REGULATION VII
ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY QUALIFICATIONS FOR STUDENT OFFICE HOLDERS
Qualifications for officers are derived from the California State University, Office of the Chancellor, and current University policy. These requirements are considered minimum qualifications to demonstrate academic involvement, achievement, and progress. The University president may establish additional requirements.
A. Major Student Government and Organization Officers
All major student government & organization officers must be currently enrolled and matriculated at the University, maintaining a minimum overall, on-campus term and cumulative 2.5 grade point average (GPA) at all times and in the semester (fall/spring) prior to running for office and not be on academic, disciplinary or administrative probation.
Major student government offices include ASI president, ASI executive vice president, ASI vice president of finance, ASI academic affairs officer, ASI chief diversity officer, ASI chief government relations officer, ASI government elections officer, ASI associate and chief justices, members of the ASI Senate, and others with primary fiduciary responsibilities (e.g., members of the 49er Shops Board of Directors, UREC Board of Trustees), and campus representative(s) to CSU Board of Trustees, the Cal State Student Association (CSSA), and CSSA officers.
College council chairs/ presidents and Fraternity/Sorority coordinating council chairs/ presidents are also major offices.
- Candidate Unit Load
Undergraduate candidates must maintain a minimum of six semester units per term (semester) while running for office. Graduate and credential student candidates must maintain a minimum of three semester units per term (semester) while running for office. - Candidate Residency
Undergraduate candidates for a major office must have been enrolled on the campus and have completed at least one semester prior to election or appointment, earning a minimum of six semester units during the year. Additionally, a candidate for ASI chief justice must have completed at least 54 units of college work. Graduate and credential students do not have a residency requirement.
Undergraduate candidates who will be graduating at the end of the semester must be formally re-admitted to the University and their graduate department in order to seek office and subsequently assume the office to which they are elected or appointed. - Incumbent Unit Load
The undergraduate student must earn six semester units of credit per term (semester) while holding office. Graduate and credential students must earn three semester units of credit per term (semester) while in office.
B. Minor Representative Officers
All minor representative officers must be currently enrolled and matriculated at the University, maintaining a minimum overall, on-campus cumulative 2.5 grade point average (GPA) at all times and not be on academic, disciplinary or administrative probation. New students, in their first semester at CSULB, are eligible to serve as a minor student representative officer.
Minor student officer positions include ASI Presidential Cabinet commissioners, student representatives to ASI Lobby Corps, and club sports and student organization officers. Minor office-holders do not have a residency requirement. All other requirements for holding a student office must be met.
- Candidate Unit Load
Undergraduate candidates must maintain a minimum of six semester units per term (semester) while running for office. Graduate and credential student candidates must maintain a minimum of three semester units per term (semester) while running for office. - Incumbent Unit Load
Undergraduate incumbents must earn six semester units per term (semester) while holding office. Graduate and credential incumbents must earn three semester units per term (semester) while holding office. Undergraduate candidates who will be graduating at the end of the semester must be formally re-admitted to the University and their graduate department in order to seek office and subsequently assume the office to which they are elected or appointed.
C. Spirit Team (Dance & Cheer Teams and Mascot)
- Candidate and Incumbent Grade Point Average and Unit Load
Members of the Spirit Team must maintain a CSULB 2.5 cumulative GPA; enroll in and complete a minimum of six units of credit during each semester if an undergraduate; and enroll in and complete a minimum of three units of credit during each semester if a graduate or credential student.
Undergraduate candidates who will be graduating at the end of the semester must be formally re-admitted to the University and their graduate department in order to seek office and subsequently assume the office to which they are elected or appointed.
D. System-Wide Committee Appointees
All students who serve on regular or ad hoc system-wide committees must meet the following criteria:
- Candidate Unit Load
Undergraduate nominees must maintain a minimum of six semester units while running for office. Graduate and credential students must maintain a minimum of three semester units while running for office. - Candidate Residency
Undergraduate nominees for system-wide committee appointment must have been enrolled in the CSU system and have completed one semester (two quarters) prior to the appointment, earning a minimum of six semester (or nine quarter) units during that year. Graduate and credential candidates must be currently enrolled on the campus in a minimum of three semester units to be eligible. - Incumbent Unit Load
The undergraduate student must earn a minimum of six semester units per term (semester) while serving on the committee. Graduate and credential students must earn a minimum of three semester units per term (semester) while serving.
Undergraduate candidates who will be graduating at the end of the semester must be formally re-admitted to the University and their graduate department in order to seek office and subsequently assume the office to which they are elected or appointed. - Candidate and Incumbent Maximum Allowable Units
Undergraduate students are allowed to earn a maximum of 144 semester units or 120 percent as applicable toward Timely Graduation Policy units required for a specific baccalaureate degree objective, whichever is greater. Graduate and credential students are allowed to earn a maximum of 50 semester units or 167 percent of the units required for the graduate or credential objective, whichever is greater. Students holding more than that number of units will no longer be eligible for major student government office.
E. Holding Offices Concurrently
Students may hold any of the following combinations concurrently:
- One major office and one minor office
- One CSSA office and one minor office.
However, a student may hold only one elected or appointed position in any branch (executive, legislative, or judicial) of student government (ASI Bylaws Chapter II, Article VI, Section 4) available from the ASI Government Office, USU-311.
F. Notification of Ineligibility
The associate vice president for Student Affairs is responsible for calling to the attention of the officers and advisors of the names of students declared ineligible to participate in student government, and the Spirit Team.
If a student government officer or a Spirit Team member is found to be ineligible to continue their term for the spring semester, they may file an appeal with the Eligibility Appeals Committee. The student may remain in office until the appeal process is complete. There is no appeal process for a candidate seeking to run for student government office or to be a member of the Spirit Team who is not eligible, however, if a student who believes that an administrative error resulted in them being declared ineligible may ask the associate vice president for Student Affairs to investigate that error. For a grade change to be counted in a given semester, the professor must date the grade change no later than the date by which a student must declare their candidacy for office.
G. Appeals
Appeals exist to consider exceptional circumstances concerning eligibility. All eligibility appeals by student clubs and organizations, college councils, the Spirit Team, and club sports organizational officers shall be heard by the associate vice president for Student Affairs. Students wishing to appeal their notice of ineligibility may obtain the proper form by contacting Student Life & Development, USU-215.
All eligibility appeals by major student government and organization officers shall be heard by a committee composed of the following voting members: associate vice president for Student Affairs, who is the chair; university registrar; student conduct administrator; psychologist from Counseling and Psychological Services; faculty representative appointed by the chair of the Academic Senate; assistant director of Government Affairs & Initiatives from ASI, and two student justices from the ASI Judiciary, invited by the associate vice president for Student Affairs. Major student government and organization officers wishing to appeal their notice of ineligibility may obtain the proper form by contacting Associated Students Government office, USU-311.
All appeals must be submitted within five business days of receiving notice of ineligibility.
H. Explanation of Terms
- For purposes of these regulations, “earned” means completed within the semester prior to the first day of the following semester
- Summer and winter session units attempted may not be applied to the fall or spring semester minimum six units earned requirement.
