Academic Policies Guide

Student Organizations

A. Individual Identification 

NYU School of Law may not require membership lists of any student organization. It may require, as a condition of access to Law School funds or facilities, the names and addresses of officers or sponsors of such organizations. 

B. Use of Law School or University Name 

In all cases wherein students wish to form an organization of law students of the Law School for specific activities of a professional, political or social nature, the name of the University or School may be used in connection therewith as follows: 

  1. The name of the University or Law School may be used by the Student Bar Association (the official professional organization of the student body), and such activities as the Annual Survey of American Law, Moot Court, the Law Review, and the like, which are officially recognized by the Law School. 
  2. If the proposed organization is to be a member or branch of an organization which has or is to have other parts or branches connected with other universities or law schools, it may be designated as the branch located at this University or Law School. 
  3. If it is or is to be a singular organization without other affiliation, the members may identify themselves as students of this University or Law School. 
  4. In no case shall the name of the University or Law School be so prominently displayed on any letterhead or in any other use as to import the notion that the organization is an official organ of the University or Law School or that the University or Law School subscribes to the aims, objectives, opinions, expressions or activities of such organizations. Such use shall be exclusively for purposes of identification. 

Any student or group of students desiring to organize a group as described above shall promptly notify the Student Bar Association and the Office of the Dean. 

C. Requirement of Disclaimers Regarding NYU and NYU Law

While students at NYU Law may engage in any speech that is otherwise lawful and that does not otherwise violate a policy of NYU or NYU Law (e.g., threats or harassing speech or speech prohibited under the University’s Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy), students and student organizations must ensure that their views are not confused with those of NYU or NYU Law. Thus, any communication from a student organization authorized to use the NYU or NYU Law name or logo that asserts a position on a matter of public concern and that is intended to be distributed beyond the organization, broadly within the NYU Law community, or beyond the NYU Law community must be accompanied by a disclaimer that the position taken in the communication is that of the relevant individuals or organization and not of NYU or NYU Law. This requirement applies to communications made through physical or electronic modes of distribution.  For these purposes it is sufficient if the communication states the following:

  • The views expressed herein are those of [names of relevant individuals or authorizing student organization] and do not purport to represent the views of NYU or NYU School of Law.

For purposes of this rule, advertising or hosting an event that includes a speaker who has asserted or may assert a position on a matter of public concern, or publication of scholarship that asserts a position on a matter of public concern does not constitute an assertion of a position by the student organization unless the organization issues a statement endorsing the speaker’s or author’s position. Similarly, internal communications such as emails or other messages intended for circulation within an organization (other than the SBA, whose membership comprises the entire student body) do not constitute an assertion of a position by the student organization. 

D. Requirement of a Process Authorizing Communication

(1) Each student organization existing at the time of the faculty’s adoption of this Rule must, by the end of May 2024, provide to the Dean of Students and communicate to its membership the organization’s policy concerning the process by which a communication that (i) asserts a position on a matter of public concern, (ii) is to be issued or endorsed by the organization, and (iii) is intended to be distributed beyond the organization, broadly within the NYU Law community, or beyond the NYU Law community will be reviewed and approved internally prior to distribution. Any new student organization must provide to the Dean of Students and communicate to its membership such a policy within 90 days of the organization’s approval by the Student Bar Association. Each student organization may adopt any process that it deems appropriate for review and approval of covered communications. 

(2) If an organization has not provided the Dean of Students and the organization’s membership with the organization’s process for review and approval at the time a communication subject to subparagraph D(1) is to be distributed, the author of the communication shall include a disclaimer, in addition to the disclaimer required by Part C, that the person named as the author of the communication is speaking individually and not on behalf of the organization. For these purposes it is sufficient to satisfy the requirements of Part C and Part D if the communication states the following:

  • The views expressed herein are those of [name of the author or authors] and do not purport to represent the views of NYU or NYU School of Law or of [the student organization].

E. Use of Facilities 

The facilities of the Law School have been established by funds privately obtained and are not for general public use. Accordingly, and also because of the competition for use of the facilities and cost of their maintenance, the following guidelines should be followed: 

  1. The use of Law School facilities by students of the Law School shall be allowed and assigned in consultation with the Assistant Dean for Administration. 
  2. Charges for the use of Law School facilities to cover special expenses of cleaning, personnel, maintenance, overhead, and wear and tear may be made by the Dean as deemed appropriate. 

F. Allocation of Funds 

  1. Any organization formed by students of the NYU School of Law shall have the right to apply to the Board of Governors of the Student Bar Association for funding. Approval of such requests for funds may be conditioned upon submission of budgets to the Student Bar Association and other reasonable conditions. 
  2. When funds are allocated to a student organization, financial accountability may be required, including statement of income and expenses on a regular basis. Apart from the responsibilities to account for expenditures in relation to the approved budget, student organizations should have independent control over the expenditure of funds allocated. 

G. General 

Nothing contained in these guidelines shall be taken to limit or restrict in any way the right and privilege of any student or students to belong to any organization and to identify themself as a student at this University or Law School.