Governance of Medical Student Organizations and Groups

Student groups have different levels of complexity and liability risk and thus require different levels of safeguards and oversight. As a general rule, groups that involve interaction with persons who are not WCM students (e.g., patients, clients, the general public, students from other institutions, or minors) or wish to engage in external fund-raising or maintain a public web/media presence involve a higher level of oversight. Such “externally-facing” groups typically require a Faculty Leader who provides direct or facilitated oversight with student leaders. Service groups and pipeline programs will all require a Faculty Leader; other types of groups, including some Academic Interest Groups, Special Interest and Recreation Groups, and Policy and Advocacy groups, may also warrant a Faculty Leader if they engage in higher-risk (externally facing) activities, as described above. Groups not requiring a Faculty Leader are required to have a Faculty Advisor, who can provide advice and general guidance to student leaders. Most Academic Interest Groups, Policy and Advocacy groups, Diversity Organizations and Special Interest and Recreational Groups will be in this category. The type of oversight is determined during the group’s approval process in conjunction with the Office of Student Life and other relevant offices. For a full description of general categorization of groups and the Faculty Leader and Advisor roles, visit the Student Groups & Community Service webpage. 

*All student groups must have either a faculty leader or a faculty advisor

Chartering of New Groups
Students wishing to organize and establish a new group must first complete the charter application that addresses areas such as the proposed name of the group, the names, contact information and role descriptions of the student leaders, needs assessment/overlap with existing groups, the goals and expected activities, required resources (e.g., space, equipment, etc.), sources of funding, and proposed Faculty Leaders or Advisors. In addition, the organizers must attest that they have read the governance policy and will adhere to it along with the other relevant policies of WCM. A Student Life staff representative will review the application. In this stage of the process, the proposed group’s purpose, goals, and level of risk are assessed. Approval from various WCM entities that may be relevant to the group’s proposed activities – entities including, but are not limited to, the offices of Risk Management, External Affairs, Patient Billing and Compliance, Affiliations, Legal Counsel and/or clinical departments – are sought at this stage, prior to group approval. The application then is reviewed by the vetting dean, who is either in the Student Affairs and Student Life office or the Diversity and Student Life office. 

For all groups  (see Types of Student Groups section above), the vetting dean will need to communicate with the proposed faculty member(s) (Faculty Leader or Faculty Advisor) prior to approving the charter. The roles and responsibilities of the Faculty Leader or Faculty Advisor position is presented to the faculty member; a meeting with the vetting dean may occur at this stage if warranted (necessary for most groups requiring a Faculty Leader); and the faculty member then signs a memorandum of understanding (MOU) form. Once the faculty member is approved for a leader or advisor role, unless revisions or clarifications are needed, the charter application will be approved and the group permitted to operate. Newly formed groups should not participate as a group or proceed with any group functions until they have been officially approved and received a New Group Approval letter from the Office of Student Life. 

MSEC leadership will be informed of all groups whose charters have been approved and such groups will be eligible to seek MSEC funding at the start of the following semester. New student 149 groups should not seek funding from MSEC until they are approved. MSEC will not provide funding to new groups if they have not received documentation that the new group has been approved. 

Proposals submitted during a semester will not generally be approved until the end of that semester; the student group can then apply for MSEC funding at the start of the subsequent semester. Students wishing to have a new group approved by the start of the following semester (in order to be eligible for MSEC funding) must submit their proposals by November 1 (for January approval/fundingeligibility) and by July 1 (for September approval/funding-eligibility). 

The principal funding sources for student groups are “internal,” i.e., primarily allocated by MSEC and/or special funds earmarked for a specific project by the Dean’s Office, and “external,” i.e., primarily allocated by external granting agencies, both private (including WCM alumni) and government sources. Students who want to request funding from an external source must consult with and obtain approval for funds solicitation through the Office of External Affairs, both at the time of initial establishment/chartering of the group (once approved) and then subsequently during the lifetime of the group’s activities. The Faculty Leader or Faculty Advisor and the Office of Student Life must be consulted before students seek such funding. 

Funds for student groups are managed through the Office of Student Life and the finance offices of the Office of Medical Education. 

Medical Student Executive Council (MSEC)
MSEC does not provide direct oversight of student groups nor issue charters to groups. However, it does play a central role in the allocation of funds to newly-formed and previously established groups. The Office of Student Life will provide the MSEC leadership with access to the Charters of new groups as well as data collected from the annual activity status update survey to assist MSEC in making its funding allocation decisions.

Overview
Students are expected to play a critical role in the leadership of each student group including establishing the group’s goals, policies/by-laws and operations, strategic planning, securing funding and resources needed for operating, welcoming new members and overseeing the activities of student members. Student leaders are expected to liaise with Faculty Leaders, Faculty Advisors, overseeing deans, and offices of central medical education as described below. Student leaders are responsible for ensuring that the group follows the provisos of its charter, any policies and regulations of WCM and local, state, and federal laws and regulatory bodies. 

Types of Leadership Roles
Each group may define the roles and the role’s title using their own processes based on the group’s unwritten traditions and/or established by-laws. The authority, duties and responsibilities of the role should be clearly delineated in the charter and any modifications to the roles should be noted in the annual activity status update survey.

Selection and Term of Student Leaders
Student groups may choose their leaders using their own processes based on the group’s unwritten traditions and/or established by-laws for eligibility and selection, provided that the selection process is fair and equitable and leadership roles are open to all eligible student members. Each group may establish the term lengths of its leadership roles. 

Removal of Student Leaders
Ordinarily student co-leaders will discuss issues related to a problematic student leader and come to a resolution for removal. If no resolution is possible, student leaders should confer with the group’s Faculty Leader or Advisor, or with overseeing dean from the Student Affairs and Student Life Office. The student leadership and the Faculty Leader/Advisor and/or the overseeing dean then meet with the student leaders to achieve an amicable resolution that may include removal of the problematic student from a leadership role. Medical education deans may suspend any student from a leadership role on an emergent basis should the need arise until further investigation/resolution of issue.

Overview
Because of differences in the complexity of student organizations and their liability risk, groups require different levels of oversight, as described above under ‘Types of Groups’. Faculty Leaders and Faculty Advisors are not expected to serve in the role as “chief executives” of a group, but rather to serve as a resource and provide guidance and general oversight of student leaders who serve as the principal leaders of each group. 

Faculty Leader Role
This role is specific to student-run programs/organizations that interface with persons outside the WCM campus, i.e., “externally-facing groups” that may have higher liability because of their interactions. The Faculty Leader may share responsibility for overseeing the program/organization with one or more Faculty co-Leaders. The Faculty Leader will meet with the overseeing Med Ed Dean at regular intervals, the frequency being determined by need. Responsibilities of the Faculty Leader may evolve depending on the duration of the group’s existence, with the Faculty Leader initially overseeing activities more closely in newly-formed groups (i.e., "direct and frequent” oversight) and, later on, supporting the leadership (i.e., “facilitated oversight”) of student leaders in more established, longer-standing, or more smoothly functioning groups.

Faculty Advisor Role
This role is specific to student-run programs/organizations that do not interface significantly with persons outside the WCM campus community.  This role may apply to the following categories if they are not externally facing: Academic Interest Groups, Policy and Advocacy Groups, Diversity Organizations, Special Interest and Recreational Groups. Any student group in one of these categories in which WCM student members would interact with persons in a patient or client relationship, minors (person < 18 years of age), external funding agencies, or the public through a web/media presence require a Faculty Leader, as described above, who can provide more oversight due to liability concerns. The Faculty Advisor may share responsibility for the program/organization with one or more Faculty co-Advisors. The Faculty Advisor will have communication with the overseeing Medical Education dean on an as needed basis. Responsibilities of the Faculty Advisor are meant to be advisory and faciliatory to the student leaders and the group’s operation, but by definition do not involve direct oversight. 

Visit the Student Groups & Community Service webpage for more information about faculty oversight, and the responsibilities of the Faculty Leaders and Faculty Advisors. 

Selection of and/or Removal of Faculty Leaders and Advisors

• Nomination: Faculty Leaders and Faculty Advisors will be nominated/recommended for the role by student organizers of a new group or current student leaders of an established group.
• Qualifications: Faculty Leaders and Advisors should have full-time WCM faculty appointments and have the interests and skill set needed to perform the role of the Faculty Leader or Advisor.  Rarely, exceptions may be made to this guideline on a case-by-case basis as approved by the Office of Student Affairs Deans.
• Selection and Vetting Process for Faculty Leader or Advisor 
  - Student leaders meet with proposed Faculty Leader or Advisor who is given a description of the organization and the expected role by student leaders, including time commitment and expected term of service.  
  - The determination of a proposed term length is not required, but the student leaders and/or the faculty nominee may request that this is decided between the students and the faculty member in advance of finalizing the arrangement. 
  - The overseeing deans at their discretion may discuss the nominee’s suitability with other members of medical education administration. 
  - The nominee receives communication from a member of the Office of Student Life to clarify the nominee’s understanding of role and expectation. 
  - For Faculty Leaders, and for some Faculty Advisors, a meeting will be held with the faculty member and the overseeing dean.  
  - At the discretion of the overseeing dean, the nominee and the student leaders may be directed to reconvene to clarify and finalize the understanding of all parties about the leadership roles. 
  - Assuming the nominee is suitable for the position, the overseeing dean will ask the nominee to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) form, which signifies that the nominee has been approved for the Faculty Leader/Advisor role with the group

Removal of Faculty Leader or Advisor 

• Faculty Leaders or Advisors serve at the pleasure of student leaders.
• Student leaders who have reason for wanting to remove the Leader/Advisor will consult with the overseeing dean (and/or Faculty co-Leaders/Advisors) to see if resolution is possible without removal or, if removal is deemed necessary, to ensure that due process is followed.
• The overseeing deans, at their discretion, may discuss the situation with other members of medical education administration.
• Student leaders and overseeing dean meet with Faculty Leader/Advisor to inform them of removal, with follow-up in writing.
• Student leaders confer with overseeing dean and/or remaining Faculty coLeaders/Advisors on ways to inform the relevant parties of the removal of the individual, and on the removal of the Faculty Leader/Advisor’s name from websites/official publications etc.
• The Senior Associate Dean, Education, or their designee may suspend any faculty member from leadership/advisory role on an emergent basis should the need arise until further investigation/resolution of issues. 

Overview
The Central Medical Education Offices govern student groups in two principal ways: 1) managing student groups’ funds and expenditures (Associate Director, Medical Education Administration and Finance Coordinator, Medical Education) and 2) assistance with establishment of new groups and troubleshooting/advising existing groups (Coordinator of Student Community Service and other Student Life Office representatives). Central Medical Education, through its liaison with the general faculty, may also help to advise student leaders of community needs that could translate into community service-learning opportunities for academic credit and/or non-credit bearing enrichment (“Volunteer”). In addition, deans for student life and student diversity provide oversight of student groups and organizations. 

Decanal Purview and Oversight
The decanal purview of student groups is as follows: Assistant Dean, Diversity and Student Life (Community Service Groups, Pipeline Programs, and Diversity Organizations) and Assistant Dean, Student Affairs and Student Life (Academic Interest Groups, Policy and Advocacy Groups, Special Interest and Recreational Groups). 

The role of the deans within their purview include the following: 

1. Vetting Faculty leaders/Advisors that student groups recommend
2. Consulting with the group’s leadership (students and faculty) about problematic Faculty Leaders/Advisors or colleagues or student members.
3. Offering advice, when requested of student group leaders
4. Hearing concerns about student groups from any source (students, faculty, administrators, staff, etc.).
5. Facilitating, when needed, the interactions of the student groups with other WCM offices—risk management, external affairs, etc.
6. Advising and consulting reciprocally with other medical education deans and administrators as needed.
7. Reviewing the suitability of new groups and approving those meeting standards (see Establishing New Organizations and Groups)
8. Reviewing activity status update surveys for existing groups.

Office of Student Life
The Coordinator of Student Community Service and other Office of Student Life representatives support student-run groups that are being established or that are ongoing with advising and troubleshooting and with interfacing with other offices at the Medical College. 

Change of privileges
Student groups seeking to increase their privileges (e.g., to participate in external-facing activities if their initial charter did not include this), must apply for this change through the Office of Student Life before planning or participating in any of these additional activities. This requires an updated charter application. This will also involve discussion with the current faculty advisor(s)/leader(s) and may require the institution of a Faculty Leader if there had previously been a Faculty Advisor.  

Continuation of Activities
Student groups are permitted to function as long as they follow all provisos of their initial charter (or an updated charter if they have successfully applied to the Student Life Office for increased privileges), all policies and regulations of the Medical College and are in compliance with local, state, or federal laws or regulatory bodies. Additionally, student groups are expected to uphold and abide by institutional values (SHARP).  

Activity Status Determination
Each year the Office of Student Life, MSEC leadership, and student group leaders will confirm the activity status of all groups, update student leader and faculty advisor/leader rosters, and address any need for updated charters if student groups are anticipating a need to increase their privileges. Student leaders may be asked to provide an annual summary of group activities and student involvement. Groups that are inactive for more than one year will need to re-apply for chartering. 

Suspension or Termination
Student groups are chartered and operate under the aegis of Weill Cornell Medicine and are expected to uphold the standing and reputation of the institution. A group may be suspended or terminated permanently for violation of any provisos of its charter, the policies or regulations of the Medical College or local, state, federal laws or regulatory bodies or for activities that may compromise the standing of the institution in the community at large. The Assistant Deans in consultation with the Associate Dean, Education, or Senior Associate Dean, Education, have the right to immediately suspend or terminate a group permanently for just cause as described above, at their sole discretion. 

In some situations, a group wishes to expand its privileges beyond those that were designated at the time of initial group chartering and approval (e.g., higher risk functions such as interfacing with external persons or organizations, working with people as patients or clients, having a social media/web/other media presence, etc.). In such cases, student group leaders must first confer with their Faculty Leader or Advisor and contact the Office of Student Life to discuss their plans for group expansion and then proceed with re-chartering of their organization. 

Most groups will require a full review of their charter in order to be approved.  To meet the fluid needs of students and their organizations, and to facilitate rapid approval of very low-risk groups, some group proposals may meet criteria for expedited review. 

Criteria for expedited review 
To be considered for an expedited review, a group proposal will meet the following inclusion criteria. 

The proposed group plans to: 

• host activities involving only people from WCM (students, faculty, staff), which includes the invited speakers/presenters
• host only those activities that are generally considered low risk to participants (e.g., arts and crafts, watching movies, casual athletics, etc.)
• have no engagement with the public, including having no social media, web, or written media presence
• seek funding only from MSEC (not from other sources) 

Group activities or functions requiring full review
Any group planning, or considering, one of the following, will need to apply through a full review: 

• having a social media, web, or other media presence
• inviting external (non-WCM) speakers or collaborating with non-WCM organizations
• hosting in-person or virtual activities at other institutions outside of WCM
• hosting in-person or virtual activities that are open to/involve the non-WCM community or general public
• hosting activities in which it is of reasonable likelihood that a participant could sustain physical injury  
• interacting with minors
• interacting with persons in a patient or client relationship
• seeking any sources of funding from inside or outside of WCM other than MSEC 

The typical proposal eligible for expedited review would be a Special Interest & Recreational Group: 

• posing minimal risk to participants
• involving students, faculty, staff and resources ONLY from WCM
• and planning no involvement with the public (including a media presence, external fundraising, etc.). 

Academic Interest Groups may be eligible, but if your group would benefit from being able to invite and host outside (non-WCM) speakers, or collaborating with outside organizations in some way, we strongly recommend that you apply through the regular (non-expedited) process. 

Faculty Oversight
Very low-risk groups that are eligible for the expedited review should have a Faculty Advisor. 

Requirements for approval of expanded group privileges
In some situations, a very low-risk group that was approved under expedited review may wish to expand its privileges beyond those bestowed at the time of the initial expedited chartering (i.e., any of those types of activities listed above as needing a full review, such as, but not limited to, inviting external speakers or presenters, establishing a social media/web/other media presence, interfacing with the non-WCM community/general public). At such point, the approved group must contact the Office of Student Life to discuss their plans for group expansion and then proceed with re-chartering through a full review process.