Glossary

A

Advisors:

Columbia University members who provide guidance through the alleged violation review process, including:

• SGARB Advisor: A University advisor through CSSI that guides the SGARB chairs through the process to ensure consistency of process and past precedent.
• Student Group Advisor: Any member of the Columbia community that the student group chooses to advise them through the review process. Advisors may not be legal counsel (though advisors may be lawyers, they cannot serve as counsel to the recognized student group as part of the SGARB process). Advisors work directly with the student group leaders but may not speak on, submit letters, or otherwise directly advocate on behalf of the recognized student group during the fact-finding process and SGARB panel. Advisors cannot be any individual with sanctioning or appellate review authority as part of the SGARB process.

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C

Conflict of Interest:

When an individual’s personal interests – close friendships,  financial, or social factors – could compromise an individual’s judgment, decisions, or actions as part of the SGARB review process.

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E

Event:

Any activity (including all internal or other meetings, social events, rehearsals, programs, etc.), regardless of the location (on or off University property, in-person or online), that is coordinated by a recognized student group or its representatives to bring people together.

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F

Fact Finder:

An individual designated by CSSI to conduct investigations of recognized student groups regarding alleged violations of University policy.

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Q

Quorum:

For SGARB panels, three students and three faculty or staff members.

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R

Recognized Student Group (RSG):

A group, composed mainly of, and directed by, students which has filed all required registration forms with and completed all requirements outlined by the appropriate University recognition body within the school(s) or University Senate and has been confirmed by that body as meeting all eligibility criteria for recognition. RSGs also include recognized student councils, boards, or equivalent.

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Recognized Student Group’s Leader(s):

One or more students registered at Columbia or Columbia-affiliated institutions who are selected by the recognized student group as their primary leader/contact through the recognition and/or election process.

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Review Board:

Three students and three staff or faculty members from the appointed faculty, staff, and students who are trained to be review board members. A review board may hear a case and make a recommendation as long as it has a quorum. Review board members are primarily selected by appropriate shared governance bodies and school administration. The pool of review board members is composed of:

• Up to 30 faculty or academic staff representatives – up to 10 representing the undergraduate schools, up to 10 representing Morningside/Manhattanville graduate/professional schools, and up to 10 representing CUIMC graduate/professional schools.
• Up to 30 student leader representatives – up to 10 representing the undergraduate schools, up to 10 representing Morningside/Manhattanville graduate/professional schools, and up to 10 representing CUIMC graduate/professional schools. Students will be appointed by student councils/boards and/or Deans of Students.

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S

Sanction:

Any action affecting the status of a Recognized Student Group (RSG), as an RSG, that is imposed in response to the group’s violation of University and/or school policy. The term includes, but is not limited to, a letter of warning, loss of space reservation abilities, loss of funding, travel restrictions, student group probation, student group suspension, student group derecognition, recommendation for charter revocation, and education and training.

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SGARB Panel:

Scheduled meeting of the review board and the student group who is alleged to have violated a University policy.

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Student:  

Any person who is registered for study at the University for the academic period in which the alleged policy violation occurred, or between academic periods for continuing students.

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W

Witness:

Anyone with knowledge of the incident that the Fact Finder or a recognized student group’s leader(s) bring(s) to a review panel.

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