Anybody involved with one of the 119 registered student groups on campus has probably been affected in some way by the Student Organization Forum (SOF).
SOF, which is sponsored by UTD to coordinate and provide support for student organizations, provides resources to help groups operate. Through SOF, groups can reserve university space, print banners and fliers and receive leadership training. They can also apply for up to $800 in funding for approved on-campus events.
The forum, which is sponsored and funded by the university, currently operates under an official guidebook that outlines procedures and rules for student organizations on campus.
SOF officers said that the manual is outdated and inadequate, and they are currently in the process of drafting the group's first-ever constitution, which they hope to put in place by spring 2009.
"We want to let student organizations have a greater say in student government," said SOF president Richard Sellar. "We need something that lays out what the administration does and what students do."
The constitution will outline some of the same procedures already in the current guidebook. One of the additions will be a regularized process for assessing funding requests, each of which is voted on individually by secret ballot under the current system.
One of the main advantages of having a constitution, said SOF vice-president Shikha Gupta, is that organizations will know where to find all the information needed to operate at UTD.
"We need to have a place to write these things down where people can find them and in a way they can understand them," said SOF vice-president Shikha Gupta.
Adoption of the constitution has been a point of contention between SOF and administrators.
"I'm trying to fight for the big picture, and they're trying to nitpick over small issues," Sellar said. "They don't want SOF to be well-run and student-run."
Also being written is an expanded and updated version of the student organization guidebook. The new manual is being modeled closely on UT Austin's, and will feature more detailed explanations of how SOF and its members should operate. It will also feature a table of contents for easier reference.
Phyllis Blanck, associate dean of students, is in charge of rewriting the manual and said she expects it to be completed and in effect by Dec 1.
Darrelene Rachavong, vice-president for student affairs, has been working closely with SOF leaders through the SOF working group, said she thinks that having a separate constitution will be redundant.
"If we have a really good student organization manual that has a mission statement, has a purpose, has a job description for all the SOF officers, why do you need to spend your time putting together a constitution?" Rachavong said. "I never could get a good answer."
She said that while she opposes the constitution, it is ultimately up to the students.
"If they the students think that need it and they're willing to write it and put it together, then that's fine," she said. "Maybe then a light will come on and I'll understand."
Jonathan White, assistant director for Student Life Programs and SOF advisor, said he will reserve judgment until he sees the finished constitution.
"From all the evidence out there, we'd be probably the only SOF forum that I've come across that has a constitution," he said. "But then again this may be something that is totally innovative. We may be ahead of our time."
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