), and other Institute offices as appropriate, may take administrative or disciplinary action when a student organization fails to meet expectations. These actions help protect the MIT community, address misconduct or operational concerns, ensure compliance with Institute requirements, and preserve the integrity of the student organization recognition process.
Depending on the nature and severity of the concern, accountability action may include Interim Action, Frozen Status, Suspension, or De-recognition.
Concerns that may result in administrative or disciplinary action include, but are not limited to:
- Failure to complete required MIT or ASA processes.
- Failure to comply with the law or MIT policies, procedures, and directives.
- Unsafe or prohibited events, activities, or travel.
- Hazing or other prohibited new-member practices.
- Harassment or discrimination.
- Retaliation, including adverse action against an individual for reporting a concern, participating in an Institute accountability process, or assisting in the review of possible misconduct.
- Misuse of student organization funds or other Institute resources.
- Failure to comply with event, safety, or risk management requirements.
- Repeated policy violations or noncompliance.
- Significant leadership or operational breakdowns affecting the organization’s ability to function responsibly.
In responding to such concerns, SOLE or DSL may require meetings with core executive officers, request records or other relevant information, impose conditions or restrictions, and refer matters to other Institute offices or processes as appropriate.
Interim Action
Interim Action is a temporary precautionary measure that may be issued by SOLE, OSCCS, or DSL leadership when there is a reasonable basis to conclude that a student organization’s continued operations, activities, or access to Institute resources may:
- Pose a risk to health or safety.
- Pose a risk to Institute property.
- Interfere with an Institute review or process.
- Involve serious or repeated noncompliance with Institute policy or directives.
- Otherwise warrant immediate restriction pending further review.
Interim Action is not a final determination. Its purpose is to temporarily pause or limit a student organization’s activity while MIT assesses the circumstances and determines an appropriate response.
Interim Action may include temporary restrictions on:
- Hosting, sponsoring, or participating in events or activities.
- Recruitment, intake, travel, or social activity.
- Reserving or using Institute space.
- Access to student organization funds and spending authority.
- Access to the organization’s Engage page or other organization-related systems.
- Other student organization privileges.
Interim Action may also include required meetings with SOLE, submission of records or event-related materials, or other temporary conditions reasonably related to the concern.
Failure to comply with Interim Action may result in additional restrictions, Suspension, De-recognition, and referral to another Institute process.
Frozen Status
Frozen Status is an administrative restriction related to recognition requirements and is not, by itself, a disciplinary finding.
Student organizations that do not complete required re-registration processes by the communicated deadline, for example, will be placed in Frozen Status. To be unfrozen, core executive officers must schedule and attend a meeting with a designated SOLE staff member and/or submit required corrections within the communicated grace period.
Frozen student organizations may not:
- Reserve or using Institute space.
- Access student organization funds and spending authority.
- Access the organization’s Engage page or other organization-related systems.
Student organizations that do not complete the unfreezing process by the end of the communicated grace period will be automatically de-recognized on the following business day.
Suspension
Suspension is a temporary status assigned by DSL, OSCCS, and/or the COD. Suspension applies to student organizations that have failed to demonstrate consistent, successful management of their group’s leadership, membership, operations, resources, or activities. Suspended student groups lose access to privileges reserved for recognized student organizations. DSL, OSCCS, and/or the COD determines the terms of suspension and the conditions for an organization’s reinstatement on a case-by-case basis. Interim Action may precede Suspension.
Suspended student organizations lose access to many privileges; restrictions may include:
- Hosting, sponsoring, or participating in events as a recognized student organization.
- Recruiting or conducting intake activities.
- Reserving or using Institute space.
- Access to student organization funds and spending authority.
- Access to the organization’s Engage page or other organization-related systems.
- Other student organization privileges.
DSL, OSCCS, and/or the COD will determine the terms of Suspension and reinstatement conditions on a case-by-case basis.
De-recognition
Sometimes the interests or issues leading to the formation of a student organization fade. MIT needs a process for de-recognizing organizations that are no longer active. It also needs a process for managing cases where an organization is not being appropriately led or managed. These processes are identical.
A student organization may be de-recognized when it is not re-registered by the communicated deadline or for administrative or conduct-related reasons, including:
- Conduct that violates the law or MIT policies with a severity or persistence that warrants loss of recognition.
- Failure to meet required administrative obligations.
- Inactivity or loss of organizational capacity.
- Non-completion of the unfreezing process by the end of the grace period.
Notice of De-recognition
Upon de-recognition, an email will be sent to the student organization’s group officer mailing list, as listed in Engage, providing formal notice of de-recognition, guidance from the ASA and SOLE regarding the de-recognition process, and information about re-recognition should the group intend to remain active. If there is no response, the student organization will be automatically de-recognized on the working day following the grace period deadline specified in the notice.
Effects of De-recognition
De-recognition results in immediate:
- Loss of all student organization privileges.
- Cancellation of all scheduled or pending events.
- Resolution and payment of any pending financial commitments; no new transactions will be accepted.
- Frozen financial accounts; any remaining funds will be reallocated after three years if the organization is not re-recognized.
- Loss of access to ASA-allocated space and removal of items by the communicated deadline; organizations will have one month to remove belongings, after which any remaining items will be donated to other student organizations or disposed of.
Property of De-recognized Organizations
There is a one-month deadline to remove belongings from ASA-allocated spaces; after one month, all remaining items will be donated to other student organizations or disposed of. Student organizations de-recognized as part of the spring re-registration cycle will have until the final week of September of the same year to collect items from their ASA-allocated space.
All student organization property purchased with Institute funds is owned by MIT. The ASA executive board and the funding boards of the UA and GSC are responsible for the allocation of property to other student organizations.
Finances
All student organization funds are Institute funds. Student organizations are responsible for managing these funds in accordance with Institute policies and procedures. Upon de-recognition, any remaining funds in a student organization’s account will remain inactive for three years. During this period, former members may seek re-recognition in accordance with Institute procedures. If the organization is not re-recognized within three years, any remaining funds will be returned to the Institute’s general fund.