Successful Student Organizations Pilot Program

The nine dimensions and their curriculum help student organizations reduce potential high-risk behavior by reinforcing positive organizational culture. The nine dimensions are designed for every organization to build and sustain their desired culture with accountability so that each dimension is explored and practiced before moving to the next. The objective is to give student organizations tools and resources to self-identify core values and goals to build successful membership, operations, and programs.

The curriculum supports and provides intervention for organizations at different stages. The curriculum can be applied as a whole, or in components targeted to the specific needs of each organization.

Types of Student Organization Pilot Program Participation

1. Student organizations seeking to maintain best practices and grow in alignment with university expectations.
2. Organizations exhibiting behaviors inconsistent with university standards and who can make changes before any formal violations or conduct sanctions.
3. Organizations that have engaged in the student conduct process and have been found responsible for policy violations but have not met the threshold for being removed from campus.
4. Organizations that have been removed from campus for any reason, including hazing or demonstrated behavior inconsistent with university rules, who are seeking to return to registered student organization status.

Student organizations interested in participating in the Successful Student Organizations Pilot Program to improve their organization culture can email ODRR@austin.utexas.edu to connect with the program.

The Nine Dimensions of Successful Student Organizations

The nine dimensions together outline the complete program. Organizations may be directed to complete components of the dimensions based specific behaviors or organizational needs. Components and dimensions can be optional or required, depending on the situation.

1. Self-Reflection: This dimension focuses the organization on understanding and accepting its past; sharing it with former members (where applicable); engaging in open conversation among various constituents.
2. Organizational Identity: This dimension redefines and clearly articulates the organizational identity, including a focus on purpose, characteristics, values, and behavioral competencies.
3. Operations/Governance: This dimension requires a deep dive into six key operational areas, including identity (listed above), membership composition and recruitment pipeline, cohesion, community and service, accountability, and education while establishing appropriate governance, onboarding and development programming and oversight support.
4. University Alignment: This dimension reestablishes a critical connection with the university and ensures alignment and adoption of the previously completed culture and organizational framework.
5. Anti-Hazing Culture: This dimension includes steps to identify and clearly articulate the organization’s approach to ensure a non-hazing culture, develop non-hazing curriculum, and implement or obtain training for members. This dimension will also include development of clear accountability measures for any members that fail to report hazing activity.
6. Safety and Risk Management: This dimension includes steps to create and implement risk management and safety plans including setting relevant expectations and defining appropriate risk management training.
7. Fostering Healthy, Purposeful Communities: This dimension outlines the learning curriculum associated with the overall organizational identity, health and wellbeing initiatives, and learning goals of the organization.
8. Re-emergence: This dimension includes the steps to allow the student organization to rejoin campus, including the development of 30, 60, 90 and 180-day plans and any relevant membership recruitment and marketing materials.
9. Ongoing Evaluation and University Connection: This dimension requires an on-going plan of engagement and scheduled evaluations with the Office of the Dean of Students to support ongoing success.