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Student Organizations, Leadership, and Service

Student Organization Appeals

Appeals are requests made by student leaders to reverse decisions from SOLS or student lead groups that were made based on missed deadlines.  Appeals must include valid reasons that indicate why their group could not meet expectations or how the decision negatively impacts the organization.

Examples of appeals look like following:

  • Requesting to unfreeze (reactivate) a student group in the Anchor Link platform because the system was not working properly and keeping the group from making a timely submission
  • New Organization Request Denial
  • Protection of Minors – Org being frozen due to not meeting POM compliance standards

Groups that fail to complete their RSO registration during the registration period are frozen in Anchor Link and classified as inactive during the academic year.  This designation also means that the group is not allowed to carryout their planned activities nor use their resources.  However, there are instances where groups may have valid reasons for not meeting the expectations.

New student groups seeking to become Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) after being denied may request an appeal that further defines their mission and reason for needing to be active at Vanderbilt.  This applies to student groups that complete the new org interest form within the two week window that takes place at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters.  Organizations that fail to complete their forms within this timeframe will not have their appeal honored.

Student groups seeking to work with minors must complete trainings within a certain timeframe in order to be in compliance with our Protection of Minors Policy.  Organizations that fail to have all of their members meet compliance standards must remove their non-compliant members from Anchor Link or it will become frozen (inactive) in that platform.  If it is decided that your group will not work with minors after all, then an email to sols@vanderbilt.edu must be made indicating that your organization is no longer working with minors.

To make an appeal, student leaders must complete the Frozen Student Organization Appeal.  This form is reviewed by a student-led appeals committee who evaluates the detailed accounts and approve or deny the appeal on a case by case basis.