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My name is Kevin Reid and I am currently pursuing the completion of my Masters degree in Student Development and Leadership in Higher Education. I have worked in the Student Life Department at Angelo State for 4 years now with 2 of those years spent as the Graduate Assistant for Community Service. Throughout my time spent working in higher education I have had the honor of being mentored by several outstanding professionals who have inspired me to go after a role within this career field. My perspective on education is focused on the beneficiary characteristics of both sides of the spectrum including faculty/staff and the student. The importance of student involvement in student organizations and the development that is experienced concurrently is my subject of choice throughout this assignment. I chose this topic because of my personal experiences as a member and leader within student organizations but also because of the role I plan on withholding post completion of my degree. I plan on working alongside diverse student organizations highlighting sport, religion, special interests and more as a coordinator or director on a college or university campus.

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For this assignment I had the pleasure of interviewing one of the most respected and passionate educational professionals in my community,  Erin Whitford. She serves as the Division Co-Chair of Arts and Sciences, Assistant Professor of English, Blackboard eTrainer, and the Advisor for Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and the Baptist Student Ministry at Howard College in San Angelo, Texas. Throughout our interview, we discussed the significance of being an education professional and the role that accompanies it. I chose to interview her because of positions she holds especially as an advisor for for two student organizations. She spoke about how she believes that student involvement in clubs or organizations should be valued and taken advantage of. She stated that  student engagement in student organizations is important to education because of the values and skills learned within it. She also said that the amount of growth she sees from students in organizations compared to a few who are not is substantial. Students are surrounded with peers with similar interests who are in an organizations to highlight those interests. As educators we have the role of supporting students and sharpening their tools and skills  to build their platform they can be successful in and involvement in student organizations provides more space for their platform to be constructed. Student organizations are impacting the education world because students are in need of a supportive environment and organizations provide that. Not only so but it also provides a stress relief from the added on pressure academics bring nowadays. Student organizations provide networking opportunities, chances to serve the community through service, and also make a stamp on their campus. Erin showed me a few great practices to install in relation to student organizations. The first being to challenge the students in ways that will result in growth. An example could be challenging their creativity in ways to advertise, recruit, or inspire positive change. The second practice being to underline the benefits of collaborating with and amongst other student organizations. This allows students to connect with other students and instills growth in their communication skills. Another practice in education she provided was to encourage involvement on and off campus. Exuding pride at your college or university with your organization shows spirit and strengthens your overall higher education impression. Also student involvement in the surrounding community can create many positive experiences through service. Even with many great aspects of student involvement with organizations, issues may still arise. Erin believes and I agree that student programming alongside student organizations is linked to student retention rates within a college or university. Some of the highlights of being a apart of a student organization is gathering together for activities. During a global pandemic influenced by COVID-19 makes it more and more difficult for students to gather and participate in a student organization, This where the current emerging issues are present. Recruitment for student organizations are decreasing because of the increasing guidelines related to student gathering. As educators we must collaborate with students and come up with possible outcomes that abide within the current restrictions to still have student involvement. I asked Erin of ways she has assisted her organizations during this time to where she provided a few great ideas. She has encouraged virtual programs fir her students that involved writing letters and sending in gifts to kids in hospitals and adults in retirement communities. She has found ways to meet with students online or in a classroom by taking and installing the right precautions of social distancing, mask wearing, and proper sanitizing techniques. She has also gained members in the organizations she advises because of her efforts guided by her passion for student organizations. One thing Erin mentioned in the process of this interview was how much influence student organizations have on and off campus. She said this was brought to her attentions during the first few weeks of students returning to campus after the brief break due to COVID-19 when it came to enforcing the new rules and regulations for safety protocol. I believe that it is one thing to have a faculty or staff member to tell you what to do but when it comes from a peer within your organization, you are more than likely going to abide.

References
Whitford, E. (2020, September 3). Personal interview [Personal interview].

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Come to Howard College Programs of Study Continuing Education and Workforce Training TxCHSE (GED) – Adult Education and Literacy Open Roads Promise Financial Aid & Scholarships Dual Credit Jobs at Howard College Calendar

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This study focused on the learning experience of students within their student organizations throughout their time at Texas A&M University. It reflected on over 1,000 students from 85 student organizations. This was done to highlight the benefits of student involvement within an educational institution and the value towards the college or university student organizations can bring.

References
Cox, K. (2012). Reflections on student involvement: a comprehensive co-curricular approach. National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. Retrieved from https://naspa.org/course/reflections-on-student-involvement-a-comprehensive-co-curricular-approach

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Student Success Student Leadership Programs

Student affairs can struggle measuring the credibility of student learning in the co-curricular and how involvement enhances the quality of students' college education. The Texas A&M Division of Student Affairs examined the value of co-curricular experiences through a reflection project. This project, currently in its third year, provided students the opportunity to reflect on their learning in their involvement throughout the academic year. The study, initially involving 1,000+ students from approximately 85 organizations, focused on lifelong and integrative learning.

In this session, the presenter will share project details and changes over the three different years of the study. Additionally, there will be information about the assessment methods, what was learned, and how this approach could be applied at other institutions.

Students learn through various experiences while in college, including co-curricular experiences outside the classroom. There is an increasing demand for institutions to be accountable for higher education expenditures by demonstrating their value to a quality college education. The Aggies Commit: Reflections on Student Involvement project, addresses what students learn through participation in student organizations and how this learning connects with their academic and career goals. This project seeks to document the value of participation in student organizations. Benefits can be seen in terms of added value for tuition expenditures and in the value of marketable skills after graduation.

The Division of Student Affairs at Texas A&M University wanted to explore what students learn through their involvement in student organizations, specifically understanding this from a divisional perspective. Several organization advisors utilized the idea from leadership moments to administer a reflection process with student leaders. This project, first initiated in 2012-2013, is currently in its third cycle and has involved over 1,000 students from 80+ student organizations.

Learning Outcomes

Participants will:

* articulate the importance of documenting learning in the co-curricular;
* evaluate reflection as a method to document learning; and
* implement plans to facilitate reflection with students.

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Reflections on Student Involvement: A Comprehensive Co-Curricular Approach

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Student Success Student Leadership Programs Student affairs can struggle measuring the credibility of student learning in the co-curricular and how involvement enhances the quality of students' college education. The Texas A&M Division of Student Affairs examined the value of co-curricular experiences through a reflection project.

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This article follows a few colleges in Texas and how student organizations are handling the new guidelines and restrictions when it comes to gathering.

Baylor University and Texas A&M University have made strides cracking down on off campus student gatherings.

Many anonymous reports have been made of student organizations mainly Greek life oriented groups have been hosting recruitment events and parties.

Universities all over Texas are struggling to figure out the proper steps to enforce and encourage students to abide by state mandated protocol not just on campus but off campus as well. Threatening students with a 100% online course schooling has been the main voice of urgency.

Universities in Texas have witnessed spikes in the last few weeks and administrators are collaborating with students, city officials, law enforcement, and community members.

References
Harper, K. (2020, September 08). Texas universities blame off-campus parties for rising COVID-19 cases, but few are disciplining students. The Texas Tribune. Retrieved from https://www.texastribune.org/2020/09/08/texas-universities-coronavirus-parties/

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Need to stay updated on coronavirus news in Texas? Our evening roundup will help you stay on top of the day's latest updates. Sign up here.
As Texas college towns see rising COVID-19 cases with the return of hundreds of thousands of students to campus, a small but increasing number of universities are disciplining students who attend or host house parties or Greek rush events.

"We have already begun formal action with both individuals and organizations," Kristen Harrell, associate director for student life and student affairs at Texas A&M University, said Friday. "We will continue to take action on reports where we can specifically identify students or organizations."

Schools, desperate to keep their doors open but worried about health risks to their students, are being put in the uncomfortable position of having to govern young adult behavior that is mostly happening off university property.

Baylor University is taking a comparatively hard line against students who violate the codes - promising fines, suspending Greek houses and a handful of students after parties, and increasing university police patrols in off-campus areas heavily populated by students.

At Texas A&M University, officials are urging members of the community to report student activity off campus that violates local, state and university health protocols such gatherings of more than 10 people and students not wearing masks.

But while reports of those crackdowns are beginning to increase, most Texas universities aren't penalizing individual students for partying that takes place off-site.

Instead, those schools are relying heavily on cities, property managers, national organizations and the students themselves to combat risky off-campus behavior that threatens to increase community spread of the coronavirus.

The reasons: lack of resources, an emphasis on personal responsibility, or the fear that stiff penalties for noncompliance will backfire.

"We just have to trust that the measures that we've taken on campus follow them around," said Dean Wilkinson, spokesperson for Sul Ross State University in Alpine. "We can't sit there and monitor every single off-campus resident and what they're doing. It's just not feasible."

University leaders and health officials acknowledge that the desire to keep campuses safe and open often clashes with the logistics and, perhaps more significantly, the concern that punishment could deter students from getting tested, self-reporting cases and participating in contact tracing.

"I would love for universities to be able to provide some sort of punishment to students that are blatantly violating the social-gathering rules and having large house parties and organized events," said Eric Schneider, epidemiologist for Hays County, home to Texas State University in San Marcos, which had one of the state's highest per capita rates of positive COVID-19 cases in the spring, mainly among young adults. "But it's a challenging line that they have to straddle because they want students to participate and help out when they do have a positive test, and to provide us with contact tracing and tell us who they were with, where they were at.

"But they don't want to cause panic and fear across the campus as they're basically trying to get back to normal."

A concerning situation

Reports of private house parties and rush events - as much a part of the back-to-school culture as student orientation - turned into national headlines and resulted in suspensions of Greek houses by their governing bodies, strongly worded messages to students from school administrators, and cautionary tales of infected students mingling in dorms and on campus.

A University of Texas at Austin student who witnessed Greek recruiting events said his peers "are pretending the virus doesn't exist."

"There would be 80, 90 kids in one room and no masks," said the student, who asked not to be named because of fear of repercussion by Greek organizations.

Many of the Greek events have since been halted, he said, but the off-campus parties continue.

"It's like all these kids do not care about the virus," he said. "I have a feeling that the campus is going to shut down soon."

UT-Austin has acknowledged in messages to students that off-campus parties were an issue at the start of the semester and encouraged them to stop large gatherings to prevent spread of the virus.

Nationally, schools such as Notre Dame University, California State University and the University of North Carolina moved classes online after cases spiked on campus. Notre Dame reopened classes after two weeks.

In a recent national survey by Washington, D.C.-based EAB, an education research organization, nearly three-quarters of campus leaders and officials said their greatest concern about repopulating campuses was "getting students to follow social distancing guidelines" on campus, said EAB Managing Director Liz Rothenberg.

Those concerns only get worse when the situation moves off campus. At UT-Austin, only about 17% of the school's approximately 50,000 enrolled students live on campus.

"Enforcing social distancing in classrooms, libraries, and other public spaces isn't easy, but schools know they have little to no control over whether students adhere to safety guidelines when they go off campus or in private spaces in residence halls," Rothenberg said in an email.

Last week, Lubbock, home to Texas Tech University, experienced its highest single-day jump in cases since the virus was first reported in the city.

Officials there called an emergency press conference and blamed off-campus activities, but made no announcements regarding additional enforcement efforts. Instead, they urged students to comply or face a school year that is 100% online.

Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec said Friday that these gatherings "present a challenge" to efforts to stop the spread of the virus. The parties are being reported to the school and local police, both by members of the university and by local residents, but enforcement can be difficult.

"The mayor, city council, and the local police have been very cooperative and supportive, but we all recognize that success in suppressing these gatherings is mixed," he said in an email. "I've met with leaders of student organizations this week. They are proactive in their communication to the student body and supportive of the university's efforts to enforce compliance with our safety protocols."

Texas school officials say the situation is scary, to say the least.

"Certainly for any institution, worrying about what you can't control keeps you up at night," Wilkinson said. "I was at UT myself. I was in Greek life. I know what that looks like, and I know what parties look like."

Outside enforcement

With a few exceptions, discipline for off-campus house parties and Greek rush events that violate local pandemic-era health ordinances is largely left to national fraternity and sorority organizations and local authorities.

"The university has rules it enforces on campus, and we rely on local authorities to enforce their rules off campus, which we support," said J.B. Bird, spokesperson for UT-Austin, which has been in the spotlight in recent months for student gatherings that violated social-distancing rules.

At Texas State University, the rules allow for sanctions against students for "off-campus conduct that is likely to have an adverse impact on the campus," said spokesperson Jayme Blaschke, but none so far have been disciplined for coronavirus-related violations.

Citing privacy rules, UT-Austin officials won't say whether any students were sanctioned after a trip by 211 students to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, for spring break resulted in positive COVID-19 tests for at least 49 students.

Austin and Travis County Public Health officials have met with police and city officials, Greek houses, apartment complex managers and student groups to ask for help in both enforcement and prevention of large gatherings off campus and similarly risky events.

UT-Austin has also contacted property managers at some of the major housing complexes for college students when officials learn that residents have hosted large house parties or other events on their properties, UT interim President Jay Hartzell told students in a recent message.

"Property managers are eager to use our information to improve the safety of their communities," Hartzell said.

Officials at the University of North Texas are asking national Greek organizations and off-campus housing organizations to prohibit guests from their properties, similar to what the school is doing on campus.

Penalize organizations, not people

Perhaps the most power that Texas universities can wield over off-campus student behavior comes through its recognized organizations, from sororities to student government and beyond.

Holding groups accountable for their actions as representatives of the school allows the universities to easily extend their enforcement procedures beyond the campus boundaries.

Most of the disciplinary action that has been reported has been connected to activities sponsored by fraternities and sororities, where schools have reported violations to national organizations overseeing these houses.

Texas State, Baylor, UT-Austin, Texas Christian University and Texas A&M are among the major universities that have experienced problems with organized groups - mainly Greek houses - hosting parties or events that violate pandemic-era protocols.

At TCU in Fort Worth, officials asked two sororities to self-quarantine.

UT-Austin reached out to the national offices and the advisers of student groups, including at least one sorority, after widely circulated Aug. 24 images showed a rush event off campus with a large group of unmasked women clustered on the street, officials said.

"The students who were in the photo on social media put themselves and others at risk and should get tested through the university's Proactive Community Testing program," read a statement released by UT-Austin. "We are reaching out to the advisors and national offices of the groups whose members were at the gathering to reinforce our expectations and will continue to look to the City of Austin to enforce its orders on public gatherings."

At Baylor, the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and several students were suspended in late August after two Greek house parties were reported to Waco police the week before classes resumed, according to a statement by Kevin Jackson, vice president for student life.

"It is important for you to know that out of care for the entire university community, we will take swift disciplinary action to address incidents of misconduct related to COVID-19," Jackson said. "Investigations since last weekend have resulted in several students being placed in an interim suspension status and the overall suspension of a student organization."

At Southern Methodist University, rules say that student organizations found responsible for violating the expectations outlined in the pledge will also be subject to disciplinary action, although officials there have not confirmed any sanctions so far.

Blaschke said that at Texas State, some social distancing violations have been reported at Greek houses that were previously suspended from campus activities for violations unrelated to the pandemic.

In those cases, he said, "Texas State has taken steps to notify their national headquarters and share law enforcement reports in our possession."

Personal responsibility

By far, the most trumpeted method for curtailing risky behavior will be messaging campaigns.

At Texas A&M University in College Station, officials created a "street team in response to students hanging out in groups larger than 10 people, as well as not wearing masks," said Kelly Brown, associate vice president of marketing and communications at the school.

The team members hand out masks and encourage their fellow students to follow the guidelines so that campus can stay open, she said.

At TCU, among other schools, students signed a pledge upon returning to campus and are pushing personal responsibility at the school.

"It is our expectation that all of our community members will abide by our guidelines for a healthy campus," a TCU spokesperson said responding to questions about possible disciplinary measures. "In addition, our plan takes an aggressive stance on prevention measures by educating and asking our community to follow our health and safety guidelines, and be tested, take classes online and quarantine or isolate as necessary."

Sul Ross, Texas Tech, the University of Texas at Arlington and several other schools say they have launched aggressive campaigns that include videos, video messages from administrators and social media posts to hammer home the importance of following protocols.

The personal responsibility line has resonated with student leaders on 35 Texas campuses, who recently formed the Collegiate Health Alliance of Texas as a way to push students to "understand what your role is and understand the power that each of us individually holds to really dictate how the semester will look," said Austin Hickle, 21, an Southern Methodist University junior and head of the new organization.
Disclosure: Baylor University, Sul Ross State University, Southern Methodist University, Texas A&M University, Texas Christian University, Texas Tech University, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Texas at Arlington and the University of North Texas have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.
"We were not formed because we felt that there was a lack of leadership from administrators," Hickle said. "We were formed to actively engage students to do our part, and to understand that this COVID pandemic is one of our generation's defining moments, and to step up and really understand that shared responsibility."

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Texas universities blame off-campus parties for rising COVID-19 cases, but few are disciplining students

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Need to stay updated on coronavirus news in Texas? Our evening roundup will help you stay on top of the day's latest updates. Sign up here. As Texas college towns see rising COVID-19 cases with the return of hundreds of thousands of students to campus, a small but increasing number of universities are disciplining students who attend or host house parties or Greek rush events.

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This article covers how 3 colleges formed an initiative to encourage students to abide by protocols and wear their masks, socially distance, and sanitize regularly.

Educational institutions have formed a group of student leaders from student organizations to help enforce guidelines and restrictions.

At the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, administrators have even hired student leaders to enforce COVID-19 regulations because they believe peer to peer encouragement is more beneficial and will lead to more students acting with the new policies in mind.

Students who do not comply with the rule regulations can be reported on a hotline and if that reported student receives more than one complaint he or she may face severe consequences from the college or university.

The University of Miami in Florida has emphasized that they are educating and not enforcing. Students there as well as schools across the nation do not want to shut down again and go back to all online courses. They believe with the team of ambassadors formed from student organizations, that things will be more controlled on campus.

References
Berg, A. (2020, September 01). How 3 colleges are using student 'ambassadors' to enforce social distancing. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from https://www.chronicle.com/article/how-3-colleges-are-using-student-ambassadors-to-enforce-social-distancing

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Christian Legal Society v. Martinez 561 US 661 (2010)

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Christian Legal Society v. Martinez 561 US 661 (2010)

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The Christian Legal Society Chapter of the University of California sued their university for violating it's First Amendment rights.

State Law says that all student organizations must allow the participation of all students and universities or colleges could withhold funds if they didn't comply.

This organization also requires it's members to believe in the word of God and apply it to their life.

The case was dismissed.

Source of Law: Judicial Law

Reference
Christian Legal Society Chapter v. Martinez. (2010). Oyez. Retrieved from https://www.oyez.org/cases/2009/08-1371

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Christian Legal Society Chapter v. Martinez

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A case in which the Court held that a college's mandate requiring all officially-recognized student organizations be inclusive and welcoming to all students did not violate a group of Christian students' First Amendment rights when the college refused to recognize a student group that required all members to sign a statement of Christian beliefs for membership.

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Texas Education Code § 51.9315 Protected Expression on Campus

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Texas Education Code § 51.9315 Protected Expression on Campus

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Protects the expressive rights of a registered student organization.

Recognizes student organization's freedom of speech and right to assembly within an educational institutions

Student organizations also have access to to funds through application.

Source of Law: Statutory Law

Reference
Tex. Educ. Code § 51.9315

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Texas Education Code Section 51.9315 - Protected Expression on Campus - 2019 Texas Statutes - Texas Statutes

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Title 3, Higher Education; Subtitle A, Higher Education in General; Chapter 51, Provisions Generally Applicable to Higher Education; Section 51.9315, Protected Expression on Campus. Refreshed: 2020-09-28

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Texas Education Code § 51.9361 Risk Management Programs for Members and Advisors of Student Organizations

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Texas Education Code § 51.9361 Risk Management Programs for Members and Advisors of Student Organizations

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Requires all registered student organization members and their organization advisor to complete risk management training.

Must be knowledgeable of the following topics in order to complete training:

use of alcoholic beverages and illegal drugs and the possible penalties of use, hazing, sexual abuse and harassment, fire and other safety issues, behavior at parties and other events held by a student organization, issues regarding persons with disabilities, and more.

Source of Law: Statutory Law

Reference
Tex. Educ. Code § 51.9361

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(a) In this section:

(1) "Advisor" means a person who:

(A) serves in an advisory capacity to a student organization to provide guidance to the organization and its members;

(B) is older than 21 years of age;  and

(C) is not a student of the postsecondary educational institution at which the student organization is registered.

(2) "Postsecondary educational institution" means:

(A) an institution of higher education as defined by Section 61.003 , except that the term does not include a medical and dental unit or other agency of higher education as those terms are defined by that section;  and

(B) a private or independent institution of higher education as defined by Section 61.003 , except that the term does not include:

(i) a health-related institution;  or

(b) This section applies only to a student organization that is registered at a postsecondary educational institution and that is composed mostly of students enrolled at the institution.  Notwithstanding Section 1.001(a) , this section applies to each postsecondary educational institution at which is registered one or more student organizations.

(c) At least once during each academic year, a postsecondary educational institution shall provide a risk management program for members of student organizations registered at the institution.  Any member of a student organization who is not otherwise required to attend may attend the program.

(d) Unless a postsecondary educational institution requires each student organization registered at the institution to have representatives of the organization attend a program under this section, the institution shall adopt a policy that specifies one or more of those student organizations or types of student organizations that are required to have representatives attend.  The selection of student organizations or types of student organizations under the policy must be based on the institution's determination that those organizations or types of organizations could particularly benefit from risk management guidance.  Each advisor who has not previously attended a program under this section and each person serving in a designated officer position of a student organization that is required to have representatives attend a program under this section shall attend the program.  An institution may allow an advisor, other than a faculty or staff member of the institution, to satisfy the attendance requirements prescribed by this subsection through completion of an appropriate computer-based risk assessment program.

(e) For purposes of Subsection (d), the institution may designate not more than four officer positions of a student organization, such as the president, membership chair, risk management chair, social chair, or pledge class or new member chair.  If a student organization does not have an officer position described by this subsection or if an officer position described by Subsection (d) is vacant, the institution shall, to the extent practicable, identify and designate an equivalent officer position, and the person serving in that officer position shall attend the program.

(f) Each advisor or officer required by Subsection (d) to attend a program shall report on the program's contents at a meeting of the full membership of the student organization the advisor or officer represented at the program.

(g) A program under this section may address any issue determined appropriate by the postsecondary educational institution and must address:

(1) possession and use of alcoholic beverages and illegal drugs, including penalties that may be imposed for possession or use;

(3) sexual abuse and harassment;

(4) fire and other safety issues, including the possession and use of a firearm or other weapon or of an explosive device;

(5) travel to a destination outside the area in which the institution is located;

(6) behavior at parties and other events held by a student organization;

(7) adoption by a student organization of a risk management policy;  and

(8) issues regarding persons with disabilities, including a review of applicable requirements of federal and state law, and any related policies of the institution, for providing reasonable accommodations and modifications to address the needs of students with disabilities, including access to the activities of the student organization.

(h) A postsecondary educational institution shall provide notice of a program under this section to student organizations in the manner determined by the institution.

(i) A postsecondary educational institution shall take attendance at a program provided under this section in the manner determined appropriate by the institution and may, as provided by a policy adopted by the institution, impose reasonable sanctions on a person who is required to attend the program and fails to attend.  The institution shall, until at least the third anniversary of the date of the program, maintain in an appropriate location at the institution a record of that attendance and of notice provided under Subsection (h).

FindLaw Codes are provided courtesy of Thomson Reuters Westlaw, the industry-leading online legal research system. For more detailed codes research information, including annotations and citations, please visit Westlaw.

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Texas Education Code § 51.9361 | FindLaw

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Search by Keyword or Citation (a) In this section: (1) "Advisor" means a person who: (A) serves in an advisory capacity to a student organization to provide guidance to the organization and its members; (B) is older than 21 years of age;  and (C) is not a student of the postsecondary educational institution at which the student organization is registered.

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Texas Education Code § 25.0342 Transfer Of Students Who Are Victims Of Or Have Engaged In Bullying

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Texas Education Code § 25.0342 Transfer Of Students Who Are Victims Of Or Have Engaged In Bullying

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A student who is the victim of bullying, sexual assault, or hazing can be transferred to another campus or have their schedule changed.

Source of Law: Statutory Law

Reference

Tex. Educ. Code § 25.0342

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(a) This section applies only to:

(1) a student:

(A) who has been convicted of continuous sexual abuse of young child or children under Section 21.02, Penal Code , or convicted of or placed on deferred adjudication for the offense of sexual assault under Section 22.011, Penal Code , or aggravated sexual assault under Section 22.021, Penal Code , committed against another student who, at the time the offense occurred, was assigned to the same campus as the student convicted or placed on deferred adjudication;

(C) whose prosecution under Section 53.03, Family Code , for engaging in conduct described by Paragraph (A) has been deferred;  or

(2) a student who is the victim of conduct described by Subdivision (1)(A).

(b) On the request of a parent or other person with authority to act on behalf of a student who is a victim to whom Subsection (a)(2) applies:

(1) the board of trustees of the school district shall transfer the student to:

(A) a district campus other than:

(i) the campus to which the student was assigned at the time the conduct occurred;  or

(ii) the campus to which the student who engaged in the conduct is assigned, if the student who engaged in the conduct has been assigned to a different campus since the conduct occurred;  or

(B) a neighboring school district, if there is only one campus in the district serving the grade level in which the student is enrolled;  or

(2) if the student does not wish to transfer to another campus or district, the board of trustees shall transfer the student who engaged in the conduct to:

(A) a district campus other than the campus to which the student who is the victim of the conduct is assigned;  or

(B) the district's disciplinary alternative education program or juvenile justice alternative education program, if there is only one campus in the district serving the grade level in which the student who engaged in the conduct is enrolled.

(c) A transfer under Subsection (b)(1) must be to a campus or school district, as applicable, agreeable to the parent or other person with authority to act on the student's behalf.

(d) To the extent permitted under federal law, a school district shall notify the parent or other person with authority to act on behalf of a student who is a victim to whom Subsection (a)(2) applies of the campus or program to which the student who engaged in conduct described by Subsection (a)(1)(A) is assigned.

(e) This section applies regardless of whether the conduct occurred on or off of school property.

(g) A school district is not required to provide transportation to a student who transfers to another campus or school district under this section.

FindLaw Codes are provided courtesy of Thomson Reuters Westlaw, the industry-leading online legal research system. For more detailed codes research information, including annotations and citations, please visit Westlaw.

FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature or via Westlaw before relying on it for your legal needs.

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Texas Education Code § 25.0341 | FindLaw

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Search by Keyword or Citation (a) This section applies only to: (1) a student: (A) who has been convicted of continuous sexual abuse of young child or children under Section 21.02, Penal Code , or convicted of or placed on deferred adjudication for the offense of sexual assault under Section 22.011, Penal Code

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This local policy was selected because of the relevancy it brings towards the topic of student organizations. In the interview portion found in slide #2, one of the conversations had was about current issues in relation to student organizations gathering. This policy has the requirements needed in order to have a successful council.

Reference
Angelo State University. 2020. TTU system campus event policy. San Angelo, Texas.

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According to the National Education Association Code of Ethics Principle I.8, an education professional cannot reveal or disclose any information from the student or students gained through professional interaction unless required by law. When and how student information can released can be found under the FERPA. It is usually in cases if a student or students safety or health is in jeopardy.

Reference
The National Education Association (2020). NEA code of ethics for education professionals. Retrieved from https://www.nea.org/resource-library/code-ethics#:~:text=The%20Code%20of%20Ethics%20of,by%20which%20to%20judge%20conduct.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99)

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Preamble
The National Education Association believes that the education profession consists of one education workforce serving the needs of all students and that the term 'educator' includes education support professionals. The educator, believing in the worth and dignity of each human being, recognizes the supreme importance of the pursuit of truth, devotion to excellence, and the nurture of the democratic principles. Essential to these goals is the protection of freedom to learn and to teach and the guarantee of equal educational opportunity for all. The educator accepts the responsibility to adhere to the highest ethical standards. The educator recognizes the magnitude of the responsibility inherent in the teaching process. The desire for the respect and confidence of one's colleagues, of students, of parents, and of the members of the community provides the incentive to attain and maintain the highest possible degree of ethical conduct. The Code of Ethics of the Education Profession indicates the aspiration of all educators and provides standards by which to judge conduct. The remedies specified by the NEA and/or its affiliates for the violation of any provision of this Code shall be exclusive and no such provision shall be enforceable in any form other than the one specifically designated by the NEA or its affiliates.
PRINCIPLE I

COMMITMENT TO THE STUDENT

The educator strives to help each student realize his or her potential as a worthy and effective member of society. The educator therefore works to stimulate the spirit of inquiry, the acquisition of knowledge and understanding, and the thoughtful formulation of worthy goals.

In fulfillment of the obligation to the student, the educator--

1. Shall not unreasonably restrain the student from independent action in the pursuit of learning.

2. Shall not unreasonably deny the student's access to varying points of view.

3. Shall not deliberately suppress or distort subject matter relevant to the student's progress.

4. Shall make reasonable effort to protect the student from conditions harmful to learning or to health and safety.

5. Shall not intentionally expose the student to embarrassment or disparagement.

6. Shall not on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, national origin, marital status, political or religious beliefs, family, social or cultural background, or sexual orientation, unfairly--

1. Exclude any student from participation in any program

2. Deny benefits to any student

3. Grant any advantage to any student

7. Shall not use professional relationships with students for private advantage.

8. Shall not disclose information about students obtained in the course of professional service unless disclosure serves a compelling professional purpose or is required by law.

PRINCIPLE II

COMMITMENT TO THE PROFESSION

The education profession is vested by the public with a trust and responsibility requiring the highest ideals of professional service.

In the belief that the quality of the services of the education profession directly influences the nation and its citizens, the educator shall exert every effort to raise professional standards, to promote a climate that encourages the exercise of professional judgment, to achieve conditions that attract persons worthy of the trust to careers in education, and to assist in preventing the practice of the profession by unqualified persons.

In fulfillment of the obligation to the profession, the educator--

1. Shall not in an application for a professional position deliberately make a false statement or fail to disclose a material fact related to competency and qualifications.

2. Shall not misrepresent his/her professional qualifications.

3. Shall not assist any entry into the profession of a person known to be unqualified in respect to character, education, or other relevant attribute.

4. Shall not knowingly make a false statement concerning the qualifications of a candidate for a professional position.

5. Shall not assist a noneducator in the unauthorized practice of teaching.

6. Shall not disclose information about colleagues obtained in the course of professional service unless disclosure serves a compelling professional purpose or is required by law.

7. Shall not knowingly make false or malicious statements about a colleague.

8. Shall not accept any gratuity, gift, or favor that might impair or appear to influence professional decisions or action.
Adopted by the NEA 1975 Representative Assembly

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The National Education Association believes that the education profession consists of one education workforce serving the needs of all students and that the term 'educator' includes education support professionals. The educator, believing in the worth and dignity of each human being, recognizes the supreme importance of the pursuit of truth, devotion to excellence, and the nurture of the democratic principles.

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In this journal Kim Haines writes on her studies and analysis of student involvement in student organizations. She searches and surveys students on why they joined student organizations and the benefits or non benefits that were gained through their engagement. One piece from many she discovered was the core sense of belonging we seek and can be found within a student organization.
Reference
Haines, K. (2019). Student perspectives on joining student organizations. The Bulletin. Retrieved from https://www.acui.org/resources/bulletin/bulletin-detail/2019/07/02/student-perspectives-on-joining-student-organizations

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This study sought to learn more about why students decide to get involved with student organizations during their undergraduate academic careers and to identify the characteristics and motivations for college student involvement with student organizations in order to understand the mechanisms needed to design and implement intentional engagement activities.

In recent years, various sources have expressed widespread concern whether undergraduate students are learning enough in college and whether institutions are providing intentionally purposeful learning opportunities, so it is important that higher education professionals understand the role of cocurricular activities in response to how best to support pathways for student learning. By learning more about the lived experiences of students who actively engage in a student organization, student affairs professionals will be able to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of the circumstances that contribute to a student's decision to join.

The qualitative research on why a student chooses to engage is minimal and this gap in the research has a direct impact on implementing a strong student organization program for higher education institutions. Much of the research on student organization involvement highlights the impact of student involvement in student organizations, particularly with regard to the influence on student development and growth. However, that impact is only a piece of the framework needed for designing intentional cocurricular activities that are educationally purposeful. It is crucial for educators to understand all of the components relating to student organization development. Understanding the correlations between the student, student organizations, and student engagement helps to enhance the learning environment and provide opportunities for student growth and development.

This study emphasized the additional elements needed, by including the student perspective and combining it with current research, on how to inform the programmatic design and relevant best practices for student organizations. It serves to expand practitioner knowledge on student organization development by understanding the lived experiences of students and their rationale
for participation.

It may be particularly beneficial to student affairs practitioners and higher education professionals involved in developing curriculum, training, and experiential learning opportunities related to student organizations involvement. It may have implications for other non-curricular learning. By understanding levels of engagement from a student perspective, this research helps to align student activities and student organization best practices with educational systems and procedures that support specific learning outcomes associated with student organization involvement. This allows campus leaders to structure programs, services, and the allocation of resources reinforcing the importance of student organization involvement. Student affairs professionals also need to recognize what attracts students to a specific collegiate opportunity in order provide a robust learning environment influenced by both the professional and student perspectives.

Twenty students participated in focus groups to assist the researcher in learning about why students decide to join clubs and organizations. Selection involved a purposeful sampling of students between the ages of 18 and 25 verified via the institution's student organization software as being current members of a registered club or organization. More specifically, the identified participants are part of one the subject institution's student organization categories, acknowledged as club sports, fraternities/sororities, academic, fine arts, service, or cultural councils.

The following research question, "Why do students join student organizations?" guided this study. Additionally, the following question, based on a student's response, served as a sub-question: "Upon reflection, was there something that drew a student to get involved with student organizations and was that need fulfilled?"

The case study also incorporated specific data points beyond just what was collected through interviews. Additional sources included a review of institutional programs, such as new student orientation, and the campus's student organization fair, along with an analysis of these programs to determine if the programmatic intent of the activities related to student organization involvement.

The documentation associated with new student orientation provided an analytic review of how the institution at the center of this case study might influence a student's decision to get involved with student organizations by discussing engagement opportunities during the two-day orientation and reviewing the survey results for the program. As part of this study, it was important to create an understanding of how institutional programs encourage student organization involvement.

Also analyzed were relevant data from the institution's student organization management software. Reports and documentation directly linked with the software Engage were studied, providing context for who uses the management tool and how often. An analysis of participation rates was conducted to understand what particular organizations students were joining and to provide perspective on the connections between student and organization.

Observations were also a tactic used as part of the methodological approach for this case study. Specifically, researcher observations were conducted during the student organization involvement fair, held each semester.

Lastly, institutional data from the National Survey of Student Engagement related to student involvement was examined to determine potential relationships relevant to student organization involvement. NSSE is an assessment tool to analyze the outcomes associated with a student's investment in their academic journey, and it serves as a mechanism for higher education institutions to assess engagement practices and experiences on their campuses purposefully focused on student learning and
personal development.

In addition to the engagement indicators, the NSSE shares how the Association of American Colleges and Universities high-impact practices aid in increasing levels of student learning and retention at institutions of higher education. Based on recommendations from NSSE and AAC&U, a large number of institutions have adopted many, if not all, of the recommended 10 high impact practices:

First-year seminars and experiences

Common intellectual experiences

Learning communities

Writing intensive courses

Active and collaborative learning

Undergraduate research

Diversity/global learning

Service learning

Internships

Capstone courses and projects

All of these additional data sources provided the breadth of details needed to address the research problem and analyze it from a landscape wider than just interviews.
Student engagement factors, supported by the themes sense of belonging/connection to campus, and peer influence
A dominant theme that emerged throughout all interviews was that students who were engaged with student organizations felt connected to campus. Involvement with a student organization provided students with both something and someone to relate to, which deepened their sense of community and connection to the college or university. Students remarked that if they had not gotten involved with at least one student organization, then they would not have persisted at the university.

Peers, both current friends and upperclassmen, influenced student decisions to join a student organization. Many students saw involvement with student organizations as an opportunity to make friends, sharing that their friends in a student organization served as their family while attending college, which also aligned with developing a sense of belonging and engagement.

"It is just a good way to find friends. I am going to be living with a girl that I met through one of these clubs next year just because we both went to this club and we found each other. Now we are best friends. It is a cool story. Just generally, finding where you fit in college is really important. And the best way I found to do that is to join clubs."

- Study participant Mary

Concept 2
Skill development, supported by the themes potential for growth and leadership development
Students commented that being involved with student organizations allowed them to apply what they were learning academically to "real-world" settings. Moreover, students shared that being involved with student organizations allowed them to develop skills that would prepare them for future success.

For the students involved with this study, student organizations serve as a gateway to developing one's leadership skills because holding a leadership role within a student organization provided opportunities for acquiring, developing, and practicing specific skills. Students felt equipped to successfully manage their professional futures after handling various situations as leaders in a student organization.

"My organization really cultivated me into understanding leadership in action and dialing down how I wanted to be a leader. I stress servant leadership a lot. I feel as though that really dialed into what I wanted my leadership style to be. And then, this year as president, it really gave a perspective on how to take responsibility for decisions you make, whether you thought they were good and they went terribly, or they went well but other people were still angry. You needed to be able to justify how, why, and be able to swallow that people were just going to be mad at you."

- Study participant Ethan

Key Findings

Through inductive analysis of documentation relevant to current institutional initiatives linked with student organization involvement, NSSE data pertinent to the subject university, and focus group interviews, three key findings emerged. Those findings are: belongingness is a key factor to engagement, development of transferable skills is a benefit, and participating in student organizations develops leadership potential.

Belongingness is a key factor to engagement

Students consistently shared the importance of feeling connected to a group of individuals or to a student organization as the basis for joining. As research has stated, a sense of identity and belonging are directly influenced by experiences, relationships, and environment. Many of the students articulated the importance of perceived social support, of finding a place to "feel at home," while at the same time having the opportunity to grow and learn in a safe, inclusive, nonjudgmental environment through their involvement with a student organization.

As heard from student participants, the importance of belonging is key to making friends and finding a place to belong. These factors are components of A. W. Astin's research, Student Involvement: A Developmental Theory for Higher Education, particularly the influence of peers and a student's investment in the collegiate experience. Essentially, Astin's theory emphasized the significance of finding ways for students to connect through involvement, thus deepening their association to the university and contributing to their own collegiate success. As students are looking for ways to make friends, to connect, and to succeed while attending an institution of higher education, student organization involvement is a key way to engage students in their academic journeys and create the sense of belonging they need to both retain and persist to graduation.

Development of transferable skills was a benefit. Students join student organizations to develop their skills. Each of the students shared at least one skill they had further developed through being involved with one or more student organizations. Many of them articulated how the skills they developed would serve them in the future, in either graduate school or employment. This finding aligns with prior research on the benefits of participating in student organizations

The top 10 skills discussed were: time management, communication, ability to work with others, networking, professionalism, delegation, financial, teambuilding, self-confidence, and self-exploration. Many participants shared that they were able to apply the skills developed through their involvement with student organization to other situations. This sentiment further emphasizes the transferability of skills between different circumstances and the importance of student organizations as a venue for developing and practicing one's skills. This is important for a student's future because many employers are looking for the development of soft skills, similar to the ones participants shared, which is a learning outcome desired by student affairs professionals.

Study participants shared that it was through their involvement with student organizations that they realized the vast number of opportunities available to them for practicing skills in a relatively safe environment, allowing them to foster skill growth and development. The study highlighted the importance of peers in creating a sense of belonging; it is equally important to note that peers also influenced the development of skills.

Participating in a student organization develops leadership potential. Leadership development was recognized as a reason for joining by students. Students shared that they felt better prepared for the future after experiencing different leadership roles in their student organizations. Their leadership roles helped them grow more confident in their abilities and expand outside of their comfort zone. Moreover, experience as a leader in a student organization emphasized the importance of learning specific skills, such as listening, to enhance productivity. For many of the student leaders, organizational challenges presented them with opportunities to develop personally and professionally.

Student participants stated that they felt more prepared to take on various leadership roles following their experiences with one or more student organizations because they had offered a safe environment in which they could develop their leadership potential without any real negative consequences. This allowed students an opportunity to develop confidence in exploring themselves as leaders.

Moreover, both the experiences of students who were active in student organization and data from institutional documents validated prior research on the potential for leadership development. NSSE data showed that there was a significant relationship between involvement in co-curricular activities and leadership in student organizations. This was noteworthy for both first-year and seniors, with a larger effect on the student experience by the senior year.

Recommendations

Based on the outcomes of this study, three specific recommendations for practice are offered, each of which aims at developing and effectively managing a comprehensive student organization or campus activities program on a college campus. The three recommendations evolving from the research are: understanding the relationship between student organizations and student engagement; utilizing student organizations to develop skills; and understanding student organizations' role in developing student leaders.

Understanding the Relationship between Student Organizations and Student Engagement

Conclusions from this study reinforce the idea that student organization involvement does contribute to students developing a sense of belonging, which has a lasting influence on student engagement and their success. Therefore, professionals working in educational settings need to understand the contributions that a well-designed student organization program has on an inclusive learning environment from both a programmatic and community-building point of view. By explaining why students join student organizations, the results inform practice, particularly when the student voice emphasizes how student organizations are responsible for their sense of belonging with others and the institution. As a practice, it is important that higher education institutions identify both fiscal and personnel resources that support the building of sustainable student organizations on college campuses.

Utilizing Student Organizations for Skill Development

It is important that students have environments that support the development of skills and that students be able to explain how the skills they acquire through co-curricular experiences are transferable to a specific job application or graduate school program. Focus group participants articulated that student organizations provide the environment they need to learn, practice, and develop skills. In understanding the reasons why students join student organizations, it is essential that student affairs practitioners recognize that students identify student organizations as platforms for career preparation
and development.

It is also evident that students can identify skill development that is derived from their involvement and are able to explain how they successfully used certain skills as members and leaders of their organizations. Given the results of this study regarding the acquisition of skills, it is important for higher education professionals to implement assessment practices that analyze student skill development following their student organization involvement.

Understanding Student Organizations Role for Developing Leaders

As participants in this study shared, student organizations provided them with opportunities to serve in leadership roles that helped them practice skills and define who they were as a leader. Furthermore, students stated that they joined student organizations because of the opportunity to grow and learn as leaders.

Academics and student affairs professionals must work collaboratively to elevate students' leadership potential through student organizations. This collaborative approach fosters a rich learning environment for students and is beneficial for student development. First, recognition of the need for this partnership in a student's academic journey is imperative. Both academic and student affairs professionals enhance the life of students, and when efforts are combined to develop robust learning environments, the impact on a students leadership development is profound. Second, it is crucial to recognize the importance of assessing the development of leadership skills, to validate them in both curricular and cocurricular settings, and to identify areas of potential growth.

Student organizations foster the acquisition of knowledge, leadership training and development; and the application of soft skills such as problem solving, time management, and communication. These improve the preparation of future leaders. Importantly, as participants shared in focus groups, students acknowledge that student organizations serve as a gateway for leadership development.

Areas for Further Study

While the results of this study provide a strong knowledge base for student organization programmatic development, specific areas remain in need of further research.

This was a case study conducted at a single university in western New York. It is important to conduct future research to learn whether the results of this study are consistent at other institutions with similar research focuses.

Over half of the participants served in leadership roles within their student organizations and while this study's research is important to developing a holistic perspective on clubs and organizations, it also needs to examine whether there are differences between student organization leaders and the general membership of a student organization. Future research needs to scrutinize how different levels of involvement effect sense of belonging, skill development, and leadership growth.

Determining why students do not get involved with student organizations is critical to understanding student engagement. This study engaged in preliminary discussion of this perspective with participants, but did not go into significant depth on the subject. Research conducted on understanding why students have never joined a student organization or gotten involved in any co-curricular activity is valuable. It is important to understand why that might be, and how potential changes in the programmatic perspectives of student organizations could result in increased involvement among all students.

Given the key findings of this study about why students join student organizations, a deeper dive is required for appreciating the relationship between sense of belonging and equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) initiatives. This study provided a foundational perspective on why students join a student organization, but future research needs to uncover different perspectives that may exist when utilizing an EDI lens.

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Student Perspectives on Joining Student Organizations

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This study sought to learn more about why students decide to get involved with student organizations during their undergraduate academic careers and to identify the characteristics and motivations for college student involvement with student organizations in order to understand the mechanisms needed to design and implement intentional engagement activities.

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Understanding the relationship between student organizations and student engagement on and off campus

Utilize the ability of student organizations to develop skills

Understand student organization's role in developing student leaders

Maintain effective classroom management and a positive work environment by establishing productive conditions

Interact in the classroom with the mindset of a student's coach or mentor

Provide a combination of big group and small group instruction

Plan and train students in conflict identification and conflict resolution

Educate yourself on current issues within your field

Educate yourself with local policies

Know the importance of balance between being an educator and your personal life