J. Wayne Reitz Union
Educating Leaders for a Global Community
Involvement in activities at the University of Florida is a great opportunity to learn leadership skills, make lifelong friends, and create lasting memories. The benefits of being involved in student organizations are infinite. As you plan activities for your student organization, you will need to consider many things to insure the safety and enjoyment of the participants. Any human enterprise is about ethics, because it's about humans. Because leadership is created within relationships among persons, there are inherent ethics concerning the obligations of each party in the relationships. Therefore, leadership is always about ethics. Since it is always about ethics, it is not possible to engage in the participation of a student organization or in leadership of a student organization without ethical obligations. This section will discuss in a broad sense issues which may affect you and your student organization.
As leader of an organization, you need to be careful in your decision-making process when it relates to your organization. Remember, being a leader means putting your group before yourself. As a leader, you not only represent yourself, but everyone in your organization. The first and most important question you need to ask yourself is "WHY?" Why are you choosing to do or not do something on behalf of the organization? If your answer is something other than "for the best interest of the organization," you are probably making the wrong decision. With that in mind, perform your responsibilities motivated by the good of the whole group and not for your own self-interest. Using this philosophy, you will help yourself and your group meet the goals you set and achieve what you hope to accomplish.
Let's look at a fictional example: you are president of the Gator Disco Dance Club and you also run a mobile disc jockey business. As president, you are looking for a disc jockey to play at your group's big Midnight Boogie Bash. Instead of getting estimates from two or three disc jockey services, you contract with your company at a rate that is arguably higher than others available in your area. Also, your company does not have as much equipment as the other companies, which could improve the quality of the program (strobe lights, disco ball, video screen). Looking at the facts from this example, it appears that your decision to hire your own company was motivated by your role in the company and not by your interest in doing the best thing for your organization. This puts you in a position where your members could criticize your decision and you may be liable for reimbursing your organization the difference between what they paid your company and what they would have paid a cheaper company for the same event. In addition, you might be removed from your leadership position by members of your organization. Things can go wrong when you don't make ethical decisions.
(Adapted from the Leadershape Institute, Champaign Illinois) The following is a framework in which leaders should make decisions. Understanding how ethical decisions are processed will help you make the best decisions for yourself and your organization.
Begin with the desire to do the right thing
Clarify your options
Consider risks and benefits
Advance ethical values
Make a judgment
Implement to maximize benefits and minimize risks
Monitor and modify Bottom Line Considerations:
Keep an open communication line with all organization members.
Organization members should be clear as to what their role is, and what is expected of them, as well as what they might gain from participating in the organization.
The president is not the organization's boss, rather she/he can be looked upon as the spokesperson or facilitator of the group.
Never ask an organization member to do something that you would not be willing to do yourself.
All roles should be rotated between organization members so that the members do not experience burnout, boredom, or dissension.
"Fringe benefits" given to the organization, such as T-shirts, need to be fairly distributed.
Always give plenty of warning as to when and where all organization meetings and events are being held. Post the time and locations in your organization office of the Student Activities Center (SAC) posting area. Have "phone trees" to remind members to come to the meetings.
Treat all members equally, even if some members are personal friends or someone you do not yet know. The organization is not only a social club. Hold your meetings in an organized and systematic manner with an agenda. Make sure you allow a period for all organization members to express their views and volunteer their time and talent. Meetings can be more interesting and productive if you start off with an ice breaker or something fun, but not too time consuming.
When explaining how to do a task, think of yourself as a new member with no experience and try to explain the task clearly and allow for questions. If it's too complex, ask to meet after the meeting for more explanation or involve all the members in learning the task.
Encourage organization members to come to the office to complete their tasks, meet others and talk to the advisor.
You represent your organization, and may appear to represent the University of Florida, and the State of Florida to outside agencies, clients, and fellow students. The image you portray is very important.
When you deal with outside organizations in an ethical manner, you will help all future organization members in their dealings with these agencies.
Never offer another organization's services in a Co-sponsorship Agreement without first consulting that organization, officer and advisor.
If you are doing any publicity or promotion, follow all University policies and procedures. Check with the appropriate sections of this handbook.
Remember that everyone has a deadline for getting work done. Allow for plenty of time when turning in requests to all other departments, University departments, and outside agencies, as well as for your publicity planning and Tech requests.
If another student organization contacts your organization about a possible co-sponsorship, tell them when you can meet to make a decision and give them an answer with an explanation as soon as possible. This will allow them to either get started or find another sponsor.
Your organization may participate in an event where it is necessary to certify that those participating are registered as UF students, have a specific GPA, or other information.
In compliance with the Buckley Amendment statutes, the University of Florida can only release the following information (unless there is a privacy request on record) without written permission from the student: name, address(es), phone, class/college, major, dates of attendance, and degrees. Due to these restrictions, University personnel will be unable to certify group listings requesting GPA information. It is recommended each individual student request an official certification from the Office of the Registrar and then have the official certification attached to the registration form(s).
Certifications not requiring the official UF seal may be requested by individual students from the Dean of Students Office. Recreational Sports groups should first contact the Recreational Sports office in the Student Recreational Fitness Center.
Student employees and student organizations shall not use their privileges for access to university space and services inappropriately. As an example, a student organization should never agree to reserve a meeting room for a non-university group or commercial vendor who would not have access to campus or for whom there would be a fee charged. If a non-university group of any type contacts your student organization about "co-sponsorship" for access to space or service, please contact .
