Strict New Rules Imposed on Campus Organizations

As students return to campus, they and their organization’s faculty advisors are confronted with new rules enforced by a revised online registration system known as Campus Groups.

Historically, a Trustee recognition policy required Greek Life organizations to be “recognized” in a manner that granted them a large degree of self-governance and reflected that the chapters were part of a joint student-alumni-national venture that in many cases held millions of dollars of assets. The Greek Life Chapters were advised by an Office of Sorority and Fraternity Life that was funded through alumni endowments and annual gifts. In contrast, other student organizations “registered” annually with the Campus Activities Office on a voluntary basis. The three benefits of registration were the ability to receive student activity fees, participation in ClubFest, and the right to reserve meeting rooms, tabling slots, or outdoor spaces. Many important entities were neither “recognized” nor “registered”, including Telluride, Student Agencies, The Cornell Daily Sun, the Cornell Media Group (WVBR), and student entrepreneurial ventures. 

This led to a robust community where groups were free to invite controversial speakers to campus, including former Vice President Dick Cheney, Ann Coulter ‘84, Michael Knowles, and Angela Davis, among others. Students pursued public policy issues, demonstrated (and even counter-demonstrated), with like-minded colleagues, including other students, faculty, staff, alumni, and Ithaca residents.